CHAPTER FOURTEEN

1.5𝚔 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜 : 𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍

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𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝙲𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝙼𝚢 𝙻𝚒𝚏𝚎

『

𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎
𝙸𝚝 𝚝𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢
𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗' 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍

    』

     *｡✧𝚂𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚙𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜*｡✧

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─Go out with me.

The classroom was immersed in a soft dimness, caressed by the evening light that tinted the rows of desks with a golden glow, highlighting dancing dust particles in the air and creating an ethereal atmosphere. In the center, the slender and composed figure of Ban Yeo-Ryeong faced her bold suitor with seriousness, who exuded arrogance.

A few steps behind, Han Minhyun, entering casually to protect Yeo-Ryeong, remained calmly leaning on the edge of a desk. She observed the scene with growing nerves, feeling her patience wane at the most brusque and insensitive love confession she had witnessed in either of her two lives.

─I'm sorry, but no. ─Yeo-Ryeong responded sharply in less than two seconds, disturbing the second-year superior who had just "confessed" to her.

─Why? You don't have a boyfriend, and I want you to be my girlfriend. You're pretty, so if you accept without playing hard to get, I'll treat you kindly. ─the guy insisted with a smirking smile, despite his humble face compared to Yeo-Ryeong's unreal beauty.

─No, thank you. ─she replied again firmly.

Woah, Ban-Ban, you're so cool!~ Marry me! Minhyun thought, waving two glowing sticks in the air, shouting excitedly like the hormonal teenager she was.

─Why are you being so presumptuous? Can't you see I'm doing you a favor by considering you? ─his tone was rougher now.

Meanwhile, Yeo-Ryeong still stood firm against the hostility disguised as a compliment.

This guy doesn't know how to give up, huh? Mihyun thought sarcastically, beginning to lower the temperature in her surroundings, mimicking Chun Young when he started to get annoyed.

─Hey, didn't you hear how unequivocal her rejection was? Stop pressuring her. ─the blonde girl intervened, trying to maintain a civilized but aggressive attitude, knowing that some people only understand things that way.

However, what Han Minhyun did not anticipate was that her frank intervention would have tangible consequences today.

SLAP!

The sound of a slap echoed in the classroom, abruptly returning her to the ugly reality before her.

─This is none of your business. Meddler. ─the guy retorted, his tone loaded with annoyance and irritation, already tired of the arrogance of the pair of beauties.

Ouch, that hurt. Ahh, this is what I get for not knowing how to keep my mouth shut. Mihyun thought as she rubbed the impact site, somewhat sore.

Still assuming the blow, Han Mihyun sighed to cool her mind and not act in response to the recent aggression without thinking. However, she barely had time to focus when suddenly a blurry silver fluff crossed in front of her.

Leaving her eyes wide open, she found herself in the front row, watching as Eun Ji-Ho, who moments before had been with the guys by the door, had just thrown the senior second-year to the ground and was now delivering a barrage of punches to the guy. Leaving most of the onlookers stunned by the sudden eruption of violence, which was as unexpected as the slap itself.

The room resonated with the impact of fists against flesh and with the pained cries of the surprised young man, who fought under the assault. Meanwhile, the unfortunate guy's friends, after the fourth punch, didn't even try to help him and run away, afraid of becoming the next and frightened by the intimidating presence of the other silent spectators watching the bloody scene.

On the other hand, within this other tense group, Kwon Eunhyung, observing Ji-Ho's uncontrolled temper, finally managed to restrain himself.

He dug his nails in forcefully, preventing anger from consuming him and leading him to emulate Eun Ji-Ho. This situation had been a physical aggression, and as much as it cost him, he knew he shouldn't rush. Not in these cases. Or everything would be reduced to nothing more than a simple kids brawl, in which the most hurt side would be the one that would get away with blame. Like it happened when he was young.

After taking a few seconds to fully recover, avoiding looking at Mihyun's red cheek, the red-haired man took a deep breath. With determined steps, he approached the scene of the altercation, seizing his friend under the arms in a restraining hold.

The tension in the room increased as Ji-Ho struggled against Eunhyung's firm grip.

─What are you doing? I'm not done yet! ─Ji-Ho's voice exploded, cutting through the charged air like a knife. His tone burned with rage as he tried to free himself from Kwon Eunhyung's tight grip. His efforts intensified, a futile attempt to regain control of the situation.

