♥︎ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 6♥︎

𝐿 𝑂 𝑉 𝐸❦⊹܀𝑆𝐼𝐶𝐾❦⊹܀

ဣ𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓ဣ____

⊹܀☙❦☙܀܀💌🌹ೄྀ𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐗ೄྀ

𝐍a-hee? Kim Na-hee? Mr. Song looked around the classroom and noticed Na-hee, who was resting her chin on her hand while she drew. She blinked quickly and stood up. "Yes, Mr. Song?" she asked, as all her classmates turned to look at her.

Mr. Song leaned his arms on the table in the middle of the room, looking serious. "Can you tell me the difference between listening and hearing?" he asked.

Na-hee fidgeted with her fingers behind her back. She was adding details to her drawing of Nam-ra, but that didn't mean she wasn't paying attention. This girl was good at multitasking! All her classmates were watching her closely. Some thought she wouldn't be able to answer because she seemed distracted, but others, like Na-yeon, were staring at her with hope and nodding their heads encouragingly.

Mr. Song was the teacher that everyone clearly disliked. It wasn't just because he taught math- though that was one reason but they also disliked him because he had a big ego and was very strict in his teaching style. His lessons felt intense, and many students found it hard to keep up with him.

"The difference between listening and hearing is that listening involves paying full attention, allowing you to understand and interpret what you're hearing" Na-hee smiled as she continued giving her answer, leaving the others stunned, like Dae-su, who was looking at her with his mouth agape, while Wu-jin put his hand over Dae-su's mouth to shut it.

"-while hearing occurs when you're not focusing on what the other person is saying."

Na-hee finished speaking, feeling proud of her answer. She took a deep breath, relieved that she had been paying attention in class. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to answer the question. Especially since Mr. Song was quite strict, she definitely didn't want to be on his bad side.

Mr. Song nodded, clearly pleased with her response. "That's right. Now, can you solve this equation on the board?" he asked, a smirk lingering on his face as he pointed his ruler at the board. It seemed like he was challenging her, and Na-hee felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach.

Na-hee blinked at him, then glanced at her classmates, and finally at the board. "Can you?" Mr. Song repeated, his voice firm. He looked around the room, tapping the ruler against the board to get everyone's attention. "Who wants to try?" he asked.

The other students quickly avoided eye contact with Mr. Song, hiding their faces behind books or pretending to be busy looking for something in their backpacks. Na-yeon, Na-hee's best friend, looked at her with pity. They had a special way of communicating without words.

*Na-hee, you solve it!* Na-yeon urged with her eyes, hiding behind her book so Mr. Song wouldn't choose her.

*Yah, I don't want to look like I have a big ego!* Na-hee replied silently, making a face at Na-yeon.

Na-yeon's expression scrunched up in frustration. *But you do have a big ego!* she insisted, shaking her head at Na-hee, urging her to take action.

Na-hee rolled her eyes but felt a small smile tugging at her lips. She was still standing, and maybe this was her chance to sit down again if she solved the problem. Taking a deep breath, she decided to give it a try, hoping to impress Mr. Song and her classmates.

Na-hee raised her hand high, her heart beating a little faster as she caught Mr. Song's attention. "Can I give it a try, Mr. Song?" she asked, a soft smile spreading across her face. Mr. Song nodded, his eyes encouraging, and he held out a piece of chalk for her.

With a small "thank you" Na-hee took the chalk and walked slowly to the board. She felt a mix of excitement and nervousness as she turned to face the blank space in front of her. Glancing back, she saw Mr. Song's serious expression, his eyes focused on her, watching closely.

Turning to her classmates, Na-hee noticed a few of them peeking over their books, their faces showing a mix of support and shyness. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves, feeling the chalk cool in her hand.

Na-hee focused on the equation written on the board. She remembered the steps Mr. Song had taught them earlier. With determination, she began to write, her chalk gliding smoothly across the board as she carefully solved the problem. She could almost hear her classmates whispering words of encouragement.

Na-hee finished answering the question and held a smile on her face to hide her nervousness. She turned around and handed the chalk to her teacher, Mr. Song. "I don't know if my answer is right, I just wanted to give it a try" she told him as she carefully made her way back to her seat. She sat down quietly, unaware that all eyes were still on her.

