The academy courtyard buzzed with activity as students moved between drills, sparring sessions, and training halls. The sun reflected off the polished wooden floors and the glass windows of the main building, making the heat almost tangible. Soon Hae clutched a small tube of medicinal ointment in her hand, her steps calculative as she navigated between the clusters of students. Her body ached from the day's drills, and the lingering sting from her own minor burns made her sympathetic to anyone else's injuries.
She spotted Lu Han leaning against the wall near the practice ring, his usually impassive expression softened by the careful attention he gave to rubbing his injured hand with a cloth. The burn from their accidental encounter at the noodle shop had left a lingering sting, and she felt guilty and decided to take responsibility.
Hesitating briefly, she approached him. " oppa..." she said softly, holding out the ointment. "I brought something for your hand. It should help with the burn."
He looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly at her sudden appearance, then softened as he realized her intent. "You didn't have to," he murmured, taking the tube from her.
"It's nothing," Soon Hae replied quickly, lowering her gaze. "I just… thought it might help."
She opened his cloth applying the ointment carefully, wincing slightly at the sting. Soon Hae remained close, her presence unassuming but somehow grounding.
That was when Kim Nana appeared, her entrance dramatic and calculated, as if timed to perfection. She had been watching from a distance, her sharp eyes catching the subtle closeness between the two. Nana's lips curved into a tight, forced smile, her posture rigid. She approached swiftly, her presence commanding attention.
"Lu Han," she said, her voice sing-song but sharp, "what's this?"
Lu Han looked up, startled, then glanced at Soon Hae, who instinctively stepped back, her cheeks flushing. "It's… just ointment," he explained evenly.
Nana's eyes narrowed, the smile falling away to reveal the flicker of anger beneath. "Ointment?" she repeated, her tone laced with irritation. "Since when do you let someone else touch your hand like that?"
Lu Han's jaw tightened, though he remained calm. "It's just to treat a burn," he said quietly, his voice firm but neutral.
Nana's gaze shifted to Soon Hae, "You..." she said, her tone icy, "you shouldn't be near him. Do you know who I am?"
"I… I was just helping," Soon Hae stammered, her voice small and uncertain. She could feel every pair of eyes on her, the heat of embarrassment climbing her neck.
Lu Han intervened softly but firmly, placing a hand on Nana's shoulder. "Enough. She's just helping. Calm down."
Nana's eyes flashed, but she didn't push further in front of everyone. She stepped back slightly, but the tension remained, simmering in the space between them. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she studied Soon Hae, silently calculating, while Lu Han's expression remained stoic, betraying no emotion other than slight irritation at the situation.
Soon Hae's hands trembled slightly, both from nerves and from the day's fatigue. She had not expected to become the focal point of Nana's jealousy, especially not so publicly. Fang Yu and Bai Cao, who had been watching from a distance, exchanged glances, both aware that a storm had just begun to brew.
Lu Han finally looked at Soon Hae, his tone calm but with a hint of amusement in it. "Clumsy rabbit," he murmured quietly, enough that only she could hear. Soon Hae's cheeks burned hotter, but the brief smile that tugged at her lips was tinged with relief.
Nana, however, was not so easily giving up. Her sharp gaze remained fixed on Soon Hae, and the atmosphere around them seemed to crackle with tension. Students nearby whispered among themselves, some openly curious, others watching carefully, aware that a confrontation was unfolding quietly.
Soon Hae took a small step back, her mind racing. She hadn't meant for any of this to happen. She only wanted to help. And yet, standing there in the midst of the academy, she realized that even small gestures could have far reaching consequences.
Lu Han rolled his eyes slightly, turning back to tend to his hand, clearly unfazed by Nana's glare. "Focus on training," he said quietly to Soon Hae, giving her a subtle nod before resuming what he had been doing.
Nana's eyes narrowed, her lips pressing into a tight line. She looked away, clearly unwilling to make a scene further in front of the students, but the tension she radiated lingered in the air like a storm cloud, dark and heavy.
Soon Hae let out a quiet breath, her hands still trembling slightly. Fang Yu nudged her shoulder lightly, a teasing smirk on his face. "Looks like you've made quite an impression," he whispered.
Bai Cao, ever the calm one, gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about her. She's just… possessive," he said quietly. "Focus on yourself. That's all that matters."
The rest of the day passed in a blur for Soon Hae. Training continued, her body pushing past fatigue, but her mind was still buzzing from the incident. Every glance from Nana felt sharp, every subtle movement watched, and even Lu Han's casual remarks now carried a weight she hadn't anticipated.
The coming days promised more challenges: Nana's constant presence, Lu Han's unwavering attention, and the subtle tests of endurance and skill that the academy imposed on every student. Soon Hae knew that surviving here would require more than physical strength; it would demand patience, strategy, and a courage she hadn't fully realized she possessed.
And as she lay down, exhaustion pulling her under, one thought lingered in her mind: Tomorrow, I'll prove I'm more than just a clumsy rabbit.
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