⋆ 𐙚 ̊.CHAPTER 20✶⋆.˚

🇽​​🇴​, ​🇪​​🇻​​🇪​​🇱​​🇾​​🇳

Evelyn pushed the door open and stepped inside the cozy yet cramped room. There were two bunk beds, a small wooden dresser, and a window overlooking the mountains. The air smelled faintly of pinewood, but the atmosphere inside? Tense.

Because standing by the beds, already unpacking, were Madison Miller and Eunice Park.

Evelyn blinked. Wait. What?

"I thought it was just me and Madison?" she asked, looking between them.

Eunice shrugged, her tone flat. "They switched me last minute. Something about an odd number of students."

Madison let out a mock gasp, placing a hand over her chest. "Wow, so now it's three of us? How cute. A little sleepover party!" She turned to Evelyn, smiling sweetly. "Don't worry, Raven, we'll try not to talk too much about you behind your back."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks. That's so reassuring."

Eunice, always one to avoid unnecessary drama, just sat on her bunk, silently pulling out her books.

Evelyn took a deep breath and started unpacking, trying to ignore Madison's presence altogether—

But of course, that didn't last long.

Madison perched herself on the dresser, crossing her legs as she watched Evelyn struggle with her bag. Like a cat watching its prey.

"You know," she began in a syrupy tone, "I was actually worried about this trip being boring. But lucky me, I get to room with you."

Evelyn didn't look up. "Lucky me."

Madison pouted. "Aww, don't sound so bitter. It's not my fault your little bestie ditched you for Yuri."

Evelyn's grip on her clothes tightened, but she stayed silent.

"Honestly, I don't blame her. I'd pick Yuri over you too," Madison continued, swinging her legs playfully. "She's just so... put together. Whereas you?" She gave Evelyn a once-over. "You're kind of a mess, aren't you?"

Eunice sighed audibly from her bunk. "Can you two not? It hasn't even been ten minutes."

Madison grinned. "Oh, Eunice, this is bonding. Don't you know? This is how Raven and I show love."

Evelyn finally snapped her suitcase shut and glared at her. "If this is love, I'd rather be single for the rest of my life."

Madison let out a fake gasp, pressing a hand to her chest. "Wow. And here I was, trying to be nice."

Eunice, done with their nonsense, got up and grabbed her book. "I'm going to the common area before I lose brain cells," she muttered, walking out.

As soon as the door shut behind her, Evelyn flopped onto her bed, letting out a long breath.

Madison hummed, still smiling, still annoyingly amused.

"Well, Raven," she said, "at least this room isn't silent anymore."

"Madison," Evelyn said, voice firm. "Stop calling me Raven."

Madison raised a brow. "Why? Minho calls you that too."

Evelyn looked at her, eyes unwavering. "Exactly. Only he can call me that."

Evelyn pulled her hoodie over her head as she walked through the forest, the cool breeze brushing against her skin. The fresh air felt nice—a break from the suffocating cabin, from Madison's sugar-coated insults, from everything.

The voices of the other students faded the farther she went, replaced by the rustling leaves and the occasional chirp of a bird. It was peaceful. Until—

"Yeah, yeah, I ate, Mom. I swear."

She froze.

That voice. She knew that voice.

Evelyn turned slightly, peeking through the trees. Minho stood a few feet away, phone in hand, video calling his mom. His tone was softer than usual, missing its usual teasing sharpness.

She immediately turned on her heel, planning to walk away before he could see her—

Too late.

"Evelyn?"

Her body stiffened. She sighed, then slowly turned around.

Minho's eyes met hers, and she braced herself for the usual cocky remark, maybe some teasing about last night. But instead, he just... smiled. Like everything was normal.

"Come here," he said, waving her over. "Mom wants to see you."

Evelyn blinked. "What?"

He didn't give her a choice. He tilted his phone, switching the screen to face her.

"Look who I found," he said to the camera.

Before Evelyn could react, a familiar excited voice rang through the speaker.

"Evelyn! Oh my goodness, it's been so long!"

Her stomach twisted with both warmth and guilt.

"Hi, aunty," she greeted, brushing a stray hair behind her ear.

"You've grown so much!" Minho's mom beamed through the screen. "I haven't seen you in years! How are you, sweetheart?"

Evelyn shifted on her feet. "I'm doing okay. Just... you know, surviving school."

Minho scoffed. "Barely."

She shot him a glare, but his mom only laughed.

"Minho tells me you're back for good," she said, smiling warmly. "I'm glad. It always felt like something was missing without you around."

Evelyn's chest tightened. She forced a small smile. "Yeah... I guess I'm back for good."

Minho watched her carefully, but for once, he didn't say anything.

Minho's mom kept talking, asking Evelyn about school, the trip, and how she was adjusting back to life in Korea. Evelyn answered as best as she could, keeping her voice light, but something about the conversation made her feel... off. Maybe it was the warmth in Dami's voice, the way she talked like she genuinely cared about Evelyn. Like Evelyn wasn't just some girl her son bickered with constantly.