Mr. Song examined her answer and felt pleased. He adjusted his glasses, a smile creeping onto his face. It seemed like he had a favorite student now. After Na-hee settled into her seat, she began to draw details on her paper, letting the background noise fade away.

Mr. Song turned to the class and announced, "Na-hee's answer is correct." For a moment, everyone erupted into applause, proud of her for answering correctly and saving them from wasting Mr. Song's time. Na-hee jolted at the sudden noise, blinking in surprise as she looked around. "What's happening? Is it somebody's birthday?" she wondered to herself, joining in the clapping.

Wu-jin, sitting nearby, turned around and gently placed his hand on top of Na-hee's to stop her from clapping. He couldn't help but laugh. "It's not somebody's birthday, it's because you got the answer right!" he said happily, giving her a friendly pat on the head.

Na-hee felt a swarm of butterflies flutter in her stomach at his unexpected touch. She definitely wasn't blushing at least, that's what she told herself. *Really? I only tried to answer because I saw the exact same equation in a K-drama. But whatever* she thought, biting her lip and feeling genuinely happy, also saving herself from embarrassment.

The school bell rang, signaling that it was lunchtime. Mr. Song adjusted his glasses and said, "Alright, it's lunchtime. See you tomorrow." His eyes briefly landed on Na-hee before he walked out of the classroom, a new favorite student on his mind.

As soon as Mr. Song left, the students erupted in celebration for surviving his lesson. "I almost couldn't breathe for a second when he was choosing someone to answer at the board!" Gyeong-su exclaimed, dramatically placing his hand on his chest, trying to calm his racing heart. Cheong-san furrowed his eyebrows and replied, "Yah, stop overreacting." He crossed his arms, trying to look serious.

"Oh, come on! As if you weren't practically having a panic attack earlier!" Gyeong-su shot back with a playful grin.

"I wanted to disappear the moment Mr. Song started picking someone to answer" Hyo-ryung admitted, turning to Na-yeon and Ji-min. "It almost gave me a heart attack!" Na-yeon added, her hand dramatically resting on her face as if she were in distress. Ji-min looked at Hyo-ryung and smirked, "I know, you two were practically sweating."

Hyo-ryung scoffed and playfully hit Ji-min on the arm. "Yahhhh! That's not funny!" she protested, but a smile crept onto her face, showing that she was just teasing back.

The classroom buzzed with laughter and chatter as everyone enjoyed their well-deserved break from Mr. Song's intense lesson.

Nam-ra put one of her earbuds in as she stood up from her seat, her eyes landed on Na-hee. She wanted to take a peek at what Na-hee was drawing, but Na-hee caught her looking.

"What?" Nam-ra asked with her usual tone, holding her other earbud in one hand and her books in the other. Na-hee quickly shut her notebook, feeling embarrassed that Nam-ra might see her drawing.

"N-nothing!" she stammered, avoiding Nam-ra's gaze. Nam-ra blinked at her in confusion. Na-hee felt her cheeks heat up as Nam-ra put in her other earbud and walked away from the classroom.

As she left, Na-hee felt disappointed in herself. She was too shy to invite Nam-ra to have lunch with her, even though she really wanted to. She sighed, wishing she could break Nam-ra's ice cold exterior and share her drawings with her.

Na-hee rested her head on the table, letting out a deep sigh. The pencil she had been using slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor. With another sigh, she prepared to lean down and retrieve it. As she bent down, her forehead nearly grazed the sharp edge of her table. Just then, a hand reached out and gently stopped her, preventing her from hitting her head.

Startled, Na-hee stared at their shoes before looking up at his face, taking in the sight of the chic boy standing before her, who smiled reassuringly towards her. "You almost hit your head" he said, a small smile playing on his lips. Na-hee blinked in surprise as she stood up, her heart racing a little as she looked up at him. "T-T-thank you! You're Lee Su-hyeok, right?" she stammered, offering him a shy smile.

"Yes, that's my name" he replied, his eyes sparkling with warmth. "But you can call me Bare-su." His smile widened, making Na-hee feel a flutter of excitement in her chest. The sunlight caught the edges of his perfectly styled hair, and for a moment, she forgot about the embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Su-hyeok stared at the girl as the sunlight hit her every feature. He couldn't help but feel his face warm as he finally built up the courage to talk to her.

