Before we said anything

The alarm rang loudly. She woke up slowly, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Her hair was messy and falling all over her face. She sat up and looked at herself in the mirror for a moment. Without thinking much, she got ready and ate something quickly. Then, without overthinking anything, she went to freshen up. She was a high school girl who, from the outside, looked very strong, confident, and full of attitude. But inside, she felt completely empty. As always, the sound of shouting was coming from the house. Her mother was arguing with her father, saying, “You only care about yourself. You never think about anyone else.” Her father responded loudly from the other side, “Okay, I am selfish. What can you do about it?” Then came the sound of a door being slammed. She didn’t find anything strange in it anymore. Because she was already used to all of this. She quietly wore her school uniform and stepped out of her room. When her mother saw her, she quickly wiped her tears and said, “Have breakfast.” But she simply replied, “I’ll eat it at school during break.” And then she left the house. The weather was cold, and the morning was beautiful. She wore a black hoodie over her school uniform, pulling the hood over her head. Without saying a word to anyone, she walked quietly on the road toward school. Like every other day. Like nothing inside her had ever been different. She reached school like every other day. She was watching the students around her—laughing, talking, and enjoying their lives. A small part of her once used to wonder if she would ever come to school like that… happy, carefree, and full of energy. But now, she didn’t even think about it anymore. It felt like she had forgotten how to smile properly. Without saying a word, she went into her classroom, sat on her seat, and lowered her head on the desk. Voices filled the room. Some students were talking about family dinners, some about going out, and some were laughing loudly over random things. The classroom was full of life—but she was not a part of it. She stayed quiet. After some time, a voice called out, “Sora!” She suddenly lifted her head, her sleepy eyes blinking slowly. The class monitor, Min Soo, was standing there. She was the topper of the class and known for her strict and rude attitude. She said, “Sora, it’s your turn today. Go to the teachers’ room and bring the copies.” Without saying anything, Sora stood up and left the classroom. She went to the teachers’ room and then to her homeroom teacher’s office. “Sir, the copies…” she said softly. There, a boy was standing. He was quite tall and looked extremely handsome. His eyes were deep and his silky hair looked like it was made of soft threads of silk. Sora didn’t look at him for long. She simply took the copies and was about to leave when a voice called from behind. “Sora.” She turned slightly. The teacher smiled and said, “He is a new student in your class. Take him with you.” She nodded quietly. The teacher, Mr. Seo-Jin, was very polite and kind. He always encouraged his students and treated everyone equally. Sora walked ahead carrying the copies. The boy followed her and said softly, “Hello.” She gave a small, almost silent reply and asked his name. “My name is Ji-ho,” he said. “I transferred from Cheongyo High School. Nice to meet you all. Thank you.” She didn’t respond much and kept walking. When they entered the classroom— “Wow…” “He’s so cute!” “He’s so handsome!” Whispers and excited voices filled the room. Min Soo immediately looked at Sora and asked, “Who is he?” Sora replied flatly, “New transfer student.” And without saying anything else, she went back to her seat and lowered her head again. The teacher entered and said, “Good morning.” “Good morning, sir,” the class replied. Then he introduced the new student. “This is Ji-ho, a transfer student. He was a top student at his previous school.” He then added, “Take your seat at the back. Sit next to Sora.” Ji-ho walked over and sat beside her. The lecture began. Sora didn’t pay attention. She stayed quiet, head down, as usual. After some time, the bell rang. And just like that, the classroom filled with noise again. A boy came up to Ji-ho and said, “Hey, I’m Han. Come on, let’s go to the canteen.” Ji-ho nodded. “Sure.” They both walked out of the classroom. Sora also got up and headed toward the canteen. The canteen was full of noise. Different groups of friends were sitting together, laughing, talking, enjoying their time. But there was also one group everyone knew about. A