As the last school bell rang, the classroom suddenly came alive as if an explosion of energy had occurred. The students hurriedly packed their belongings, eager to shake off the fatigue of the day. Hana carefully placed her textbooks and notebooks into her bag when she sensed Eunwoo approaching.
Eunwoo looked at Hana with his usual warm smile, his eyes filled with genuine curiosity about how her day had been.
"How was your day?" he asked, his voice full of interest and concern.
Hana paused for a moment. Her mind was tangled with the day's events—those tense moments in the cafeteria, Hyunwoo's unexpected words, Aerin's mysterious glances… Each one felt like a knot she struggled to untangle. The emotions that had built up throughout the day were like a tangled ball of yarn inside her.
"It was… strange," she finally admitted sincerely. The word summed up the complicated atmosphere of the day perfectly.
Eunwoo raised his eyebrows slightly. "Strange?" he repeated, clearly wanting to hear more. His eyes reflected his effort to understand her confusion.
"I mean… never mind, it's nothing important," Hana said, unwilling to prolong the conversation. "What about you? What are you up to now?"
"I'm heading home," Eunwoo replied, shrugging slightly. "You?"
"Same."
Just as they began walking in opposite directions, a familiar voice called out from behind.
"Hana!"
Turning around, she saw Hyunwoo approaching with a friendly smile. His eyes sparkled as he looked at her.
"Want to walk together?" he asked, slowing his steps as he reached her.
Hana's gaze shifted from Hyunwoo to Aerin, who was watching them from a distance. However, her expression was unreadable. It was as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. As Hana tried to decipher the uncertainty in Aerin's eyes, a feeling of hesitation crept into her. Aerin's silent gaze sparked a mixture of curiosity and concern within her.
"Sure," Hana said with a small smile. "Let's walk together."
Eunwoo had stayed out of the conversation and had already walked away. Hyunwoo and Hana started heading toward the school gate together. The air had cooled as if trying to wash away the exhaustion of the day. The sun was setting behind the buildings, and streetlights were gradually flickering on. The world around them felt like a slow-motion scene from a film.
"How was your day?" Hyunwoo asked, stepping a little closer to her.
Hana shrugged. "Interesting… You know, the conversation in the cafeteria."
Hyunwoo nodded. "Yeah. Aerin was acting weird, wasn't she?"
Hana was surprised by how directly he brought it up. "I don't know. She just seemed… different from usual."
Hyunwoo sighed. "Aerin can be like that sometimes. She doesn't say what she's thinking outright but won't let it go either. It's hard to figure her out."
Hana nodded, but she didn't want to talk about it any further. Aerin's complex personality was a puzzle that wasn't easy to solve.
They walked in silence for a few minutes. As Hana strolled beside Hyunwoo, she tried to make sense of the conflicting emotions swirling inside her. Being with Hyunwoo made her feel comfortable, but Aerin's gaze still lingered in her mind. Did Aerin have feelings for Hyunwoo? Or was she trying to warn Hana about something?
Finally, they reached Hana's apartment building.
"Thanks for today," Hyunwoo said, slipping his hands into his pockets. "See you tomorrow."
"See you," Hana replied with a small smile.
For a moment, Hyunwoo hesitated as if he wanted to say something. But then, he simply nodded and walked away. Hana watched him go, a strange feeling settling inside her. Something felt… incomplete.
Just then, her phone vibrated. She pulled it out and saw a message from Aerin.
Aerin: "I saw you walking with Hyunwoo. We need to talk."
Hana's heart began to race. What did this message mean? What did Aerin want to say? A wave of uncertainty spread through her. Was Aerin trying to warn her about something? Hana was eager to find out. She gripped her phone tightly, wondering how to respond.
Before replying, Hana took a deep breath. She carefully considered what to say before typing, "Okay, let's talk. Where should we meet?" and sending it. After seeing that the message had been delivered, she put her phone back into her pocket and started walking toward her apartment.
As she stepped inside, an uneasy feeling settled over her. Talking to Aerin made her nervous. She had no idea what Aerin was going to say, and the uncertainty bothered her. As she walked down the hallway, even the echo of her footsteps felt unsettling. She slowed her steps as if trying to stall time itself.
When she entered her apartment, she collapsed onto the couch and closed her eyes. The events of the day replayed in her mind—the tense moments in the cafeteria, Hyunwoo's unexpected words, Aerin's mysterious glances… Each one was like a knot she couldn't untangle. The chaos of the day kept swirling in her head, like a film reel playing on repeat.
Her phone vibrated again. Opening her eyes, she pulled it out and saw another message from Aerin.
Aerin: "Let's meet at the café after school tomorrow."
Hana read the message and took a deep breath. Tomorrow, she would talk to Aerin, and that conversation might change everything. Did Aerin have feelings for Hyunwoo? Or was she trying to warn Hana about something? Hana was impatient to find the answers. She clutched her phone tightly, debating how to reply.
Hana hesitated before responding. Tomorrow's meeting wouldn't just be a conversation—it would be a confrontation. She didn't know what Aerin was going to say, but no matter what, she was determined to be honest.
"Okay, see you tomorrow," she finally typed and sent the message.
She put her phone back into her pocket and stood up. Looking out the window, she watched the dark streets illuminated by the streetlights. Tomorrow was a new day, and it might change everything. Despite the uncertainty that tomorrow's conversation would bring, she felt a spark of hope. Maybe this talk would finally give her the answers she needed.
As Hana paced around her room, she thought of all the possible scenarios the conversation could take. What was Aerin going to say? And how would it affect their friendship?