Na-hee then laughed softly, "Why do they call you Bare-su, if I may ask?" she inquired with curiosity. Su-hyeok shook his head and chuckled. "It all started because of Dae-su" he said, pointing at Dae-su, who was chatting with the others across the room. "He joked about me not wearing socks. It was just one time!" Su-hyeok explained to Na-hee, a playful smile on his face. Both of them erupted into laughter, the sound mingling with the warmth of the afternoon sun streaming through the window.

Their laughter echoed throughout the classroom, drawing the attention of their classmates. Curious eyes turned towards the pair who were getting to know each other. Dae-su gently nudged Wu-jin, who was staring intently at the two. Dae-su couldn't help but feel amused by his brother-in-law's reaction.

"Is that jealousy I see?" Dae-su sang playfully, a teasing smile on his face. Wu-jin rolled his eyes in response, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Yah, stop it, Dae-su! They'll hear your big mouth." Wu-jin replied, his gaze still fixed on the two, who looked like they could easily be a couple.

Joon-yeong, who was sitting beside them, smirked. "He's jealous." he chimed in, his eyes shifting between the two and then lingering on Na-hee, who was laughing and chatting with Su-hyeok.

"I'm not" Wu-jin insisted, annoyance creeping into his voice.

"You are" Joon-yeong teased, enjoying the playful banter.

Dae-su sensed a little competition brewing between the two and raised his eyebrows, trying not to laugh. "At this point, I think you both are" he said with a straight face, unable to hide his amusement any longer.

On-jo stared at the two people chatting, feeling a wave of sadness wash over her. Was it because of Su-hyeok or Na-hee? She couldn't quite figure it out. Deep down, she knew she had a crush on Su-hyeok, but her heart and mind seemed to be sending her mixed signals.

As she watched them laugh, On-jo felt a knot in her stomach. Su-hyeok being close to someone else made her heart ache. Why did it feel so complicated? She wished she could understand her feelings better. Whatever it was, it left her feeling confused and alone.

Cheong-san walked over to On-jo, a hopeful smile on his face. "On-jo, it's lunch time" he said, extending his hand to her. However, she seemed completely absorbed in the scene unfolding near the window, her gaze fixed on two figures engaged in animated conversation. Confusion washed over Cheong-san as he followed her line of sight, and his heart sank when he recognized Su-hyeok and Na-hee chatting closely together, their laughter ringing out like music in the air.

Why was it so easy for Su-hyeok to capture Na-hee's attention? Cheong-san shook his head, trying to loosen his nagging thoughts. He reminded himself that Su-hyeok and Na-hee were just classmates, nothing more. Yet, as he glanced back at On-jo, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was shifting within him.

He had always had a crush on her, but lately, that affection seemed to be fading The sight of On-jo's bright smile as she watched Su-hyeok only deepened his sense of longing and confusion. He found himself staring at the two once more, a sudden and unsettling thought creeping into his mind, what if he wished he were Su-hyeok, effortlessly charming and able to make Na-hee laugh? The idea lingered, heavy and unwelcome, as he struggled to understand the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside him.

I-sak, who was sitting beside On-jo, looked back and forth between Cheong-san and On-jo, curious about what was happening between them. "Yah, what's going on with these two?" she wondered to herself. She noticed them staring at Na-hee and Su-hyeok, and raised her eyebrows with a playful smile. "Oh, so that's why..." I-sak thought, piecing things together. *Okay...so On-jo likes Su-hyeok, and Cheong-san likes Na-hee? That's interesting!* she mused, hugging her stuffed toy tightly as she teased the two, completely unaware of the full story behind their feelings.

The three of their thoughts were interrupted when Gyeong-su came running towards them. "Yah! Let's go to the cafeteria, I'm hungry!" he exclaimed, wrapping his arm around Cheong-san's shoulder, a cheeky smile on his face. Cheong-san shook his head and cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'm hungry too" he replied, trying to keep the mood light.

I-sak scrunched up her face as she looked at Gyeong-su. "You're always hungry" she said, annoyance creeping into her voice. Gyeong-su raised an eyebrow and asked, "Hey, why are you so annoyed?"

"Yah, you two, stop arguing! Let's just go I'm quite hungry too." On-jo chimed in, trying to keep the peace.

