fragments of forever | han yujin zb1

chapter 11 : moments of clarity

the sun was barely peeking over the horizon as aejung made her way to school, a sense of determination in her stride. it was now a new school week, as aejung felt fresh after a weekend of focusing on herself. she arrived a bit later than usual, her steps purposeful as she headed towards their regular morning meeting spot. there, she found the twins and yujin already seated, chatting amiably.

when yujin caught sight of her, his face lit up in a familiar smile, one that reached his eyes. there was no hint of avoidance or tension, just the usual warmth he exuded. for a moment, aejung felt a pang of confusion, but she quickly brushed it aside, reminding herself to focus on moving forward.

as she settled beside boreum, yujin's smile widened, his gaze shifting to include everyone in their group.

"now that everyone is here, i have to tell you guys something," yujin announced, his voice filled with excitement. aejung listened intently, curious to hear what he had to say.

as yujin spoke, a hushed anticipation settled over their small group, each member hanging on his every word. "i have feelings for boyoung, & i'm thinking of asking her out this afternoon," he confessed, his voice tinged with nervousness.

the twins exchanged knowing glances, their eyes flickering subtly towards aejung, gauging her reaction. aejung met their gaze with a calm nod, her expression neutral, giving away nothing.

meanwhile, beomseok raised an eyebrow skeptically at yujin's declaration. "you know that she's like, really rude right?" he questioned, his tone laced with concern.

yujin chuckled softly, attempting to ease the tension. "that's because you guys don't know her real personality yet," he explained, a hint of defensiveness in his voice.

"well no matter what, she's still really judgy, yujin," boreum interjected, her words a mix of protectiveness and honesty as she stood up for her friend.

as the conversation grew more tense, yujin's defensive stance mirrored the rising tension in the air. "if she got closer to you guys, i'm sure she would be nicer," he insisted, his voice tinged with frustration.

boreum's retort came swift and sharp, her sassy tone cutting through the tension like a knife. "it's clear she doesn't want to though," she remarked, her words dripping with skepticism.

disappointment etched into his features, beomseok rose from his seat and began to walk away from the group. "i really thought you would've had better preferences, dude," he lamented, his disappointment palpable.

soon, boreum and aejung followed suit, leaving yujin standing alone, the weight of their words settling heavily upon him.

beomseok's concern for aejung was evident as he looked over at her, his gaze filled with empathy. "i can't believe he chose boyoung over you," he remarked softly, his disappointment evident.

boreum, equally concerned, turned to aejung with worry etched into her features. "are you okay though?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. aejung offered a reassuring nod, her resolve unwavering despite the disappointment lingering in the air.

beomseok's soft chuckle cut through the tension, a momentary respite from the heavy atmosphere. as they strolled through the bustling halls, the weight of their conversation lingered in the air, mingling with the echoes of passing students.

"i'm surprised you got over him that quick," beomseok chuckled softly, his voice laced with curiosity. aejung's response was a simple shrug, her expression guarded as she navigated the crowded corridors alongside her friends.

"do you like gunwook now or something?" boreum teased, her words hanging in the air like a delicate thread.

"no! he's just a friend," aejung replied quickly, her tone laced with defensiveness. she chuckled nervously, attempting to brush off the teasing with a forced smile.