chapter thirty

the first signs of prom season showed up on a thursday.

the halls buzzed louder than usual. girls squealed near lockers, boys held up flowers or nervously clutched notes, and someone had even taped a glittery "will you go to prom with me?" sign to the front of a vending machine.

aeri walked through it all with yejin, weaving past crowds and posters and half-spilled confetti.

"everyone's going all out this year," yejin said, half-laughing. "i swear, someone's gonna bring a marching band next."

aeri smiled, tucking her hands into her blazer sleeves. "you say that like you wouldn't love it."

"okay, maybe i'd love it a little," yejin said, eyes scanning the hallway.

just then, a boy from the soccer team—minjun, a junior with a toothy grin—stepped in front of them. he held a small stuffed bear wearing a crown, and a lollipop bouquet wrapped in shiny pink cellophane.

"yejin," he said, looking slightly breathless, "will you go to prom with me?"

aeri blinked. yejin blinked twice.

then yejin broke into a grin. "this is adorable. okay. yes."

minjun fist-pumped. yejin laughed. aeri clapped her hands together.

"i can't believe that just happened," yejin whispered as they walked away. "he was so red."

aeri nodded, smiling. "he looked like he was about to pass out."

"you're next," yejin said, bumping her shoulder. "someone's gonna ask you. watch."

aeri laughed, but the sound felt hollow around the edges. because in her heart, she already knew who she wanted to ask her.

wonwoo.

they sat together again during lunch, just like always. aeri unwrapped her sandwich while wonwoo silently took out his notebook, flipping it open with one hand.

she waited, half-expecting it.

but he didn't say a word about prom.

not a comment, not a joke, not even a mention of how chaotic the hallways were. nothing.

she picked at her food. he quietly read. their knees brushed once under the table, but he didn't move, didn't even seem to notice.

and maybe that stung more than it should have.

after school, she lingered in her classroom a little longer than usual. most students were already gone, the building quieter now that the energy of the day had passed.

when she stepped outside, the sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows across the sidewalk.

and then she saw him.

wonwoo stood by the gate, hands in his pockets, backpack slung over one shoulder. his head lifted when he spotted her.

"hey," he said simply.

her heart gave a small, uninvited flutter. "hey."

they started walking, side by side, like nothing had changed. like everything was still the same.

but she felt it—the weight of everything she didn't say sitting right between them.

"did you see all the prom stuff today?" she asked after a moment.

"yeah," he said. "hard to miss."

she glanced at him. "kinda overwhelming, right?"

"mm," he hummed, noncommittal.

they passed a flowering bush near the sidewalk. petals littered the pavement. aeri's chest felt tight.

"yejin got asked today," she said. "it was cute."

"she said yes?"

"yeah."

wonwoo nodded, but didn't say anything more.

she waited.

but he never asked her.

and maybe he wasn't going to.

they reached the corner near her house. she slowed down, dragging her steps just slightly.

he stopped with her.

"thanks for waiting," she said, forcing a small smile.

"of course," he said, like it was obvious.

she hesitated. then, without thinking, "you're not going to prom?"

wonwoo looked at her for a beat too long. "i don't know."

she tried to laugh, but it came out soft and strained. "if someone asked you, would you go?"

he blinked. "depends who it is."

her breath caught.

but then he looked away.

and she nodded like it didn't matter. like she wasn't hoping he'd say you.

when she got home, she opened her phone and replayed the recording from the music room—his fingers brushing over guitar strings, the quiet emotion in the melody.

she pressed her phone to her chest.

and whispered, "please ask me."