Chapter 2: The Silent Protector
678 Words
The classroom fell silent as Kang Min-jae stood at the doorway, his eyes fixed on the blind girl standing helplessly in the aisle.
"...Yoon Seo-ah."
His whisper was so quiet that only he could hear it.
Han-jo frowned.
"Bro? What's wrong with you?"
Min-jae didn't answer.
He continued staring at Seo-ah, his face growing paler with every passing second. Fear, guilt, and shock stormed through his mind, leaving him completely frozen.
"Hey, Min-jae?"
Han-jo waved a hand in front of his face.
Min-jae finally blinked and slowly walked into the classroom.
The bully girl folded her arms with a smirk.
"What? Even the great Kang Min-jae came to watch?"
A few students laughed.
Seo-ah remained frozen, clutching her white cane tightly.
Without saying a word, Min-jae stopped beside the desk.
His cold eyes met the bully's.
"Move."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried enough authority to silence the entire classroom.
The bully hesitated before clicking her tongue.
"...Fine."
She stepped aside.
Min-jae gently took Seo-ah's hand and carefully placed it on the edge of the desk.
"There."
Seo-ah smiled softly.
"T-Thank you..."
She hesitated for a moment.
"Can... can you tell me your name?"
Min-jae's fingers trembled.
For a split second, a faint laugh echoed inside his mind.
A little girl...
Smiling.
Then...
Darkness.
His chest tightened painfully.
Why now...?
Why her...?
He almost answered.
Almost.
Instead, he slowly let go of her hand and turned away.
Not a single word.
Seo-ah listened carefully to the fading footsteps.
"...He's gone."
Outside the classroom...
Han-jo quickly caught up with him.
"What the heck was that?"
Min-jae kept walking.
"You hate getting involved with people. Why'd you help her?"
Silence.
"Bro..."
Min-jae finally stopped.
His expression turned cold.
"Don't stick your nose into my business."
Han-jo scratched the back of his head.
"...Seriously? You're acting weird today."
Back inside the classroom...
The girls immediately began whispering.
"Did Kang Min-jae just help her?"
"Why her?"
"I've never seen him help anyone before."
The bully girl clenched her fists.
"...A blind girl?"
Jealousy burned inside her.
Later that afternoon...
The rooftop was empty.
Min-jae leaned against the fence, running both hands through his hair.
"No..."
He shook his head.
"No..."
"No..."
His breathing became uneven.
"How is she here...?"
He slowly slid down the wall until he was sitting on the cold concrete.
"Yoon Seo-ah..."
"It can't be..."
"You're still blind..."
"And now..."
"They're bullying you again..."
He grabbed his hair tightly.
"It's all my fault..."
"If only..."
"If I hadn't..."
"If I had been there that day..."
"Maybe..."
"Maybe none of this would've happened."
His fists clenched until his knuckles turned white.
"I'm sorry..."
"So... so sorry..."
Tap...
Tap...
The gentle sound of a white cane echoed across the rooftop.
Min-jae looked up.
Seo-ah slowly stepped through the rooftop door.
She had come looking for a quiet place to calm herself.
Unaware of the uneven ground beneath her feet, she stepped forward.
"Ah!"
Her ankle twisted.
She lost her balance.
Before she could hit the ground—
Strong arms caught her.
She gasped.
"W-What...?"
Without saying a word, the stranger carefully lifted her into his arms.
Seo-ah's cheeks turned a soft shade of pink.
"W-Wait..."
"You don't have to carry me..."
Embarrassed, she instinctively clutched the front of his school blazer.
Her heart began to race.
Min-jae gently placed her on a nearby bench before kneeling to examine her injured ankle.
A quiet sigh escaped his lips.
"You got hurt..."
His voice was soft.
"...Can't you be more careful?"
The moment those words left his mouth—
He froze.
His eyes widened.
"..."
Seo-ah blinked in surprise.
Slowly, she turned toward the direction of his voice.
"Y-You...?"
A shy smile slowly appeared on her lips.
"You're..."
"The one who helped me earlier..."
She lowered her head slightly.
"...Thank you."
"I wanted to thank you."
Min-jae's heart stopped.
He had spoken.
For the first time.
To her.
And he had broken the one promise he had made to himself...
Never let her know it was me.
Chapter End
To Be Continued...
- Writer
