? HARD BOY BABY // SIM JAEYUN ?

seohyun slid into her seat just as the bell rang, her heart still racing from the mad dash to school. she pulled out her notebook and tried to settle into the rhythm of the class, her mind still partially on the conversation with jake, wondering if he'd reply.

the teacher started speaking, but seohyun barely paid attention. her thoughts were elsewhere, distracted by the quiet tension in the air.
it was like she was in a bubble, disconnected from everything happening around her. the usual buzz of chatter, the shuffle of feet, the rustling of papers—none of it seemed to matter.

then, something different.

a new voice.

"um... excuse me?"

seohyun blinked and turned toward the sound. a female student she didn't recognize stood at the edge of her desk, looking unsure. she had short black hair that framed her face, with a nervous but determined expression.

seohyun frowned, unsure why she was addressing her.
she didn't seem to belong to any of the usual cliques, but she also didn't seem out of place. just... new.

"hi," the girl said softly, almost apologetically. "i'm kind of lost, and... i was wondering if you could help me?"

seohyun blinked again, taken aback.
help her? she wasn't exactly the go-to person for guidance at this school. if anything, people avoided her.

but then again, she couldn't help but feel a flicker of sympathy for her. the way she stood there, looking awkward but hopeful, made something stir inside her.

"sure, what do you need?" she asked before she could second-guess herself.

the girl seemed relieved. "i'm looking for the library, actually. i was just transferred in from another school, and i don't really know the layout of the place yet."

"oh," seohyun nodded, glancing toward the door. "it's down the hall, first left, and then it's on the right. you can't miss it."

the girl smiled, a little more relaxed now. "thanks. i appreciate it."

"no problem," seohyun replied, smiling back before turning back to her notebook.

she felt a slight shift in the air as the girl hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"maybe... i'll see you around?" Joon Muri said, her voice soft but genuine.

seohyun blinked, feeling her cheeks warm slightly.
"yeah, maybe," she replied, trying to sound casual.

Joon nodded and walked away, her footsteps soft but purposeful.

seohyun watched her go, a little confused by the encounter. she wasn't sure why, but something about the way Joon looked at her felt... different.
not pitying. not judgmental. just... normal.

she shook her head and turned back to her work, feeling the buzz of a new, strange feeling tickling at the back of her mind.

the bell rang, signaling the end of the lecture. seohyun gathered her things, moving with the flow of students leaving the room, her mind still on the quiet moment earlier with joon muri.

she didn't know why, but the encounter had stuck with her. it was unusual. a new student, asking her for help, and actually thanking her? seohyun wasn't used to that. it made her feel... something.

as she stood up to leave, she caught a glimpse of joon out of the corner of her eye. the girl was standing by the door, waiting, her hands clasped nervously in front of her.

seohyun hesitated but then walked over, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"hey," joon said softly, her voice quieter than before, almost hesitant. "i hope i'm not bothering you..."

"no, you're not," seohyun replied quickly, her tone more open than she expected. "what's up?"

joon gave a small, relieved smile. "i... just wanted to thank you again. for showing me the way to the library earlier."

seohyun nodded, brushing her hair behind her ear. "it's no problem."

there was a brief pause, and seohyun could feel joon's gaze flicker to the other students leaving the classroom, before she spoke again.

"actually," joon said, biting her lip, "i was wondering... if maybe you wanted to grab a coffee or something after school? just... you know, to talk. i don't really know anyone here yet, and, well..." she trailed off, looking at seohyun with a mixture of uncertainty and hope. "i thought it'd be nice, if you don't mind."

seohyun blinked, a little caught off guard. it wasn't that she didn't want to, but... she wasn't used to being asked to hang out, not like this. she'd never really connected with anyone in that way before, especially not with someone like joon, who seemed so different from the people seohyun was used to.

but still, something about her felt... familiar.

"sure," seohyun found herself saying, before she could overthink it. "i could do that. i've got a little time after school."

"really?" joon's face lit up, her smile wide and genuine. "thanks. i promise i'm not trying to make you feel uncomfortable, i just... could use a friend."

seohyun smiled back, feeling a small warmth in her chest. "no problem. it'll be nice."

"great," joon said with a small nod, visibly relieved. "i'll meet you after class then?"

"yeah," seohyun agreed. "see you then."

as joon left the classroom, seohyun stood there for a moment, her mind swirling.
this was new territory for her, and she wasn't sure where it was going, but for some reason, it didn't feel bad. not at all.