Episode 11
The streets were still quiet that Sunday morning, painted in the soft haze of dawn. Anna tightened the laces of her shoes and stepped out, the air cool against her face. Her father had told her to take a walk—to clear her head—and she had agreed, mostly to stop him from worrying.
"Appa, bye," she had said lightly before leaving, pretending she felt fine.
Now, halfway down the street, her steps slowed. Ahead, she spotted a familiar figure leaning against a wall, headphones draped loosely around his neck. Yo Chan.
He looked up the moment she noticed him, eyes unreadable.
Anna drew in a breath and walked straight up to him.
"Why did you give me that juice yesterday?" she demanded, her voice firm but not angry. "And why are you acting like… you like me?"
Yo Chan's lips curved into that same infuriating half-smile.
"Because I do," he said easily. Then, after a beat, "But I don't."
She blinked, thrown off.
"…What's that supposed to mean?"
He tilted his head, his tone almost teasing.
"Because you like that guy."
Her brows furrowed.
"What guy…?"
She genuinely looked puzzled, but he only shrugged and said nothing more.
Anna's face hardened. She brushed past him, her voice sharp and cold.
"Don't fool me. I know how much you hate me."
She walked away before he could respond.
Yo Chan stood there, watching her figure disappear down the street. Then, almost involuntarily, he turned and looked back at her once more.
---
Seirin's room was filled with the faint hum of morning. She was brushing her hair when her phone buzzed. Joon's name flashed on the screen.
"Hey," he said casually when she picked up. "I just wanted to ask… do you think Anna actually likes Yo Chan?"
Seirin let out a short laugh. "After that fight? Do you really think she would?"
There was a pause on the line—one that felt too careful, too deliberate.
She smiled knowingly.
"You don't care that much, do you?"
Joon laughed, awkward but soft. They talked a while longer, their conversation drifting between small jokes and silence that felt more like understanding.
---
At Yo Chan's house, the air was quiet except for the soft clinking of dishes. His father sat at the table with his sister—whom Yo Chan called omma—talking about work and trivial things.
Meanwhile, Yo Chan moved silently down the hall. He slipped into his father's room, his heart beating faster. He pulled open the same drawer he had searched before.
Nothing.
No photo, no letter—just the faint smell of aftershave and dust.
He closed it gently and left before anyone could notice.
---
That night, Anna lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Her room was dark except for the dim light of her phone on the desk.
Yo Chan's words replayed in her mind.
"Because I do. But I don't."
She turned over, pressing her face into the pillow, frustrated.
"Why is he acting like this?" she whispered. "Why do I even care…?"
Her thoughts shifted—unbidden—to the laughter she'd shared with Kyeo yesterday. She felt her face heat up.
"For a second," she murmured, "I forgot about everything…"
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"I shouldn't have shared everything with everyone."
Her phone buzzed. A message from Seirin lit up the screen.
> We're best friends. No secrets, okay?
Anna's lips softened into a faint smile, but when her eyes drifted to the photo of her mother on the desk, her expression hardened again. Determination filled her gaze.
---
The next morning, the classroom was buzzing with quiet chatter. Anna sat beside Seirin, pretending to read while her mind wandered elsewhere.
The door slid open.
Every conversation stopped.
Yo Chan stepped in, followed by his usual trio of friends. His uniform was crisp, his expression calm—as if nothing in the world could touch him.
The whispers started almost immediately.
"Did he transfer here?"
"It's because of Anna, right?"
Seirin shot Anna a teasing glance, but Anna didn't move. Her posture stayed perfectly straight, her face unreadable—except for the faint redness creeping up her ears.
Yo Chan caught her eye briefly, smirk tugging at his lips, and took his seat like it was just another morning.
But for both of them, nothing felt ordinary anymore.
---
FADE OUT – END OF EPISODE 11