chapter nine

"you've been hanging out with wonwoo a lot lately," donghyun said, raising an eyebrow as they walked toward the school gate.

"like, a lot a lot," yejin added, grinning as she bumped her shoulder into aeri's.

aeri rolled her eyes. "it's for the bet. obviously."

"sure," donghyun said, drawing the word out with a smirk.

"don't look at me like that," she said, flipping her hair. "you know i don't lose. and he's this close to falling for me."

yejin laughed. "you say that like you're not actually starting to like him."

"i'm not," aeri said quickly. "he's just... easy to mess with. quiet boys always are."

they didn't look convinced, but they let it go.

just as they stepped outside, the sky cracked open.

rain poured down instantly, loud and heavy, like the clouds had been holding it in all day. students screamed, ran for cover, pulled their hoods up or newspapers over their heads.

"run!" yejin yelled, grabbing aeri's wrist.

they dashed across the courtyard, splashing through puddles, laughing as they pushed past other students toward the bus stop. aeri clutched her bag to her chest, her shoes slipping slightly on the wet pavement.

they made it just in time, soaked and breathless. the bus doors hissed shut behind them.

it wasn't until she was home, in dry clothes, hair wrapped in a towel, that she noticed something missing.

her fingers reached instinctively for her necklace—the simple chain with a tiny silver charm—and felt nothing.

her heart dropped.

"no, no, no, i spent months saving for this!"

she looked for it everywhere. in her pockets, in her bag, but she found nothing.

the next day, aeri walked into class, annoyed. she'd searched her room, her bag, even under the couch cushions. nothing. it had probably fallen off when they ran in the rain, lost somewhere in the mud or the street.

she didn't expect anyone to find it.

so when wonwoo walked up to her desk before the first bell, she blinked in surprise.

"you dropped this yesterday," he said quietly.

her eyes widened.

he was holding her necklace in his palm, chain coiled around his fingers, the little charm glinting in the classroom light.

"you—what? where did you—"

"i saw it fall when you were running," he said. "i tried to catch up, but... you were fast."

she laughed, breathless. "i am fast."

he didn't smile, but his eyes softened.

she reached out to take the necklace—and for a second, their hands touched.

just barely.

but her skin felt it. that weird, flickering warmth. like static. or something else.

she pulled back quickly, clutching the necklace in her fist.

"thanks," she said, clearing her throat.

"you're welcome," he replied, already turning back to his seat.

aeri stared at his back for a moment.

it was just a necklace.

just a moment.

just a weird feeling.

she shook it off.

this was still just a bet.