I walked back into the classroom, and for the first time in a while, I felt… lighter. My face was practically glowing, lit up with a mood I couldn't put into words. It wasn't just a smile it was the kind of expression that slipped out when something deep inside you had been stirred awake.
The chatter of students, the dull scrape of chairs, even the teacher's monotone voice none of it seemed to matter.
I sat down, leaning back in my chair, and let the feeling linger. It was warmth without reason, a rush without explanation, and it left me both restless and alive.
But then my gaze caught Ji Suwon. He looked like a corpse pale, hollow, nothing like the cheerful and always shy kid. My chest tightened. He hadn't met Seol Hyorim yet. That scene… the one that should've tied them together from the start it never happened.
Why? Why didn't he walk down that hallway? Did something shift because of me? Or was it always fragile, waiting for a single ripple to change everything?
I clenched my fists under the desk. So what if the story was already breaking apart?
"Fuck the original story," I muttered under my breath, heat rushing to my veins. "I'll make my own."
The thought burned through me, fierce and exhilarating. For the first time, I wasn't just a reader anymore I was part of the story.
The next day arrived before I even realized it. When lunch break finally rolled around, the cafeteria entrance was already crowded with students lining up for food. At the front, the disciplinary teacher stood like a gatekeeper, smacking the back of a girl's head.
"I told you to fix your hair before coming back," the teacher barked, sending the poor guy retreating with his hands over his head
"GYAAHHH!"
"What the hell are they seriously doing hair checks during lunch?!" Park Mijin blurted out, her voice incredulous as sweat trickled down her temple. She trembled like a prisoner awaiting trial.
Beside her, Shin Sujeong slumped in defeat. "I'm done for…" she muttered, resignation written all over her face.
Then the line grew quiet as a girl stepped forward. The teacher's hand, mid-swing, froze in the air. His stern expression wavered into surprise.
"Huh… Seol Hyorim? You've cut your hair."
"Yeah…" Hyorim answered softly, her eyes darting away. A faint blush colored her cheeks,
"You said that if I cut my hair, you'd give my phone back!" the girl soft murmur, her voice trembling desperation.
The disciplinary teacher smirked, folding his arms as if savoring her defiance. "Hmm… already cut it, huh? Fine then. Come to the office later and I'll return it."
Her jaw tightened, but before she could say more whack! his palm struck the back of another student's head.
"Shouldn't you be fixing your hair too?!" he barked. The boy winced, clutching his head, muttering curses under his breath as he slunk away.
By lunchtime, the cafeteria buzzed with chatter. A tray opened to reveal rice, side dishes, and a slab of fried fish, but the student staring at it didn't look impressed.
"Haa… I really can't do this. Even looking at it makes me feel sick. It tastes awful…" Inseop muttered to herself, pushing the food around halfheartedly with her chopsticks.
Junhyun leaned in with a sigh. "You can't keep skipping meals. No wonder you're always spacing out in class."
"Say, you had your hair checked too, right? Did you cut it yourself, Seojin? It's short, but it looks good," another student asked, their curiosity plain.
Seojin's gaze lingered on Inseop's eyes before drifting upward, his fingers absently brushing through the smooth strands of his own hair. A faint, almost playful smile curved his lips.
"…No," he said softly, his tone steady yet edged with quiet pride. "My personal barber cut it."
The words weren't boastful, but the ease with which he said them made it sound almost like a tease.
Then I look at Suwon his face slack and eyes unfocused, as if his soul had just left his body. His mouth hung half-open, a strangled "Uhhh…"
"What happen to him?" I curiously ask
"What happened to him?" I asked curiously, tilting my head.
Inseop let out a long, weary sigh, his shoulders slumping. "Looks like that confession he was planning didn't go the way he hoped…" His voice carried the kind of tiredness that made it sound like he'd seen this play out a hundred times already.
I shook my head with a faint, half-hearted chuckle, "Well… there's plenty of fish in the sea. He'll get over it."
I glanced around the cafeteria, scanning left and right through the sea of students. Then my eyes stopped there she was.
'She cut her hair… looks cute,' I thought, the words forming before I could stop them. The shorter style framed her face differently, softer somehow, making her features stand out even more.
Just then, her friend did something ridiculous with a spoon, and Hyorim's lips curved into laughter. She covered her mouth, shoulders trembling, but the sound still slipped out bright, unguarded, and real.
For a moment, the noise of the cafeteria faded. All I could see was her smiling, all I could hear was that laugh, light and fleeting, but enough to make my chest tighten.
Then they stood up, trays in hand it seemed their lunch was over. As they made their way through the crowded cafeteria, her eyes suddenly met mine.
This time, I didn't look away. I held her gaze, steady and unflinching, as if the noise and movement around us had dissolved into nothing. For a heartbeat, the world narrowed down to just the two of us her faintly startled expression, the way her steps slowed almost imperceptibly, and the warmth rising in my chest that I couldn't explain. 'It's him'
It wasn't long, just a passing moment, but it felt heavier than it should have.
Just as they passed, one of Hyorim's friends brushed against Junhyun's shoulder. he clicked his tongue and snapped, "Hey, move aside when people are trying to pass."
"Huh?" Junhyun blinked, caught off guard by the sudden rudeness.
Jinsu immediately leaned forward with a laugh that grated like nails on glass. "What's the matter, bitch?" he jeered, his grin sharp and mocking.
Before things could escalate further, Park Dong stepped in, his voice firm. "Hey, cut it out, Jinsu."
"Hey, you're the one who bumped into him. Why don't you apologize?" I said, my voice firm and unwavering.
Park Jinsu froze mid-step. "What the hell did you sa-" His words cut off the instant he turned and saw me.
The defiance in his eyes faltered, replaced by a flicker of fear. A bead of sweat slid down his temple as his body stiffened, trembling despite the grin he tried to force back onto his face.
"…S-sorry," he muttered quickly, then turned on his heel and bolted, dragging the others with him.
Only Hyorim lingered, her gaze still fixed on me. I looked back at her and offered a warm smile. Color rushed to her cheeks, and she quickly turned away, following after her friends in a fluster.
Going home, I stopped at the gate, staring up at the house. It was big, impressive by any standard yet it felt hollow. Empty halls, silent rooms, not a single voice to greet me. Luxury meant nothing when it only echoed loneliness.
I dropped my bag in the living room and sank onto the couch, but the silence pressed down heavier than the walls. My mind drifted back to the cafeteria… to her. Seol Hyorim. The way her eyes had lingered on me, the faint blush that colored her cheeks when I smiled.
The memory stirred something restless inside me.
Before I knew it, I was reaching for the guitar propped against the wall. My fingers brushed the strings, tentative at first, then firmer as I tuned it. The weight of it in my hands felt grounding, the silence of the house fading into the warm hum of vibrating strings.
"Alright," I murmured to myself, settling in. "Let's see if I still remember this one."
And with that, I began to play some songs I remembered from before I reincarnated.