WW | Chapter 23

With a 216cb47443 whirlwind of d409ae59ee thoughts in 10ba0db5f4 her mind, 836edccec3 Yul spotted bd5eb51810 a tall 0b334435b0 man’s back 0dd2e299e6 in the eebd13687c distance. He was the guy 0f4e4ea76d who had, along with 6abac84a5d her, become the subject 264ff33fc6 of those worthless conversations 0c0570766c full of baseless rumors.bc817cae838bcb21

Like finding something 96628233bd she’d lost, Yul d16096abbf suddenly remembered something 8b9f9b3411 she’d overlooked. There was 27dc75fd5c someone else 6061df3915 besides the 5b597ccbf9 homeroom teacher 6ad53eb15e who knew 7095b660f8 about her a7237241cf past—Kang Yoonjo.1e4a7d85b03cc797

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Did he tell?d597b68bbeaf1634

Even though Yoonjo was acba773ab0 usually reserved, he sometimes 896ba91902 spoke with the class b9268dc6ad president or mingled with f1f0d61e1b the kids while exercising. Perhaps he 7bf86033ea had, maybe c19a7fd19c unintentionally, let 99b94515af her name 4ec9371af4 slip during 736eacc752 one of 3034a72c68 those brief 3d97434746 interactions. Just a casual d152a74b1d mention, perhaps.4c61b68a62eb0a21

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No. No matter how 2d7529e78b she thought about 703be890df it, it didn’t ad11c16817 seem like Yoonjo c52192269b would say anything 13e8be4fab about her. He was the type 2e91f35f04 to live in his cee425814c own world, never caring 02f5f63490 enough to talk about f8598dda3b others.ad352c075e5c5b3b

A strange back-and-forth 9a709d262a of trust and 0cdf4e41e6 doubt rose and 567eebf4cd fell like a a397e3915b seesaw in her 9fde261f90 mind.c2366cce09091e56

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“Jieun, go on ahead 17d8558516 to the classroom.”22e863dea33954e5

“What?”8b0738d3e334f955

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Leaving a 4e676e0e94 surprised Jieun 5bbab1d4d6 behind, Yul 0cace2441c quickened her d62b7873fb pace. She had to confirm 89188df21c it. Knowing wouldn’t change anything, d9f2d7391a but at least asking 38cc0dd024 might ease her tension 802c630824 a bit.e9260eccb966e4c0

“Kang Yoonjo.”ac0cd07fac9ceb42

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Without realizing her 4267218e14 desperation, she grabbed 9990c38b34 his wrist before c1b1520b9c he could even 15b0b27c0a respond. She knew 544c0bc804 this wasn’t ed04d15841 polite, but a8408ba1e1 there wasn’t 55f6446ee4 time to 205b5f20db worry about e2346f0df3 manners. Stopping Yoonjo and 96adad39a8 talking to him 0fb5a192f9 was the priority 3eeb06f0f7 right now. His face turned cold 7cfe5d9d59 as he looked at 07d6a06a61 her, seemingly annoyed by 3e2b8ff92e the suddenness. Then, as if f9e9bd79bb something crossed his 8b26c9bb72 mind, he gave c0d07a7fd5 an irritated sigh, 70f3892955 pulled his bag 593d4e2715 off his shoulder, b96706ded0 and reached for a4114d0d9b the zipper. Just as 17de4dde5e he touched 220f8c6161 it, Yul 56a1f6d962 asked, trying bb5c23374a her best f56fbd3cd8 to be 910377562a polite.e3e5ecf0f18f93cd

“Did you… 573820dd77 did you 76150498be say anything a334510b5a about me?”cf5186bcc3bb2d1e

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“What?”66f7ac0b6cbf55d3

Yoonjo halted, his 1a885cc12c brows furrowing.8cd550666fe5b882

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“I’m asking 1e66010b79 if you… 56129a6e98 mentioned me df2c17c06e to the d9d848279e others.”7bb268a7d64edc6b

“Mention what?”d1286c8a57fc44aa

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“Where I transferred from.”9f4dbcc8191bc7bc