senior group. Their leaders were Emma and Si-woo. They were known for bullying other students. One of their targets was Yuri—a girl from Sora’s class who came from a poor background. They took advantage of her and bullied her regularly. Every day, she was forced to bring food for them. Today was no different. Yuri was carrying food toward them when suddenly she stumbled, and the food fell near their table. Emma stood up angrily and pushed her hard. Yuri fell to the ground. “Now go and bring food with your own money,” Emma said coldly. Yuri stuttered nervously, “I… I don’t have money…” Before she could say anything else, Emma slapped her. Then she grabbed her hair and said harshly, “Then either bring us food with your money… or pick that up and eat it yourself.” Everyone in the canteen was watching. Ji-ho was watching too. Suddenly, a girl stepped forward. “Leave her,” she said firmly. Emma turned, annoyed. “You again? How many times have I told you to stay out of my business?” Without waiting, Emma pushed her hard. The girl fell backward. Her hoodie slipped off her head. Ji-ho’s eyes widened. It was Sora. Sora slowly stood up. For a moment, she just looked at Emma. Then, without saying anything, she picked up a plate of food from a nearby table and threw it at Emma. The food spilled all over Emma’s clothes. Emma’s face filled with anger. Before she could react, Si-woo stepped forward and pushed Sora aggressively. “What’s your problem?” he shouted. “Who do you think you are?” He shoved her hard again, and Sora fell to the ground. Before things could get worse— A figure rushed forward. Han kicked Si-woo, knocking him down. Then Ji-ho stepped in and helped Sora stand up. “Are you okay?” he asked. Sora didn’t reply, but she stood firmly. Soon, a fight broke out between the two groups. Sora, Ji-ho, and Han stood together, fighting against Emma’s group. “Enough!” A loud voice echoed. Teachers rushed in and stopped everything. “All of you—staff room. Now.” In the staff room, Sora, Ji-ho, and Han stood in front of their class teacher. He looked at Sora and said, “Didn’t I tell you to stay away from fights?” Sora kept her head down, silent. Ji-ho spoke up, “Sir, they were bullying Yuri. We were just helping her.” The teacher sighed. “And who told you to get involved? Teachers are here to handle such problems.” He paused, then said firmly, “All of you will be punished.” “For one week, after school, you will clean the basketball court.” “Understood?” “Yes, sir,” they replied. “I don’t want to hear anything else. You may go.” As everyone started leaving, the teacher said, “Sora, you stay.” She stopped. After the others left, he asked, “Do you work part-time at a restaurant?” “Yes,” she replied calmly. Mr. Seo-Jin—her teacher, who was also secretly her cousin (though no one at school knew)—looked at her seriously. “Your family is financially stable. Then why are you working part-time?” He continued, “Your grades are dropping badly. Other teachers have also complained. Your rank has fallen a lot.” Sora stayed silent. Another teacher entered and called Seo-Jin for a meeting with the principal. He looked back at Sora and said, “You can go.” She quietly left. Later, at the basketball court, Ji-ho and Han were picking up balls and cleaning the area. Sora walked in. She looked at Ji-ho and said softly, “Thank you.” Ji-ho smiled slightly. “No need to thank me. We’re classmates. We should help each other.” Sora gave a small nod and joined them. Yuri was also there, helping them. Han was joking around, making the atmosphere lighter. For the first time, it didn’t feel completely heavy. Sora stood quietly, watching them. After finishing, they all left for home. But Sora was running late for her part-time job. She picked up her bag and ran off quickly Sora ran as fast as she could, her bag bouncing against her shoulder. The cold air hit her face, but she didn’t slow down. She was late. Again. The small restaurant stood at the corner of a quiet street, its warm lights glowing softly from inside. As soon as she pushed the door open, a bell rang. “You’re late.” The owner’s voice came from behind the counter. Sora bowed her head slightly. “Sorry.” “Go change quickly,” he said, not looking too angry—just tired. A few minutes later, she came out in her work uniform and started taking orders. “Table three.” “Two coffees.” “Clean this.” Her movements were fast, quiet, practiced. Like she had been doing this for much longer than she should have. Hours passed. Her feet started to ache, but she didn’t stop. She never did. The bell at