Bad Luck and Better Mistakes

Between Silence and Apology

The bell for the next period rang just as we reached the heavy glass doors of the entrance.

We stepped back into the building, leaving the humid spring air behind for the polished quiet of the foyer.

“Thank you for the drink,” I said as we walked toward the rows of wooden cubbies.

Jae Hyun paused, looking down at me, a tiny flicker of amusement crossing his face. “Well,” he said, voice dropping an octave, “thank you too. For apparently standing up for me.”

He turned and started walking toward the senior section of the shoe area, his hands deep in his pockets.

I stood there in the middle of the foyer, staring at the spot where he had been.

“Apparently?!” I yelled, my voice echoing off the high ceilings. I didn't care that a few underclassmen jumped in surprise. “I threw my reputation away and got cleaning duty because of you! What part of that is apparent, you overgrown icicle?!”

Jae Hyun didn't look back.

Of course, he didn’t.

He just kept walking, like none of this had anything to do with him and disappeared into the senior row.

I marched over to my own row in the junior section, my heart thumping with a mix of irritation and a weird, buzzy energy.

I yanked my cubby door open, ready to shove my sneakers inside, when something white caught my eye.

A folded piece of paper was tucked neatly inside my left slipper.

I paused, my breath hitching. I pulled it out carefully, recognizing the sharp, elegant handwriting immediately.

Han Seo Ah,

I am sorry about earlier. It is complicated. Don't worry, I'm not the type to cause trouble without reason. Next time, I promise not to be so dramatic.

Kang Min Hyuk

I read it twice, a strange twist in my chest.

One guy acts like I’m a ghost, and the other leaves apology notes in my shoes like a scene from a drama.

I folded the paper, slipped it into my blazer pocket, and headed upstairs.

I got to class just as Teacher Moon was starting the lecture. Park Ha Yoon was already in her seat, and the second I sat down, she leaned over, her face a mask of frantic curiosity.

“Seo Ah!” she hissed, her voice a forced whisper. “Hae In is losing his mind. He has been pacing like a caged tiger since earlier.”

“Is he mad?” I groaned, resting my head on my hand.

“He is past mad. He is in who do I need to eliminate mode. But seriously, what did they say in the office?”

“Cleaning duty,” I muttered. “Starting at 4.”

Ha Yoon’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open. “You actually got cleaning duty? Seo Ah, you never get in trouble. This is a total disaster.”

I sighed, staring at the chalkboard. “It is just an hour of mopping. I’ll survive.”

“But you’re going to miss our cafe trip!” she whispered, her hands flailing slightly.

Teacher Moon paused, his chalk hovering over the board. He turned slowly, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses as they landed on our row.

“Miss Park. Is there something in your conversation more important than the history of the Joseon Dynasty?”

Ha Yoon turned a deep, shameful shade of red and immediately stared at her notebook. “No, sir. Sorry.”

“Fascinating,” Teacher Moon deadpanned. “Then let us try to focus on the lesson instead of the drama.”

I stared straight ahead, pressing my lips together. Thirty seconds later, a tiny folded scrap of paper landed on my desk. I opened it under the table.

Hae In and I will be waiting at the usual cafe after school. DON’T BE LATE OR HAE IN WILL CALL THE POLICE.

I sighed, giving her a small, hidden nod.

---

By 4:00 PM, I was in the Art Room.

It was a large, quiet space in the elective wing that smelled of oil paint and old wood. My task was to mop the entire floor and organize the easels before I was allowed to leave.

Teacher Kim had told me he would be back to check the room at 5:00.

One hour.

I grabbed the broom and started on the far corner, the rhythmic sound of the bristles against the floor the only thing filling the silence.

I sat down on a stool for a second, staring at the clock.

4:03.

Great.

This already felt longer than it should. I leaned back, closing my eyes and trying to erase Jae Hyun’s voice from my head.

Just as I was about to drift off into a light sleep, the heavy door creaked open.

“I am already here, sir. I’m even cleaning the corners, I promise,” I mumbled without opening my eyes.

“I am not the teacher.”

My eyes snapped open, my breath catching in my throat. I sat up straight, and my heart skipped a beat as I looked toward the door.

“What are you doing here?” I blurted.