Morning came again.
The school gates slowly filled with students.
Jinwoo stood near the entrance.
Looking like he hadn't slept at all.
Yerim approached him, arms crossed.
"...You look terrible."
Jinwoo sighed.
"I didn't sleep."
Yerim raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
A small pause.
"I was preparing a script."
"For confessing?"
"...Yeah."
Yerim stared at him for a second.
Then shook her head.
"...Why do I feel like you're going to fail again?"
Jinwoo frowned.
"Can't you say something encouraging for once?"
Yerim shrugged.
"My gut feeling says you'll mess it up again."
"You and your stupid gut feeling..."
"They're always right, brat."
Jinwoo looked away.
"...I hope they're wrong this time."
Yerim gave a small, careless smile.
"I can't help you there."
-
They walked into the classroom together.
But the moment they stepped inside-
Jinwoo stopped.
Jiwon was already there.
Sitting at the center.
Playing a game.
Across from her-
The captain of Hearts.
Students gathered around, watching.
Focused.
Interested.
Jinwoo clicked his tongue softly.
"Tch... can't they let her rest for one day?"
Yerim glanced at the scene.
"She's busy."
Jinwoo exhaled sharply.
"...Feels like everything is against me."
Yerim chuckled.
"Yeah."
"Stop laughing," he muttered. "Let me concentrate."
But he wasn't concentrating.
Not really.
His eyes were fixed on Jiwon.
Watching her.
The way she leaned slightly forward.
The calm in her expression.
The quiet confidence.
Yerim noticed immediately.
"...Stop looking at her like that."
Jinwoo frowned.
"Like what?"
"She'll get scared."
He rolled his eyes.
"Very funny."
-
The final round ended.
Silence-
Then-
A small burst of reactions.
Jiwon won.
Of course she did.
Jinwoo stood up instantly.
Clapping.
"I knew it!"
His voice carried easily.
"You were going to win."
Jiwon looked up at him.
A little confused.
Jinwoo whistled lightly.
"You're good at everything, you know that?"
Jiwon frowned slightly.
"Stop it."
Her tone sounded annoyed.
Like she didn't like the attention.
But-
There it was.
A small smile.
Barely visible.
But real.
-
And Jinwoo noticed.
Of course he did.
"Stop shouting," Jiwon said, frowning slightly.
Jinwoo only grinned.
"Why? You won. You deserve it."
Jiwon exhaled softly.
"...Do whatever you want."
Yerim stepped in beside them, clapping lightly.
"Congrats, girl. You won again."
Jiwon gave her a flat look.
"Stop it. It's not like it's my first time."
Jinwoo let out a small laugh.
"Look at that... casually flexing."
Jiwon crossed her arms.
"I wasn't flexing intentionally."
Jinwoo shook his head, amused.
Then-
"I want to tell you something."
Jiwon looked at him.
"Say it."
For a second-
He hesitated.
Then decided not to overthink.
"You know..."
A small breath.
"Your smile is beautiful."
Jiwon blinked.
"...What?"
Jinwoo didn't stop this time.
"And you should smile more."
The words came out softer now.
More honest.
"You look good like that."
A pause.
Then-
"...Actually, you look good in everything."
His voice lowered slightly.
"Every expression. Every mood."
Jiwon stared at him.
Caught off guard.
"...Wait."
Her brows pulled together.
"If you're about to say something stupid-"
Jinwoo took a step closer.
Ready this time.
Really ready-
But-
"Jinwoo!"
A voice cut through the moment.
Sharp.
Untimely.
They both turned.
A student stood at the door.
"Your mother is calling you. In her office."
Silence.
Then-
Yerim burst into laughter.
"Even your mom is against you."
Jinwoo clicked his tongue.
"Tch..."
For a second, he didn't move.
Just stood there.
Looking at Jiwon.
Like he wanted to say it anyway.
But-
Timing.
Always timing.
He exhaled.
"...I'll be back."
Jiwon didn't stop him.
Didn't say anything.
She just watched him go.
-
Jinwoo turned and walked out of the classroom.
Frustration written all over him.
Behind him-
Yerim was still laughing.
"This is actually sad," she muttered.
Jiwon didn't respond.
Her eyes were still on the door.
For a moment longer than necessary.
-
Then she looked away.
-
The classes went on.
But Jinwoo never came back.
-
The final bell rang.
Students began leaving in groups, voices filling the classroom again.
Jiwon stood up quietly.
Then walked toward Yerim.
"Jinwoo wanted to tell me something," she said.
A small pause.
"But he couldn't."
Yerim looked at her.
"...You don't have any idea?"
Jiwon shook her head.
"No."
Yerim blinked.
Then let out a soft breath.
"...You're really clueless."
Jiwon frowned slightly.
Yerim waved it off.
"It's fine."
A small smile.
"He'll tell you soon."
Jiwon nodded.
"...Okay."
-
She walked home alone.
-
The evening was quiet.
The entrance of her apartment building stood still under the fading light.
Jiwon stepped closer-
Then stopped.
Someone was there.
Leaning casually, like she belonged.
Kim Sora.
Jiwon's eyes narrowed slightly.
"...What are you doing here?"
Sora straightened.
"Came to talk to you."
Jiwon didn't move.
"How do you know where I live?"
Sora smiled faintly.
"Why wouldn't I?"
A small pause.
"Aren't you going to invite me in?"
Jiwon studied her for a second longer.
Then-
"...Fine. Come."
-
The apartment was quiet.
Clean.
Too clean.
Sora's eyes moved around slowly as she stepped inside.
"...You're too rich to be an orphan."
Jiwon didn't react.
"Everything here was my parents'."
A pause.
"Now it's mine."
Sora tilted her head slightly.
"So you were born rich."
"...Yeah."
"Cool."
Jiwon turned toward her.
"...Is that what you came to talk about?"
Sora gave a small laugh.
"...No."
"Then what?"
A brief silence.
Then-
"You wanted to know why I voted for you, right?"
Jiwon's gaze didn't change.
"I hate Harin."
"I know that."
Sora blinked.
"...You know?"
A faint smile.
"Of course you do."
She leaned back slightly, more relaxed now.
"Harin does whatever Eunbyeol says."
A pause.
"She's not my friend."
Her tone sharpened slightly.
"She's just Eunbyeol's pet."
Jiwon didn't interrupt.
Just watched.
Listened.
Carefully.
"I wanted someone different," Sora continued.
Her eyes locked onto Jiwon.
"And that's you."
Silence.
Jiwon noticed it.
Not the words-
The intention behind them.
"You weren't at school," Jiwon said calmly.
"I heard you went abroad."
"For some competition."
Sora shrugged lightly.
"...I just needed a break."
A small smile.
"And that was the easiest excuse."
"...Yeah."
The room fell quiet for a moment.
Then-
Sora spoke again.
"Tell me something, Jiwon."
Jiwon looked at her.
"Why did you reject Eunbyeol's proposal?"
A pause.
The air shifted.
Subtly.
Jiwon's eyes sharpened.
"...Sora."
Her voice was calm.
But colder now.
"Can you stop recording?"
Sora blinked.
"...What?"
Jiwon held her gaze.
Unmoving.
Because now-
This wasn't a conversation anymore.
It was a confrontation.