Sooheon noticed it first.

It had been two days since Namra started acting distant again. She wasn't ignoring people, but something about her felt... off. Like she was slipping back into that quiet, unreachable version of herself. The one who barely let anyone in.

She responded when spoken to, even forced a small smile when necessary, but it didn't feel right. It wasn't her usual reserved nature-this was different. Like she was exhausted from pretending. Like she had been carrying something too heavy for too long.

Sooheon watched from his seat, his fingers absentmindedly tapping against his desk. He had seen her open up, even if just a little. He had seen her genuine reactions, the way she let herself exist without a mask, even if only in small moments. And now, it felt like she was shutting all of that away again.

He didn't like it.

Chanmi seemed to notice too, sneaking glances in Namra's direction, but she didn't say anything. No one did.

---

Namra sat at her desk, staring down at her open book, but her mind was somewhere far away.

Namra stared at the words on the page, but they blurred together, meaningless.

Just when everything was fixing, she broke again.

She thought she had moved on. Thought she had left behind the things that once weighed her down. But the past had a cruel way of creeping back in, slipping through the cracks she hadn't even realized were still open.

For a while, she had felt almost... normal. Like she was learning how to exist without constantly feeling the pull of everything she had lost. But then, it all came rushing back. The memories, the regrets, the emptiness that had been waiting in the shadows, patient and unyielding.

Her mother's face. Her almost demanding voice.

The loneliness that had once been her only companion whispered in her ear again, reminding her that no matter how much she tried to change, she was still that same girl-standing alone, pretending not to be affected.

She curled her fingers slightly, pressing them against the edge of her desk. She wouldn't let it show. Not completely.

People noticed, though. Sooheon did. Even the teacher gave her a lingering glance when calling on her in class. But no one said anything. And maybe that was better.

Because if someone asked her what was wrong, she wasn't sure if she had the strength to answer.

----

Cheongsan and the boys-Gyeongsu, Woojin, Joonyeong, and Daesu-were gathered near the back of the classroom, their voices a mix of amusement and frustration.

"You guys seriously don't get it," Daesu huffed, arms crossed. "There's a difference between liking someone and just thinking they're pretty."

"You're just saying that because you've never had a girlfriend," Gyeongsu shot back, grinning.

Joonyeong smirked. "Like you have?"

"Okay, but we're not talking about me right now," Gyeongsu quickly deflected.

Woojin, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke. "So what? Are you saying looks don't matter at all?"

Cheongsan, leaning against the desk, let out a tired sigh. "They do, but only at first. After that, it's about who they really are."

The boys fell into a contemplative silence before Joonyeong scoffed. "Wow, look at Cheongsan, all deep and philosophical. You sound like you're in a drama."

Cheongsan rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying, you idiots act like everything is about appearances. It's not."

Daesu groaned. "This was supposed to be a fun conversation. Why do you have to ruin it?"

Woojin chuckled. "Because Cheongsan's in love."

Cheongsan shot him a look, but the heat in his ears betrayed him. "Shut up."

The group burst into laughter, pushing and shoving like always, the conversation shifting to something else entirely.

"You guys think Sooheon's doing okay at his new school?" Woojin asked, his voice casual but curious. "It's been a while since he left."

"I've heard things, though," Joonyeong said, leaning back in his chair. "Apparently, he's really adjusted well over at Yong Tan High. People say he's more at ease there."

"That's good, at least," Gyeongsu commented. "I wonder how he's been keeping up with his new friends, especially after leaving Hyosan."

"He's close with Namra now, right?" Daesu said, his tone nonchalant. "I heard they've been hanging out a lot."

Cheongsan, who had been quiet, nodded slowly. "Yeah... It's been a while since she transferred, too. Just two months, but... she's different now. They both are."

"So, they've really become a thing, huh?" Woojin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not like that yet I guess, Sooheon's a coward at things like this." Cheongsan said quickly. "For now it's just-well, they're both more open with each other now. Namra, especially. She's... not the same as she was when she first came here."

Gyeongsu leaned in. "I've heard the girls talk about how Namra's not as cold as before. I didn't think she'd ever let her guard down like that."

Joonyeong agreed sarcastically. "Of course you were eavesdropping in the girl's gossips."

"SHUT UP, FOUR EYED IDIOT!"

Cheongsan didn't say anything at first, his mind briefly wandering. He knew the old Sooheon-the one who kept everyone at arm's length-but now, hearing about how things were going for him and Namra... it makes him quite relieved knowing how long his friend had a crush.

The boys let the conversation drift, but the subject of Sooheon and Namra lingered in the air, subtly shifting the dynamic between them all.

A/N
Writing this in the middle of the night ~