The art room lay drowned in silence, broken only by the faint, fractured moans of the injured. Minjae had already lost consciousness, her body crumpled on the floor like something discarded, while the others writhed in place, trapped in their pain, unable even to rise.
That brittle stillness was cut cleanly apart by Go Nau Rin's voice. Low. Even. Ice-cold. There was not the slightest trace of mercy in it, and the sound alone sent a chill crawling through Mina's insides.
She struggled to draw breath, lifting the cigarette to her lips with trembling fingers. The moment she inhaled, bitter smoke tore through her throat, savage and unforgiving. A fit of coughing seized her. Each spasm clenched her abdomen tighter, turning pain into something sharper, more vicious, until her breathing collapsed into ragged gasps. Tears and saliva streaked her face as she folded in on herself, curling against the floor.
Go Nau Rin did not falter. Not even for a heartbeat. She picked up the cigarette Mina had dropped and calmly brought it back toward her mouth.
Mina wanted to speak. To beg. To scream. But her voice betrayed her. All she could do was shake her head weakly, eyes flooded with tears, her lips pressed tight in a silent plea—please.
Go Nau Rin bent down. Too close. Close enough that Mina could feel her breath brush her skin.
"Smoke it," she whispered.
Her tone was soft—yet absolute.
"Or else…"
She let the words hang, the pause heavier than any threat. Then, gently, without a shred of compassion, she finished,
"You'll feel something far worse than this."
Darkness crept into Mina's vision. The pain had never truly eased, and the thought of enduring more shattered what little resolve she had left. Gritting her teeth, she forced the cigarette between her trembling lips once again.
The agony returned instantly. Smoke scorched her throat; coughing tore free despite her efforts. This time, she refused to let go. She bit down harder, enduring it through sheer desperation.
Her heart hammered violently, as though trying to burst from her chest. The room spun. Nausea surged upward. Even the air she breathed seemed to wound her, each breath a sharp, cutting ache.
In that moment, she was certain she stood on the edge of death.
Then she saw the door.
Her body moved before thought could stop it. She clawed at the floor, dragging herself forward, her limbs shaking uncontrollably. The world blurred. Sounds dissolved into nothing. There was only the door.
If she could reach it—maybe—
Her stomach seized without warning.
She retched, vomiting violently onto the floor.
In that instant, Go Nau Rin brought her foot down on Mina's head.
Mina's face was pressed into her own vomit. The sharp, acidic stench burned her nostrils; the sticky fluid smeared against her skin, seeping into her pores. She could no longer endure it. A sob tore free from her chest. Helplessness and humiliation crashed over her at once, crushing her until she cried out, her throat raw, her wails breaking apart.
Everyone in the room was watching her.
Everyone heard her.
No one spoke.
No one turned away.
Go Nau Rin stood over her for a moment, staring down in silence—then pressed harder with her foot.
"Why are you making that face?" she said. "Isn't this fun? You were laughing just a moment ago, weren't you? Come on. Laugh."
Her voice sharpened.
"Laugh."
Mina kept crying.
"I said laugh."
She did not even dare to hate her. Fear had wrapped itself around her completely, soaked into flesh and blood and bone alike. And so, still sobbing—
she laughed.
No other sound remained in the room.
Only her broken, trembling laughter echoed on and on.
Dahi, who had stood watching all of this in silence, suddenly sprang to her feet and ran for the door. She tore at the lock, and just as it gave way and the door began to open, a voice sounded behind her—low, calm, unmistakably commanding.
"Close the door."
Dahi's hands shook violently. Tears spilled from her eyes. Without a moment's hesitation, she shut the door again, slid the lock back into place, and stood frozen.
Go Nau Rin grabbed Mina by the collar of her uniform and yanked her upright, forcing her to kneel on the floor. Mina's body sagged, loose and unsteady, her head drooping forward. Beside her, Dahi knelt silently, too timid to meet Mina's face, her gaze fixed on the floor. She pulled a fresh cigarette from her pocket and pressed it to Mina's lips, then lit it with a trembling hand, the lighter's flame flickering in the dim room.
This time, Mina did not inhale. She let the cigarette rest between her lips, motionless, as if she had ceased to feel anything at all.
Go Nau Rin lowered herself to sit before her, staring Mina directly in the eyes.
"No more noise. Keep yourself composed. Understood?"
They did not speak. Only a quick, hurried nod answered her.
She stood and straightened her uniform, fastening her buttons with deliberate calm, as though it were just any other day, the final bell having rung.
As she walked toward the door, a sharp voice cut through the room—Yunhi shouting from behind.
