chapter six

the hallway buzzed between classes, lockers slamming shut, voices bouncing off the walls. aeri walked with yejin, sungmin, and donghyun toward their next period, her books hugged to her chest and her mind not really on the conversation.

"you're quiet," yejin said, nudging her. "what's up with you lately?"

"nothing," aeri said quickly, glancing around. "just tired."

"liar," donghyun said. "she's thinking about her library boyfriend."

aeri rolled her eyes. "he's not my—"

but she stopped.

because just ahead, walking with his head slightly down and earbuds in, was jeon wonwoo.

alone.

as always.

he moved through the crowd like he didn't even feel it—shoulders slightly hunched, backpack weighed down with more books than anyone needed, his steps quiet, calculated. no one noticed him.

except her.

without thinking, aeri shifted her books to one hand and slowed her pace.

"i'll catch up," she said to her friends.

"where are you—" yejin started, but aeri was already veering off.

she didn't run. didn't call out. she just walked faster until she caught up, matching his pace like it was the most natural thing in the world.

wonwoo glanced sideways, surprised. he pulled one earbud out.

"hey," aeri said casually, as if this was a thing they did all the time. "where you headed?"

he blinked. "uh... english."

"me too," she lied easily. "second floor?"

"third."

"right. me too."

he looked skeptical for a second, but didn't say anything.

they walked in silence for a few seconds. the crowd buzzed around them, fast and noisy, but something about walking next to him made it feel... quieter. aeri didn't know why. maybe it was the way he carried himself—so carefully, like he didn't want to take up space.

"so," she said lightly, "have you graded my reading yet?"

he glanced at her again. "you passed."

"barely?"

"with a decent quote."

aeri smiled. "i'll take it."

they turned the corner near the stairwell, and someone bumped into her shoulder. she stumbled slightly, but before she could steady herself, wonwoo's hand caught her arm.

just for a second.

he pulled back just as quickly, eyes wide like he hadn't meant to.

"sorry," he muttered.

"you saved my life," she said dramatically.

his ears turned a little red.

"i'm fine, really," she added, smiling up at him. "you've got quick reflexes."

"not really."

they started up the stairs. he let her go ahead of him, keeping a respectful distance. she could feel the silence again, but it didn't feel uncomfortable this time. just... there. easy.

"do you walk alone like this every day?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"yeah."

"why?"

he shrugged. "i don't really talk between classes."

"you do now."

he gave her a look. a very faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, then disappeared.

aeri felt something flutter in her chest.

they reached the third floor landing. she hesitated.

his classroom was just ahead—room 3-7.

hers was down the other hall.

she waited anyway.

he paused in front of the door, looking at her with that same unreadable expression.

"you're not in this class," he said.

"maybe i changed my schedule."

"that's not how it works."

she laughed. "fine. caught."

he didn't say anything. just... looked at her. not annoyed. not impressed. just quietly observing.

"you don't have to keep walking with me," he said.

"i want to."

his gaze dropped for a second, like he didn't know what to do with that.

a beat of silence passed.

then, very quietly, almost like he didn't mean to say it at all—

"thank you."

she looked at him, surprised.

he didn't meet her eyes.

"for what?"

but he just nodded once and slipped into the classroom, door clicking shut behind him.

aeri stood there for a moment, staring at the empty space where he'd just been.

he said thank you.

it was the smallest thing.

but for someone like jeon wonwoo?

it meant everything.