The Other World on KOOKY
Chapter 2: A Normal Distance
The school gates stood wide open.
Students walked in groups, laughing, complaining, dragging their feet into another day.
Normal.
Everything about it was normal.
Tae Kook stepped inside.
Hands in his pockets.
Expression calm.
Unbothered.
Beside him—
Ae Rin.
Still there.
Still following.
Still a problem.
"…Why are you still here?" he asked quietly.
"I told you. I'm investigating."
"You're in primary school."
"And you're suspicious."
"…Go back home."
"No."
Tae Kook stopped walking.
Looked down at her.
"…If you get caught, don't say you know me."
Ae Rin gasped.
"You're abandoning your little sister?!"
"Yes."
"You're heartless."
"I'm peaceful."
She huffed.
"Fine. I'll just hide."
"…That's worse."
But before he could say anything else—
A voice called out.
"Tae Kook!"
He turned slightly.
A group of boys waved from a distance.
Classmates.
"Yo, you're late again," one of them said as they approached.
"You ever come early?"
Tae Kook shrugged.
"When it matters."
They laughed.
Used to him.
Not questioning him.
Ae Rin watched quietly from behind, hiding just enough.
"…So he acts normal here," she muttered.
"Who's that?" one of the boys asked, noticing her.
Tae Kook didn't even look.
"No one."
Ae Rin froze.
"…No one?"
Before she could react—
The school bell rang.
"Ah, class," one of the boys groaned.
"Save me."
"You'll survive," Tae Kook replied.
They began walking toward the building.
Tae Kook followed—
Then stopped.
For just a second.
There she was.
Walking ahead.
Same calm steps.
Same quiet presence.
Like the noise around her didn't exist.
He didn't call out.
Didn't move closer.
Just watched.
"…You're doing it again."
Tae Kook's eyes shifted slightly.
Ae Rin stood beside him now, hands behind her back, staring up at him with a knowing look.
"…Go home," he muttered.
She leaned closer, whispering,
"You like her."
Silence.
Tae Kook walked past her.
"Don't be ridiculous."
But his pace…
Was just slightly slower than before.
Classroom
The classroom buzzed with noise.
Chairs scraping.
Voices overlapping.
Morning chaos.
Tae Kook took his seat near the window.
As always.
Not too close to others.
Not too far.
Just enough to exist…
Without being noticed too much.
He rested his chin lightly on his hand, looking outside.
Then—
The door opened.
The noise dropped slightly.
She walked in.
Same as before.
Quiet.
Composed.
Untouched by the chaos.
Ae Rin, peeking through the slightly open classroom door from outside, whispered to herself—
"…So that's her."
Inside—
The girl walked to her seat.
Two rows ahead.
Near the window.
Not once looking around.
Not once acknowledging anyone.
Tae Kook's gaze shifted slightly.
Just enough to notice.
Not enough to be obvious.
"…She always sits there," he thought.
"Alright, settle down!" the teacher called.
Students hurried to their seats.
Attendance began.
Names were called one by one.
"…Kim Tae Kook."
"Here."
A pause.
"…Han—"
The teacher continued.
But for a brief moment—
Tae Kook's fingers tightened slightly on his desk.
He didn't look up.
Didn't react.
But he heard it.
Her name.
He always did.
Outside—
Ae Rin blinked.
"…Han…?"
She grinned slowly.
"…Got you."
Later — Break Time
The classroom buzz returned.
Students gathered in groups.
Talking.
Laughing.
Moving around.
Tae Kook stayed seated.
As usual.
Not because he had no one.
But because—
He preferred it that way.
His eyes shifted.
Slightly.
She was still there.
Reading.
Quiet.
Always quiet.
"…Does she ever talk?" he thought.
As if answering him—
A girl approached her desk.
"Hey, can I borrow your notes?"
She looked up.
Nodded once.
"…Okay."
Her voice—
Soft.
Clear.
Simple.
Tae Kook looked away immediately.
"…That's enough," he muttered to himself.
Across the room—
Ae Rin peeked again through the door, somehow still not caught.
"…Kooky is watching her again," she whispered.
A pause.
"…This is serious."
Inside—
Tae Kook stood up.
"…I need air."
He walked out of the classroom.
But as he stepped into the hallway—
"…Kim Tae Kook."
He stopped.
Slowly turned.
She stood there.
Closer than ever before.
For the first time—
Not across the street.
Not from a distance.
Right in front of him.
"…You dropped this," she said softly.
In her hand—
A small item.
Something that definitely belonged to him.
Tae Kook's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…I didn't drop anything."
A pause.
She looked at him.
Calm.
Unbothered.
"…Are you sure?"
Silence.
For the first time—
Tae Kook didn't have an immediate answer.