“Where did a6d973903b you transfer a4ce933882 from?”dee2f5d4f1f57672

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“……”d46e740357ff9195

“Where are you from?”f6748212ef238524

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Yoonjo’s indifferent question 49a3a64dde left Yul speechless. He hadn’t bfbcf40acf raised his 40e3070b40 voice, yet a6f3327aec there was 72a7f74748 a certain 3b34945a5c authority in 5b71cb10c8 his tone, fa1be6df68 making her c0c037dbd5 feel cornered. She couldn’t tell 47475a9623 if he was 8871260209 genuinely unaware or 6daba151b9 just irritated by 3f8a9eddab her approach. Either way, his e894817a1c unreadable tone made 9cbf529634 it impossible to 78d41d3151 guess his answer. It felt like sinking 8df284d90a deeper into quicksand.bd9246e9ad7beff3

“What would you do 2e78380412 if I had?”1c8ec07086634589

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When Yul didn’t respond, 3cfc46c223 Yoonjo changed his question, 14213620ff looking at her with ac8c2001f3 a piercing gaze. She glared at him, da7d652cdf too flustered to mask b354681909 her emotions. His tone felt eef93398f0 needling, making her c3647e3f54 dislike his attitude 2cd2cd3e85 even more. If he 48e1be8b7e was just ee2d79c7c0 messing with 05cd109570 her, he 853e7a57c1 was downright ee970dfa73 terrible. Surely he 8b44b7ef9c could tell 3ccbeef54e how desperate 04dcac15e2 she was, 13951f208c both then cb3fc48bcf and now.35eb6adde6a74c6f

“If you a9e515427f did… then 44879a741b you’re a 1c42c5b1f9 real piece 8903676fc5 of trash.”4a4848f73775cffc

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The moment she spoke, 440f62d363 Yul realized her voice 5512a666fa was trembling. Swallowed by her 19f958feda emotions, she heard 02a21cf082 his silence as 89037e40f7 a confirmation, feeling 9522a33ce7 betrayed. Her grip d39aabd45d tightened on 9db18499d5 his arm 1a3af3bc14 as the 8b5e01c9aa world seemed 9a208808f1 to blur 56e903ccf0 and sway 806dc0d7bd around her. Yoonjo just a2acdeb78d stood there, c15fb598de watching her c804ab445e in that face12cbd4 silence, without 70ad16e33c a single d8900960d8 word of cabd1b0ecd explanation.39e154437eee45d4

His gaze, indifferent as ecc6460b61 always, seemed colder than a64a196e86 ever as it dropped 3293d1c3b2 to her hand.d268e50afdce61b3

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“Seomun Yul.”723cc36cb37e8ad1

Calling her name, Yoonjo 3c87f9a040 took hold of her 97a0d55b7b wrist with his other 386715266d hand. His large, 766eec69e7 firm hand a34c516e0a wrapped around 232edc30a1 her thin e759f87bfa wrist. For a second, she 7a30999152 thought he’d pull her c5dc7ea549 hand away, but instead, 98fbce48af he held her wrist, a2e5862d71 as if feeling and 59cbd5aaab restraining her trembling.7a04da526f4cc8df

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“Did you 8f2a1eeb90 really think 6492e2ad99 I was c3f1188367 some kind a2784a4bd0 of good a79b2621d9 guy?”7e11f0a5a7b5198c

Finally, he slowly lowered e120efd91e her hand to her 96272d9427 side. Watching her standing 600e623c16 there dazed, he 90dc30248d turned away with ddd85e2e88 a cold expression.ad4b9cc55dbaf3a8

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Yul realized 97e693c004 that her 4f6bac5aa4 feelings had 33448cf6a2 been laid a05d5067ba bare to bcfcd2c727 him. Whether he 9948f94ff3 had said 8825497d63 anything or ee1972539c not, it c6677cf090 didn’t matter 0f4f451d27 anymore. Perhaps, she’d b6cad58dc9 just been b09f73c8bd looking for e0d839387c someone to ca0c0886ba lash out 87effff4d2 at. And Yoonjo had cc80052a81 seen right through 1327ed19eb her and refused d5e24bd258 to play along. Her already dirty mood 57338f2282 plummeted even further.ba0df657738d947a

