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As they approached the school's main gate, Minah slowed her pace, squinting into the darkness. Something didn't feel right. Then it hit her.

"Wait," she hissed, grabbing Jungwon's arm. "Didn't they lock the gates at night?"

Jungwon blinked at her, completely unfazed. "They lock the gates? Since when?"

"Since forever. Have you seriously never noticed?" Minah groaned, rubbing her temples. "Great. Just great. We're stuck. We're not allowed to be here at this time, so god knows what'll happen if we get caught by someone."

Jungwon stepped forward confidently, peering at the looming iron gate. "Relax. It's not a big deal. We'll just climb over it."

Minah deadpanned at him. "Climb over? Are you insane? That's, like, ten feet high. And it's covered in spikes. Do I look like I have a death wish?"

Jungwon turned to her, arms crossed. "Fine. What's your genius plan, then?"

Minah stared at the gate, then at Jungwon, then back at the gate. Her brilliant brain came up with exactly... nothing. "I don't know. Maybe we call someone?"

Jungwon raised an eyebrow. "And tell them what? 'Hi, we stayed in school for too long and now we're stuck'? Yeah, I'm sure that'll go over well."

She groaned, slapping her forehead. "Nevermind. Why did I expect something?"

Jungwon smirked. "Because deep down, you love the thrill of danger."

"Deep down, I love not being caught," she shot back.

Before they could argue further, the distant sound of keys jingling reached their ears. Both of them froze, their heads snapping toward the source of the noise. A flashlight beam flickered through the trees, growing closer with each second.

"Security guard," Jungwon whispered, grabbing her hand instinctively.

"What do we do?" Minah hissed, her heart racing as she glanced around wildly. "We're so busted."

Jungwon scanned the area, his sharp eyes darting from the gate to the bushes to the nearby shed. "Follow me," he said, tugging her toward the shed without waiting for a response.

They squeezed inside the tiny, dusty space just as the guard's flashlight swept past. Minah crouched awkwardly, her knees digging into the floor, while Jungwon huddled beside her, their shoulders pressed together in the cramped space.

"This is the worst hiding spot ever," Minah whispered, glaring at him.

"Would you rather I let him catch us?" Jungwon whispered back, his breath warm against her ear.

She shivered, trying to ignore how close he was. "I'd rather we weren't in this mess in the first place."

Jungwon smirked, his voice laced with amusement. "Admit it. This is kinda fun."

Minah shot him a look that could have melted steel. "I hate you."

"Sure you do," he replied, his grin widening. "You're definitely not clinging to my arm right now."

She glanced down and realized, to her horror, that she was clutching his arm like her life depended on it. She immediately let go, crossing her arms defensively. "I wasn't clinging. I was... stabilizing."

"Right," Jungwon teased, his tone playful. "Stabilizing."

Before Minah could retort, the guard's voice called out nearby. "I know someone's out here! You'd better come out now!"

Her eyes widened, and she grabbed Jungwon's sleeve again. "We're doomed. We're so doomed."

"Relax," he murmured, his voice calm and steady. "He won't find us."

"How are you so calm about this?" she whispered, her heart pounding loud enough that she was sure the guard could hear it.

Jungwon glanced at her, his dark eyes softening. "Because panicking won't help. Trust me, okay?"

Something about the way he said it made her chest tighten. She nodded reluctantly, her grip on his sleeve loosening.

They stayed perfectly still as the guard's flashlight beam swept past the shed, the light leaking through the cracks in the wooden walls.

After a tense moment, the footsteps grew fainter, and the jingling keys disappeared into the distance.

When they were sure the coast was clear, Minah let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "That was way too close."

Jungwon grinned, leaning back against the wall with an almost smug expression. "Told you we'd be fine."

Minah glared at him, though there was no real anger behind it. "Next time, I'm not listening to any of your ideas."

"You say that now," Jungwon teased, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "But you'll miss me when I'm not around to save you."

She rolled her eyes, but her lips curved into a small smile. "Yeah, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

As they carefully snuck back toward the gate, the tension between them eased, replaced by quiet laughter and the occasional playful jab.