Minho, for once, stayed mostly silent, letting his mom and Evelyn talk. He leaned against a tree, arms crossed, phone held out just enough for both of them to stay in view.

Then, his mom said something that nearly made Evelyn freeze.

"You know, Evelyn, I still have those pictures of you and Minho from when you were little."

Evelyn's eyes widened. "You do?"

Minho immediately groaned. "Mom—"

"Oh yes!" Dami continued, completely ignoring her son's mortified expression. "You two were adorable! You used to come over all the time, and Minho would follow you around like a little lost puppy."

Evelyn snorted, turning to Minho. "A lost puppy, huh?"

Minho rolled his eyes. "She's lying."

Dami laughed. "I am not! You were obsessed with her! You even cried once when she went home early!"

"Okay, we're done here," Minho said quickly, attempting to turn the phone away, but Evelyn grabbed his wrist, laughing.

"Oh no, no, no. I need to hear more of this."

Minho groaned dramatically, but his mom only kept going.

"I swear, Minho has always had a soft spot for you," Dami said warmly. "Even if he pretends otherwise now."

Evelyn paused. Her heart did a weird little jump, and she wasn't sure why.

Minho, however, immediately scoffed. "Mom, don't give her ideas. This is why I don't let you talk to her."

Dami just laughed. "Oh, hush. I'm just saying, it's nice seeing you both together again."

Evelyn's smile faltered slightly.

Together.

She swallowed, suddenly feeling too warm, too exposed.

She shifted back, clearing her throat. "Well, it was nice talking to you, aunty," she said quickly. "But I should probably get back before the teachers start looking for us."

Dami pouted. "Aw, already? Well, alright. But don't be a stranger, okay? Come visit soon!"

Evelyn nodded. "I will."

Minho said his quick goodbyes, then ended the call. The second the screen went dark, he let out a deep exhale, tilting his head toward Evelyn.

"You loved that, didn't you Raven?"

Evelyn grinned. "Oh, absolutely. I'm never letting you live down the lost puppy thing."

Minho rolled his eyes, pocketing his phone. "Whatever."

They stood there for a moment, a strange silence settling between them. It wasn't awkward, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either. Evelyn glanced at Minho from the corner of her eye, debating whether she should say something else.

But before she could decide, Minho beat her to it.

"You good?" he asked, his voice softer now.

Evelyn blinked. "Huh?"

Minho rubbed the back of his neck. "Yesterday, you know....uh"

Evelyn opened her mouth, ready to brush it off with some sarcastic remark, but for some reason, she didn't. Instead, she just looked at him, at the way he wasn't smirking, wasn't teasing. 

That alone was enough to throw her off.

She hesitated, then finally muttered, "I'm fine."

He just nodded. "Cool."

Another beat of silence. Then—

"You really cried when I left early?" Evelyn teased.

Minho groaned. "I hate you."

Evelyn grinned. "No, you don't."

Minho rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Instead, he just started walking back toward the cabins.

And without thinking, Evelyn fell into step beside him.

They walked in silence, the only sounds around them being the crunch of leaves beneath their feet and the occasional rustling of trees in the wind. It was oddly peaceful.

That peace, however, was short-lived.

Click.

Evelyn's ears perked at the sound, and she turned her head just in time to see Minho lowering his phone, a sly smirk tugging at his lips.

Her eyes narrowed. "Did you just—"

Minho shrugged, slipping his phone into his pocket. "Maybe."

Evelyn immediately spun toward him, her hands reaching for his pocket. "Delete it."

"Nope."

"Minho!"

"Evie."

Her face burned. Oh, he was enjoying this.

"Give me your phone."

Minho grinned, pulling it out and holding it high above his head. "Try and take it then."

Evelyn scowled. "You absolute—" She reached up, but her fingers barely grazed the edges of his phone.

Minho laughed, tilting his head down to meet her glare. "You're gonna have to do better than that, shorty."

Evelyn huffed. "Fine."

She quickly planted a hand on his shoulder and jumped, stretching her arm as far as it could go. She felt the smooth surface of his phone for half a second before—

Her foot slipped.

"Whoa—!"

Before she could catch herself, she crashed into Minho, straddling him as they both tumbled onto the grass.

They hit the ground with a soft thud, Minho groaning as he landed on his back. Evelyn landed right on top of him, her hands splayed against his chest, their faces mere inches apart.

Everything froze.

For a moment, neither of them moved, neither of them spoke. The only thing Evelyn could hear was the frantic pounding of her own heart.

Minho blinked up at her, his breath just a little uneven. His phone was still clutched in his hand, but it was clear neither of them cared about it anymore.

Evelyn swallowed hard, realizing just how close they were. She could feel the warmth of his skin beneath her fingertips, the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Minho's eyes flickered to her lips.

Evelyn's breath hitched.

And then—

"Are you gonna get off me, or do you like sitting on top of me too much?"

The spell shattered.

