Chapter 14

Stepping through the school gates felt surreal. The familiar chatter of students, the crisp morning air, and the sight of my classmates walking to their homerooms should have made me feel at ease. But there was an undeniable weight pressing on my chest. My kidnapping had shaken me, and although I was physically healed, the emotional scars lingered.

Beside me, my assistant, Mr. Kang, walked with a tense expression. He had insisted on personally escorting me back to school today, his usual professional demeanor edged with concern.

"Hera, I know you're strong, but you need to be careful," he said, adjusting the sleeves of his suit. "The Taeil Group can't afford another incident involving you. And frankly, I don't want to see you in a hospital bed again."

I sighed, offering him a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, Mr. Kang. I promise I won't do anything reckless."

He scoffed. "You always say that, and yet trouble finds you anyway."

I couldn't argue with that, so I simply nodded. As we approached the entrance, I spotted some familiar faces waiting for me. Ji-Woo, Hee-Won, Lee Joon, and Se-Hyun stood by the main doors, their eyes lighting up when they saw me.

"HERA!" Hee-Won practically tackled me into a hug. "You're finally back!"

"Careful, careful," Ji-Woo scolded. "She just got out of the hospital."

"I'm fine," I assured them, laughing at their concern. "It's good to see you guys."

"You better be," Lee Joon said, crossing his arms. "Because we've got a serious problem coming up."

I frowned. "What problem?"

"Exams," Se-Hyun answered, pushing up his glasses with a sigh. "And judging by our study group's progress, we're in trouble."

I groaned. "Of course. Of all the things to worry about."

As much as I wanted a break, he was right. The exams were coming up fast, and if we didn't prepare, our group would struggle.

That afternoon, we gathered in the study group room, books and notes spread across the table. Ms. Lee was present as well, overseeing everything with her usual calm authority.

"Alright," she began, clasping her hands together. "We don't have much time, so we're going to focus on our weakest subjects first."

The room filled with groans.

"Lee Joon," I said, pointing at his math textbook, "you need to focus on algebra."

"I'd rather die," he muttered.

"Ga-Min," Ms. Lee called out, "how are you in history?"

Ga-Min leaned back in his chair, grinning. "Great! If the test is about punching through history."

I rolled my eyes. "You're hopeless."

"Then I'll focus on you," Ms. Lee decided. "And Hera, you help Se-Hyun tutor the rest."

And so, the chaos began.

Se-Hyun and I went around helping each member with their subjects, ensuring they stayed on track. Ji-Woo was surprisingly good at science, while Hee-Won aced literature. However, Lee Joon and Ga-Min... were another story.

Hours passed, and as the sun set, most of the group left for the night. But Ga-Min still needed extra help, which was why he ended up at my place later that evening.

Sitting on the floor of my living room, Ga-Min furrowed his brows at the question in front of him. "Okay, I think I got it this time..." He scribbled his answer, then looked up at me hesitantly.

I leaned over to check. "You... actually got it right!" I said, genuinely impressed.

Ga-Min's face lit up. "Really?!"

I nodded. "See? I told you, you just needed to focus."

He grinned, proud of himself, and leaned back against the couch. "I should get a reward for this."

I smirked. "Oh? Like what?"

"Maybe another kiss?" he teased, but there was a hint of nervousness in his voice.

I froze for a moment before clearing my throat. "About that..."

Ga-Min sat up straighter, watching me carefully.

"I don't regret it," I admitted, feeling my cheeks warm. "But... with everything happening, I just don't know if it's the right time for us."

His smile faded slightly, but he nodded. "I get it. Things are a mess right now."

"I'm just scared," I confessed. "I don't want you to get hurt because of me."

Ga-Min reached out and gently took my hand in his, his grip warm and reassuring. "Hera, I've been by your side for this long. That's not going to change."

I hesitated. "So what do we do?"

He smirked. "We take it slow. No pressure. No labels. Just... us."

I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. He always knew exactly what to say.

"Alright," I agreed, feeling a small weight lift off my shoulders.

Ga-Min leaned forward, a teasing glint in his eyes. "So... about that reward?"

I rolled my eyes, but before he could react, I leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

He instantly turned red. "W-What was that?"

"A surprise for getting the answer right," I said smugly.

Ga-Min blinked, his ears burning. "If I knew that was the prize, I would've studied harder."

I laughed, shaking my head. This wasn't going to be easy, but for the first time in a while, my heart felt light.

Ga-Min was breaking down the walls I had built around my heart. And somehow, I wasn't afraid anymore.