Lunch break felt louder than it should've been.
Like the whole school forgot how to breathe quietly.
I stayed at my desk anyway.
My sketches were still spread out in front of me—four versions of me staring back like I was the problem in all of them.
Jea-Hyun sat across from me, relaxed, chair tilted slightly back like gravity was optional.
And he was talking.
Not to me exactly.
To both of us.
Like it was normal.
Which… apparently it was for him now.
He pointed at his own drawing.
"My one is still the best," he said casually.
I looked at it again.
It was soft.
Too soft.
Me sitting by a window, shoulders loose, expression calm in a way I didn't recognize myself in.
"…you drew me like I'm not exhausted," I muttered.
Jea-Hyun shrugged.
"That's how I met you though."
I blinked.
"…you met me at school."
"Yeah," he said. "First time I saw you, you looked like you'd break if someone talked too loud near you."
"I don't break."
"You flinch at chair sounds."
"That's normal survival instinct."
He laughed under his breath.
Niran leaned against my desk like he belonged there more than I did.
Jea-Hyun didn't even react.
Like this wasn't new.
Like this wasn't weird.
Like he had already accepted it at some point when I wasn't paying attention.
Jea-Hyun glanced at Niran.
"You're quiet today."
"I'm listening," Niran said simply.
Jea-Hyun nodded like that made sense.
Then he tapped his own drawing again.
"I still think mine is accurate. He just looks… harmless in it."
I frowned.
"…I am harmless."
Jea-Hyun raised a brow.
"You got thrown through air yesterday."
"That was misunderstanding physics."
Niran exhaled like he was tired of my excuses.
Jea-Hyun stretched his arms.
"Anyway," he continued, "Lalita's the weird one in this."
At that name, my attention sharpened slightly.
Jea-Hyun nodded toward the other sketches.
"She's been acting… too focused. Like she's watching something I can't see."
I didn't say anything.
Because I already knew what he meant.
Niran spoke first.
"She sees me."
Jea-Hyun didn't even flinch.
Just nodded.
"Yeah. That's what I thought."
I froze slightly.
"…wait. You already knew?"
Jea-Hyun looked at me like I was slow.
"Bro, I saw him first week, The week you've seen him I Just pretended i didn't. I just didn't mention it because you looked like you'd explode if I did."
I stared at him.
"…you saw him FIRST WEEK?"
"Yeah."
Niran gave a small shrug like it wasn't a big deal.
Jea-Hyun leaned back.
"Lalita's the new problem. She's noticing too much."
I frowned.
"…what do you mean 'too much'?"
Niran finally moved slightly—just enough to fix my collar again without even looking.
Calm.
Automatic.
Jea-Hyun watched it happen.
"…why does he keep doing that?"
I sighed.
"Because he's annoying."
"That's not what I meant."
Niran answered instead.
"Because it bothers me when it's wrong."
Jea-Hyun pointed at him.
"That's not a reason."
"It is to me."
Jea-Hyun leaned forward again, studying him properly.
"So Lalita's seeing you more clearly now?"
Niran nodded once.
"Yes."
"And that's bad?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Niran tilted his head slightly.
"Because she shouldn't."
That answer made the air feel heavier than it should've.
Jea-Hyun exhaled slowly.
"…okay."
Then he glanced at me again.
"So Seo-Yeon too?"
Niran nodded.
"She reacts without seeing."
Jea-Hyun frowned.
"…that sounds worse than seeing."
"It is," I muttered.
Jea-Hyun ran a hand through his hair.
"This is becoming one of those situations where I wish I didn't ask questions."
"Agreed," I said immediately.
Niran didn't look concerned.
Just observant.
Like this was still manageable.
Jea-Hyun leaned back again.
"So what now?"
I looked at the sketches.
Jea-Hyun's still felt normal.
Safe.
Lalita's felt like something watching back.
Seo-Yeon's felt like pressure I couldn't name.
Haneul's still felt like someone wrote me down too accurately for comfort.
Niran answered simply.
"We watch."
Jea-Hyun sighed.
"Love that. Classic 'we watch' plan."
I groaned.
"I hate plans like that."
Niran leaned closer slightly.
"Then don't break."
I looked at him.
"…you say that like it's easy."
"It is," he said.
Jea-Hyun snorted.
"Dude, he's literally not easy."
Niran glanced at him.
"I didn't say it was for him."
Jea-Hyun blinked.
"…okay that sounded ominous."
I dropped my head into my hands.
"My life is just layers of ominous statements now."
Jea-Hyun tapped my desk lightly.
"Relax. You're still alive."
"That's your comfort?"
"It's all I've got."
Niran hummed lightly beside us.
And for once—
none of it felt like a joke anymore.
Lunch break was still going on, but the classroom already felt like it was slowly refilling—students drifting back in groups, noise building again like pressure returning to a sealed room.