the door rang again. She didn’t look up at first. “Welcome—” Her words stopped. Ji-ho. And Han. Standing right in front of her. For a moment, she froze. Han smiled brightly. “Oh wow… you work here?” Ji-ho looked at her carefully. Not surprised—just… understanding. Sora quickly looked away. “Sit down. I’ll take your order.” Her tone was calm. Distant. Like school. Like always. They sat down. Han leaned closer to Ji-ho and whispered, “She’s different here.” Ji-ho didn’t reply. His eyes were still on Sora. When she came back with their order, Ji-ho spoke softly, “You didn’t tell anyone.” Sora placed the cups on the table. “There was nothing to tell.” “You work after school, get into fights, and still act like nothing matters,” he said quietly. She paused for a second. Then said, “Eat your food before it gets cold.” And walked away. But something had changed. For the first time— Someone wasn’t just looking at her. Someone was noticing. Later that night, when her shift ended, she stepped outside. The street was almost empty now. She took a deep breath. For a moment, everything felt… still. “Hey.” She turned. Ji-ho was standing there. “You waited?” she asked. He shrugged slightly. “I was going this way.” A lie. But she didn’t question it. They started walking together in silence. Not awkward. Not comfortable. Just… quiet. After a few steps, Ji-ho spoke, “You don’t have to do everything alone.” Sora stopped walking. For a second, her expression changed. Something softer. Something tired. But then— It disappeared. “I’m used to it,” she said. And started walking again. Ji-ho watched her for a moment… Then followed. And for the first time— someone didn’t let her walk alone without trying to understand why. Chapter Two : The silence between us The next morning felt the same. The same walls. The same quiet. The same version of her. At school, nothing had changed either. Students laughed. Groups gathered. Life moved on like it always did. And Sora— She walked through it like she wasn’t really part of it. As she entered the classroom, she went straight to her seat and sat down quietly. But this time— “Good morning.” She paused. Ji-ho. Sitting beside her. She gave a small nod. “Morning.” It was short. Simple. But different. Because she usually didn’t respond at all. Ji-ho noticed. He didn’t smile. He didn’t say anything more. But he noticed. The class started. Sora rested her head on the desk again, closing her eyes. But today, she wasn’t fully asleep. She could feel something… Someone. A notebook slid slightly toward her. She opened her eyes. Ji-ho had written something on the page: “If you keep sleeping, your grades will fall even more.” For a second, she just stared at it. Then she picked up a pen and wrote back: “They already have.” He looked at her reply. Then wrote again: “Still doesn’t mean you should give up.” She read it. Didn’t reply this time. But she didn’t go back to sleep either. After class, the bell rang. Noise filled the room again. Han rushed over, full of energy as always. “Basketball cleaning duty today again,” he said dramatically. “My life is ruined.” Ji-ho smirked slightly. Sora stayed quiet—but she was listening. Later, at the basketball court— Han was complaining while picking up balls. “This is all your fault,” he said jokingly to Ji-ho. “If you didn’t act like a hero yesterday—” Ji-ho interrupted, “You kicked first.” Han paused. “Okay… maybe a little.” For the first time— Sora almost smiled. Almost. Yuri was there too, quietly helping. This time, she wasn’t as scared. She looked at Sora once and said softly, “Thank you… for yesterday.” Sora froze for a second. She wasn’t used to hearing that. She simply nodded. Ji-ho noticed again. He always did. As the sun started setting, the court grew quieter. Han sat down, tired. “I’m done. I officially quit life.” Ji-ho shook his head. Then looked at Sora. “You don’t talk much.” Sora didn’t look at him. “Nothing to say.” Ji-ho replied calmly, “Or maybe too much to say.” That made her look at him. For the first time— Properly. There was no judgment in his eyes. No pity. Just… understanding. And that confused her more than anything. She looked away quickly. “Don’t think too much.” Ji-ho didn’t argue. He just said, “I’m not. I’m just noticing.” Silence fell again. But this time— It didn’t feel empty. Some silences don’t push people away… they slowly pull them closer. Chapter 4 Small thing that meant more The next day felt… different. Not completely. But enough for Sora to notice. During lunch break, the classroom was noisy as usual. Groups formed