Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
tw slight vulnerability
🍯 ⌜ 작은 한이 ⌟ ┈─❟
"You look tired." Dan-I points out once Hanmi entered the classroom with a big smile on her face. But she knew better, the loss of wonder in her eyes and the eyebags tells another story. And even if Hanmi didn't know it for sure, Dan-I would still be able to tell by just looking at her that she's barely staying awake as she sits down. Her hair is mussed up, her shirt is wrinkled and her jacket hangs on her shoulders loosely, like she forgot how she put it on.
"Are you alright?"
Hanmi yawns again. "Yeah, I just... don't feel very well today," she answers truthfully, because she does. It was an understatement when Hanmi told Dan-I that she felt unwell. She had the whole morning before school to sleep in or skip classes, but she didn't dare. If she missed one day, people would start asking questions. They wouldn't understand why Hanmi never came back to school after that, they'd think she's sick, so she couldn't afford to get sick.
Hanmi hated getting sick. But she hates being too proud of herself even more. Because there are only two things to take pride in in this world - your body or your grades. So she can't help feeling that she deserves every single bit of attention thrown to her right now, and even though she's been trying really hard to not give anyone any attention right now, Hanmi can't help feeling the overwhelming weight crushing her chest. "I just need a nap later," she says instead, forcing out the words through her clenched jaw.
Dan-I nods and Hanmi knows that she understands what she needs, despite being clueless about the cause. "Take as much time as you need," she smiles reassuringly, "I'll be here if you need anything."
(Dan-I was too nice to her if you ask Hanmi. It was infuriating sometimes).
Hanmi smiles back at her while dumping her bag on her desk. Dan-I blinks up at her for a moment before picking up a paper that was plastered on her desk. It was a copy of their last assignment - a study in history of Korea. The teacher always said that they needed to get into history because it was the best thing in their life but Hanmi never quite believed that. There were no good things in the world. She didn't understand why people chose to stay alive in a world so dangerous.
"Hey, Baek-ah. Can I talk to you for a moment?" A classmate asks. Hanmi looks at Dan-I for a second, the other could only wave a hand at her to go.
Hanmi nods before turning to look back at the beaming classmate. "Sure. What's up?"
With her occupied, Dan-I continues to read the paper with surprised eyes. She then picks up another paper that was full of math equations. Her eyes narrowing at her every answer she had done.
