Chapter 6
Anna woke in her bed, her body heavy and her skin pale, but at least she was conscious. The dim hallway light spilled through the crack in her door, and in it stood her father. His shoulders were hunched, his head bowed, and though he tried to be quiet, Anna could hear the tremble in his breath.
"Why do you remind me of her so much…" he whispered, voice breaking.
Anna's chest tightened with guilt. Slowly, she pushed herself up and took a step closer.
"Appa…" she said softly.
Her father wiped his face quickly, forcing himself back into his usual sternness. But his trembling betrayed him.
"You promised to stay out of fights," he said, his tone firm but wounded. "Why can't you just live quietly? Every time I see you like this, it's like… seeing your mother again."
Anna lowered her gaze, ashamed, her throat tightening as she fought back tears.
The door creaked open. Minjun slipped inside, his small frame nervous, his eyes red from crying.
"Noona… are you okay?" he whispered.
Anna forced a smile for him, reaching out to ruffle his hair.
"I'm fine. Don't cry anymore, okay?"
But Minjun's lips trembled, and instead of answering, he wrapped his arms tightly around her. Anna held him close, hiding her own tears in his shoulder.
---
The next morning, the classroom buzzed with chatter, but Anna's seat sat empty. Students leaned toward each other, whispering.
As Yo Chan passed by on his way to his own section, he glanced inside and immediately noticed her absence. He stopped by Seirin's desk, leaning over casually.
"Where's Anna? She sick?"
Seirin didn't look up from her notes. "She's resting. She needs it."
From the back, Joon spoke up with an easy smile. "You did great yesterday, Seirin. Organizing everyone like that… without you, it could've ended worse."
Seirin glanced at him, surprised by the praise, but said nothing. She returned to her writing, though her grip on the pen had tightened.
---
That afternoon, Anna slipped quietly into Song Kyeo's restaurant. She still moved with the carefulness of someone not yet recovered. Song Kyeo noticed immediately and approached with concern.
"You're alone today?" he asked warmly. "Where's your friend?"
"She had class," Anna said with a tired sigh as she sat down. "I just… needed some fresh air."
Without a word, Song Kyeo brought her a cup of warm tea.
"You shouldn't push yourself," he said gently. "Even the strongest people need to rest."
Anna lifted her eyes to him, noticing the calm steadiness he carried. She managed a faint smile, grateful for the comfort in his presence.
---
That evening, the streets were filled with fading daylight. Yo Chan walked side by side with Joon and Joungki, the three of them laughing at meaningless jokes.
But Joon's tone shifted suddenly. He stopped mid-laugh and turned to Yo Chan.
"I saw you. You threw that bin, didn't you? You saved her. Why? You two hate each other."
Yo Chan smirked, looking away as if it didn't matter.
"I don't know," he said carelessly. "Maybe I was just bored."
But Joon wasn't convinced. He kept his eyes on Yo Chan, searching for the truth.
---
A few blocks away, Anna and Seirin were walking home together, grocery bags in their hands. Their laughter faded when they saw Yo Chan and his group approaching from the other end of the street.
For a tense moment, both groups paused, standing across from each other.
Seirin's voice broke the silence. Though polite, it carried weight.
"Yo Chan… thank you. For what you did that day. It mattered."
Yo Chan shrugged, pretending it was nothing, but his gaze flickered toward Anna. She refused to meet his eyes, staring at the ground instead.
Without another word, the groups passed each other, the tension lingering in the air long after.
---
Later that night, Anna returned home. Her father was waiting in the living room, his expression unreadable. For a long moment, he only looked at her. Then, instead of scolding, he gave her a single, quiet nod.
Anna's chest loosened with relief. She nodded back, grateful for the unspoken truce, and made her way upstairs.
For the first time in a while, the house felt just a little lighter.
---
End of Chapter 6