The juice still dripped from the mean girl's shirt as Yuna stormed out with So-yeon. Her heels clicked against the hallway tiles like gunshots in the silence. So-yeon didn't say a word—partly because she was stunned, and partly because something inside her had shifted.
Someone had stood up for her.
Someone actually cared.
They stopped outside the girls' washroom. Yuna handed So-yeon tissues and helped dry her uniform. "Honestly," Yuna muttered, "those plastic-faced clowns think they can walk over anyone."
So-yeon looked at her, trying to smile. "Thank you… for that."
Yuna scoffed. "You're in my group now. That means you're one of us. I don't let anyone mess with my people."
A soft warmth flickered in So-yeon's chest. For once, she wasn't alone.
---
Back in class, whispers had already started.
> "Did you see that?" "So-yeon spilled juice on Min-Ah?"
"No no, Yuna did it… for her…"
"Maybe Ryu told her to?"
"You think So-yeon's dating Ryu?"
So-yeon could hear it all, each word like a needle. She kept her head down.
The teacher walked in for the group assignment session. "Group Five," she called, glancing at their list, "Head to the back table."
Ryu walked past So-yeon and gave a wink. Seo-Jin followed, expression unreadable as always. Joon, Yuna, and Taemin gathered around.
They began planning—who would write, who would present. But while the others talked, So-yeon felt eyes on her.
She looked up.
Seo-Jin.
He wasn't smiling. Not teasing. Just… looking.
Like he was trying to figure her out.
Then, he leaned in slightly and whispered under his breath, so only she could hear—
> "Stay away from Ryu."
So-yeon froze. "What?"
But he was already looking away, flipping through the textbook like nothing had happened.
What did that mean? Was it a warning? A threat? Or… something else?
For the rest of the class, So-yeon didn't hear a word anyone said.
All she could think about… was that sentence.
And the mysterious boy who had just said it.
---
Perfect! Let's smoothly continue from the end of Chapter 6 with your idea — keeping the tone natural, a little dramatic, and true to So-yeon's curious and confused thoughts.
So-yeon sat still, her fingers fiddling with the edge of her notebook. "Stay away from Ryu."
Why would Seo-Jin say that?
Her mind raced with thoughts she didn't want but couldn't stop.
> Are they in love or something? Wait... are they… gay?
She peeked at them—Ryu laughing, tapping his pen against Seo-Jin's arm like they'd done it a million times before. Seo-Jin didn't even flinch. He just sighed and shoved Ryu's arm away with that cold, bored look.
But even that felt… familiar.
Her eyes narrowed. "No way," she mumbled under her breath.
But best friends don't say stuff like that.
They don't warn others like that. Right?
She shook her head.
"No, no… it's just me overthinking," she whispered to herself. "Or… is it?"
The rest of the period passed in a daze. While everyone else discussed topics and planned roles, So-yeon barely registered the words. Her attention flicked between Ryu and Seo-Jin, trying to decode every small interaction.
She didn't know what was happening between them…
But now, she wanted to find out.
---
As I was lost in my own confusing thoughts — still trying to figure out the strange dynamic between Seo-Jin and Ryu — Yuna slid into the seat beside me with a grin.
"Hey, honey," she said, bumping my shoulder gently. "Why do you look like someone just told you your crush got married?"
I blinked and shook my head. "It's nothing."
Yuna narrowed her eyes. "Nothing? Girl, you've been zoning out for fifteen minutes. I literally watched you stab your paper with a pen for no reason."
I glanced down. True. My notebook page was full of angry dots and random lines.
She leaned in, her voice lower now. "You're thinking about Seo-Jin, aren't you?"
My heart skipped. "No! I mean—maybe. A little. Ugh, it's complicated."
"Complicated?" Yuna repeated, smirking. "Spill it. Right now."
I hesitated. "Okay. So… he told me to stay away from Ryu."
Yuna's eyes widened. "He what?"
I nodded slowly. "Yeah. Just leaned in and said it like a warning. No explanation. Nothing."
She blinked, looking stunned for a second. Then she gasped. "Wait. WAIT. Do you think they're like… in love or something?"
I stared at her. "…That's what I thought."
Both of us turned to look at Ryu and Seo-Jin again.
Ryu was laughing at something dumb Taemin said, and Seo-Jin just sat there, arms crossed, looking annoyed but not leaving.
Yuna raised an eyebrow. "Besties? Maybe. But that warning? That's suspicious."
I sighed. "Exactly! I mean… who warns someone to stay away from their best friend unless…"
"…They're hiding something," Yuna finished for me, eyes sparkling now.
We both went silent for a second.
Then Yuna smiled. "This just got fun."
Ooooh I love that twist! 👀🔥
---
Yuna and I exchanged a long, skeptical look, both of us clearly overthinking at this point.
"How are we even going to know what's really going on?" she asked, whispering.
I tapped my fingers against the table, my mind spinning. Then a mischievous idea formed in my head — and a slow smirk crept onto my lips.
"Maybe…" I said, dragging out the word.
Yuna raised a brow. "Maybe what?"
I leaned in and whispered, "We find out with a game."
She blinked. "Game?"
I grinned. "Truth and Dare."
Yuna gasped dramatically, covering her mouth. "So-yeon, are you trying to kill them with embarrassment or dig out their souls?"
I laughed. "Just trying to get a few answers."
She stared at me, then slowly grinned too. "Okay, now we're talking."
I nodded, already imagining the questions I could ask.
If Ryu avoided the truth, I'd dare him.
If Seo-Jin stayed silent, I'd find a way to make him talk.
Either way… someone was going to crack.
And I'd be watching every second.
Perfect! Let's take your line and frame it into a natural and engaging continuation that matches the tone and flow of the story so far — full of curiosity, tension, and humor. Here's how it can go:
After the class, our group was supposed to start the project discussion. Everyone moved toward the back of the class, but my mind was… somewhere else.
I sat beside Yuna, still distracted. She leaned in close and whispered, "You're still thinking about it, aren't you?"
I didn't even try to deny it. "Yuna… seriously. Look at them."
We both turned our heads slightly—just enough to see Ryu and Seo-Jin talking quietly near the window.
Ryu was leaning way too close, flashing that flirtatious smile of his. And Seo-Jin? He wasn't walking away. He wasn't rolling his eyes. He was just… standing there. Calm. Soft, almost.
I nudged Yuna. "Tell me that doesn't look suspicious."
Yuna narrowed her eyes. "Okay, yeah, now that you mention it… Are they… are they really gay?"
I choked on my own breath. "Yuna!"
"What?!" she whispered back, laughing. "I mean, best friends don't usually act like that, right? It's either deep emotional bonding or a K-drama slow-burn romance!"
I pressed my lips together, confused and curious. "But if they are… why would Seo-Jin tell me to stay away from Ryu? It's so weird."
Yuna leaned back in her seat, thinking hard. "Maybe he's overprotective. Maybe Ryu flirts too much, and Seo-Jin's tired of him breaking hearts. Or maybe…"
"Maybe," I whispered, "he's jealous."
We both froze.