⋆ 𐙚 ̊.CHAPTER 23✶⋆.˚

🇽​​🇴​, ​🇪​​🇻​​🇪​​🇱​​🇾​​🇳

The classroom buzzed with excitement as Professor Lee stood at the front, adjusting his glasses before making an unexpected declaration.

"Any student of mine who participates in the end-of-term talent show will receive a ten-point boost on their lowest grade."

A wave of whispers immediately rippled through the room. Students exchanged excited looks, already speculating about performances and how much fun it would be.

But just as people started brainstorming wild ideas, Professor Lee raised a hand.

"No, no, no," he said firmly, "this is not just about fun. You must perform a traditional Korean art form—with dignity."

The murmurs turned into groans of disappointment, but some students perked up with interest.

Evelyn turned to Kitty and Yuri, raising an eyebrow. "Well, that changes things."

Yuri tapped her fingers against the desk thoughtfully. "We should do fan dancing."

Evelyn and Kitty exchanged glances before nodding.

"That actually sounds... amazing," Evelyn admitted.

Kitty leaned forward, grinning. "Wait, but don't we need training for that?"

Yuri shrugged. "I know the basics. I can teach you both."

Evelyn smiled. "Well then, I guess we have a performance to prepare for."

The next evening, the dance practice room was filled with excited energy. The soft hum of a Korean instrumental track played in the background as the girls gathered, stretching and chatting amongst themselves.

Apart from Yuri, Kitty, and Evelyn, they were joined by Eunice, Madison, and four other girls.

Evelyn, having no prior dance experience, was terrified. "Are you sure we can do this?" she asked, watching Yuri gracefully demonstrate the fan movements.

Yuri smirked. "Trust me, you'll pick it up fast."

Kitty nudged Evelyn. "If I can do this, you definitely can."

The practice began, and while the first ten minutes were filled with awkward movements and missteps, the girls slowly got into rhythm.

Madison, who was usually distant, surprised everyone by stepping in to correct Evelyn's hand positioning. "You're holding it too stiffly. Relax your wrist."

Evelyn blinked in surprise but adjusted her posture. "Thanks."

As time passed, everyone helped each other out. It wasn't just about dancing—it was about working together.

By the end of the session, they were sweaty but exhilarated.

"That was actually so much fun," Eunice said, breathless.

Madison looked surprisingly relaxed. "Yeah... it was."

Yuri clapped her hands. "Same time tomorrow?"

Everyone enthusiastically agreed.

After practice, the girls headed to a small café near campus. The place was warm and cozy, with the smell of freshly brewed coffee filling the air.

They grabbed a table near the window, eagerly chattering about their performance.

Eunice stirred her latte. "You know, I wasn't sure about this at first, but I think we're going to kill it."

"Definitely," Kitty said. "We just need to make sure we don't mess up the fan sequences."

Yuri sipped her iced americano, looking deep in thought. "We should add a little contemporary fusion. Keep it traditional, but with some dynamic movements."

Madison spoke up. "I like that idea. It'll make it more visually striking."

Evelyn glanced at Madison, noticing the difference in her demeanor. She seemed... at peace.

Guess she wasn't that bad after all.

As the conversation shifted from dance to schoolwork and random girl talk, laughter filled the café. It was strange how one simple performance had brought them all closer together.

After an hour of coffee and endless chatter, they finally decided to call it a night and headed back to their dorms.

Evelyn smiled to herself as they walked back, feeling a warm sense of belonging.

Evelyn, Kitty, and Yuri stepped into the common area of the dorm, only to find Q and Dae sitting on the sofa.

Evelyn sighed, crossing her arms. Minho still hadn't made up with Dae. How long were they going to be this stubborn?

Kitty and Yuri exchanged glances before heading inside their room, leaving Evelyn alone with the two boys. She took a seat beside Q, then turned to Dae.

"You should talk to him, you know."

Dae leaned back, rubbing his temples. "He doesn't want to listen."

Evelyn frowned. "That's because you hurt him."

Q nodded in agreement. "Minho might act all tough, but he actually cares a lot. That's why he's mad."

Evelyn softened her voice. "You should've told him the truth, Dae. You're his best friend. He trusted you."

Dae sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Evelyn continued, "Just go talk to him. If you explain properly, he'll listen."

Dae hesitated for a moment, then stood up. "Fine. I'll try." Without another word, he made his way toward Minho's room and disappeared inside.

Evelyn and Q watched the door close behind him.

Q let out a low whistle. "Man, you're really persuasive."

Evelyn smirked. "I just know how to deal with idiots."

Now that Dae was gone, Evelyn and Q remained on the couch, sinking into a comfortable silence. Q, as usual, observed her carefully.

"You look exhausted."

Evelyn waved a hand dismissively. "Dance practice."

Q raised a brow. "You sure?"

She avoided his gaze. "What else would it be?"

Q leaned in slightly. "I don't know. Maybe something you don't want to talk about?"

Evelyn huffed. "Ugh. Why do you always do this?"

Q just stared at her expectantly.

She pursed her lips, knowing there was no way out of this. Finally, she muttered, "It's about my sister."

Q straightened up. "What about your sister?"

Evelyn hesitated for a second, then sighed. "I haven't been able to contact her since I came to Korea."

Q frowned. "Not even once?"

"Not once. She hasn't replied to any of my messages. Not even seen them." Evelyn clenched her fists. "It doesn't make sense. She wouldn't just ignore me."

Q stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.

