THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Rachel felt more optimistic. After the whirlwind of her first day back, she was ready to dive into her second day with a more positive outlook. She had to admit, being back in the flow of things felt like a small victory.

As she entered the classroom and sat down, the noise of the bustling students around her settled into a hum. She greeted her friends with a warm smile as she found her seat, mentally preparing herself for another day.

The bell rang, and Mr. Bang began the class. Attendance went smoothly, with students chiming in with the usual "present" as their names were called. When Rachel's name was called, she responded with a cheerful "here," and felt a little lighter.

But the calmness of the morning was quickly interrupted when Mr. Bang paused as he finished calling the roll. He looked toward her with a slight frown, as if there was something on his mind.

"Rachel, could I speak with you for a moment after before lunch?" he asked, his voice gentle yet firm.

Rachel raised an eyebrow, unsure of what this was about. "Of course," she nodded, the curiosity creeping in.

Kai, sitting beside her, leaned in with a grin. "Already in trouble?"

"I'm sure it's nothing."

As class continued, Rachel couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She didn't have much time to dwell on it, though, as the bell rang for a break right after. Rachel got up, gathering her things when Mr. Bang motioned for her to stay behind.

The other students filed out to get ready to eat, and Kai's playful voice echoed as he left the classroom, "Good luck!"

When the door clicked shut, Mr. Bang turned to Rachel, his tone more serious now. "I wanted to speak with you about your hair," he began slowly.

Rachel blinked in confusion, her fingers brushing her bleached blonde hair, as if she hadn't quite understood. "My hair?"

He nodded. "Yes. As per the school rules, dyed hair is not permitted."

Rachel's mouth went dry, surprised by this. She hadn't even considered that her bleached blonde hair might be an issue.

"But Isa has dyed hair," she pointed out, feeling a bit defensive.

Mr. Bang gave a small sigh. "Isa's hair color is a darker shade, and she's within the acceptable range. I'm afraid your current color is too bright."

Rachel blinked again, a little stunned. "So... what should I do?"

He seemed to soften at her reaction. "I'm afraid you'll need to dye it back to a more natural shade, preferably brown, if you want to avoid any issues."

She stood there for a moment, processing the unexpected news. "Right... I'll figure something out," she said, though her tone was more resigned than she'd liked.

"Thank you for understanding," he said, giving a polite nod. "Let me know if you need any assistance."

Rachel sat back down at her desk, now slightly irritated. She had carefully cultivated this blonde look for the past two years in America. To be told she couldn't keep it was frustrating, especially considering how hard she had worked to embrace it.

Isa, noticing the look on her face, took a bite of her lunch before speaking. "What happened? You look annoyed."

"Yeah," Hwamin said. "You look down." She was introduced as a new student in class earlier, taking the spot im between Isa and Sungjoon. The girls had become closer as friends since then.

Rachel hesitated for a moment before letting out a small, resigned laugh. "Apparently, I can't keep the blonde anymore," she said, trying to keep her tone light but feeling the sting of the restriction. 

"That's dumb," Hwamin frowned.

"I know."

They were together in class for lunch, eating quietly as the conversation buzzed around. Rachel couldn't help but feel a bit disconnected, though.

Life felt surreal, like she was walking between two worlds—the one she left behind in America and the one she was slowly stepping back into here in Korea.

Isa scoffed, her brow furrowing in disbelief. "I was worried about that when I first saw you back. I don't get it. It's just hair."

Rachel couldn't help but smile slightly at Isa's support, but it did little to soothe her irritation. "I know, but what can I do? They're strict about it."

Isa shook her head, clearly upset with the rule herself. "I wish I could pull up in purple hair."

Hwamin added, "I'd love to go for red."

Before she knew it, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, and everyone shuffled back to class.

As class started, Rachel tried to shake off the weight of her thoughts and focus on the lesson. She looked down at her notebook, scribbling aimlessly for a moment before her gaze subconsciously drifted to the side.

Her eyes landed on Jake. He was sitting with his usual disinterested posture, and for a split second, their eyes met. Her heart skipped a beat.

But just as quickly as it had happened, she pulled her attention away, forcing herself to focus on the lecture again.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･･

The school day ended, and Rachel made her way toward the gates, ready to head home. She was looking forward to the quiet of her own space, away from the energy of the school. But as she approached the gates, her steps faltered.

There, casually against the gate, was Jake.

For a moment, she froze, unsure of what to do. Her first instinct was to turn around, hide, and hope he wouldn't notice her. She quickly ducked behind a nearby tree, hoping the shadows would shield her from his view.

Peering out from behind the tree, Rachel saw Jake pull out a cigarette and light it, the smoke curling lazily into the air.

...Seriously? Her fingers curled into a fist. So, he was still like this.

She wasn't sure why she even cared, but disappointment weighed heavy on her chest. A part of her had wondered, maybe even hoped, that things would be different. That he would be different.

But no.

She exhaled sharply, shaking her head at herself. What did she expect?

But she stayed silent. There was nothing she could say to him. Nothing that would make him change.

After a long pause, she sighed, pushing the anger aside. She wasn't about to waste her time watching him, so she turned away and walked in the opposite direction, making her way out of the school grounds without a second glance.