The nurse's office smelled like antiseptic and stale air.
Jiho sat silently on the padded cot, legs swinging slightly, wrapped in a dry, oversized school-issued hoodie. His wet clothes were stuffed into a plastic bag near his feet. His eyes were red, swollen, and unfocused—staring at nothing.
Minjae stood a few feet away, leaning against the wall, arms crossed tightly across his chest like he was holding himself together. He hadn't said a word since the teacher brought them here.
The nurse moved quietly, placing a thermometer under Jiho's arm before gently patting his shoulder.
"You're not running a fever," she said softly, like speaking to someone who might shatter under pressure. "But I'll call your guardian to pick you up."
Jiho flinched.
"Aniya (No)," he whispered.
Minjae's head shot up.
"I don't want to go home," Jiho added, voice barely audible.
The nurse hesitated, glancing between the two boys.
"Then where do you want to go?" she asked gently.
Silence.
Minjae stepped forward. "He can stay with me. I'll take responsibility."
The nurse raised an eyebrow. "That's not how this works—"
"My house is closer to school," Minjae said calmly. "He's soaked, tired, and not in a state to go far. I'll make sure he rests."
Jiho's hands tightened around the hem of the hoodie. The nurse noticed and sighed.
"Fine. I'll write it down as 'parentalpermissionpending,'" she muttered. "But just this once."
She left the room.
For a few long seconds, neither of them moved. The air felt too heavy, packed with all the things left unsaid.
Jiho finally turned to Minjae.
"You shouldn't have punched Hyunwoo."
Minjae scoffed. "You're seriously defending him?"
"I'm not," Jiho said, voice cracking. "But it's not that simple, Minjae."
"No. It is that simple." Minjae looked away, jaw clenched. "He saw you hurting and still didn't stop. He was the reason you cried—and I... I let it happen."
He stopped himself.
"I hate him," Minjae admitted quietly. "I've hated him ever since he stopped being my friend."
Jiho blinked slowly, absorbing every word.
Scene Shift: After School
The school grounds buzzed with energy as students flooded the parking lot.
Soobin stood casually in front of his sleek black car, catching the attention of nearly every girl nearby. His hair was slightly tousled, his smile a little too perfect, and the way he leaned against the hood made him look straight out of a drama scene.
Girls squealed and whispered among themselves.
"Gwijinhae! (He's so cute!)"
"Did you see his smile?!"
Soobin didn't ignore them—he smiled back, tossed a wink here and there, and even flirted back in his own charming way.
That's when Hyunwoo finally emerged from the building.
Soobin's face lit up.
"Hyunwoo-ya!" he called out loudly, waving. "I've been waiting for you! Let's go—I'll treat you to your favorite food today!"
But as he stepped closer, his smile faltered. He noticed the cut on Hyunwoo's lip.
"What happened to you?" he asked, concerned, reaching out to gently touch his face.
Gasps and squeals erupted around them.
"Are they dating?!"
"They're so cute together!"
"Another lovely couple!"
Hyunwoo stiffened. Embarrassed by the attention, he brushed Soobin's hand away.
"Don't act like you care about me," he muttered.
But Soobin only smiled, completely unfazed, and reached up to gently pat Hyunwoo's head.
"But I do care about you Hyunwoo-yah," he said softly.
Hyunwoo looked away. "Stop saying stuff like that, hyung." clearly uncomfortable with all eyes on him. After a pause, he sighed and got into the car without another word.
Soobin circled around to the driver's side, slipping in with a soft grin still tugging at his lips.
Inside the car, the chaos of school faded behind the closed doors and tinted windows. A soft instrumental track played from the speakers, but the silence between them felt louder.
Soobin glanced sideways at Hyunwoo, who was staring blankly out the window, one hand resting near the bruising on his lip.
"Now that we're alone," Soobin began, voice soft but firm, "are you going to tell me what happened to your handsome face?"
Hyunwoo didn't reply right away.
Soobin turned the music off.
"Did someone fight with you?"
Hyunwoo finally spoke, his voice dry. "It was Minjae."
Soobin blinked, taken aback. "Minjae? Wait—Minjae hit you? But… weren't you guys best buddies?"
Hyunwoo gave a humorless smile, eyes still fixed outside. "I bullied his boyfriend."
"What?" Soobin's voice cracked slightly in disbelief. "You did what? That's not like you at all."
Hyunwoo finally turned to look at him, eyes cold, distant. "I love to bully those weak bitches."
The words hit Soobin like a slap.
He stared at Hyunwoo, stunned and trying to find something familiar in his expression. But there was nothing. No trace of the boy who used to laugh at dumb memes with him during dinner. No trace of the Hyunwoo who used to stand up for kids who got picked on.
"This… isn't like you," Soobin said slowly, searching his face for answers. "Why would you say something like that?"
Hyunwoo shrugged. "Because everything's changed. And so have I."
Soobin went quiet.
His hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel, not out of anger—but confusion, worry, maybe even fear. Since when did Hyunwoo start sounding like someone else? He looked okay on the outside—cool as ever—but his words felt sharp, toxic. Like he was building a wall and throwing knives at anyone who tried to climb it.
Soobin didn't know what hurt more: the change in Hyunwoo or the fact that Hyunwoo didn't seem to care that he'd changed.
He didn't push further. Just started the car.
The silence between them this time wasn't just awkward. It was painful.
Hyunwoo-ah… what happened to you?
---