Truth or Lies

Chapter 2

"Mr. Jungkook is waiting, Jeong! Let's go!"

Iseul grabbed Jeong-yeon's arm, dragging her toward the playground.

When they arrived, they saw a crowd of girls-not on the field but gathered under a tree-circling a boy like bees around honey. Jeong-yeon immediately sprinted over, leaving Iseul behind.

As Iseul scanned the area, her eyes landed on someone sitting awkwardly in the middle of the playground, clutching his ankle with a pained expression.

Frowning, she approached and knelt beside him. "Are you hurt?" she asked gently, her voice carrying a note of concern.

The boy gave her a sheepish smile. "Looks like I twisted my ankle."

"So you're the one who's really injured? Then what's with all that fuss over there?" she asked, gesturing toward the girls with Jungkook, her annoyance creeping into her tone.

"Oh, you mean Jungkook?" the boy said, chuckling. "He barely scraped his knee when he tripped over the ball. But those girls? They're acting like it's the end of the world." He laughed softly, shaking his head. "They're claiming his skin is 'torn,' and someone even said his ligament might've snapped."

Iseul couldn't help but smile at the absurdity. "Unbelievable."

She stood up. "Stay here-I'll grab the first-aid box."

Heading toward the tree, she saw Jeong-yeon fussing over Jungkook as if he were on his deathbed. The first-aid box lay abandoned at the base of the tree.

"Oh my goodness, Jeong, you better check his temperature properly. His face looks so red! Do you think he has a fever?" Iseul said, her voice dripping with mock seriousness.

Jeong-yeon's head snapped toward Iseul, her eyes narrowing as she caught on to the sarcasm. But the other girls were too caught up in the moment to notice.

"Oh my god, Jungkook! Are you okay?"
"She's right! His face is red!"
"Someone bring water, quick!"
"Nurse Jeong, do something!"

Suppressing a laugh, Iseul bent to pick up the first-aid box. Jungkook shot her a look-half amused, half exasperated-but before he could say anything, Iseul dealt the final blow.

"You know," she said with an innocent expression, "you should probably call an ambulance."

Jeong-yeon groaned audibly, visibly restraining herself from blowing up.

The girls, however, took her suggestion seriously. In a flurry of panic, one of them whipped out her phone to call emergency services.

Seeing things spiral out of control, Jungkook shot to his feet. "I-I'll just rest in the nurse's office!" he said hurriedly, bolting toward the school building like a man escaping a crime scene.

Satisfied with her work, Iseul returned to the boy on the field, who had been watching the entire spectacle unfold with a bewildered expression.

"Sorry for the wait," she said, kneeling beside him again. "Now, hold your leg straight-I'll take care of the bandaging."

The boy's amused smile lingered. "What did you just do? I saw Jungkook running like his life depended on it."

Iseul grinned as she unwrapped the bandage. "Oh, nothing much. I just added some dynamite to the fire." She giggled, clearly entertained by the chaos.

The boy chuckled softly, watching her work. "You're interesting, you know that?" he said, his tone warm. "I'm Soobin, by the way."

"Iseul. Kang Iseul," she replied, focused on wrapping his ankle securely.

But just as she tied off the bandage, Soobin gently caught her wrist, making her freeze. He leaned in slightly, his dark eyes locking onto hers.

"W-What are you doing?" Iseul stammered, taken aback by the sudden closeness.

"So... you're Iseul," Soobin murmured, as if confirming something. "You're Taehyun's sister, right?"

Her heart skipped a beat at the mention of her brother. "Y-Yeah, I am. How do you know him?"

A nostalgic smile softened Soobin's features. "He was my best friend."

Iseul blinked, stunned. "What?" she whispered. "You and Taehyun were best friends? But... why didn't I ever know about you?"

Soobin's smile faltered for a moment, a flicker of sadness crossing his face. "There are some things your brother kept to himself. But I was there, through a lot of it."

Iseul's throat tightened. The mention of Taehyun brought back a flood of emotions-grief, confusion, and the gnawing emptiness that never seemed to go away.

"Why didn't he tell me?" she whispered, more to herself than to Soobin.

"I think..." Soobin began, hesitating for a moment. "Maybe he just wanted to protect you. There was a lot going on back then."

Iseul clenched her fists, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. What was Taehyun hiding? And why was this boy, a stranger to her, so familiar with her brother's life?

"Iseul," Soobin said gently, sensing her inner turmoil. "If you ever want to know more, I'll tell you everything. I owe Taehyun that much."

She looked into his eyes, searching for answers in the warmth of his gaze.

"Okay," she whispered. "I want to know everything."

Hey readers! I hope you enjoyed this chapter with a mix of sarcasm, mystery, and unexpected connections. Things are slowly unfolding, and Iseul's past is starting to catch up with her. Stay tuned for more twists ahead! Your thoughts mean a lot, so feel free to share them. See you in the next chapter!

- [Skye]