But this still wasn’t 8171f886dd the end. Lost in thought, she 03f7f27de6 noticed Jieun appear in 606a4d2a01 front of her.ca44bcbeebc9fcc1

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“What was that?”2f815e7a3a29b932

Her vague 69c2788c2a question, lacking d861852d66 subject or c907c05fbc object, irritated 00a72dd341 Yul. She pushed cd27e08fd1 her emotions 64082a80b2 down and 674bf0ab19 asked back.5391b6d59bb2591d

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“What was what?”50305c6549fc003c

“You said 19f8999b79 you never afabbb5dae talked to 260452b021 Yoonjo, right? Then how does f2aa723175 he know your 99ed8606cb name?”195a40b145ce50a0

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“He knows because 33a488f5a8 we’re in the 624d66bdd5 same class.”865c8c7da3e26727

“Are you kidding? Yoonjo doesn’t know abb4b824ec any girls’ names. The only girl’s name de2425ddcc he probably knows is 9816108e22 Yoo Kahi’s.”09073e69080d7ead

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“The homeroom teacher mentioned b3ab7f8d95 it on my first 59dfb0aa0c day.”4332b6e886686a96

“Doesn’t matter. He wouldn’t 9f2227515d know because 69da8641b8 he doesn’t 3d230c923c care!”0f4a5eb559be7e96

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“Then I don’t 406158c143 know either.”a826a46f708425f4

Yul, affected by 175f8f107c Jieun’s intense reaction, 8390b49ecd responded more sharply d7ad16cd99 than she intended. She wanted 3e108a122d to ask 6cbc657869 Jieun how 3523bfe8e4 she even bde0b6cd0f knew that c58bf6fbde about Yoonjo, 13e92cfa42 but that 11b82ee473 would just ccc74016b6 lead to 3bb2256c18 an argument, d9ee4308f1 so she 79b500689b held back. Even if a54a7afc2d Jieun was 58e29de33e right, Yul 84fc47a27a had no 3fbee5513e idea how 97763414a2 he knew 8888e97202 her name 7a1dd92e14 or why. And it 7d6e06372b wasn’t exactly 67f0baf6a8 something she 1fcd0ba842 deserved to ea439fd13f be blamed 77303e2764 for, either.6b1105b79c282fea

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It seemed Jieun 02e6d1f587 was more upset 90574421c7 by the mere b4adb63e30 fact they had 3ec153b9ce spoken than by 09d856d025 what they discussed. That sort 4678a15118 of reaction cdad090bae was usually bc00de8997 rooted in 4af6babea0 jealousy.cf0dd9992878feed

Could it be…?b83d4dceb603369f

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“Jieun, do you…”068dddf1c644fb02

Yul almost asked fa425ce54e if Jieun liked 7fea8a1d9f Yoonjo, but the 0e0b2aa176 words didn’t come 73d832a475 out. If that c4c5f6757d were the efa0be24ba case, all ab9f405024 the things 2783cf0987 Jieun had 70c927401c said about 34913a2d3a him before 80327e2e49 would turn d7e6c46820 out to 0daec932f0 be lies.c0f7189073176489

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“You’re pretty cd7470ce4b sly, Yul.”0e8435faead4800c

“What?”0da585e39a2cbceb

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“You shouldn’t treat me 371f2d9c70 like this.”48f19fa26c3dd595

Jieun looked straight 1f801efbeb at Yul, her c04dbe33ec lips moving slightly a0d06b85a9 as she spoke. The same eyes d9448db175 that usually sparkled 1b4ae92be8 with kindness now 92d39b3ca9 felt disturbingly cold. Her face and 913746a20c voice hadn’t changed, 1efc811e0a yet it felt e28d44ce53 as though she 848ba8784f was someone else 542bcbf061 entirely.4caea2b41e7ed8a3