Evelyn's face turned beet red.

"You—!" She smacked his chest, scrambling off him as fast as she could.

Minho laughed, propping himself up on his elbows, his smirk downright infuriating.

"You should've seen your face," he teased. "Flustered much?"

Evelyn crossed her arms tightly. Flustered was an understatement.

"Shut up," she muttered, glaring at the ground.

Minho just grinned, finally getting to his feet. He held out a hand toward her.

Evelyn hesitated—then begrudgingly took it.

Once she was standing, Minho tilted his head, studying her.

"You okay?" His voice was quieter now, almost as if he actually cared.

Evelyn bit the inside of her cheek.

No, she wasn't okay. Not when her heart was still racing. Not when her mind was screaming at her to forget the way he'd looked at her just now.

But instead of saying any of that, she just muttered, "Yeah, whatever."

Minho didn't say anything, just kept looking at her. Then, without warning, he reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone—

And took another picture.

Evelyn gasped. "Minho!"

He smirked, turning on his heel and jogging ahead.

"Catch me if you want it deleted, shorty!"

Evelyn groaned, chasing after him.

Why, out of all the people in the world, did it have to be him?

Evelyn sprinted after Minho, her irritation only fueling her determination to snatch that stupid phone out of his hands.

"Minho, I swear to God—"

"If you swear, make it something fun!" he called over his shoulder, dodging a low-hanging branch with ease.

Evelyn growled in frustration, her legs burning as she tried to keep up. How was he so damn fast?

"Just delete the stupid picture!"

Minho glanced back at her, grinning like a devil. "Why? You look cute in it."

Evelyn nearly tripped over her own feet.

Cute?!

"That is NOT the point!"

"Sounds like it is!"

Minho suddenly pivoted sharply to the left, disappearing into a narrow path through the trees. Evelyn barely had time to react before she followed him, branches scratching at her arms as she squeezed through.

But then—

She broke into a small clearing.

And Minho was just... standing there.

His back was turned to her, hands resting on his hips. His breathing was slightly labored from the chase, but that wasn't what made Evelyn stop in her tracks.

It was the view in front of them.

The trees gave way to an overlook, revealing a valley below that stretched far into the distance. A river cut through the landscape, winding like a silver ribbon under the golden light of the setting sun.

For a moment, Evelyn forgot why she was even mad.

"Whoa..."

Minho turned his head slightly, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah."

Evelyn slowly stepped forward, drawn to the breathtaking sight in front of her. The sky was painted in hues of orange, pink, and violet, casting a soft glow over the entire scene.

Neither of them spoke for a while.

Then Minho, still staring at the view, lifted his phone again.

Evelyn immediately snapped out of it. "Minho—"

"Relax," he muttered. "Not taking a picture of you this time."

Evelyn crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. "As if I'd believe that."

Minho chuckled but didn't argue. Instead, he took a picture of the landscape, the camera shutter echoing softly through the clearing.

Evelyn exhaled, some of her frustration fading away. She shifted her weight onto one foot, glancing at Minho out of the corner of her eye.

He was still looking at his phone, but he wasn't smirking anymore. His expression was calm. Thoughtful.

He almost looked at peace.

"You're weird," Evelyn murmured before she could stop herself.

Minho finally looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Took you this long to figure that out?"

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "I mean—" She hesitated, glancing away. "I don't get you. One second, you're the most annoying person alive, and the next... you do stuff like this."

Minho tilted his head slightly, watching her.

"You don't have to get me, Raven." His voice was quieter now. "Just... be here."

Evelyn blinked, turning back to face him.

Minho held out his phone.

She frowned. "What?"

"You wanted me to delete the picture, right?"

Evelyn hesitated before stepping forward. Minho's hand was relaxed, the phone balanced loosely between his fingers.

But when she reached for it, he suddenly tilted the screen toward her.

And she froze.

It wasn't just a random, unflattering shot of her running or tripping over herself.

It was a photo of her standing there—staring at the view, eyes reflecting the colors of the sunset, lips slightly parted in awe.

She looked... peaceful. Almost beautiful.

Evelyn swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.

"I can delete it if you want," Minho said, watching her closely.

Evelyn looked at him. His usual smirk was gone. His eyes were soft.

She inhaled slowly. Then—

"...Keep it."

Minho's eyebrows lifted slightly, as if he hadn't expected that answer. But then he nodded, tucking his phone into his pocket.

Evelyn turned back to the view, heart pounding against her ribs for reasons she didn't want to think about.

Minho stayed beside her.

Neither of them said anything.

The silence between them wasn't awkward.

It was just... there.

And maybe, just maybe—

She didn't mind it.

ruka:

im sorry again. chemistry is eating me. organic is shit. this was all I could think of. and honestly 2490+ word count is not bad. this chapter had a part outside the actual series, and I did that just for a evemin/holyn/eviemin whatever name u wanna call them- moment. haha. oh speaking of which, comment down their ship name cus mine sounds stupid!