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[23]

And then, she walked away.

Sooheon didn't stop her.

But as he stood there, staring at the faint trace of smoke dissolving into the air, he knew that this moment would stay with him.

Because as the first impression, he had seen Namra-not the perfect student, not the untouchable girl, but someone real. And that made all the difference.

---

Jaebom walked down the hallway, hands stuffed in his pockets, his usual calm demeanor unshaken by the chattering students around him. He had an effortless way of moving through the crowd—never rushed, never too slow, as if the world naturally adjusted to his pace.

Sooheon spotted him from a few steps ahead, leaning against the lockers with a lazy posture, arms crossed. He wasn’t particularly waiting for him, but when their eyes met, Jaebom gave a small nod, and Sooheon returned the gesture.

“You look dead tired,” Jaebom remarked as he approached, voice even.

Sooheon exhaled through his nose. “Didn’t sleep much.”

Jaebom didn’t pry. He never did. They weren’t the kind of friends who dissected emotions or prodded at each other’s personal lives. Their conversations were easy, surface-level but never forced.

“Ah Jung dragged me to a café yesterday,” Jaebom said, as if just remembering.

Sooheon smirked slightly. “And?”

Jaebom shrugged. “She’s... persistent.”

“Sounds like trouble.”

“Not really. Just direct.”

As the bell rang for lunch, Sooheon walked with Jaebom down the hallway. The sounds of chatter and footsteps echoed around them. Sooheon had his hands in his pockets, and Jaebom was walking beside him with his usual relaxed attitude.

"What's up with you today? You seem quieter than usual," Jaebom commented, glancing at him.

Sooheon shrugged, not quite ready to go into detail. "Just tired, I guess."

Jaebom nodded but didn’t press further. They continued walking, but as they neared the corner to the cafeteria, Chanmi suddenly joined them, catching up with them from behind.

"Hey, are you both going to lunch now?" Chanmi asked, her tone a little too cheerful.

Sooheon hesitated for a moment. "I’m actually gonna go check on something first," he said, his voice a little distant. "I’ll catch up later."

Chanmi blinked, confused but not surprised by his usual unpredictability. "Right, sure," she said with a faint smile, though her eyes lingered on him. "We’ll save a seat for you."

Jaebom gave Sooheon a quick glance before looking back at Chanmi. "You know how he is," he said with a smirk. "Always somewhere else in his head."

Sooheon gave them a half-hearted smile. "See you guys later," he said and turned away, heading in the direction of the classroom.

His mind was preoccupied with something else entirely. The conversation and plans could wait; he had to make sure Namra ate. He could feel the distance between them again, something lingering in the air whenever she wasn’t herself. It wasn’t like before, but it didn’t feel right leaving her alone either.

---

Sooheon watched as Namra buried her face in her books, her body slouched slightly as if she were trying to disappear into the pages. It was clear she was using them as a shield, trying to block out the world—or at least him.