They slunk off to the corner, huddled low like defeated extras.
Sujin crouched, jaw clenched, cheeks burning not with shame so much as fury.
That bitch humiliated me in front of that handsome oppa, she thought, teeth grinding.
I want to slap that stuck-up face and make her look like the fool.
Her fingers curled into her palms, part instincts, part spite and part humiliation at how quickly the bravado had evaporated.
Jinkyung and Irina exchanged grins, eyes bright with admiration. "Seriously, Hyorim that was badass," Jinkyung said, nudging her friend.
"I mean, you totally shut them down," Irina added.
hands clapped in genuine praise.
"Who does that? You were amazing."
"Ugh, stop it," she muttered, voice small and hurried, though the faint smile she couldn't hide gave her away.
Irina suddenly turned toward me, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"What do you think, Seojin? Isn't Hyorim pretty cool?" she asked, dragging out the pretty just enough to make Hyorim twitch.
I glanced at Hyorim her eyes darted to mine for a second before she quickly looked away, still red from earlier.
A small smirk tugged at my lips.
"Yeah," I said slowly, deliberately. "Pretty… cool."
The pause made Irina choke back a laugh, while Jinkyung actually snorted.
Hyorim's head snapped toward Irina, her voice sharp and flustered.
"Shut up!" she barked, but the flush creeping across her face betrayed her more than anything else.
Irina leaned back with a satisfied grin. "See? Even Seojin agrees."
Meanwhile, Hyorim muttered under her breath, refusing to look at me, her hands clenched at her sides as if she could will the embarrassment away.
I walked over to where Suwon's group was huddled, only to find Yang Jinsu bickering with them, voices rising like they were about to snap. I slipped between them with a hand raised.
"Hey, knock it off. it's probably just their first time here, they don't know what to do," I said firmly, trying to ease the tension.
Jinkyung groaned, rubbing her temples. "Can we even go in at this rate?"
Hyorim let out a long sigh, crossing her arms. "Unbelievable… We came all the way here, and now it feels like we won't even get inside."
Irina puffed out her cheeks, muttering, "I guess it's true what they say… nothing good comes from free."
Jinkyung added with a sharp laugh, "And even if we do get in, with this crowd? Forget rides. We'll be standing in line till sunset."
The mix of complaints hung in the air, heavier than the crowd pressing all around us.
The three of them made their way over, frustration written all over their faces.
"Yang Jinsu!" Jinkyung snapped, tugging at his sleeve. "We decided we're just going to go home."
"What? Are you crazy?" Yang Jinsu shot back, eyes widening. "We're already here!"
I glanced around at the endless sea of people, the noise, the shoving, the chaos.
With a sigh, I muttered, "Honestly… at this rate, it really might be better to just head back."
That seemed to settle it. Together, we pushed our way through the crowd toward the exit, our excitement drained.
At the gate, Irina and I both turned, lifting a hand to wave back at Ji Suwon.
"See you at school," I called over the noise.
Suwon gave a faint smile, raising his hand in return, before the crowd swallowed him from view.
The chaos only grew worse. Somewhere ahead, glass shattered a sharp crash that made everyone flinch.
Shouts rose, people stumbled, and the press of bodies got tighter.
"People are having trouble getting in!" someone yelled.
"What? You mean… we can't even get inside?" another voice cried, panic lacing their tone.
"Are you kidding me?! It's supposed to be free entry!"
That was all it took.
The crowd exploded. People surged forward in a frenzy, shoving, clawing, forcing their way toward the gates. Some thought the entrance was finally opening and bolted for it, dragging others along in the rush.
We were caught in the wave, pushed from behind whether we liked it or not.
My shoulder slammed into someone's back, and I nearly lost my balance.
Jinkyung, her voice almost lost in the roar of the crowd, screamed out, "What the?! People are rushing like crazy! They're pushing us back!"
Her words weren't an exaggeration. It felt less like a line for an amusement park and more like being trapped in a stampede.
Sujin's lips curled into a bitter smile as the chaos thickened.
She tugged at the sleeve of the broad-shouldered guy beside her.
"Now's your chance push that bitch."
The guy grinned, lowered his shoulder, and charged straight toward Hyorim.
I caught the movement out of the corner of my eye. My gut clenched.
"Seol Hyorim! Careful!" I shouted, pointing frantically.
She glanced at me, then turned her head in the direction I was pointing just in time to see the guy barreling down on her.
Too close. Way too close.
I tried to push through the throng, my legs pumping, but I already knew. I won't make it in time!
The guy's shoulder slammed into her, and Hyorim's small frame lifted clean off the ground before crashing down with a choked gasp.
Anger blazed in my chest, white-hot. The world tunneled. Before the bastard could even laugh, my fist connected with his face.
A raw thwack echoed, his vision shattered with pain, and his body spun before hitting the ground like a sack of bricks.
But I didn't care. Not about him. Not about the crowd roaring and shoving around us. My eyes locked only on Hyorim.
She was still down, the tidal wave of people surging dangerously close, about to trample her.
My chest seized. I didn't think I just ran, dove, and planted myself above her, arms braced in a push-up position.
The crush of bodies crashed into me.
My arms shook violently under the weight, the pressure screaming through my muscles.
Every nerve told me I'd snap any second.
But I didn't look away.
Not once.
My gaze stayed locked on Hyorim, whose wide eyes stared back into mine, fear and disbelief swimming in them.
"You okay…?" I forced out through clenched teeth, still holding the weight of dozens pressing down on me, refusing to let her be swallowed by the chaos.
The flashing red banner scrolled across every major TV channel:
"BREAKING NEWS: 20 INJURED IN CROWD SURGE AT LOTTE WORLD."
A serious-faced anchor filled the screen, voice steady but urgent.
"Reports are coming in that multiple injuries have occurred during a free admission event at Lotte World earlier today.
As the shutter doors were raised, the guests who had gathered since early morning rushed inside all at once."
The broadcast cut to shaky camcorder footage from bystanders: a sea of people screaming, pushing, and stumbling forward like a tidal wave.
Glass shattered somewhere off-screen. Security guards shouted helplessly, swallowed by the crush of bodies.
"It was pure chaos," the reporter continued. "With people pushing and being pushed, many lost their footing. The crowd that had gathered in the morning numbered over 80,000. Authorities have confirmed that around twenty people suffered serious injuries, most from trampling."
The camera panned to stretchers lined up near the gates, paramedics moving quickly, their voices drowned under the wail of sirens. The sight of bloodied faces and bent glasses scattered on the pavement made the danger of the "free event" impossible to ignore.
The anchor's voice lowered, grave:
"Officials say investigations are underway into the lack of proper safety measures. Parents are urged to remain calm as emergency crews work to secure the scene."
The broadcast cut back to the chaotic crowd, frozen on one frame: an ocean of hands and panicked faces pressed shoulder to shoulder, the very image of disorder.