Eunhyung, who increased the pressure of his grip as a silent warning to Ji-Ho, confronted him without hesitation.

─That's enough. Let him go. ─Eunhyung recommended coldly. His firm and composed voice, despite the growing chaos around him, was unsettling for anyone but, today, not enough to make the ebony-eyed guy step back completely.

Calming his tone a bit so his friends wouldn't hear too much, Eun Ji-Ho clenched his lips and threw harsh and soulless words at Kwon Eunhyung, mockingly.

─Ha, no. It's not, and you know it. But what's wrong with you?! ─he began annoyed, confused, and indignant at his friend's total calmness. ─Damn it! Normally, you'd be the first to knock their teeth out for something much less serious than this.

─Ji-Ho, listen-

─No, you, listen to me, damn idiot. Now, is when you should be breaking his bones. For fuck's sake! He slapped her, and you think you're just going to stand there with your arms crossed?!

Ji-Ho's gaze, entangled in a mix of fury and bewilderment, sought answers in his friend's unperturbed olive-green eyes.

However, Eunhyung didn't waver in the slightest at Eun Ji-Ho's challenging words. Feeling the resistance of the red-haired man, Ji-Ho frowned in frustration.

─Hah, I can't believe it! ─Ji-Ho exclaimed, expressing his disappointment. ─Fine, since you're not going to do anything, I'll do it for both. So now, let me go, Kwon Eunhyung.

Despite the determination in Ji-Ho's voice, Eunhyung stopped him with even more force. The tension in the room was palpable, and the confrontation between the two friends threatened to unleash something more explosive.

And it's that even though he would never express it openly, Ji-Ho had always secretly admired Eunhyung for her natural kindness and sense of justice. So, no one could understand how much disappointment he felt to see him unperturbed by the situation.

Nevertheless, before they could exchange more words, Ban Yeo-Ryeong burst onto the scene, capturing everyone's attention with a resounding

BAM!

Yeo-Ryeong delivered a final direct punch to the nose of her bold suitor, who still lay on the floor, now holding his bleeding nose from her fist.

The second-year superior, despite his position, muttered a curse between his teeth, looking furiously at the dark-haired girl. But he gradually fell silent when he noticed a presence behind his "aggressor".

Yoo Chun Young emerged behind Yeo-Ryeong with a icy and threatening attitude, like a fierce guardian determined not to allow another word. The scene shifted from tense to comedic when Chun Young unleashed a freezing look that surprised the unfortunate guy on the floor, eliciting a high-pitched scream like that of a mouse.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Dan-i gathered courage and dared to approach Eunhyung, asking him to let go of Ji-Ho. Attending to her request, both men eventually calmed down and stepped back a couple of steps to avoid falling back into mutual anger.

❀
゜
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゜
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Not far from the epicenter of the recent drama, Han Minhyun ─accompanied by Jooin, who inspected the wound on her cheek─ had been watching the chaotic scene. Her initial confusion, reflected in the whirlwind of emotions within her, transformed as events unfolded.

Now, what stood out in her pair of blue eyes was a dancing amusement, accompanied by a light touch of guilt she tried to conceal. It was like watching a mischievous child hiding her hands after playing with dirt in the garden.

Perhaps that's why she seemed so charming when a gentle breeze, delicate and almost ethereal, filtered through the open windows. Carrying away the speck of guilt she left behind, leaving only fun and warmth.

Drawing a smile on her face, Minhyun ended up laughing a bit while looking at the mess of her friends.

She was happy, happy to be with them, happy to be alive.

With the rays of the sunset still illuminating the room, its warm and golden glow projected onto the small figure of the blonde girl. For those now watching after hearing the subtle charming laughter from a corner, the sight of Minhyun standing in the middle of the chaos, with her sweet bubbly smile beneath the surface, took on a magical quality.

It was like witnessing a scene from a romantic movie came to life.

Something unreal.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

✿ New chapter ✔

✿ I hope you enjoyed this chapter. My focus has been on adding depth to the relationships within the group, not only between OC and the others but also among the original cast members. This time, I particularly delved into the connection between Eunhyung and Ji-Ho with a little fight, because I felt their friendship was somewhat shallow at the beginning in the manhwa. ~(^^)~