The hallway feels… different now.
Not quieter.
Just heavier.
Like everyone is pretending nothing happened in class, but nobody actually believes it.
I bite into a tall chocolate bar anyway.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Like it can fix anything.
Jea-Hyun walks beside me, talking like he didn't just watch a boy get lifted into a wall by nothing.
"…and then he started screaming like—no, I'm serious, it was insane," he says into his phone.
Pause.
His girlfriend's voice comes through faintly.
I don't hear everything, but I hear enough.
Jea-Hyun nods as if she can see him.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I know it sounds fake."
He glances at me.
Then adds, "Min-Jun is literally here eating chocolate like nothing happened."
I side-eye him.
"…I'm coping."
"By sugar?"
"Yes."
He snorts.
They talk again.
I keep walking.
Another bite.
Chocolate melts.
Normal motion. Normal action. Wrong day.
Jea-Hyun suddenly slows.
"Wait—wait, listen," he says, turning slightly toward his phone. "So basically—there was this guy, right? He started accusing Min-Jun of like… causing it."
I roll my eyes.
"…he's telling it like I summoned lightning."
Jea-Hyun ignores me.
"And then stuff started moving. Like desks, windows—everything. And then—"
He pauses dramatically.
"…someone got lifted."
I choke slightly on chocolate.
"Don't say it like that," I mutter.
His girlfriend says something on the other end.
Jea-Hyun nods quickly.
"No, no, I'm okay. Min-Jun is okay too. He's just—"
He looks at me again.
"…emotionally damaged."
"I'm standing right here."
"Yes, he is."
We turn a corner.
The school courtyard opens up ahead.
Air is too bright for what happened inside.
Too normal.
Jea-Hyun continues explaining, softer now.
I tune half of it out.
Until—
"…yeah, and people are saying it might be Niran."
I freeze slightly.
Just for a second.
Jea-Hyun notices.
But doesn't comment.
He just keeps talking.
"…like, some people think Min-Jun is involved with him or something. It's getting weird."
His girlfriend responds again.
Jea-Hyun listens.
Then repeats slowly—
"…you think it's him too?"
I stop walking.
Jea-Hyun looks at me.
His expression shifts a little.
Serious now.
Not joking anymore.
"…be honest," he says quietly, covering the phone slightly. "Do you think it's Niran?"
Silence.
The chocolate in my hand suddenly feels heavier.
I look away.
Then back at him.
"…it's complicated."
"That's not an answer."
I exhale slowly.
"…he's not doing it to hurt people," I say.
Jea-Hyun frowns.
"But he is hurting people."
I don't answer immediately.
Because that part—
I can't explain easily.
Not without sounding insane.
Not without sounding like I believe in something no one else can see.
His girlfriend's voice comes through again.
Jea-Hyun listens.
Then says quietly, "She's asking if you're safe."
I blink.
"…tell her yes."
He nods.
"Min-Jun says yes."
Pause.
Then he adds, softer, "But like… barely."
I kick his shoe lightly.
"Traitor."
"Truth-teller."
We walk again.
A few students pass us, whispering.
Eyes linger too long.
Then look away too fast.
I ignore it.
Mostly.
Jea-Hyun suddenly lowers his voice.
"…what happened in class," he says, "that wasn't normal. Even for you."
I bite chocolate again.
"…I know."
Another pause.
Then—
"…you're sure it's not just you?"
That lands differently.
I stop again.
Look at him.
"…what?"
He shrugs slightly.
"Like… everyone saw you near it. And then it stopped when you talked."
I stare at him.
"…you think I'm controlling it?"
He doesn't answer immediately.
Just looks uncomfortable.
"…I think people are going to think that," he admits.
Silence.
My grip on the chocolate tightens slightly.
Then I exhale.
"…then they're wrong."
Jea-Hyun nods.
"Good. Because that would be insane."
I mutter, "…thanks."
He looks at me again.
"…but you do know what it is, right?"
I pause.
Just for a second.
Then—
"…yeah," I say quietly.
He waits.
But I don't continue.
Because even saying his name out loud feels like opening a door I can't close.
Jea-Hyun sighs.
Then suddenly perks up again like he refuses to stay serious.
"…anyway, I told her you're still alive and not possessed."
"I appreciate that baseline expectation."
"Barely."
We keep walking.
Courtyard wind hits lightly.
Chocolate melts slower now.
My thoughts don't.
Somewhere behind us—
in the space between noise and silence—
I can still feel it.
Him.
Watching.
Not angry anymore.
Just… there.
And I don't say it out loud.
But I know.
If I call—
he'll answer.
-----------
The front door shuts behind me with a soft click.
Too soft.
