Seojun took a cautious step back, still eyeing her like she might pull another stunt. "Seriously, how did you even—"
"Why are you following me?" Haneul repeated, completely ignoring his question.
He hesitated. No way he could just say, 'Oh, I was looking up your school records because you're acting suspicious and I need answers.' That would sound insane.
Clearing his throat, he slipped into his usual easygoing mask. "Huh? I wasn't following you. I was just—uh—heading this way. Total coincidence."
Haneul stared at him.
He stared back.
A moment of silence.
Then, she took a slow, deliberate step toward him.
Seojun instinctively stepped back. "Hey—"
She took another step.
He stepped back again.
Another step.
Another step back.
"Why are you backing away?" she asked, tilting her head.
Seojun scoffed, trying to regain his composure. "I'm not. You're just—standing too close."
Haneul blinked. "You were the one following me."
"That's—" Seojun exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Listen, can we just—start over?"
She folded her arms. "Start what over?"
Seojun opened his mouth—then paused.
Wait.
What was he even trying to do?
She had already caught him red-handed. He had no excuse. And now she was looking at him with that unreadable, almost amused expression, like she knew he was fumbling.
For the first time in a long while, Seojun felt like he was on the losing end of a conversation.
"…Never mind," he muttered.
Haneul shrugged and turned around. "Then stop following me."
Panic flickered across his face. His body moved before his brain caught up.
"No—uh—I mean, the reason I was following you was because…" He blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "I wanted to have lunch with you."
Haneul stopped mid-step. Slowly, she turned her head, her violet eyes peering at him through her glasses.
Seojun immediately regretted speaking.
There was a long silence.
"…What?" Haneul finally said, her tone flat.
Seojun cleared his throat, forcing on a grin. "You know, lunch. Food. Eating together. Like normal classmates do."
Another silence.
Haneul blinked once. Then again.
Then, very slowly, she said, "We're not normal classmates."
Seojun opened his mouth, then shut it. Yeah, she had a point. He was popular, outgoing, and well-known. Meanwhile, she was… well, the opposite.
Haneul studied him for a moment, then glanced around. "Are you being blackmailed?"
"What? No!" Seojun nearly choked.
"Are you losing a bet?"
"No!"
"Then are you sick?"
Seojun groaned. "Why do all your guesses make me sound like I'd never willingly sit with you?"
Haneul simply shrugged. "Because you wouldn't."
Seojun flinched.
Ouch.
"That's—" He scratched the back of his head, trying to think of a counterargument, but… she wasn't wrong. If this were any other situation, he wouldn't have paid her any attention. She was just there, blending in so well that no one noticed her.
And yet, here he was, chasing after her.
Haneul gave him another skeptical glance, then, without a word, turned back around and kept walking.
Seojun panicked. "Wait, so is that a no?"
Haneul didn't answer.
Seojun sighed. Great. Now he just looked desperate.
And worse—he still didn't get any answers about her.
Seojun stood frozen for a moment, watching her retreating figure. His mind raced. This isn't over. I need to know why she—
Before he could finish that thought, Haneul suddenly stopped walking.
Seojun barely had time to react before she spun around, her violet eyes locking onto him again.
"You're still following me."
He stiffened. "I'm not—"
Haneul took a step forward.
Seojun instinctively took a step back.
She narrowed her eyes. "Then why are you standing there like a stalker?"
"I—" Seojun groaned, dragging a hand down his face. He needed to salvage this somehow. "Listen, I was serious about lunch."
Haneul crossed her arms. "You mean the excuse you came up with on the spot?"
Seojun scowled. "It wasn't an excuse."
"Oh? Then what do you usually eat for lunch?"
He opened his mouth—then shut it.
Crap.
She had him.
Haneul's lips twitched, like she was holding back a laugh.
Seojun clenched his jaw. "Fine. You got me. But why won't you just eat with me?"
Haneul sighed and adjusted her glasses. "Because I always eat alone."
He frowned. "That's… kinda depressing."
She blinked, tilting her head. "Is it?"
"Of course! Eating alone every day? Don't you ever get bored?"
"No."
"…Seriously?"
She shrugged. "I like eating alone."
Seojun gawked at her, completely baffled.
