Hyunwoo gave a slight smile and spoke in a gentle tone.
"We haven't had the chance to meet before, have we? I'm Hyunwoo," he said, extending his hand.
Hana, slightly surprised but polite, shook his hand. "No, I don't think we have. I'm Hana."
Hyunwoo looked at Hana for a brief moment. "Nice to meet you, Hana."
Hana responded to Hyunwoo's warm smile with a slight nod. "Nice to meet you too," she said kindly.
Aerin felt a growing unease inside her. What was so special about Hana that caught Hyunwoo's attention? She had never seen him act this polite and interested in anyone before. And his gaze… it was far too attentive.
"Hana, I think we should get back to class!" she interrupted with a slight sharpness in her voice. She quickly grabbed Hana's arm and started pulling her away.
Hyunwoo tilted his head slightly, as if he didn't understand Aerin's hurried reaction. His eyes briefly flickered to Aerin's hand gripping Hana's wrist, but he said nothing. Still, a faint smile formed at the corner of his lips.
"I hope we meet again," he said, this time looking directly at Hana.
Hana simply smiled slightly, but she felt Aerin's grip tighten on her arm. Aerin was unconsciously squeezing her.
As they approached the classroom door, Hana gently slipped her arm free from Aerin's grip and paused. "What are you doing? Why did you act like that?" she asked, slightly frowning.
Aerin hesitated for a moment before looking away. "Nothing... we were just in a hurry," she muttered, but even she didn't sound convinced by her own words.
Hana wasn't satisfied with her answer, but she didn't push further. Still, Hyunwoo's gaze and Aerin's sudden behavior left a question mark in her mind.
When they entered the classroom, Aerin immediately took her seat and sighed, opening her notebook. Hana, on the other hand, was still thinking about what had just happened. She had never spoken to Hyunwoo before, but the fact that he wanted to talk to her gave her a strange feeling. She was someone who usually went unnoticed, not someone who attracted attention.
The lesson began. Hana tried to push her thoughts aside, but Aerin's unease was so obvious that it distracted her. Normally, Aerin would sleep comfortably through every lesson, but this time she was just scribbling aimlessly with her pen, looking stressed.
When the bell rang for recess, the students immediately began moving around. As Hana was organizing her bag, her phone suddenly received a message.
Hyunwoo:"If you'll be in the cafeteria during lunch, let me know. Let's have a chat."
Hana blinked at the screen in surprise. Why did Hyunwoo want to talk to her? They had never interacted before.
Aerin noticed Hana's confused expression and leaned in. "Who's the message from?" she asked, pretending to be indifferent, but her voice was slightly tense.
"Ah... Hyunwoo," Hana replied casually.
Aerin's eyes widened for a brief moment, but she quickly masked her expression. "What did he say?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Hana handed her phone to Aerin. Aerin read the message quickly, pressing her lips together. "Why would he want to talk to you?" she asked, her tone slightly mocking.
Hana shrugged. "I don't know, maybe he just wants to chat?"
Aerin let out a forced laugh. "Hyunwoo isn't that kind of person. He wouldn't be interested in someone like you."
Hana found her reaction strange but didn't argue. A few minutes later, they went to the cafeteria, and just as they were about to line up, they spotted Hyunwoo sitting at a table inside. The moment Hyunwoo saw Hana, he looked straight at her and raised his hand slightly in greeting.
Aerin's expression immediately changed.
"So he really was waiting for you," she muttered, her voice nearly displeased.
Hana nodded slightly. "I guess so."
Aerin gently touched Hana's arm and tilted her head with a sweet smile. "Hana, should we sit together today? We haven't talked much."
Although it sounded like a suggestion, Hana couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.