?(?? ? ? )? . . . . . . .
. . A seemingly "hard boy" with emotional walls built from past pain. Outwardly confident, sometimes cruel
. . A quiet, gentle girl who has endured bullying in the past. She's observant and strong, and often overlooked...
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as seohyun settled into her seat, the hum of the classroom faded into the background, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was different today. the way the other students looked at her, the whispers she had caught, the intensity in miyeon's gaze—all of it lingered in her mind. but just as she was about to focus on the lesson, a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"hey," a soft voice called from beside her.
seohyun turned her head to see joon muri standing next to her desk, her usual calm, mysterious aura surrounding her. joon wasn't the type to approach others without reason, and the look in her eyes was... curious.
"you look different today," joon continued, her gaze sweeping over seohyun's appearance—the subtle makeup, the carefully chosen outfit. she didn't seem surprised, but there was something in the way she spoke, a hint of admiration. "you look... really good."
seohyun blinked, taken off guard. joon's words weren't just the usual polite compliments. they felt genuine, like joon really saw her, like she appreciated the effort seohyun had put into herself.
"uh... thanks," seohyun stammered, a little shy under the sudden attention. she hadn't expected this—especially not from joon, who had always been a bit of an enigma in her eyes.
"no, seriously," joon said with a small, reassuring smile. "you look confident. i can tell you put thought into it, and it shows. it's... nice to see."
seohyun felt her chest tighten, warmth creeping up her neck. joon's words felt different from the usual superficial comments from others. there was something more real about it, something that made seohyun feel... seen.
"thanks," seohyun replied again, this time with a smile of her own. it wasn't big or flashy, but it was genuine. she appreciated joon's kindness more than she realized.
joon nodded, as if satisfied with seohyun's response. then, after a brief pause, she added, "it's nice to see you standing out, seohyun. i think this... suits you."
seohyun couldn't help but smile a little wider. maybe it was the simple kindness of joon's words, or maybe it was because for once, someone was acknowledging the version of her that she was trying to build.
"thank you," she said again, feeling a little more confident, a little stronger.
"you're welcome," joon replied, her smile soft but genuine. "and if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
with that, joon turned and walked back to her seat, but seohyun couldn't help but watch her for a moment. joon was always so calm, so self-assured, and yet, in that moment, she had made seohyun feel like maybe she could be a little more of the person she was becoming.
as the bell rang and the class continued, seohyun couldn't shake the warmth that lingered from joon's words. it was a small moment, but it was one she would hold onto for a long time.
the bell rang, signaling the start of break. students began shuffling out of the classroom, some heading to the cafeteria, others loitering in the hallways. seohyun stood up slowly, gathering her things, ready to find a quiet corner to sit and unwind for a bit. but as she was about to slip through the door, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"hey," jake's voice was a little hesitant, but there was a friendly warmth to it.
seohyun turned around to find jake standing just behind her, his hands tucked in his pockets. he was smiling, though it looked a little uncertain, like he wasn't sure how she would respond.
"hi," seohyun replied, offering him a smile, though her heart skipped a beat at the sudden attention.
"you, uh... you look different today," jake said, his gaze shifting over her appearance. it wasn't as if he was giving her a once-over, but there was a genuine curiosity in his eyes. "in a good way."
seohyun's cheeks flushed a little at the compliment. "oh, thanks," she said softly. "just trying something new, i guess."
"well, it suits you," jake added, his smile widening. "you look confident. i don't know if i've ever seen you so... you know, out there before."
she didn't know how to respond at first, so she simply smiled. jake's words felt easy to take, unlike the sharp comments she sometimes received from others. it wasn't just a compliment about her looks; it felt more like an acknowledgment of the effort she had put in, of the person she was trying to become.
"thanks," she repeated, her voice quieter but still sincere.
"you wanna hang out later?" jake asked, his voice a little less unsure now. "i know it's still early in the day, but... i thought it'd be nice to do something after school."
seohyun blinked at him in surprise. "after school?" she echoed, still a bit stunned that he was asking her. "uh... sure. that sounds nice."
jake grinned, clearly relieved. "cool. i'll text you details, yeah?"
"yeah," seohyun nodded, feeling a flutter of excitement in her chest. it wasn't much, but the idea of spending time with him outside of school made her feel... something new. something hopeful.
"great," jake said, his smile widening. "i'll see you then, then."
with that, he turned and walked off, disappearing into the flow of students. seohyun stood there for a moment, trying to process the interaction. her heart was still racing a little, and she couldn't help but smile to herself.
