The warm sunlight streamed through the large windows of the school, casting a gentle glow over the courtyard.
The air was filled with the soft hum of students chatting, birds chirping from the nearby trees, and the faint rustle of leaves swaying in the breeze.
It was one of those perfect spring days—clear blue skies, a light breeze that made the weather just right—not too hot, not too cold.
Ha-Joon leaned back on his desk, letting out a deep sigh. He closed his book slowly, the pages rustling softly as he stretched out and reclined, resting his head on the desk. His hand supported his chin as he stared at the ceiling, a tired expression on his face.
"Oh, I am so tired…" he mumbled, voice low and exhausted.
Joy, sitting nearby, let out a small grunt. She pushed herself up from her seat, running a hand through her slightly tousled hair, fixing her crooked glasses with a determined frown.
She looked at her watch and sighed heavily.
"Yeah, and we still have to go to work today and face Manager Bark… ah…" her voice dripped with frustration, her shoulders slumping as she spoke.
Suddenly, a scoff sounded from across the room. Ji-Hoo leaned casually against the desk, a teasing smirk curling on his lips.
His green eyes gleamed mischievously.
"What did you do? You just slept through the whole class, Joy," he teased, voice playful.
Joy rolled her eyes and shot him a glare. "Yeah, for your information, I wasn't sleeping. I was just resting my head," she retorted, crossing her arms as if that explained everything.
Ji-Hoo chuckled softly. "Yeah, sure, that explains the snoring," he said casually, a teasing grin on his face.
Meanwhile, In-Su approached Ha-Joon, standing quietly in front of him. Ha-Joon let out a slow, resigned sigh and rubbed his eyes.
"Are you tired?" In-Su asked gently, a small smile playing on his lips.
Ha-Joon nodded heavily. "Very tired," he admitted softly.
In-Su's smile grew a little wider. "Wanna take a walk? Always helps. The school garden looks good today," he suggested, hands casually tucked into his pockets.
Ha-Joon hesitated for a moment, glancing around. The class was supposed to be ongoing, but there was no teacher in sight—only students chatting and making noise without much concern.
"But class…" Ha-Joon started, looking at the lively scene.
In-Su nodded understandingly. "No teacher, just students making unnecessary noise. Come on," he urged.
After a brief pause, Ha-Joon relented. "Ok… shall we?" he said, rising from his seat.
He followed In-Su out of the classroom, both of them heading towards the peaceful school garden, leaving behind the chatter and chaos inside.
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Once outside the classroom, Ha-Joon jumped onto a nearby bench, taking a moment to soak in the garden's peaceful atmosphere.
The garden was a lush oasis nestled within the school grounds—vivid green grass stretched out beneath tall, leafy trees that swayed gently in the breeze. Bright flowers bloomed in clusters, filling the air with sweet, fragrant scents.
Butterflies fluttered lazily from blossom to blossom, and a small fountain in the corner added soft, rhythmic trickles to the tranquil soundscape.
The sunlight filtered through the branches, casting dappled shadows across the stone paths and benches, creating a calm, inviting space.
"So, now that we're out here, what are we going to do?" Ha-Joon asked, hopping down from the bench and stretching his arms.
In-Su sighed, a small smile curling his lips as he nodded. "Yeah, it was a smart idea to come here. I always come to the garden when I'm feeling lonely," he admitted softly.
Ha-Joon's brows furrowed slightly, noticing the hint of sadness in In-Su's voice. Without a word, he jumped down from the bench and stepped in front of him.
"Of course you're lonely," Ha-Joon said with a gentle tease, a playful smirk on his face. "You have siblings at home right? and parents… and you have us here. Why are you feeling down?"
In-Su moved past him, stepping forward into the garden's quiet embrace. His expression grew a little more serious.
"Yeah, here I don't feel that loneliness so much… but at home, my parents are always busy fighting with the Elemen…" He hesitated, realizing he almost revealed too much. His eyes flicked away for a moment.
"Oh, that's hard. You're going through a lot, huh?"
Ha-Joon's face softened with understanding. He placed a reassuring hand on In-Su's shoulder.
"That's tough. If you ever need anything, my door's always open. Just come to me," he said sincerely, smiling warmly.
In-Su looked at him gratefully, a small nod in response. The two boys shared a quiet moment before turning back toward the school building, heading to their classroom.
But just as they were about to re-enter, Ha-Joon bumped shoulders with someone unexpectedly.
It was a quick collision, soft but enough to make him stumble slightly.
"Sorry… Oh, hi! You're the girl…" Ha-Joon started, recognizing her. But before he could finish, she acted first, reaching out her hand with a bright smile.
"Yeah, I'm the girl. By the way, my name's Shin Nara. Nice to meet you," she said cheerfully.
Ha-Joon accepted her outstretched hand, giving it a gentle shake, returning her smile. "I'm Ha-Joon," he replied casually.
She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes sparkling with friendliness. "You should really watch where you're going," she teased lightly.
"Yeah, I'll remember that next time," Ha-Joon said with a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his neck.
In-Su, standing nearby, glanced at Ha-Joon then over to Nara. His expression was calm but his gaze held a flicker of annoyance. He let out a small, rattling cough, drawing their attention.
"Oh, and you are…?" Nara asked, tilting her head slightly.
"I'm In-Su—" In-Su began, but Nara interrupted with a friendly smile.
"Nice to meet you… too," she said, then turned her attention back to Ha-Joon. She waved cheerfully.
"See you around," she added and then turned to walk away.
Ha-Joon watched her go, a faint smile lingering on his face as he ignored In-Su's taps on his shoulder.
''Hey, man," In-Su said, his tone annoyed as he roughly pulled at Ha-Joon's collar, dragging him a little. His expression was serious, almost irritated.
Ha-Joon looked at him, blinking in surprise. "What? What's wrong?"
In-Su sighed sharply, shaking his head but with a faint smirk.
"I should not have brought you out here" he muttered, his eyes still annoyed but with a hint of fondness underneath.
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Ha-Joon sat quietly on one of the customer's seats behind the counter, his hands working a cloth or a cleaning rag, wiping away the flour from his stained apron.
His face, smudged with traces of dirt and flour, reflected the long hours he'd been working — tired, worn, yet somehow still gentle.
His grey hair caught the dull light, shining faintly as his eyes lowered, lost in thought.
The bustling chatter of customers filled the background—the clatter of dishes, the murmur of conversations, and occasional laughter—creating a lively but distant hum.
He let out a deep sigh, his mind drifting into a fog of confusion.
Everything felt complicated lately, like pieces of a puzzle he couldn't quite fit together. His shoulders sagged under the weight of unspoken worries.
Suddenly, Joy approached him, her short brown hair tied neatly back, glasses perched on the tip of her nose, which she instinctively adjusted with the back of her hand.
Her expression softened as she noticed his silence. Without a word, she slipped into the seat beside him and gently placed her hand on his shoulder.
"What's wrong? Why are you feeling down?" she asked quietly, her voice gentle and concerned.