"You think you can just get away with this? I'm telling my parents!"
The sound of footsteps ceased. Go Nau Rin turned slowly, first offering a faint, almost casual smile, which quickly hardened into a cold, mocking expression.
"Go ahead," she said. "But not me. You're the ones who'll be expelled."
With that, she slammed the door shut behind her, the sound echoing sharply through the silent room, and walked away.
By the time she stepped out of the school gates, darkness had already settled over the city. Yet the streets and building lights shone brightly, and the night seemed to breathe with the rhythm of the city. Calm as ever, Nau Rin walked with careful attention to her surroundings, making her way to the bus stop. She didn't want to sit on the cold bench, so she leaned against the pole, waiting.
A man, apparently returning home after work, also waited nearby. His shoulders slumped, fatigue evident in every movement. A short distance away, just a few steps apart, stood a young woman. Likely a student, carrying a large backpack, she wasn't in uniform and kept her eyes fixed on her phone, a faint smile playing on her lips.
No one else was at the bus stop. Just the three of them.
The first bus, a yellow number 10, arrived. The man rose slowly from his seat and climbed aboard, stepping heavily, then settled near a window close to the doors.
A little while later, a blue number 15 bus appeared. The young woman glanced up briefly from her phone, gave a quick look around, and walked lightly to claim a seat at the very back.
After another five minutes, finally, the bus Nau Rin had been waiting for arrived. She took her seat and quietly observed the cityscape through the window. As her stop approached, her eyes caught a familiar figure outside—a person with hands shoved into their pockets, head lowered, feet dragging lightly along the ground…
Nau Rin stepped off the bus, a bright smile lighting up her face as she spotted a familiar figure.
"Minho!" she called, her voice bubbling with joy.
The moment Minho saw her, though, his expression twisted into a grimace. He glanced her over and asked bluntly, "Have you been drinking?"
Nau Rin rolled her eyes, her grin shifting into a teasing smirk. "Honestly, you're such a buzzkill," she shot back. "What are you even doing here?"
"Everyone's gathered at our place for dinner," Minho grumbled. "They sent me to fetch you. Now, come on—don't just stand there."
As they walked toward the house, Minho leaned in, wrinkling his nose as he sniffed the air around her. "Why do you smell like cigarettes?"
"Really?" Nau Rin replied, calm as ever. "Some guy was smoking right next to me at the bus stop. The smell must have clung to my clothes."
"Is that so?" Minho muttered, leaning in again with exaggerated suspicion.
Nau Rin shoved him away with a flat hand. "Step back, you creep!"
Minho's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
"What? I'm a creep just for catching a scent?
Minho's eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
"What? I'm a creep just for catching a scent? he shot back, his voice thick with indignation.
Nau Rin didn't even spare him a glance. She kept her eyes fixed ahead, her expression as cool and indifferent as if she were commenting on the weather.
"Yes," she said, as if stating an undeniable law of nature.
Minho gaped, shaking his head in exasperation. "Unbelievable… is there anything else you'd like to add?"
"Oh, I have plenty more to say," she replied, nonchalant, her grin unshaken.
Minho stopped mid-step, turning slowly with a theatrically dark look.
"I will not stand for such an insult! Today, you and I are going to settle this once and for all!"
She tilted her head, her grin playful.
"Oh really? And just what exactly are you going to do about it?"
"Want to see?" Minho's eyes gleamed with mischief.
"Be my guest," she dared him.
In a flash, he lunged forward, snatching the glasses straight from her face.
"Hey! Give those back!" Nau Rin shouted, stepping toward him.
Minho stepped back, holding the glasses aloft like a prize.
"Try and take them. But if you do..."
"If I do, what?" she demanded, closing the gap.
He brought the glasses close to his mouth, feigning a spit, letting a tiny glint of saliva show before pulling back with a triumphant smirk.
Nau Rin's hands flew up in horror. "Ugh! Don't you dare!"
Minho did it again—the mock-spit—grinning all the while.
"Stop! Fine! I get it!" she cried. "What do you want?"
Grinning, Minho waved the glasses like a trophy. "An apology. For the assault on my reputation."
"You're being so dramatic," she muttered.
Minho didn't miss a beat. "One… two… thr—"
"I'm sorry! Okay?" she interrupted.
Nau Rin sighed, exaggeratingly. "I am deeply sorry. Clearly, I have committed a thousand sins against you."
Minho's grin lit up his face. "Now that's more like it."
He tossed the glasses back, then bolted. Nau Rin caught them midair, glaring at his retreating back.
"You little brat!" she yelled, breaking into a sprint after him.