I could feel their eyes on me all day—Min-ah, Soo-hee, and even Joon-seo. Their glances trailed after me like shadows, and by the time lunch rolled around, I was exhausted.
*I need a break.*
To escape, I slipped out under the excuse of grabbing a snack. As I wandered out of the building, I glanced toward the old tree but quickly shook my head.
*No. I don't want to sit there and attract more attention.*
Instead, I made my way up the staircase, step by step, until I reached the rooftop terrace—the one place no one ever really bothered to go. Quiet. Empty. Mine.
I walked to the far corner and leaned against the railing, letting the cool air hit my face. It felt good to breathe without all the stares.
But just as I started to relax, I heard voices.
Familiar ones.
I turned my head slightly and spotted them on the other side—Joon-seo and Min-ah.
Their voices were just loud enough for me to hear.
*Seriously? Can they not give me a moment of peace?*
"Doesn't Eun-ha look perfect today?" Min-ah said, her voice sweet but too deliberate as she looked at Joon-seo.
He looked away without saying a word.
"What? Do you like her again or something?" she pressed, a sharp edge creeping into her voice. "Did you forget everything she did to you?"
*Everything I did?*
*What is she even talking about?*
Joon-seo didn't answer. Just muttered, "Whatever."
Min-ah stepped closer. "Are you seriously thinking of going back to her? What about me?"
She reached out and grabbed his hand.
He sighed, low and tired. "Don't worry too much."
And just like that, her expression crumbled. She started crying—loud enough for me to hear every shaky breath from across the terrace. Joon-seo stood there awkwardly, then slowly reached out like he didn't know what else to do.
*What is this—some kind of soap opera?* I thought bitterly, pressing a hand to my chest, trying to keep it together.
It wasn't just the pain of seeing them.
It was how easily he let her in.
Then she leaned forward—and pulled him into a kiss.
And he didn't stop her.
He let it happen.
My breath caught.
*Why… why did I have to see this?*
I backed away a little, heart pounding.
*Why did he look at me like that today—like he saw me—if all he wanted was Min-ah?
And Min-ah… she saw me too. She wanted me to see this, didn't she?*
I didn't even realize the tears were falling until my vision started to blur. I turned away completely, biting my lip so hard it almost hurt more than the ache in my chest.
But not quite.
A few minutes later, I heard footsteps behind me—slow, casual.
"Tch. You're being too loud."
Goddammit.
Of course. It was him again.
Tae-woo.
He stepped out from behind the wall, holding a half-folded manga in one hand and looking mildly annoyed. "Are you stopping anytime soon? I can't focus with your loud sobbing," he said, waving the manga like I was ruining the best part.
Ugh. So annoying.
I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. My throat was too tight.
He glanced over the terrace railing, casually watching the two of them still clinging to each other like no one else existed.
Then, without a word, he sat down beside me and held out a bottle of juice. "Don't worry," he muttered. "It's unopened."
I hesitated, then took it with both hands, staring at the label instead of him.
He gave me a long look, then sighed like this was the last place he wanted to be.
"Seriously, what's with the dramatic transformation?" he muttered, taking a sip of his own drink. "Trying to be someone you're not?"
His tone was harsh, but the way he avoided looking at me directly gave him away. He wasn't trying to hurt me—he just didn't know how not to sound like a jerk.
I didn't answer. Not because I couldn't, but because I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing how fragile I was.
He clicked his tongue. "I mean, whatever. It looks good or whatever. I guess."
He paused. "Not that it matters what I think."
I looked at him, surprised.
He immediately looked away, annoyed at himself. "Don't look at me like that. It's not a compliment, alright? Just an observation."
God. He was so bad at this.
"I didn't ask for your opinion," I mumbled.
"Yeah, well, too bad," he said, leaning back against the wall. "You were crying so loud, it's only fair I get to say something."
I scoffed quietly. But weirdly enough… it made me feel better.
He tossed me the drink again. "Just drink it, loser. You look like a mess."
I blinked at him.
"...No offense," he added half-heartedly, clearly not used to softening his words. Then he mumbled, almost too low for me to hear: "I've seen worse."
He sat there, flipping through his manga like I wasn't even there. But he stayed. And for some reason, that meant more than anything he said.
I held the drink in my hands, feeling the cool condensation press against my palms. I hadn't even opened it yet, but somehow it grounded me.
Tae-woo didn't say anything else. He just sat there flipping through his manga, his expression unreadable as ever. Every now and then, he'd turn a page with a dramatic sigh, like I was the one bothering him.
I sniffled quietly, wiping my face with the back of my hand. My throat still burned, but the storm inside me had quieted down just enough.
"You're seriously crying over *him*?" Tae-woo said suddenly, not even looking up.
I shot him a glare. "Do you *ever* filter your words?"
He shrugged. "Just saying. You don't strike me as the type to cry over someone that lame."
"You don't even know me," I muttered.
"True," he said, turning another page. "But I've seen enough."
There was a beat of silence. Then he added, voice low, "You looked better when you weren't trying so hard to be invisible."
I turned to look at him.
His eyes were still on his manga, but his ears were just a *little* red.
I couldn't tell if that was another weird backhanded compliment or just him being... him.
"Thanks… I guess?" I said, unsure.
"Don't thank me," he snapped. "It's not like I said it for your sake. Just don't want to hear your crying echoing off the damn rooftop."
I laughed. Genuinely. A short, watery sound that even surprised me.
Tae-woo glanced at me. "Ugh. You're seriously weird."
"Says you," I smirked.
He didn't reply. Just went back to reading like he hadn't just helped me breathe again.
For a while, we sat in silence. The breeze brushing against our arms. My tears drying. His presence—gruff, unwilling, but somehow comforting—anchoring me in place.
And for once, I didn't feel so completely alone.
We sat in silence for a while, the kind that didn't feel heavy anymore. Just… still.
The wind tugged gently at my hair. I wiped the corner of my eye with the sleeve of my cardigan, not even caring if it smudged anything.
Tae-woo leaned back on his elbows, staring up at the sky like he hadn't just witnessed me fall apart.
Then, the bell rang—sharp and sudden, pulling us both out of the moment.
"Lunch is over," he said, getting up and brushing imaginary dust off his pants. "Try not to cry in the middle of class. It's annoying."
I stood too, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "You're annoying."
He smirked. "You're welcome."
And just like that, he walked off.
I followed a few steps behind, a little lighter, a little steadier.
Maybe not okay yet—but definitely not shattered. Not anymore.