Hana checked herself one last time in the mirror. She had carefully brushed her hair and applied her makeup with precision. She had left home without even drinking her morning coffee, but that didn't matter to her. Today had to be different from yesterday. She wanted to forget—or at least ignore—the uncertain distance between her and Hyunwoo. She needed to be comfortable and natural around him. The strange distance that had formed between them lately felt like a disturbing knot inside her. Maybe today was an opportunity to return to the way things used to be.
As she walked to school, she repeated a mantra in her mind: Everything will be fine. Just act natural. Pretend nothing has changed. But it wasn't as easy as she thought. Because everything had changed. Hyunwoo's attitude toward her wasn't the same as before. He was more distant, more cautious. The messages he had sent the night before were still fresh in her mind:
"Sometimes, when I watch you, I see someone different. I mean, not the popular new Hana that everyone sees… but I wonder who you really are."
That sentence kept echoing in her head. She couldn't figure out what Hyunwoo meant. Was he questioning something within himself, or was he trying to tell her something?
When she arrived at the school gates, she saw groups of students chatting. Taking a deep breath, she continued walking. After a few steps, a familiar voice called out to her.
"Hanaaa!"
Turning her head, she saw Eunwoo walking toward her, looking as cheerful as always. He was wearing his school uniform, his hands stuffed into his pockets.
"Good morning, Eunwoo," Hana said with a slight smile.
"You're here pretty early today," Eunwoo remarked, raising an eyebrow. "And… you look different. Is something up?"
Hana hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I just want to have a good day."
Eunwoo smiled slightly. "Really?"
"Really," Hana said confidently. "Everything should be normal. Today, everything will be normal."
Eunwoo nodded, but there was something hidden in his gaze. "Well, I hope things go the way you want," he said as they walked into the school together.
When Hana sat down at her desk, she glanced around the classroom. Hyunwoo was in a different class, so she wouldn't see him here. But was that a relief, or did it only add to the uneasiness inside her? She wasn't sure.
She opened her notebook, but her eyes kept drifting toward the classroom door. Even though she knew he wouldn't walk in, her mind kept returning to him. The words from his message were burned into her memory:
"I wonder who you really are."
What did that even mean? Had she changed? Was she only appearing as the person others saw? And why was Hyunwoo saying this now?
Just then, a message notification popped up on her phone. She pulled it out of her bag and checked the screen—it was from the group chat.
Sera:Hanaaa! What happened today? Who was that guy?
Eunwoo:Yeah, yeah, tell us!
Hana sighed. Everyone must have been confused about yesterday. A random guy had asked for her number, but somehow, it had caught everyone's attention.
Hana:I don't know, really. He just asked for my number, but he was kind of weird.
Sera:Did you see Hyunwoo's face? He looked seriously pissed off.
Hana paused for a moment. Yes, she had noticed Hyunwoo's expression, but she hadn't given it much thought. If Sera was bringing it up, then it must have been obvious to everyone.
Just then, a new message from Hyunwoo appeared on her screen.
"Sometimes, when I watch you, I see someone different. I mean, not the popular new Hana that everyone sees… but I wonder who you really are."
Reading his message again sent a strange feeling through her chest. What was he trying to say? He claimed to be thinking about who she really was, but what did that even mean?
Hana started to type a reply, but she kept deleting and rewriting her words. Finally, she settled on a simple response:
Hana:What do you mean?
She saw the three dots appear, showing that Hyunwoo was typing. But after a few seconds, they disappeared. He had started writing but hadn't sent anything.
At that moment, Sera sent another message.
Sera:I think he might be jealous. Maybe seeing you with someone else confused him!
Eunwoo:If he's acting cold toward you, then something must be bothering him. Maybe it's not even about you—it could be something he's trying to figure out on his own.
Hana stared at the messages for a moment. Jealousy? That didn't seem like something Hyunwoo would do. But his attitude toward her… it really had changed.
When the bell rang, Hana quickly left the classroom and headed for the cafeteria. There was something inside her—an urge to talk to Hyunwoo. But he had been acting so distant lately. Yesterday, he had felt almost cold. With her mind swirling with questions, she stepped into the cafeteria.
As expected, Hyunwoo and Eunbi were sitting at their usual table. Hyunwoo had his head down, reading a book, while Eunbi kept talking to him. For a moment, the scene felt foreign to Hana. Hyunwoo's cold demeanor, Eunbi's overly familiar behavior… something about it felt off.
Hana took a deep breath and started walking toward their table. But just as she did, Hyunwoo's eyes met hers. For a brief second, their gazes locked—but then he quickly looked away, keeping the same distant expression.
Hana felt a small sting at his reaction. He was distant again. She wanted to go up to him and talk, but what if he stayed cold toward her? What if she said the wrong thing?
She hesitated for a moment. "I have to talk to him," she thought. But just then, Eunbi's voice rang out behind her.
Eunbi had noticed Hana passing by and smirked as she turned to Aerin. "Isn't Hana a little strange? She's always around Hyunwoo, yet somehow, they never get any closer," she said mockingly.
Aerin didn't take Eunbi's words too seriously but still smiled. "Maybe she's just not that bold. Being around Hyunwoo might not be easy," she replied.
But Eunbi's gaze remained sharp, filled with amusement. "But honestly, I don't think she's someone who can truly catch Hyunwoo's attention. It's not that important, anyway. I mean, she's just too 'easy' for everyone to see."
Aerin shot Eunbi a warning look. "Eunbi, be careful with what you say. I think you're exaggerating," she cautioned.
But Eunbi's satisfied expression didn't waver.
Eunbi's words confused Hana, but in the end, it was all tied to Hyunwoo's behavior. And when combined with Eunbi's efforts to belittle her and manipulate Hyunwoo, things were starting to get even more complicated.
Hana sat alone at a distant table, deciding to get some food. But her mind was filled with thoughts. Hyunwoo's coldness kept echoing in her head. Eunbi's words stung, but Hyunwoo's distant behavior was what truly unsettled her.
Should she wait for the right moment to talk? Hyunwoo had never been this cold to her before. Or should she just let things stay as they were? These questions kept spinning in Hana's mind.
Hyunwoo, noticing that Hana was sitting alone, briefly…