Evelyn exhaled sharply. "I tried asking the maids and even my chauffeur, but they all said they didn't know anything. It was too suspicious." She swallowed. "My parents have never called or texted me in my entire life, so it's not like I can ask them."

Q's expression darkened. "That's... strange."

Evelyn nodded. "Right? I mean, what could've happened?"

Q tapped his fingers on the couch. "And you said Rose has never ignored you before?"

"Never." Evelyn's voice was firm.

Q stayed quiet for a moment, deep in thought. Then, softly, he said, "Something isn't right."

Evelyn met his eyes. "I know."

Evelyn sighed deeply, leaning back against the couch. She had already told Q more than she had ever told anyone. But something about him—his calm presence, his quiet understanding—made it easy to talk.

"You know, my family is... complicated."

Q tilted his head, waiting.

Evelyn ran a hand through her hair. "My parents are businesspeople. My mom owns a huge fashion brand, my dad is in the entertainment industry, and my sister—she built her own company from scratch." She gave a small, bitter laugh. "So yeah, they're all successful and busy. Too busy for me."

Q's brows furrowed. "They just... left you out?"

Evelyn nodded slowly. "I was always an afterthought. They had their own world, and I wasn't a part of it. I never fit in." She exhaled, looking at her hands. "That's why Kitty's home was my safe place. Her parents—Margot, LJ, even Peter—they were always so nice to me. I think I've spent more time with Kitty's family than I have with my own."

Q watched her carefully. "That... sucks."

Evelyn let out a dry chuckle. "Yeah, it does."

There was a small silence before she continued, her voice turning softer. "But it wasn't always like that."

Q's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Evelyn looked up at the ceiling, reminiscing. "Back when we lived in Korea, before everything changed, my family was close. Like, really close." She smiled faintly. "My parents weren't as busy. My sister actually had time for me. We would have family dinners, go on trips... It was nice."

Q could already tell where this was going. "And then?"

Evelyn's face fell. "And then... something happened. I don't know what. But suddenly, we had to leave. Just like that." She snapped her fingers. "No goodbyes, no explanations. One day, we were in Korea. The next, we were in the US."

Q frowned. "They didn't tell you anything?"

"No." Evelyn shook her head. "And the worst part? I didn't even get to say goodbye to my best friends."

Q's brows furrowed. "Hanni and Minho?"

Evelyn gave a small nod. "Hanni and I kept in touch for a while. We texted for a few years before things started fading out. You know how life gets."

Q hummed in understanding. "And Minho?"

Evelyn's hands clenched into fists. "Minho never replied to me."

Q blinked. "Never?"

"Not once." Her voice was quieter now. "I texted him. I emailed him. I even called his house once." She shook her head. "But nothing. It was like I never existed."

Q stayed silent, his expression unreadable.

Evelyn forced a laugh. "I don't even know why I care. It's not like we were anything special."

Q raised a brow. "You sure about that?"

Evelyn scoffed. "Of course. Minho was my best friend when we were kids, yeah, but that's it."

Q just stared at her, unimpressed. "You're oblivious."

Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Oblivious about what?"

Q smirked slightly but didn't answer. He had already figured it out. Evelyn loved Minho. She just didn't realize it yet.

Q studied Evelyn carefully, his sharp eyes catching the slight hesitation in her posture. "Is that the reason you decided to come to Korea again?"

Evelyn froze for a split second. She didn't meet his gaze, her fingers absentmindedly fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. "Uh... yeah. Kind of."

But Q wasn't stupid.

That wasn't the whole truth. Not even close.

There was something deeper, something darker, hiding beneath her words. And the way she had instantly shut down confirmed it.

Evelyn could feel Q's gaze boring into her, analyzing her every move. She forced herself to relax, to pretend like she hadn't just lied.

But Q knew.

Still, he didn't push. He could see how her expression had changed—the way her shoulders had tensed, the way her eyes had lost their usual spark. It was like he had unknowingly stepped onto dangerous ground, somewhere Evelyn didn't want to go.

So, instead of prying, he leaned back and casually changed the subject. "Well, guess you've got a lot on your plate right now. Exams, festival, the whole Minho situation."

Evelyn let out a small breath of relief, grateful for the shift. "Yeah. Life is exhausting."

Q nodded, but in the back of his mind, he made a mental note.

Not now. But one day, he was going to find out the real reason Evelyn came back.

Before Evelyn could respond to Q, the door burst open with a loud thud, making both of them jolt in surprise.

And there they were.

The two best friends.

Minho and Dae, now fully reunited, looking smug as ever and ready for war. Or, more specifically—ready to play Fortnite.

Minho, still buzzing from whatever heart-to-heart they had just had, didn't waste a second before flopping onto the couch and stretching his arms. "Would you mind ordering some chicken wings, Raven? I need some protein to destroy Dae."

Evelyn scoffed, crossing her arms. "You know you can always bite on those fancy imported protein bars, right?"

Minho didn't even hesitate before rolling his eyes. "Shut up, Raven."

Q chuckled at their usual bickering, shaking his head as he stood up. "I'll order. But if you two start throwing controllers at each other again, I'm out."

Evelyn smirked. "Oh, don't worry. If I throw something at him, it won't be a controller."

Minho shot her a glare. "Try me."

Dae sighed dramatically. "Ah, it's good to be back."

ruka:

I love it when minho says "shut up, raven" that's my go to line for the story haha.

i flunked chem today. and I came upon this really good song on yt about organic chem. its so cute, cus its a lovesong actually. 

this is the link to the song: