The next day, when Han entered the classroom, the first thing he noticed was Seungmin sitting in his seat.
His chest tightened.
He already knew what would happen. By the time he reached the desk, Seungmin would stand up and walk away — just like before.
So He didn't react. He quietly walked over and sat down, waiting.
Nothing happened.
Seungmin didn't move.
That unsettled him more than anything else.
Han turned his head slightly, unable to stop himself.
Seungmin was already looking at him.
Their eyes met.
No one spoke. The noise of the classroom faded into nothing.
Han searched Seungmin's face, trying to read him — anger, disgust, anything.
But Seungmin gave him nothing.
Han didn't even realize when staring turned into something else — when the world narrowed down to the quiet space between them.
"Han."
He didn't hear it.
"Han."
Still nothing.
"Han!"
The voice snapped him back. Han jolted upright, heart racing, and stood abruptly.
Chairs scraped. A few students turned to look.
He rushed out of the classroom without thinking.
Jisoo was standing near the door. Han passed right by him without even noticing.
Jisoo watched him go — then slowly turned his gaze to Seungmin.
Seungmin avoided his eyes and looked out the window.
Woohyun ran after Han.
He found him on the rooftop, sitting near the edge, knees pulled close. Woohyun approached quietly and sat beside him.
"What's wrong?" he asked gently.
Han didn't answer right away.
"I don't know if I should tell you," he finally said. "I don't even know if I should be saying this."
Woohyun placed a hand on his arm.
"We're friends," he said. "You can tell me."
The words hit harder than Han expected.
Friends.
He had never had one before.
For a moment, Han stayed silent, caught between doubt and relief. Then he exhaled slowly and let go.
"It's about Seungmin," he said. "I feel like he's messing with my head."
Woohyun blinked. "How?"
Han swallowed.
"He started coming to the boxing club where Jisoo and I train. One day I got hurt. He ran to help me, but I pushed him without thinking.
After that, he avoided me. Completely."
He paused, fingers curling into his sleeve.
"But now he's back. Acting like nothing happened. Sitting next to me again. And I don't understand why it's bothering me so much."
His voice dropped.
"When I was getting bullied… he left me there. I got beaten. But when I pushed him by accident, that made him angry."
Woohyun frowned.
"Han… he didn't leave you."
Han looked up sharply. "What?"
"He ran to get us," Woohyun said. "We were in the music room. He came in panicking, telling us you were in trouble. That's why we came."
Han froze.
"No," he whispered. "That can't be true."
"Yes and he stayed outside the nursing room the whole time we were inside. When I asked him why was he not coming inside he said he was embarrassed.
Something in Woohyun's voice told him it was.
And for the first time, the story he had been telling himself began to crack.