With that, I-sak and On-jo made their way outside, with the two guys following closely behind. As they walked, On-jo glanced out the window of the classroom, still feeling confused about everything that had been happening lately. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off, and she hoped that a meal would help clear her mind.

As the months passed, Na-hee and her classmates grew closer. They shared stories, jokes, and laughter, creating a warm bond among them. Despite Na-yeon's negative opinion about the others, Na-hee began to see her classmates in a different light.

Na-hee's kindness and sense of humor made her a favorite among her classmates. They enjoyed spending time with her during lunch, working on group projects, and even during breaks. Little by little, their feelings for Na-hee deepened.

Some of them found themselves thinking about her even when they were apart. They would smile at the memories of their fun times together. Na-hee became a part of their daily thoughts, and they looked forward to seeing her in class.

As they shared more moments, like studying together or cheering each other on during school events, their connection grew stronger. Na-hee was not just a classmate anymore, she was becoming an important part of their lives, and they couldn't help but feel a special bond with her.

Na-hee takes a deep breath, clutching her backpack tightly, the school was over. As she walks, she notices students whispering and pointing at her. A group of girls giggle, and she catches snippets of their conversation.

(whispering) "She's so pretty! I can't believe her classroom is next to our class!"

(giggling) "I heard she's really smart too!"

(Whispering) "I heard she has a crush on Jang Wu-jin?"

Na-hee smiles shyly, feeling the weight of their attention. Na-hee felt her face getting warm as she heard a student say she had a crush on Wu-jin. She touched her cheeks with her hand, thinking, "How do they know that? Was I that obvious?!" she mumbled to herself.

Embarrassed, she quickened her pace, her face turning a deeper shade of crimson. *What is happening to me?* Na-hee thought, feeling flustered.

As the months went by, Na-hee found herself developing a tiny itsy bitsy crush on Wu-jin. She became shy and awkward around him, to the point where her best friend, Na-yeon, noticed her feelings. Na-yeon would tease her, calling Wu-jin silly names and playfully questioning why Na-hee liked him so much. Na-hee would just sigh, feeling a mix of embarrassment and confusion.

Despite receiving several love letters confessing feelings for her, Na-hee never opened them. She was too caught up in her own feelings for Wu-jin. To make matters more complicated, hell, even Yoon Gwi-nam, a student known for being mean and causing trouble, also confessed his love for her. This shocked Na-hee to her core. The whole school buzzed with gossip about Gwi-nam's confession, but he didn't back down. He continued to pursue her, insisting on his feelings.

Na-hee, however, couldn't bring herself to care about Gwi-nam. After all, he had made her school days a living nightmare with his bullying. She couldn't understand why he thought she would ever like him back. All she could think about was Wu-jin, the boy who made her heart race, even if it meant dealing with the chaos around her.

She's so busy having a crush on Wu-jin that she doesn't even notice how the others feel about her. It's like she's in her own little world, completely focused on him and missing all the signs from her others who might like her too.

Na-hee made it out of the school building, and you might be wondering where Na-yeon is. Well, she's sick and will be missing a few days of school. Na-yeon wasn't sad about missing class, but she felt down because she couldn't spend time with Na-hee. In fact, she even joked about wanting to get Na-hee sick too, just so they could both stay home together. Na-hee found that pretty funny.

As Na-hee walked around the campus, a familiar whistle caught her attention, making her stop in her tracks. She turned to her left and saw the familiar mullet boy, Gwi-nam, surprisingly alone. Na-hee gave him a blank stare.

"Yah? What do you want, Gwi-nam?" she asked, narrowing her eyes and carefully stepping back from him.

Gwi-nam clicked his tongue, looking at her with a smirk. "Give me your bag" he said, holding out his hand towards her.

"No way! I don't know what you'll do with it!" Na-hee replied, stepping back even more. "You'll probably spit on it or steal it!"

"Yah?! you shithead!"

Gwi-nam let out an amused laugh. "Whatever, you're so stubborn." he said, starting to move closer to her.

Na-hee squealed and took off running. She glanced back at him and shouted, "You'll never catch me alive!" Almost tripping in the process, she managed to keep her balance.

Gwi-nam watched her run, laughing to himself. "I was just offering to take her home. Whatever" he muttered under his breath. He felt a smile creep onto his face but quickly brushed it off. "She's so childish. Why did I even have a crush on her?" he wondered, shaking his head. "She's driving me insane."

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