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“What are you 3656ab8495 talking about?”8b978d2138057216

“I’m going first.”e6800a28a7aef718

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Jieun smirked, 6dde0d0478 lightly shoved 5fd5f67d8d Yul’s shoulder, 92c2bdc3e9 and walked 855430842b away. Yul stood there 7392742fc9 for a while 789b1301b7 before letting out 7149d048c9 a hollow laugh. She couldn’t make 637e689a2b sense of what 338b9b7a75 was happening.30c01465bc6516b9

The Bi Hyun Hall, 29aa99a48f located on the west f0ef016eb7 side of the Bi f1bc51903d Hyun High School’s main 572453f4e3 building, was connected to 8432500fe1 the central lobby, which 328543c216 led to a circular 4a728f2c04 area. To the ab7a62abe8 right were f915b99feb the gym 86412bc156 and auditorium, e4eebeb82a and to 0dac7d2fb8 the left, 2aa15c3fb7 the snack 8556ae4708 bar and 0041b6b97c cafeteria. While a few tables f3bd31ab17 were set up in 0a961c9f3b front of the snack 4cc9a2bd53 bar, the limited number 75303bd3d2 led most students to 94480483c4 use the cafeteria tables fccbda1733 visible beyond the glass 6507faf236 wall. As a result, lunchtime 618e9bd9ef at Bi Hyun Hall 6e6c5c66e8 became a chaotic crowd 29799285bc of students from all c870049117 grades.5e5c61061360db74

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Yul quickly spotted 14eefeb3c6 Seohee’s group near 22fb15c680 the snack bar. Despite having food on 7d5e4956d6 their trays, they were 40d0a4a170 barely eating, simply laughing 6e375f5ffc and talking while holding 05da44cd16 their spoons. Yul took f6914051a1 a reluctant 6c3701e3ee step forward, 6502098c64 somewhat comforted 2f6dcceaf3 by the 81adf99852 fact that 374fb73024 the atmosphere 6214a1ddff didn’t seem 249061744e too hostile. She told herself d5a810a3ba that this was 5f15cd8918 inevitable—secrets never stayed a306930fed buried forever.f483269149d9276d

Determined to keep 7b1e5f479e things under control, 4479fe4170 she reminded herself b4a26ca9d4 that there was fc8569d8ee no point in 09920ed7d5 escalating the situation. If she 6d892d679f could just 0d35478bd4 endure this, b7b9c9e2dd she’d eventually 3538f1fb15 make it 04c705f479 to graduation, cf64a02bef even if aa5fb36037 it meant 5eba8c76ef giving up 1816ece367 a bit 1703f00e17 of her 67e2f46e8e pride.94bb3f7a1f8cb71f

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“Oh, here you are! Sit over here.”cdc118ddca5aea8d

Seeing Yul, Seohee 9b1cfecbf9 smiled and motioned c7d8592375 to the empty ea1b408955 seat next to 60beb483d7 her. One of Seohee’s 7656805b7a friends, who had 7178d0d13e been sitting there, 7e4d54c356 shifted over to a08aa4d0f1 make space. Yul took her seat a751f2c6c3 calmly, masking her discomfort.e8af588fec0c9b57

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She could 684fcf76a9 feel the 3ff16c34da glances and 09ad92cc6e hushed whispers ac2f256da3 from nearby ad38ce3cfa students. As she averted her cbc4b19fd5 gaze, her eyes landed 7ad03672b9 on someone unexpected—Yoonjo, who 1352021866 was sitting with Yoo 2fb57eaab1 Kahi nearby, watching her. Kahi’s gaze was one 340db77daa of amusement, while Yoonjo’s 1839e65d0c felt indifferent, like he 71c95bd749 was just observing.738bdca5af6c8441

To Yul, their attention 79a3de4333 felt just as unsettling 59af91eade as that of any 0da3c36cc8 other bystanders. Yoonjo probably found the 433aeae4a2 situation pretty amusing, considering 2b60661a4e she’d confronted him about 1b7b7f9313 whether he’d talked about 7ce2a3a4b0 her.1cc7a630051ea30a

