Sooheon found himself at the gates of Yong Tan High much earlier than usual. He wasn’t a morning person, and it was rare for him to be on time, let alone early. But today, he had woken up earlier than expected and couldn’t shake the feeling of restlessness. Something about the quiet of the school grounds, with the air crisp and fresh, made him linger.

Yong Tan High felt different from Hyosan— intimidating, with a different energy. It wasn’t that he didn't miss Hyosan; in fact, it was the opposite. He likes it here too. The familiar rhythm of his days had become almost too routine. The faces here were fresh, and the people, though quieter, still kept their distance. He didn’t mind it. It was easy.

As he stood there, leaning against the gate, Sooheon couldn’t help but wonder how different things could have been. He had left Hyosan High and the memories that came with it behind, but there were days when the past felt like it was still chasing him, lingering in his thoughts, especially Namra. She had been there, a face he never quite understood.

It was funny. He didn’t think much about her back at Hyosan. But now, after everything, he couldn’t help but wonder how things might have turned out differently if they’d ever spoken.

Maybe he was just overthinking it.

A few students started trickling in, snapping him out of his thoughts. With a sigh, he pushed himself off the gate, heading toward the building as the school day began to wake up around him.

Sooheon was sitting on a bench by the entrance, watching as the school slowly came to life around him. It was still early, and the usual morning chaos hadn’t fully kicked in yet. His mind wandered, as it often did, but it didn’t stay on one thought for long.

And then, as if on cue, Namra appeared at the gates.

She walked in with the same quiet confidence, her uniform perfectly pressed, her gaze forward, not distracted by the usual chatter around her. Sooheon didn’t even have to think before standing up as she approached, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"You're here early," he greeted, his tone light, trying to mask the fact that he’d been waiting to see her.

Namra gave him a brief glance, that familiar sharpness in her eyes, but this time, there was a soft flicker of something else. "I don’t mind the quiet," she replied, walking past him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Sooheon fell in step beside her, walking towards the building. They didn’t say much, but there was something comforting about this shared routine they had developed.

As they entered the school, the hallways were still mostly empty, save for a few early risers. Namra didn’t slow her pace, but there was something calming in the way she carried herself, the silence between them not uncomfortable but easy.

When they reached their classroom, Sooheon opened the door for her, stepping aside to let her in first.

"Ready for another day?" he asked with a grin, a playful glint in his eyes.

Namra gave him a dry look, but there was the faintest trace of amusement in her expression. "I’ll survive."

Sooheon followed her in, the door closing behind them as the school day began.

As Sooheon and Namra entered the classroom, the early buzz of students was starting to fill the space. It wasn’t quite full yet, but there was a quiet energy in the air as people settled into their seats, preparing for the day ahead.

Sooheon noticed Chanmi almost immediately, sitting near the front of the class, her head bent over a notebook. When their eyes met, she looked up, a small but warm smile crossing her face.

“Good morning, Sooheon,” she greeted, her tone light and friendly, though there was a trace of something more—something Sooheon didn’t entirely read into.

Sooheon smiled back briefly, offering a simple “Morning, Chanmi,” before turning his attention back to Namra, who had already moved toward her usual seat by the window.

Without any further delay, Sooheon made his way over to his own desk, his thoughts lingering on nothing in particular—just the comfortable routine of school. The classroom was slowly filling up, and despite the exchange with Chanmi, he didn’t think much about it. It was just a friendly greeting.

He could feel the familiar tension between Namra and the rest of the class. She was a presence of calm in a room full of noise, and Sooheon was used to the quiet way she stood apart from the others, even if he knew she wasn’t exactly alone anymore.

Namra had her head down, already flipping through notes on her desk, her attention fully on the lesson before it even started. Sooheon, still standing, caught her eye for just a moment. He didn’t say anything; there was no need to. He simply gave her a nod as he sat down, the easy familiarity of their friendship settling around him.

The room filled with the usual morning chatter, but Sooheon’s mind wasn’t on it. He was more focused on the steady rhythm of the day ahead, on the lesson that was about to start, and on the fact that, for once, things felt normal.

He wasn’t concerned with anything else—not Chanmi’s lingering gaze or any other subtle shift in the class dynamics. He had other things on his mind, like Namra, the space they had carved for each other in this chaotic world. And that was enough for now.

He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, his fingers drumming absently against the desk. His classmates were talking, but their voices blended into the background—just noise, like the hum of a distant city.

A song played in his head.

It had been on repeat ever since he heard it at a convenience store on his way home. Some love song he didn’t even know the name of. The kind with lyrics that linger even when you don’t want them to.

"She walks in like a whisper, stays like a storm…"

He exhaled, tilting his head slightly. His mind, without permission, drifted to Namra.

She had been quiet before. Too quiet. The kind of quiet that wasn’t just her usual silence—it was heavier. Forced.

"Her eyes tell a story I can't quite read…"

He thought about how her eyes used to hold something unspoken, something she never let anyone see. Back in Hyosan, she would disappear before he could catch her. Now, she didn’t run. But sometimes, it still felt like she wanted to.

"If I reach out, will she stay? Or will she slip away?"

Sooheon clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

Damn song.

He wasn’t the kind of guy who sat around thinking about lyrics. But this one? It wouldn’t leave.

And maybe, just maybe, he knew why.