quickly. Laughter filled the air. And Sora— She sat at her desk, quietly opening her bag. No food. Like always. She didn’t react. She never did. “Are you not eating?” The voice came from beside her. Ji-ho. “I’ll eat later,” she replied calmly. A lie. But an easy one. Ji-ho didn’t argue. Instead, he placed something on her desk. A small sandwich. Sora looked at it. Then at him. “I didn’t ask for this.” “I know,” he said simply. “I still gave it.” She stayed silent. For a moment, it felt strange. Unfamiliar. “I don’t need it,” she said, pushing it slightly back. Ji-ho didn’t take it. “You didn’t eat yesterday either.” That made her pause. “How do you know?” “I notice things,” he replied. Before she could say anything— A group of girls walked toward them. One of them stepped forward, smiling brightly. “Ji-ho, right? You’re the new student?” He nodded politely. “I’m Ara,” she said, brushing her hair back. “You’re really popular already.” Sora quietly looked away. Not interested. Or at least—that’s what she told herself. Ara continued, “Do you want to sit with us during lunch?” Before Ji-ho could answer— “I’m already sitting here.” The words came out before Sora could stop them. There was a brief silence. Even Sora seemed surprised by herself. Ji-ho looked at her. Then back at Ara. “I’m fine here,” he said. Ara forced a smile. “Oh… okay.” And walked away. Sora picked up her pen, pretending nothing happened. But inside— Something felt… different. Ji-ho sat down again. A small smile appeared on his face. “Didn’t know you cared.” “I don’t,” she replied quickly. “Then why did you say that?” She stayed quiet. No answer. Ji-ho gently pushed the sandwich toward her again. “Eat.” This time— She didn’t push it away. Slowly, she opened it. Took a small bite. Ji-ho looked away, pretending not to notice. But he did. And for some reason— That small moment felt bigger than anything else. Across the room, Han whispered dramatically, “This is not friendship anymore…” Ji-ho threw a pen at him. Sora looked down— But this time… A very small smile appeared. Sometimes, it’s not big confessions… just small actions that start changing everything. They kept walking in silence. The rain had slowed now, turning into soft drops that tapped gently against the umbrella. Sora walked a little slower than before. Not because she was tired… But because she didn’t want the moment to end too quickly. After a while, Ji-ho spoke. “You fainted today.” She didn’t look at him. “I said I’m fine.” “You always say that.” His voice wasn’t annoyed. Just… sure. That made it harder to ignore. She stopped walking. Ji-ho took one more step before realizing she wasn’t beside him anymore. He turned. She was standing still under the grey sky, her face half-hidden under the hood. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then she said quietly, “What do you want me to say?” The question wasn’t rude. It was tired. Ji-ho stepped closer again, lowering the umbrella slightly so it still covered both of them. “Nothing,” he replied. “Then stop asking.” Another pause. The rain grew a little heavier again. She looked down at the ground, her voice softer now. “Some things… don’t change even if you talk about them.” Ji-ho didn’t interrupt. For the first time— She was actually saying something real. “At home…” she started, then stopped. Her fingers tightened slightly. She wasn’t used to this. To saying things out loud. To letting someone hear what she usually hides. Ji-ho didn’t push. He just stood there, waiting. That made it harder. Because silence gave her space to continue. She let out a small breath. “It’s just… loud,” she said finally. “Every day.” Not detailed. Not everything. But enough. Ji-ho nodded slowly. Not like he fully understood. But like he was listening. And that was enough. “Then don’t go home so fast,” he said after a moment. She looked at him, confused. “What?” “There’s a small café near here,” he added casually. “Or we can just sit somewhere till the rain stops.” She frowned slightly. “You’re talking like we’re friends.” He didn’t hesitate. “Aren’t we?” She didn’t answer. Because she didn’t know. Because she wasn’t used to letting people get that close. But she didn’t walk away either. And somehow… That was her answer. The rain kept falling. But this time— It didn’t feel as heavy as before.Sora hesitated for a moment. Then, slowly, she nodded. Not because she fully agreed… But because she didn’t feel like going home yet. The café wasn’t far. It was small, warm, and almost empty because of the rain. Ji-ho pushed the door open first so