I was still at my desk.
Still staring at the sketches.
Still trying to convince myself this was a normal school day.
Jea-Hyun leaned forward suddenly.
His eyes dropped to my wrist.
"…what's that?"
Before I even looked, he reached out and gently lifted my hand.
My wrist turned slightly under his grip.
The bracelets.
Both of them.
He blinked.
"Since when do you wear bracelets?"
I froze slightly.
"…it's nothing."
Niran spoke from beside me immediately.
"It's ours."
Jea-Hyun paused.
Slowly looked up.
"…yours?"
Niran nodded once.
I sighed.
"Not like that."
Jea-Hyun looked between us.
I exhaled.
"We made them," I said quietly. "For each other."
He raised a brow.
"And you're wearing both?"
"I'm wearing his," I corrected. "He can't wear anything. So I'm wearing it for him."
Jea-Hyun stared at the bracelet a moment longer.
Then nodded like it was the most normal explanation in the world.
"…okay."
I blinked.
"…that's it?"
"What do you want me to say?" he asked. "It's just bracelets."
Niran hummed lightly beside us like he was entertained.
Jea-Hyun leaned back in his chair.
Then stood up.
"Anyway, I'm going out for a bit."
I looked up.
"…class isn't over."
"I know," he said casually. "I'll be back."
He grabbed his bag.
Then paused at the door.
Looked back at me.
Then at Niran.
His gaze lingered for a second too long.
"…your hair is messy too," he said suddenly.
Niran blinked.
"So?"
Jea-Hyun shrugged.
"It's a new style too?"
Niran didn't answer.
Jea-Hyun stepped back into the room again—just for a second—and reached over.
He ruffled my hair lightly instead.
Quick.
Casual.
Like it meant nothing.
"You should try it," he said with a grin. "Relax a bit."
"Hey—"
Too late.
He was already walking away.
"Don't stress too much, Min-Jun."
And then he left.
Just like that.
The classroom door swung shut behind him.
I sat there.
Slowly fixing my hair.
"…he just assaulted my dignity."
Niran hummed.
"Improvement."
I glared slightly.
Then—
the room shifted again.
More students came back in.
Noise rising.
Chairs scraping.
Footsteps.
Normal school life resuming like nothing weird had just happened.
And then—
I felt it.
A presence behind me.
I turned slightly.
Lalita.
She had returned.
Her hair was still tied loosely, a few strands falling softly around her face. Same eyeliner. Same calm expression.
But now—
she had something in her hand.
A drink.
She placed it on my desk gently.
"Here," she said.
I blinked.
"…what is this?"
"For you."
Jea-Hyun's seat was empty now.
Haneul wasn't here yet.
Seo-Yeon wasn't visible.
Just her.
Too close again.
I hesitated.
"…I didn't ask for this."
"I know."
That made me pause.
She sat down beside me like it was natural.
Like she had always been there.
Her eyes flicked briefly to my wrist.
Just for a second.
Then away.
Too fast.
Like she saw something she wasn't supposed to react to.
I stayed still.
"…why are you doing this?" I asked quietly.
Lalita tilted her head slightly.
"Because you look tired."
"I always look tired."
"Still."
Silence stretched for a second.
Behind me, I felt Niran shift slightly.
But he didn't speak.
Not yet.
Lalita tapped the drink lightly.
"You should drink it."
I stared at it.
"…what is it?"
She smiled faintly.
"Something sweet."
That answer didn't help.
"…you're acting weird today," I muttered.
"I'm always like this," she said calmly.
That was definitely a lie.
Or maybe it wasn't.
I couldn't tell anymore.
She leaned back slightly in her seat.
But she didn't move away.
Still close.
Too close.
Her voice dropped a little softer.
"Your friends are interesting."
I frowned slightly.
"…what friends?"
She glanced sideways at me.
Then briefly—again—
at the empty space beside me.
"…all of them."
My fingers tightened slightly around my sleeve.
Niran finally spoke, low enough only I could hear.
"She's watching more carefully now."
I swallowed.
"…I noticed."
Lalita suddenly smiled again.
Like she hadn't said anything strange at all.
"Are you coming to class after break?" she asked.
"…yeah."
"Good."
A pause.
Then she stood.
Smooth.
Collected.
Like she hadn't just unsettled the air around me again.
Before leaving, she looked at me one last time.
Not at my face.
Not at my eyes.
Just slightly to the side.
Like she was measuring something invisible.
Then she said softly—
"Don't lose anything important."
And walked away.
I stared after her.
"…what does that even mean," I muttered.
Niran leaned slightly closer.
"Exactly what it sounds like."
I sighed.
"…I need a normal school day."
Niran's voice was calm.
"You don't get those anymore."
And for once—
I couldn't even argue.