The next day at school—
Everything felt normal.
But not for Jisoo.
Her eyes kept going toward Tang Lin.
Laughing. Confident. Perfect.
Like always.
"Focus."
Kevin's voice pulled her back.
Jisoo frowned.
"I am focusing."
"You've been staring at her for five minutes."
Jisoo looked away.
"I wasn't staring."
"Sure," Kevin said.
Jisoo closed her book.
"I don't like her."
Kevin replied calmly,
"That's obvious."
Jisoo looked at him.
"You were talking to her yesterday."
Kevin didn't answer immediately.
"So?" he said.
Jisoo crossed her arms.
"So nothing."
But her tone said everything.
Kevin looked at her for a moment.
"…Are you jealous?"
Jisoo's eyes widened.
"WHAT?! No!"
Kevin almost smiled.
"Relax. I was just asking."
Jisoo looked away, embarrassed.
"Why would I be jealous…"
There was a small silence.
Then Kevin said quietly—
"She's not important."
Jisoo blinked.
"…Then who is?"
Kevin didn't answer.
After school—
Jisoo walked home slowly.
Her mind was heavy.
As she reached her apartment—
She noticed someone sitting near the stairs.
Kevin.
"You live here too…" she said.
Kevin nodded.
Jisoo sat a little far from him.
"Long day?"
Kevin asked.
Jisoo smiled slightly.
"When is it not?"
There was silence.
But this time…
It wasn't uncomfortable.
Jisoo looked at him.
"You said yesterday… I'm enough."
Kevin didn't react.
"Why?" she asked softly.
Kevin leaned back, looking at the sky.
"…Because I know how it feels."
Jisoo stayed quiet.
Kevin continued—
"When your own family doesn't feel like home."
Jisoo's eyes widened slightly.
"They fight every day," Kevin said.
"Loud. Endless."
"I used to stay in my room… just to avoid it."
His voice was calm.
But heavy.
"One day… I left."
Jisoo listened carefully.
"No one stopped me," he added.
Silence.
Jisoo felt something in her chest.
Pain.
Not just hers anymore.
"That's why you live alone…" she said softly.
Kevin nodded.
Jisoo looked down.
"I thought… you had everything."
Kevin gave a small, almost invisible smile.
"People think a lot of things."
Jisoo looked at him again.
This time—
Not as the "topper"
Not as the "annoying boy"
But as someone… broken too.
"You're not alone," she said quietly.
Kevin looked at her.
For a moment—
He didn't speak.
Then he said—
"…Neither are you."
A soft silence filled the space.
For the first time—
They weren't arguing.
They weren't teasing.
They were just…
Understanding each other.