fragments of forever | han yujin zb1

chapter 9 : tensions rise

the morning sun cast gentle rays across the schoolyard, painting everything in a soft glow. aejung found herself perched on the edge of the bench, her gaze drifting to the gates where her friends usually entered. she hoped to see the twins, their cheerful chatter always brightening her mornings.

but her heart sank when she spotted yujin, striding past the gate without so much as a glance in her direction. it confirmed her fears—yesterday's confession had likely changed things between them. with a heavy sigh, she resigned herself to solitude, her thoughts swirling with uncertainty.

just as she began to feel the weight of loneliness, a familiar figure caught her eye. gunwook approached with a warm smile, his presence a comforting presence in the midst of her turmoil.

"hey, aejung. how's it going?" he asked, his voice warm and welcoming as he approached her.

"hey, gunwook. i'm okay, thanks. how about you?" aejung replied, her voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty.

"not too bad, just another day of classes," he said, his tone casual yet sincere.

they engaged in small talk for a moment, the tension between them unspoken but noticeable. "yeah, i feel that. it's been a bit hectic lately," aejung admitted, her gaze drifting toward the ground.

"i can imagine," gunwook responded, his eyes reflecting empathy as he looked at her.

"i really like what you did with your hair today, by the way. it suits you," gunwook complimented, a genuine smile playing on his lips.

"thank you, gunwook. i appreciate that," aejung replied, her cheeks flushing slightly at the unexpected compliment.

"well, it looks great," gunwook remarked, his words filled with sincerity as they shared a brief smile before continuing their conversation.

after a bit, the twins arrived at school, and boreum quickly rushed over to aejung, concern evident in her eyes.

"are you okay?" boreum asked immediately, her voice filled with genuine worry.

aejung nodded in response, offering a small smile to reassure her friend. "sorry about not talking much after recess yesterday," she sighed softly, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders as she confided in boreum.

"you don't need to apologize for anything, aejung. it's up to you whether or not you wanna share anything or not," boreum said reassuringly, her words laced with understanding and support.

the two other boys looked on, confused by the exchange, as aejung continued. "i confessed to yujin yesterday," she admitted simply, her voice barely above a whisper. beomseok's jaw dropped in shock, while gunwook simply nodded, his expression unreadable.

"he didn't say anything, and now he's avoiding me," aejung added, her tone tinged with sadness as she glanced at her friends, hoping for some semblance of understanding and comfort.

"don't take it too personally, aejung," beomseok said softly, his voice filled with empathy as he tried to lighten the mood.

"give him some space, and he'll come around eventually," gunwook added reassuringly, offering a comforting pat on aejung's shoulder. she appreciated the gesture, grateful for her friends' support.

"we should probably start heading to class now anyway," aejung chuckled softly, appreciating the effort to distract her from her worries.

they got up and began walking to class together, the twins walking side by side while gunwook walked beside aejung, observing her evident upset face. "you're a great person, aejung. you have nothing to worry about," gunwook said, offering her a small, reassuring smile as they approached the group's classroom.

"thanks, gunwook," aejung replied, returning the smile as she bid him goodbye. the trio then entered the classroom, ready to face the day ahead, their friendship offering solace in uncertain times.

yujin had his face buried in the desk, his posture tense and closed off. aejung sighed softly, her heart heavy with concern, before settling into the seat next to boreum instead of her usual place beside yujin.

science class began, but aejung found herself unable to focus on miss myung's lesson. her gaze kept drifting back to yujin, who hadn't lifted his head once. he remained hunched over, his arms shielding his face from view.

with a soft sigh, aejung turned her attention to the blank page in front of her. rather than jotting down notes about the lesson, she found herself pouring her thoughts and emotions onto the paper, her pen moving almost of its own accord.

in the quiet of the night, i confess my deepest fears,
whispered secrets, unshed tears, falling on deaf ears.
you were the sun, the moon, the stars, my everything and more,
but now i'm left alone, shattered pieces on the floor.

after pouring her emotions onto the page, aejung sighed softly, her gaze drifting towards the clock, silently counting down the minutes until class would end. when the bell finally rang, she gathered her things, her mind still heavy with worry.

yujin was the first to rise from his seat, his movements mechanical as he made his way to the door. aejung watched him closely, her heart aching at the sight of him. as he opened the door, boyoung stood waiting on the other side, a bright smile on her face.

aejung observed them quietly, noting how yujin spoke to boyoung with the same ease he always did with others. it struck her as odd how he seemed to be avoiding her specifically.

as the pair disappeared from view, aejung rose from her seat, her steps following them at a discreet distance. yujin's demeanor towards boyoung was warm and familiar, his charming personality on full display. aejung couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as she observed the closeness between them, her heart heavy with unspoken longing.

as they turned a corner, aejung followed suit, her curiosity getting the best of her. she found a secluded spot behind a row of lockers, careful to remain hidden as she observed them from afar. the area was relatively quiet, and it seemed as though yujin and boyoung were engrossed in their own private conversation.

a wave of shame washed over aejung as she realized the extent of her actions. she felt like an intruder, spying on a moment that was none of her business. with a heavy heart, she resolved to leave, to give them the privacy they deserved.

but just as she turned to go, something caught her eye. she froze in place, her breath catching in her throat as she witnessed a scene that left her utterly stunned.