The applause still echoed through the amphitheater when Sun suddenly stood up, his hands trembling. He was breathing fast—too fast—his eyes fixed on the stage like he had seen a ghost. Rin, seated next to him, noticed the change instantly.
Without saying a word, he grabbed Sun by the wrist and pulled him toward the central aisle.
"Come on."
Love turned her head, surprised. "Huh? Where are you guys going?"
Han raised an eyebrow. "Maybe he really had to pee? Or maybe he needs an assistant to help him hol—"
SMACK! Love hit him hard on the back of the head.
"Idiot. Didn't you see his face? He's pale as a sheet."
Sun didn't answer. He let Rin lead him, unable to speak. His legs moved on autopilot, but his mind was somewhere else—in cold water, in a pain he thought he had buried long ago.
They rushed down the amphitheater steps. Rin's face was as white as Sun's.
There's already a problem in my day, he thought. And classes haven't even started yet.
Love quickly stood up, clearly worried, and followed them. Han, still a little lost in his own thoughts, suddenly realized he was alone.
"Eh?! Hey, wait for me!"
He got up and ran after them.
Outside, the air felt drier, more real. Sun finally stopped, leaning against a wall, gasping. He couldn't catch his breath—each inhale felt short and heavy. His fingers trembled. His forehead was damp with sweat.
"What's he... what's he doing here?" Sun whispered, voice cracking.
Images flashed through his mind, messy and fast. Then one memory rose, blurry but clear.
Flashback.
A week ago. Sun was walking through the hallway with a sketch in his hand when he overheard his parents talking in the kitchen.
"It's a golden opportunity, you know, working at such a prestigious university," his mother said.
"They gave me the swim team. One of the best in the country," his father replied.
The moment Sun heard the word swim, he froze. Then, as if his body rejected the thought itself, he turned and ran to his room. He didn't want to hear the rest.
End of flashback.
He slid down the wall, arms wrapped around his knees, his breath shallow. His heart pounded hard against his chest.
"Breathe slowly, Sun," Rin said as he knelt beside him. His voice was calm, but his eyes were tense. He placed a steady hand on Sun's shoulder. "Look at me. Inhale. Exhale."
Sun closed his eyes and tried to follow, though it was barely working. His body was still shaking.
"What's going on?!" Love asked, arriving next to them, panting.
Han showed up right after, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.
"What, did he just run too fast or something?"
"Han, shut up," Love muttered, placing her hand gently on Sun's arm. She looked to Rin, her expression tight. "Is he having a panic attack?"
Rin nodded. "Yeah. Give him space."
But it wasn't over.
Han, still confused, leaned in. "But seriously, what's wrong with him? He can't freak out for no reason..."
The glare Rin sent his way could've frozen lava. Cold. Sharp. Controlled.
Inside, Rin thought: I hate when I lose control of my day.
Han flinched and took a step back, hands raised. "Alright, I get it."
The noise around them was getting louder. Students were pouring out of the amphitheater in groups, chatting and laughing. The hallway was filling fast.
Rin stood up and turned to Love. "Do you know where the infirmary is?"
"Yeah, two buildings over, next to admin."
Rin gave her a brief nod. He needed to get Sun out of here—before they ran into his father again.
He gently helped Sun to his feet, one hand steady on his back.
Without another word, the four of them started walking toward the infirmary, moving through the growing crowd and noise of the university halls.
By the time they reached the infirmary, the hallway was calmer. A small brass sign read "Medical Office – Staff Only," and the door creaked slightly as Love pushed it open.
A middle-aged man in a white coat looked up from behind his desk. He seemed more surprised by the group's urgency than alarmed.
Rin stepped forward. "He's not hurt. Just overwhelmed. Can we stay here a while? Until he calms down?"
The nurse studied Sun for a moment—his pale face, his trembling hands, his silent, downward gaze.
"Of course," the man nodded, standing. "Come in. Let him sit."
He gestured to a small cot by the window and moved aside to let them in. Rin guided Sun over slowly, helping him sit. Love followed silently. Han hovered by the door, unusually quiet.
The nurse poured a glass of water and handed it to Sun, who took it with both hands.
"Take your time," the nurse said gently. "You're safe here."
Sun tried to steady his breath, letting the nurse's words echo in his head. You're safe here. He repeated it to himself, again and again.
Just as he felt a fragile calm begin to settle over him, a soft buzz vibrated through his pocket.
He slowly pulled out his phone. One new message.
Dad: "We need to talk. You can't keep running forever."
Sun froze.
His fingers tightened around the phone. He stared at the message, the letters blurring slightly as his eyes burned.
Rin noticed. His gaze dropped from Sun's face to the screen. Without hesitation, he reached out and took the phone from Sun's hands.
"Don't read that."
Sun looked up at him, wide-eyed, as if pulled out of a trance. Rin's face was calm, but his voice was firm.
"I have an apartment. It's quiet. You can stay with me."
And just like that, the fragile wall Sun had held up all morning shattered.
Tears streamed down his face as he broke into silent sobs, shoulders shaking, breath ragged. Rin didn't say anything else. He just sat there, beside him, holding the phone in one hand and Sun's shoulder with the other.
He would protect him. Even from his own father.