episode 3

The classroom finally settled into silence as the lesson began.

Yuna kept her eyes on her notebook, trying her best to ignore the presence sitting right beside her.

But it was impossible.

She could feel it.

His gaze.

Lazy… but watching.

“You’re really quiet,” Jinhyuk said suddenly, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

Yuna didn’t respond.

She just kept writing.

He leaned back in his chair, smirking slightly. “Or are you still upset about your phone?”

Her grip on the pen tightened.

“I told you,” she said quietly, “it wasn’t your fault, right?”

Yuna stopped writing.

Slowly, she turned her head and looked at him.

For the first time, there was no hesitation in her eyes.

“It was your fault.”

Jinhyuk raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.

“Oh? So now you can talk?”

Yuna looked away again. “Just stay quiet.”

He let out a soft chuckle.

Interesting.

“Yuna.”

Her name echoed through the classroom.

She froze.

The teacher was looking straight at her.

“Since you seem busy talking,” he said, “solve this problem on the board.”

A few students snickered quietly.

Yuna stood up slowly, her heart starting to race.

Math.

The one subject she used to be good at.

Used to.

She walked to the board, picked up the chalk… and stared at the question.

Her mind went blank.

Completely blank.

Behind her, whispers started.

“She can’t do it…”

“She used to be top, right?”

“What happened to her?”

Her fingers tightened around the chalk.

She knew this.

She should know this.

But the numbers blurred together.

Seconds felt like minutes.

“Yuna?” the teacher said impatiently.

Her chest felt heavy.

“I…”

“Can’t solve it?” he finished.

A few laughs broke out this time.

Yuna lowered her gaze.

“…no.”

“Then detention after school,” he said coldly. “Maybe that will help you focus.”

“Sir.”

The voice came from behind.

Calm. Unbothered.

Jinhyuk.

“I’ll go too,” he said.

The class went silent.

The teacher frowned. “And why would you do that?”

Jinhyuk shrugged. “I was talking too, wasn’t I?”

The teacher looked suspicious, but then sighed. “Fine. Both of you. After school.”

Yuna turned slightly, confused.

Why would he—

But Jinhyuk was already leaning back in his chair again, like nothing mattered.

After school.

The classroom was empty except for the two of them.

Yuna sat at her desk, staring at her broken phone.

The cracked screen reflected her tired expression.

“You’re really bad at math,” Jinhyuk said casually from behind her.

Yuna didn’t turn around. “You didn’t have to come.”

“Who said I came for you?” he replied.

She stayed silent.

A moment passed.

Then—

“Give me your phone.”

Yuna frowned and looked back. “Why?”

“Just give it.”

She hesitated… but slowly handed it over.

Jinhyuk examined the broken screen, clicking his tongue.

“Cheap,” he muttered.

Yuna’s expression hardened slightly. “Not everyone is rich.”

He glanced at her.

For a second, something in his expression changed.

Then he looked away.

“Wait here tomorrow morning,” he said, standing up.

“What?”

“I’ll fix it.”

Yuna blinked. “I don’t need your help.”

Jinhyuk smirked slightly.

“Too late, broken phone girl.”

He walked toward the door… then stopped.

Without turning back, he added—

“And next time, don’t freeze like that.”

Yuna’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“On the board,” he said. “You knew the answer.”

Silence.

“…you just didn’t try.”

And then he left.

Yuna sat there, unmoving.

His words echoed in her mind.

You knew the answer.

Her fingers slowly tightened.

For the first time in a long while—

Someone noticed.

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