Waiting for You... 너를 기다리며

Episode2: LoveTriangle

"Camping, it sounds good." Ha Rin said softly.

Na Bi leaned in with a playful sigh, "But that means we’ll have to prepare a lot. By the way, how many days are we planning to stay?"

Joon Ho grinned, resting his chin on his hand, "It’s been forever since we’ve gone anywhere together. We should stay at least three or four days, right?"

"Yesss!" Ji Eun’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "I’m already making my snack list!"

Han Seo Yoon smiled but gently reminded them, "Guys, you’re all getting way too excited, but we need to focus on the exams first. We’ll only go camping after the exams."

Ha Rin nodded quickly, "Seo Yoon’s right."

Tae Hoon rolled his eyes playfully, "Yeah, yeah, as always, whatever President says will happen."

Everyone in the class sat comfortably in their seats, relaxed and chatting.

Ji Eun took out her sketchbook and started showing it to everyone.

"Guys, look! I made a group sketch of all of us!"

She proudly flipped through the pages.

"Look, here we are in the cafeteria, here’s the group study, and this one… this is us at the bus stop."

Everyone enjoyed looking through the sketches.

Suddenly, Na Bi quickly flipped to another page — it was an unfinished sketch.

It was a boy’s sketch, but the face wasn’t drawn yet.

Na Bi asked curiously, "Hey, whose sketch are you drawing here?"

Joon Ho looked at the sketch, touched his hair, and said,

"I think it’s me… look, the hairstyle is exactly like mine!"

Ji Eun quickly snatched the sketchbook back from him,

"You? With such a cool hairstyle? Please, keep dreaming!"

Tae Hoon smiled and said,

"I thought you were drawing me. Obviously, I’m the handsome one here."

Ji Eun glared at him,

"You? This is BTS’s V. What does that have to do with you?"

Everyone burst out laughing at Tae Hoon.

Seo Yoon crossed her arms and sighed, "Ugh, can you all please stop calling me President? You know I was forced to take that role!"

Everyone at the table laughed, teasing her a little more.

Na Bi suddenly leaned forward, "Okay, so whose house are we meeting at for group study this time?"

Seo Yoon and Joon Ho both looked a little shocked, saying in unison, "Group studies?"

Na Bi shyly said, "Because… I didn’t make notes this time."

Tae Hoon raised his hand lightly, "Me too… I didn’t make any either."

Ji Eun couldn’t hold back her laugh, "Wow, you two would make a perfect pair!"

Tae Hoon jokingly glanced at her, "Yeah, maybe I should think about it, right, Na Bi?"

Na Bi hid a soft smile and glared at him.

Everyone burst into laughter.

Min Seok softly said, "You guys can come to my house too. My mom and dad won’t be home."

Ji Eun’s eyes sparkled, "Wow, then we can study with full freedom!"

Joon Ho teased, "Ji Eun, the way you’re excited, I feel like freedom only means snacks to you."

Ji Eun laughed and said, "Snacks are just the beginning… I have a lot more to be excited about… but you wouldn’t understand."

Everyone laughed again.

Ha Rin stayed quiet, just listening to them all.

Seo Yoon looked at Ha Rin with a hint of concern,

"Hey, are you okay? You’ve been so quiet today."

Ha Rin softly replied, "It’s nothing… just a little headache, that’s all."

Min Seok had been listening to them. He suddenly spoke up,

"What? Since when? Should I go get you some medicine?"

Everyone’s attention shifted toward Min Seok’s slightly loud voice.

Tae Hoon joked, "Who needs medicine? I need some too, I’m bored."

Ha Rin, a little confused, said, "No… I already have some. I’ll take it when I go back to class."

Min Seok looked at her carefully again, "Are you sure?"

Ha Rin smiled softly and nodded, "Yeah, I’m okay."

They all started walking back to class — but Min Seok’s heart was still thinking about Ha Rin.

Maybe… the pain wasn’t just in her head.

Maybe there was something more… something only Min Seok could feel.

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"After school, as they headed home…"

(The gentle hum of the moving bus, the afternoon sunlight softly slipping through the windows.)

Ji Eun and Ha Rin sat in their usual seats. The outside scenery slowly passed by, but Ha Rin’s attention was only on Ji Eun.

After a short silence, Ha Rin softly asked,

"Why don’t you tell him?"

Ji Eun looked confused. "Tell who?"

Ha Rin looked straight into her eyes,

"Seok. You have feelings for him."

Ji Eun blushed slightly and quickly turned her face toward the window.

"Even if I do… until I get some hint from him, until I’m sure this isn’t just one-sided… I won’t say anything."

Ha Rin’s voice softened even more.

"You’re so kind, Ji Eun. You could never break someone’s heart."

Ji Eun laughed lightly,

"Maybe…Why did you think I should confess my feelings to Seok?"

Ha Rin fell silent for a moment.

"Because… sometimes time doesn’t wait for anyone."

The bus kept moving… the city’s life passing by outside… but for both of them, their whole world was right there, on that bus seat.