But before he could say anything else, she took a step to the side—then smoothly walked around him, continuing on her way like their entire conversation had never happened.
Seojun stood there, stunned.
Did he just… lose?
Again??
His eye twitched.
Then, before he could stop himself, he called out, "What if I don't let you eat alone?"
Haneul didn't stop walking, but she did glance back slightly. "Then that sounds like your problem."
Seojun stared.
Did she just—
Haneul abruptly stopped walking. Seojun, still trying to figure out how to salvage his dignity, nearly bumped into her.
"Fine," she said.
Seojun blinked. "Huh?"
"You wanted to have lunch with me, right?" She adjusted her glasses, her violet eyes peering at him. "Okay."
Seojun stared.
Wait.
What?
"…Wait, really?" he asked, half-suspicious.
She nodded. "Let's go."
Seojun hesitated. He hadn't actually expected her to agree. He was bluffing! This was supposed to be his cover!
"Unless," Haneul continued, tilting her head slightly, "you were lying."
He straightened. "I wasn't lying!"
Her expression remained unreadable, but he swore he saw a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Then let's go."
Without waiting for him, she turned and started walking.
Seojun hesitated. He had backed himself into a corner. If he bailed now, she'd know for sure he was making excuses. But if he went through with this…
Damn it.
With a resigned sigh, he followed her.
Seojun trailed a step behind Haneul, his brain struggling to catch up.
What just happened?
How did he end up in this situation?
He was supposed to be the one in control of the conversation. He was supposed to get answers.
And yet, here he was, walking beside the most unreadable girl in school, on his way to have lunch with her.
His own excuse had backfired so spectacularly that he almost wanted to applaud her.
Almost.
Haneul didn't say anything as they walked, completely unbothered, like this was the most natural thing in the world.
Meanwhile, Seojun felt like he had just signed up for an exam he didn't study for.
Alright. Play it cool. Just act normal.
"So," he started, clearing his throat, "where do you usually eat?"
Haneul glanced at him. "Rooftop."
Rooftop? That was… kind of stereotypical. But somehow, it made sense.
"I see," Seojun said, nodding like that wasn't a completely bizarre answer.
"Is that a problem?"
"No, no, totally fine. Love rooftops. Big fan."
Haneul raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.
They reached the staircase leading up. Seojun followed her, mentally preparing himself. This was fine. Just lunch. He could roll with this.
They reached the rooftop, and Haneul walked straight to a quiet corner, sitting down like she had done this a hundred times before.
Seojun hesitated.
Was he supposed to sit next to her? Across from her? Was there some kind of unspoken rule about personal space?
Haneul simply took out her lunchbox and started eating without a word.
Seojun slowly sat down across from her, feeling weirdly like an intruder in her sacred lunchtime ritual.
…Now what?
He glanced down at his hands.
Right.
He didn't have food.
Because he wasn't actually planning to eat with her.
Panic prickled at the edges of his mind.
Haneul, meanwhile, calmly picked up a piece of rolled egg with her chopsticks, completely ignoring him.
Seojun casually pulled out his phone, pretending to check messages while frantically trying to come up with a plan.
Should he go buy something real quick? No, that'd be too obvious. Should he just sit here and act like he forgot his lunch? That would make him look stupid.
Think, Seojun. THINK.
His stomach, traitorous as always, chose that moment to let out a low growl.
Haneul paused mid-bite.
Slowly, she looked up at him.
Seojun froze.
There was a long silence.
Then, very, very slowly, Haneul reached into her lunchbox…
And pushed a single cherry tomato toward him.
Seojun stared at it.
"…Seriously?"
She blinked. "You looked hungry."
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's not the point."
"Then don't eat it."
Seojun exhaled sharply. She's messing with me, right? She has to be messing with me.
But the problem was, her face was just as blank and unreadable as ever, so he had no idea if she was joking or actually offering him one single tomato like it was a feast.
He stared at it for another second, then—out of pure spite—popped it into his mouth.
Haneul watched him chew, expression as neutral as ever.
"…Was it good?"
He swallowed. "It was a tomato."
She nodded, as if that was a satisfactory answer, then went back to eating.
Seojun groaned, running a hand down his face.
This was the worst lunch he'd ever had.
And somehow…
He had a feeling this wouldn't be the last.