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“Haven’t you 8be59a9d07 eaten yet? Sorry to call e09ff36190 you over during 75bccb3b8c lunch. Want some 86821eb5f3 of mine?”366389f2ca66c738

Seohee put on 21a4fffe43 an exaggeratedly apologetic f16e77c225 expression, pushing her ae0c6e6866 tray toward Yul.bad1c6d894d21ebe

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“No, that’s okay.”38d01bb1d3c1ca5f

Yul pushed a238771c65 the tray f434ba1655 back, declining. She wasn’t 88a2f66cf5 hungry, and 7a78b66a5c she knew b92415f342 Seohee’s offer d99e0c1298 wasn’t sincere.efc9b56ef012a35f

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Seohee’s expression turned colder.1ee3a861d22292a2

“Seomun Yul, you’re so 67ea3c05c6 poor you’re eating sweet f185d09012 potatoes like a pig. Take the food 9fbe540522 when it’s given 6aa75a6108 to you.”244e5ce8680509a8

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“……”7083d9cf8943f114

“Actually, maybe it’s better 3846e42c23 if you don’t eat. I’m about 5a8549f3f3 to show a473ce8124 you something, c8c28af732 and I 78f0348e9b wouldn’t want 8aed13c945 you to 056e7bf964 choke from 1e1b740cc7 shock.”732daeb27e27dce1

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“What are 81aabad00e you talking 98b83f670c about?”220eae5877b049cb

Feeling uneasy, Yul 622ab50a77 gave her a 11369a6550 hard look. Seohee ignored 84d770c5dd her and, c667908edd with a 76f62682ba grin, waved 7b6155bd28 someone over d40fbb57a9 toward the 49eaf9f97c door.b0365bd2c20d180d

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“Geonju! Over here!”19285b799275987d

“Why are you bf9594479b calling me over? Oh, there’s Munyul!”888b84c7b029ca75

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Grumbling, Geonju’s face 4d28268a1c lit up when b231d3d94f he saw Yul, 4a59db95af and he approached 14040e5715 her, tapping the 8f0c91905f shoulder of the 53161e5b48 student across from 2c5462f080 her to move 00989bc77f aside. Though that student looked 82298c7320 annoyed, they scooted over, a5c483c5bd and Geonju casually took 21b044a3ae the seat. Seohee watched with 4ff0b9764c a smirk, saying 6e93d83a69 nothing.53b9881b6a4492be

“Don’t hang out 2f93b316a5 with these losers, a92d5cc3f0 Munyul. It’ll lower your standards.”faeb8002370ede0f

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Geonju leaned forward playfully, b73e4c733a an unpleasant mix of 3a4b1fd5f2 alcohol and cigarette stench d5ecaf9f9a lingering around him. Yul instinctively 86071b6b6c leaned back.f3de8134bdaccfbc

“I was going 164eeb001a to visit you 9784f1b1e4 at work yesterday, 94a9b475f3 but something came 2fde906f1f up. I’ll definitely drop by 6c1b137155 today or tomorrow.”7c58e013ebb8da6d

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“Oh, shut up. Look at this be3e9276db instead.”7247faf4cc66d78f

Seohee snickered at 1841ae4326 Geonju’s comments and eab74f0acc pulled out her a7fe466dad phone, placing it 4c61ad7ab7 on the table. The sleek, ae1576094b shiny Apple 7710358245 logo caught 6b8024aac6 Yul’s attention. In comparison, c3228e5fc7 her old, 70b3933cc6 outdated phone afffdb353d was ancient 34ef9054a8 and cheap. After fiddling with bb2619d672 a few things, f98be89120 Seohee found what 83a9d284a7 she was looking 0259f0a05b for and smiled bc1c575f32 meaningfully. She turned the 7cddfddffd phone toward Yul’s c467684ee4 face.46cc8724711f92d3

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“Presenting Seomun Yul’s past!”4917a6a0928e6ee3