TOGETHER

Weeks had passed since Hana had made the conscious choice to move on. Each day she practiced avoiding Min-Jun's gaze, each interaction she carefully redirected to Seojun or Sarang. She thought she had reclaimed herself, freed her heart from the chaotic pull of attraction that had once made every heartbeat seem too loud, every glance too heavy. She told herself over and over, It's over. Just a fleeting crush.

Sarang noticed the change immediately. Every time Hana laughed freely without glancing toward Min-Jun, Sarang felt a small triumph. Finally, she thought, she's learning to stand on her own. Seojun noticed too, quietly approving of Hana's efforts, happy to see her reclaim her space and confidence.

Hana believed it herself. She convinced herself that the spark between them had extinguished. She had moved on. Or so she thought.

The hallway was alive with chatter as Hana and Sarang walked back toward their classroom. Sunlight streamed through the windows, catching the dust in lazy, golden beams. Hana was laughing softly at something Sarang had said, feeling light and free. Her mind was not thinking of Min-Jun... until the corner of her eye caught him.

Min-Jun and Seojun were emerging from the opposite classroom. Min-Jun walked slowly, distracted, hands buried in his pockets. Seojun nudged him gently, impatient, and the shove made Min-Jun stumble.

And then Hana rounded the corner.

Time froze.

The world narrowed to just the two of them.

Min-Jun's momentum faltered; he caught himself just in time. Their eyes met—wide, startled, frozen. Hana's heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst through her chest. Her palms went clammy, her cheeks warmed, and every rational thought fled.

For a long, suspended moment, the hallway seemed empty. Students walking past became ghosts. The sunbeams felt brighter, warmer, focused only on them. Min-Jun's lips twitched into a small, almost embarrassed smile. It was soft, gentle, and fleeting—but it hit Hana in a place she thought she had locked away.

Her body froze. She wanted to move, to run, but her feet felt rooted. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, every beat echoing: him, him, him.

It felt like a scene straight out of a movie—dramatic, surreal, impossible.

Sarang and Seojun, watching from nearby, exchanged amused smirks. They had seen enough to know the electricity in that single glance. Sarang chuckled softly, shaking her head, while Seojun's lips curved into a knowing smile. Their amusement slowly snapped Hana out of her trance. She stumbled forward into the classroom, desperate to escape her own heart's betrayals.

All through the day, Hana's mind replayed it endlessly. It was just attraction. That's all. A passing thing. Gone... isn't it? Her thoughts were a mess of denial and confusion. Then why did my chest feel like it was on fire? Why am I thinking about the smile? He said he didn't like me... so why... why did he look at me like that?

The next morning, Hana arrived at school early, hoping to start the day calmly. She bent over the class register, trying to focus, trying to convince herself that yesterday had been a fluke.

Then she heard it—a soft, teasing, unmistakable voice behind her.

"Babyyyy..."

Her hands froze on the papers. Her breath caught. Slowly, she turned, eyes wide, heart hammering. Min-Jun sat there at his desk, pretending to write, but the word hung in her mind. He said it... he said it.

Then Jiwon, a quiet boy from the second row, leaned forward with a grin.
"I heard it too. He said it, Hana. Baby. Clear as day. You weren't imagining it."

Hana's face burned crimson. Her stomach twisted. The ground beneath her seemed to shift. This wasn't imagination. It wasn't a trick of her mind. Someone else had heard it too.

Her mind raced: Was it real? Did he mean it? Or was it just a slip, a joke? A tease?

Later that afternoon, she confided in Sarang. She expected teasing, laughter, maybe even a playful nudge. But Sarang's expression darkened immediately.

"Don't be stupid, Hana," she said sharply, her voice low but piercing. "You know that boy. He enjoys this—the way he makes you blush, the way you get nervous around him. Don't fool yourself. He's playing. He doesn't deserve your feelings."

Hana's lips parted, ready to argue, but no words came. Sarang's warning pressed heavy on her chest, a reality check that hurt.

Sarang softened a little. "I'm only saying this because I care. Watch yourself. Don't let him make you weak. If he does anything to hurt you, I'll step in."

Hana swallowed hard. She wanted to trust her own heart, wanted to believe in the possibility that Min-Jun had been sincere, but Sarang's words planted a seed of doubt, twisting her joy into confusion.

That night, Hana sat by her window, knees hugged to her chest, staring at the quiet street below. Whispering to the darkness, she asked herself, Maybe Sarang's right. Maybe he's just teasing. But... why does it feel so real? Why did his smile feel... like it was only for me?

Her phone buzzed. Seojun.

"Hana," he said, his voice steady, warm, reassuring. "Don't let Sarang's words crush you. She's worried because she cares. That's all. You don't need to decide anything tonight. Feel what you feel. Cry if you need. Be confused if you want. I'm here."

Hana exhaled shakily, tears finally slipping down her cheeks. But these tears were different—relief, a little freedom, the comfort of being seen.

Across town, Min-Jun lay awake, staring at his ceiling. He replayed the word that had escaped: baby. It had slipped out before he could think. But once spoken, it refused to leave him. He thought of Hana's wide eyes, the blush coloring her cheeks, the way she had frozen in that split second.

He hadn't meant it... and yet, he couldn't stop thinking about it.

The night stretched long. Both of them, unaware of the other's thoughts, were trapped in the invisible threads of attraction, confusion, and unspoken feelings. One word had set a storm into motion, one glance had unsettled everything they thought they knew.

And in the quiet, two hearts wrestled with the delicate tension between desire and restraint, attraction and denial, curiosity and fear. 

               TO BE CONTINUEE.............