Like nothing happened today.
But I still feel it.
In the air.
In my shoulders.
In the way people looked at me at school.
Jea-Hyun isn't with me anymore.
He had to "go explain things," which is code for escape before your mother gets involved.
I take another bite of chocolate.
Slow.
Careful.
Like it's the only normal thing left.
The moment I step inside—
I already know.
Mrs. Lee is waiting.
Not sitting.
Standing.
Arms crossed.
Expression sharp.
And beside her—
two maids pretending not to listen.
The kind of silence that's already an accusation.
"…Min-Jun," she says.
Just my name.
That's never a good sign.
I stop walking.
"…yes?"
Her eyes narrow slightly.
"I heard what happened at school."
Ah.
Of course.
I glance down at my chocolate.
"…that was fast."
"It involved a student being injured," she says coldly.
I nod slowly.
"…yes."
Her voice sharpens.
"And your name was mentioned."
I blink.
"…my name is mentioned in a lot of things."
That does not help.
Her jaw tightens.
"Don't get smart with me."
I sigh internally.
Great.
From the corner of my vision—
a flicker.
Cold.
Familiar.
Niran.
Leaning slightly behind me like he owns the air.
"…you're going to let her talk to you like that?" he murmurs.
I don't react outwardly.
But my fingers tighten slightly around the chocolate bar.
"…don't start," I whisper under my breath.
"I didn't," he replies. "She did."
I can almost feel his annoyance rising again.
Not fully.
But enough.
Mrs. Lee continues.
"They said things moved. Students were frightened. Someone was hurt."
Her eyes lock on mine.
"And they are saying you were at the center of it."
I take a slow breath.
"…I didn't hurt anyone."
Her expression doesn't change.
"That is not what they are saying."
I nod.
"I know."
Silence.
Heavy.
Niran shifts slightly behind me.
"…tell her," he whispers. "All of it."
I don't.
Instead—
I speak calmly.
"People were panicking," I say. "They misunderstood what they saw."
Mrs. Lee scoffs slightly.
"That is not an explanation."
"It is the only one I have," I reply quietly.
That line—
lands differently.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just… steady.
And somehow that makes it worse.
Her eyes narrow further.
"You expect me to believe you were simply… standing there while chaos happened around you?"
I pause.
Then—
"…yes."
A beat.
Then I add softly,
"Because that is what happened."
The room tightens.
One of the maids shifts nervously.
Mrs. Lee's expression changes slightly.
Not softer.
But more frustrated.
"You always speak like this," she says. "Calm. Detached. As if nothing affects you."
I look at her.
"…I don't benefit from panicking."
That stings.
I can tell.
Behind me—
Niran lets out a quiet, amused breath.
"…good," he whispers. "Keep going."
I ignore him.
Mostly.
Mrs. Lee steps forward slightly.
"And yet somehow," she says slowly, "everything follows you."
That one… hits harder.
I don't answer immediately.
Because there's no good answer.
Only truth I can't say out loud.
Niran leans closer.
"…don't take that," he murmurs. "Defend yourself."
I exhale.
Then speak.
Still calm.
Still controlled.
"…maybe everything follows me because I don't run from it."
Silence.
Mrs. Lee's expression tightens.
"Careful," she says.
I nod.
"I am."
Too calm.
Too steady.
Too wrong for the situation.
A pause.
Then—
her patience breaks slightly.
"I do not know what game you are playing, Min-Jun," she says sharply, "but this house will not tolerate more incidents."
My grip on the chocolate tightens.
"…I understand."
"That is not enough."
Niran shifts again.
Anger rising now.
I feel it.
"…say something else," he whispers.
I hesitate.
Then—
quietly—
"I didn't cause what happened."
A pause.
"And I won't pretend I understand everything either."
That line—
quiet.
Honest.
Sharp in its own way.
Mrs. Lee stares at me.
For a long moment.
Then—
her hand moves.
Fast.
A sharp slap echoes through the room.
Not brutal.
But enough.
Enough to silence everything.
The chocolate slips slightly in my hand.
I don't move for a second.
Just blink once.
Slowly.
Silence falls again.
Heavier now.
Niran goes still behind me.
Dangerously still.
"…that's enough," he whispers.
But I don't react.
I just lower my head slightly.
"…I understand," I say again.
Calm.
Too calm.
Mrs. Lee exhales sharply.
"Go to your room," she says.
Final.
I nod.
Then turn.
And walk away.
Only when I reach the stairs—
do I finally hear him again.
Niran's voice.
Low.
Controlled.
"…next time," he says quietly, "don't let them touch you like that."
I stop walking for half a second.
Then continue.
"…noted."