The classroom buzzed with idle chatter as Jihoon stepped inside. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on a familiar face—Kang Wonyoung. She was sitting by the window, sunlight catching in her hair as she scrolled through her phone. A smile spread across Jihoon's face as he approached her.
"Hey," he greeted, sliding into the seat beside her.
Wonyoung looked up and smiled warmly. "Morning, Jihoon. I was wondering when you'd show up."
He chuckled lightly, setting his bag down. "You know me, always on time."
She raised a brow, her tone playful but teasing. "Oh, really? Then why didn't you reply to my message last night?"
Jihoon froze, his smile faltering. He avoided her gaze, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Ah… about that. Sorry, I was… busy."
Wonyoung's eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering in her gaze. "Busy?" she echoed, tilting her head. "You're acting weird. Did something happen?"
Jihoon quickly shook his head. "No! Nothing happened. Everything's fine. Really."
She didn't look convinced, but she let it slide, leaning back in her chair. The professor hadn't arrived yet, and the classroom still buzzed with conversation. After a brief silence, Wonyoung suddenly leaned forward, her tone more serious.
"So… what's the deal with the crown prince?"
Jihoon blinked, startled by the abrupt shift in topic. "Ryan?" he asked, confused.
Wonyoung nodded. "Yeah. You've been hanging around him a lot. Aren't you scared?"
"Scared?" Jihoon repeated, frowning. "Why would I be scared?"
Wonyoung scoffed lightly, folding her arms. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because of all the rumors? You've heard them, right? He's an abnormal alpha. People say he's dangerous."
Jihoon's chest tightened, and he quickly shook his head. "Those are just rumors, Wonyoung. They don't mean anything."
She raised a skeptical brow. "Rumors don't just come out of nowhere, Jihoon. There's always some truth to them."
"There's no proof," Jihoon argued, his voice firm. "Ryan's not like that."
Wonyoung eyed him carefully, her gaze sharp and probing. "Why are you defending him so much? Do you…" She trailed off, her eyes narrowing as realization dawned. "Wait. Don't tell me you—"
Jihoon's cheeks flushed a deep red, and he quickly waved his hands in denial. "What?! No! It's not like that! I just—I feel bad for him, okay?"
Wonyoung's lips quirked into a small smirk. "You're blushing," she teased, leaning closer.
Jihoon groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Can we not do this right now?"
Before she could press further, the professor entered the room, calling the class to order. Jihoon sighed in relief, slumping in his seat.
But as the lecture began, he couldn't shake the feeling of Wonyoung's eyes on him, her earlier questions lingering in the air. Something about her seemed… off. She wasn't just curious. She was suspicious. And Jihoon couldn't tell if that made him more nervous about her or about himself.
To be continued....