somewhere between almost and always [so junghwan treasure completed]

Chapter 18: Things Left Unsaid

The campus buzzed with whispers again. Not because of Ji-eun this time.

But because of Kang Min-jae.

The transfer student from Busan.

Tall. Sharp-jawed. Wore his uniform like it was runway material. Transferred mid-term due to his dad's job and was immediately dubbed "mysteriously hot" by the girls' group chat.

Ji-eun didn't care at first. She had enough chaos in her life. Min-jae was just another face.

Until he was assigned the empty seat next to her.

And suddenly, the whispers circled back.

Junghwan didn't say anything when he saw Min-jae walk into the classroom. Didn't blink when he sat beside Ji-eun.

Didn't even react when Min-jae leaned over and said something that made Ji-eun laugh softly.

But his grip tightened on his pen.

Soo-ah noticed. "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You're stabbing your notebook."

Junghwan looked down. The page was full of dark scribbles and a slightly torn corner.

"Still fine."

Ji-eun didn't notice anything unusual. Min-jae was funny in an effortless, dry way. He had a kind of detached confidence she found familiar — like Junghwan, but... smoother.

Still, she kept her guard up.

Until Thursday, when Min-jae caught her off-guard.

"You like art?"

She blinked. "What?"

"You doodle in your margins. Classical faces. You're good."

Ji-eun flushed. "It's just random sketching. Nothing serious."

He smiled. "Looks serious enough to me."

It was just a compliment. Casual. Simple.

But something about it made her heart stumble.

Junghwan met her after class, like usual.

But today, his smile felt a bit... off.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You've got a new neighbor now."

"Min-jae?" She shrugged. "He's fine."

Junghwan gave her a look. "He's very fine, apparently."

She rolled her eyes. "What are you, jealous?"

He scoffed. "Pfft. No."

She arched a brow.

"Okay, maybe a little. Just—be careful."

Ji-eun laughed. "It's high school, Junghwan. Not a spy movie."

"You say that like people don't have secret agendas."

"Are you jealous or projecting?"

"I'm serious, Ji-eun."

His tone had shifted—less teasing, more... tense.

And suddenly, she felt the shift too.

Because Junghwan wasn't the type to act out emotionally. If he was saying this, he felt it.

Deep down, she knew why.

Min-jae wasn't trying anything. At least not openly.

But he had a presence. And he noticed things.