Unwanted Attention
597 Words
The rumors spread faster than Seo-yeon expected.
By lunchtime, everyone in Haneul Academy seemed to know.
The scholarship student had Kang Min-jun’s umbrella.
And apparently…
he had told her to keep it.
Seo-yeon sighed softly as she walked through the hallway.
Everywhere she went, students stared at her.
Some whispered.
Some openly pointed at her.
Others looked at her with curiosity.
“This is crazy.”
“Do you think they’re dating?”
“Impossible.”
“But Min-jun has never treated anyone like that before.”
Seo-yeon quickened her pace.
She hated attention.
She had only been in this school for a few days, yet it already felt exhausting.
As she turned the corner—
Bump.
She collided with someone.
Her books almost slipped from her hands.
A hand quickly caught one of them.
Seo-yeon looked up.
A boy stood before her.
He had soft features and a warm smile.
Unlike Min-jun’s cold appearance, he looked easy to approach.
“Careful.”
Seo-yeon immediately stepped back.
“…I’m sorry.”
The boy smiled.
“You apologize too much.”
She blinked.
“I’ve seen you around.”
He handed her the book.
“You’re Han Seo-yeon, right?”
“…Yes.”
“I’m Lee Ji-ho.”
He extended his hand.
“The student council vice president.”
Seo-yeon hesitated before shaking it.
“Nice to meet you.”
Ji-ho smiled.
“Likewise.”
Unfortunately—
someone else had witnessed the scene.
And that someone was Yoo Na-ri.
Standing a few meters away, her expression darkened.
First Kang Min-jun.
Now Lee Ji-ho.
Why was everyone suddenly paying attention to this girl?
Her nails dug into her palms.
This was becoming unbearable.
⸻
Later that afternoon, Seo-yeon opened her locker.
Then froze.
Silence.
Her books.
Her notebooks.
Everything inside had been thrown onto the floor.
Some pages were torn.
Others had been stepped on.
A few students nearby looked away awkwardly.
No one said anything.
Seo-yeon slowly bent down.
One by one, she picked up her books.
Her expression remained calm.
But her hands trembled slightly.
Just slightly.
Then—
A shadow fell over her.
Someone picked up one of her notebooks.
Seo-yeon looked up.
Kang Min-jun.
The hallway became quiet.
Again.
He looked at the torn notebook in his hand.
Then at the messy locker.
His expression darkened ever so slightly.
“…Who did this?”
Nobody answered.
Seo-yeon quickly took the notebook.
“It’s okay.”
He looked at her.
“It doesn’t look okay.”
“…I’m fine.”
For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
Then Min-jun frowned.
“…Why do you keep saying that?”
Seo-yeon looked confused.
“You always say you’re fine.”
“…Because I am.”
“No.”
His voice was calm.
“But you’re not.”
For some reason—
those words made her heart skip a beat.
Because no one had ever noticed.
No one had ever asked.
The hallway remained silent.
Min-jun himself looked slightly surprised by what he had just said.
Why did he care?
Why was he standing here?
Why did seeing her like this bother him?
Suddenly—
Another flash.
Cherry blossoms.
A little girl crying.
Tiny hands clutching torn papers.
And a small voice saying—
“I’m okay.”
Min-jun’s eyes widened.
His head suddenly hurt.
He stepped back.
Seo-yeon looked alarmed.
“Are you okay?”
But Min-jun didn’t answer.
Because for the first time—
the forgotten memories were beginning to crack.
And somewhere deep inside his heart—
a name he couldn’t remember was slowly awakening.
- Writer