she could walk in without getting wet again. She noticed it—but didn’t say anything. They sat near the window. Outside, the rain blurred the world into soft grey lines. Inside, everything felt quieter. For a while, neither of them spoke. Sora just looked at the cup of tea in front of her, not drinking it. Ji-ho watched her for a second. “You don’t talk much,” he said finally. She gave a small, almost tired reply. “I don’t have anything to say.” “That’s not true,” he said. She looked up at him briefly. It wasn’t a challenge. Just a calm statement. A silence followed again. But it didn’t feel uncomfortable anymore. Ji-ho leaned slightly back in his chair. “You know…” he said casually, “you’re different at school.” Sora frowned slightly. “How?” He thought for a second. “Like… you’re there, but not really there.” That made her pause. Because it was too close to the truth. She looked away, out the window. The rain was still falling. “Maybe I’m just tired,” she said softly. Ji-ho didn’t argue this time. Instead, he nodded. “Then rest.” Simple. No questions. No pressure. A faint sound of laughter came from another table. Sora glanced over. A group of students were joking, taking pictures, enjoying the rain like it was something beautiful. For a second, she just watched them. Then quietly said, “I used to think I’d be like that.” Ji-ho turned his head slightly. “But?” A pause. Her fingers tightened around the cup. “I don’t remember how.” The words came out before she could stop them. And for a moment, she looked surprised that she said it out loud. Ji-ho didn’t smile. Didn’t tease. He just said softly, “You don’t have to remember everything alone.” That made her go quiet again. But this time— It wasn’t the same kind of silence as before. The rain outside slowly started to calm down. And inside the small café, Something between them quietly changed… Without either of them fully realizing it Chapter 3 Behind closed doors The rain had stopped by the time she reached home. The street was quiet again, like nothing had ever happened earlier. Sora stood outside her house for a moment. The lights inside were on. Voices were already there. Even before she opened the door, she could feel it. She stepped inside. The atmosphere changed immediately. Not loud at first— Just heavy. Then it started. Her parents were in the same place again. Same tone. Same tension. Same unfinished argument that never really ended. Her father spoke first, irritated. “You always come back late these days.” Her mother didn’t even look at him. “She doesn’t care about anything. Not this house, not us.” Sora stood near the door. Still. Quiet. Normally, she would go straight to her room. Like she always did. But today… something felt different. Maybe it was the rain. Maybe it was Ji-ho’s words. Or maybe she was just too tired to keep pretending she didn’t hear anything. Her mother finally looked at her. “You think school makes you special?” she said sharply. Sora’s fingers slowly tightened around her bag strap. She didn’t answer. Not because she didn’t want to. But because she didn’t know how anymore. Her father let out a short laugh. “See? She doesn’t even talk.” That sentence hit differently. Not new. But heavier today. Something inside her cracked quietly. Not loudly. Not dramatically. Just… finally. Her voice came out low. “I’m here.” Both of them paused. For a second, the room went silent. She continued, her voice shaking slightly but still controlled. “I go to school. I come back. I do everything you expect.” A pause. “But it’s never enough.” Her mother stood up. “What are you trying to say?” Sora looked at her for the first time properly. Eyes tired. Face calm—but breaking inside. “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be anymore.” Silence. The kind that doesn’t comfort. The kind that hurts. Her throat tightened. And for the first time in a long time— Her voice broke slightly. “I’m not angry… I’m just tired.” A pause. “Of everything.” No one spoke. Not her father. Not her mother. Even the house felt still. Sora stepped back slowly. Then turned toward her room. But before she left, she said one last thing—soft, almost invisible: “I wish someone would ask if I’m okay… and actually wait for the answer.” Then she walked away. In her room, she closed the door gently. No slam. No anger. Just silence. She sat on the edge of her bed and stared at her hands. And for the first time that day— She didn’t hold anything back. Tears came quietly. Not loud. Not dramatic. Just real. Outside her window, the night stayed calm. But inside her—