Isn't it obvious?

Part 10

[Minju's pov]

The car ride was wrong.

For three months, the rhythm of my morning was defined by the quiet shadow in the back seat. But today, there was only empty space. Hyunjin was talking about the party, his voice filled with that genuine excitement he always had lately, but I couldn't hear him. All I could think is Chaewon.

"Ill drop u here and park my car. See you in a bit." says Hyujin

Hyunjin pulled up at the main entrance with his usual cheerful flourish. "See you at lunch, okay?" he said, giving my hand a quick squeeze.

"Yeah, see you," I murmured, my mind already elsewhere.

The moment I stepped out of the car, I didn't head for the building. My feet stayed rooted to the pavement, and my gaze drifted—almost instinctively—toward the motorcycle parking lot.

There she was. The roar of the engine died down as Chaewon kicked the kickstand into place. She moved with a cold, sharp precision, pulling her helmet off in one smooth motion. Even from this distance, she looked so isolated, so untouchable.

"Hey! Minju-ah!"

A hand slapped my shoulder, making me jump. It was Yuri, her eyes wide with curiosity as she followed my gaze toward the parking lot.

"Is that Chaewon?" Yuri asked, squinting. "Wait, since when does she ride a bike? And why didn't she come with you guys today? Usually, you three are like a packaged deal."

I felt a pang of discomfort. I tried to keep my face nonchalant, but my heart was racing. "She... she just wanted some independence, I guess. She bought it a few days ago."

"Independence? Or is she just dodging you two?" Yuri teased, though her voice turned a bit more serious. "It's weird, right? I mean, Hyunjin is her brother and you're basically family now. Why would she choose to ride a bike alone in the heat instead of sitting in a nice, air-conditioned car with her favorite people?"

I swallowed hard, watching Chaewon hang her helmet on the handlebar. "I don't know, Yuri. She's just being... Chaewon."

"Well," Yuri shrugged, hooking her arm through mine to pull me toward the entrance. "She looks cool, I'll give her that. But she also looks like she's trying to disappear

As Yuri pulled me away, I stole one last glance back. Chaewon was walking toward the opposite building, her back to me, looking like a stranger I never knew.

The walk to the classroom felt longer than usual. Yuri's voice was a steady hum in my ear—talking about the upcoming exams and weekend plans—but I was only half-listening. My mind was still back at the parking lot, replaying the way Chaewon's shoulders looked so tense under that leather jacket.

When we entered the classroom, I immediately looked toward the back corner.

Chaewon was already there. She was slumped in her seat, staring out the window with her headphones on, her fingers rhythmically tapping against her desk. She didn't even flinch when we walked in. It was like she had built an invisible wall around her desk that said: "Do not cross."

"She's really leaning into the whole 'loner' vibe today, isn't she?" Yuri whispered as we sat at our desks.

I didn't answer. I just pulled out my notebook, but my eyes kept drifting back to the mirror on my compact case—using it to sneak a glance at her without turning around.

Through the tiny reflection, I saw her sigh. She took off her headphones and rested her forehead on her palm, looking genuinely drained. My heart gave a painful tug. I wanted to walk back there and just ask, "Are you okay? Did you even eat?"