Her eyes narrowed and she smacked my arm lightly.
"I know. You don't need to say it like that. Since you brought it up, teach me the harder part."
I chuckled and lazily lowered my head onto her desk, my cheek resting against the wood as I looked up at her.
"But I'm bored. I need something to motivate me…"
Seolhyo squinted at me suspiciously, then quickly glanced around the study room.
Everyone else was buried in their own work.
After making sure no one was paying attention, she leaned in and pressed a long kiss to my cheek.
"There," she whispered. "Now teach me."
I lifted my head immediately, a grin spreading across my face.
"You're a fast learner."
She hit my arm again, a faint blush creeping up her ears.
"Start explaining or you'll really get hit this time."
I laughed softly, then straightened up and pulled her notebook closer, my tone turning more focused.
"Alright, this one's harder because you can't cancel as cleanly," I said, tapping the next problem.
"So instead of adding, we use substitution or elimination depending on what's easier. First, isolate one variable…"
This time, I explained it properly, step by step, while she leaned closer, actually listening her pen no longer in her mouth, eyes following every line I wrote.
After a while, Park Dong suddenly slammed his hand and stood up.
"Break time," he declared, already grabbing his wallet. "I'm dragging you all out before we suffocate in here."
Before anyone could protest, he herded us out of the study room.
Outside, he stretched dramatically, tilting his head back with a wide grin.
"Ahhh, the outside air feels so good!! I almost died from the stuffiness in there."
Seolhyo frowned, clearly annoyed.
"I was finally getting into the zone, and you dragged me out just for fresh air?"
I casually slid my arm over her shoulder, leaning slightly closer.
"Don't worry. I'll just teach you again later."
She huffed but didn't move away.
Daegyu stretched his arms toward the sky, groaning.
"So what now? Even school has break time. When are we eating?"
Park Dong snapped his fingers.
"Let's grab a bite while we're out. Convenience store, let's go!"
Irina immediately shook her head, eyes sparkling.
"Forget the convenience store. Let's eat tteokbokki! And soondae! And all the side stuff too!!"
Suwon's eyes lit up.
"Tteokbokki sounds so good…"
Park Dong rubbed his chin, thinking hard that should be put in studying but use in this.
"Hmm… if we eat super fast, it should be fine."
Irina suddenly turned back toward the building.
"My wallet's inside! I'll go grab it real quick!"
Park Dong watched her run off, then glanced back at the rest of us only to notice Jinkyung quietly raising her hand.
She looked unusually pale, her cheeks noticeably sunken.
"You guys go without me…" she said weakly. "Tteokbokki makes you gain weight…"
Park Dong's grin faded. "…Are you okay?"
Suwon stepped closer, her voice filled with concern.
"What happened to you these past few days?"
Jinkyung forced out a small laugh.
"Well… since I'm not losing weight, I just stopped eating. I feel like I'm dying."
Daegyu blinked, clearly confused.
"Is it okay to lose weight like that?"
Jinkyung turned her head toward Suwon, squinting slightly.
"Suwon… are you dieting too? You look skinnier."
Suwon smiled cheerfully, completely unfazed.
"Oh? I guess it shows, huh? I jump rope every night. It's not just for weight loss though."
Jinkyung tilted her head.
"Is jump rope really that effective…?"
Suwon nodded enthusiastically.
"I also do whatever Ono and Seojin tell me to."
Jinkyung's eyes widened slightly at the name.
"Oh… so you work out with Oh Inho?"
Seolhyo slowly turned her head to look at me.
"You work out with them? Why didn't you tell me?"
I hesitated.
"I told you… didn't I?"
She squinted at me suspiciously while I quietly looked away.
She huffed and crossed her arms.
I sighed and gently squeezed her shoulder.
"Sorry. I probably forgot about it."
Meanwhile, Suwon kept talking, completely absorbed.
"Seojin and Ono really know their stuff when it comes to exercise. I think it's way more effective when we do it together."
Jinkyung let out a small, thoughtful sound.
"Aha…"
Suwon laughed awkwardly.
"The only problem is Ono. He's kind of forceful sometimes."
"…If I joined you guys too," Jinkyung murmured softly, fidgeting with her fingers, "I think it'd be nice."
Suwon blinked.
"With us?"
Jinkyung smiled shyly.
"Walking alone is kind of boring, hehe… If only my weren't so far… ah, never mind. Forget it."
From under my arm, Seolhyo spoke up to her.
"Why not? It'd be more fun than doing it alone."
Daegyu nodded in agreement.
"Seojin and Ono would probably teach you well. You should come with them."
Jinkyung looked even more hesitant.
"But, you know… it's a bit awkward…"
I rested my chin lightly on Seolhyo's shoulder, glancing at Jinkyung.
"What's there to be awkward about? You should just join us."
Suwon nodded eagerly.
"Yeah! Ono isn't shy he just doesn't really care about other people's opinions. If you want to join, I'll talk to him."
Jinkyung fiddled with her fingers again.
"Uh… well… then… if you two insist…"
Daegyu casually patted his pockets feeling nothing in it.
"Oh, crap… I forgot my wallet too. Park Dong, can you treat me?"
Park Dong immediately shot him a glare.
"You punk. Go get it yourself."
As Daegyu laughed it off, Park Dong frowned, a thought flashing through his head.
Wait… did I even close my bag before leaving?
Inside the study room, Irina slipped back in first, placing her bag neatly on top of her carrel.
As she turned, her eyes landed on Park Dong's seat.
His bag was hanging off the chair wide open.
She blinked.
…This idiot has zero sense of danger,
she walk toward it and crouch down.
What if someone steals something, leaving it wide open like this.
she glance inside her lips twitched..
Oh my god, just one comic book?
What is he even doing here… lol
Sigh, I guess I'll lock it for him.
She was about to close it when something caught her eye at the very back.
A folded yellow letter.
Her hand froze mid-air.
"…A letter?"
Her eyes widened scalps tingling.
W-w-what is this…?! A letter?!
Her heart suddenly started pounding.
Kyaaaak…! This totally looks like a love letter!!
She carefully pulled it out, fingers trembling with excitement, her grin growing wider by the second.
Ugh… I'm dying of curiosity… just a peek.
Only the name.
Just the name…
She slowly turned the envelope.
Then froze.
Her pupils shrank.
"…To. Rina."
Her brain blanked.
"…Rina?"
At that exact moment
The study room door slid open.
Park Dong stepped inside, slightly out of breath, eyes darting around as if he had rushed back.
Damn…!!
he thought nervously, clicking his tongue.
Not that anyone would find it but still just in case.
Just in case!
He hurried toward his carrel, turning at the corner he stop frozen.
Irina was crouched right in back of his chair.
Holding the letter.
Staring directly at it.
For a full second, neither of them moved, then Irina slowly lifted her head.
Their eyes met.
Park Dong's face instantly drained of color, cold sweat broke out across he walk slowly to her.
"N-no... That's not It's not like that" he blurted, voice cracking.
In the narrow stairwell by the emergency exit, the air felt heavier than usual quiet except for the faint hum of the fluorescent lights overhead.
Park Dong stood awkwardly body stiff both hand clench at his side.
Across from him, Irina held the yellow letter, staring at him suspiciously.
Her expression was sharp and unreadable.
Park Dong gulped sweating a lot.
"…Explain yourself," Irina demanded.
She raised the letter slightly, waving it in front of him.
There was a faint blush on her cheeks, though her tone stayed firm.
"What is this letter? Why is my name written on it?"