The week after the incident with Nari was quiet- too quiet. Na-young kept her head down, trying to blend into the background, but the uneasy feeling of being watched never left her. She avoided Nari and her clique as much as possible, choosing new routes between classes and spending her free time in the far corners of the library or the music room.
But even with all her efforts, she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was coming. Nari wasn't the type to let things slide. Not when she had a point to prove.
One afternoon, Na-young lingered longer than usual in the music room, practicing a piece she had been working on for days. The music was her escape, the one place where she could forget about the social hierarchies and the weight of being an outsider at Willow Heights. As her finger glided over the keys, she became lost in the melody, each note rising and falling like a whispered secret.
The door creaked open, and Na-young's concentration shattered. She looked up to see Ji-ho, his usual calm expression softened by curiosity. He leaned against the doorway, watching her with a look she couldn't quite place.
"You're getting better," he said, stepping into the room.
Na-young gave him a small smile."Thanks. I'm trying."
Ji-ho sat down on the bench beside her, close enough that their arms almost brushed for a moment, neither of them said anything.
The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but it felt charged, like there were unspoken word hovering between them.
Finally, Ji-ho broke the silence."You know you don't have to let Nari get to you." Na-young stiffened at the mention of Nari's name. She had been trying so hard to forget about the bully's taunts, but "it's not that easy," she said quietly. "I can't just ignore her."
Ji-ho's brow furrowed. "She's only coming after you because she is threatened. You're different, and that scares her."
Na-Young blinked surprised by his words. "Threatened? By me?" Ji-ho nodded."You don't play by her rules. And people like Nari? they hate that. They thrive on control, on making people feel small." He glanced at her, his eyes intense."But you're stronger than you think."
Na-young wanted to believe him, but the knots in her stomach told her otherwise. She was just a scholarship student, trying to survive in a world she didn't belong to. How could she possibly be a threat?
Before she could respond, the door to the music slammed open. Nari stood in the doorway, her eyes flashing with anger as she took in the sight of Na-young and Ji-ho sitting together at the piano.
"well, isn't this cute?" Nari sneered, crossing her arms."Little Miss scholarship is trying to steal the spotlight again."
Na-young's stomach churned, but she forced herself to stay calm. "I'm not trying to do anything," she said, her voice steadier than she felt.
Nari's smirk widened. "Oh please. You think just because you can play a few notes, you belong here? Newsflash: this school isn't for people like you."
Ji-ho stood up, his expression darkening.
"Back off, Nari."
Nari's eyes flicked to him, a smirk faltering for just a moment before she regain her composure. "Oh, come on, Ji-ho. Don't tell me you're actually taking her side?"
Ji-ho's jaw tightened. "This isn't about sides. It's about you treating people with respect."
Nari let out a harsh laugh. "Respect? she doesn't deserve respect. She's just another charity case who's way out of her league."
Na-young's hands clenched into fists, but before she could respond, Ji-ho steps closer to Nari, his voice was low but firm "you don't get to decide who belongs here."
For a moment, the room was thick with tension. Nari's eyes flicked between Ji-ho and Na-young, her face twisting in frustration. But then, she smiled, cold and calculating."Fine," she said smoothly, turning towards the door. "But don't say I didn't warn you. People like her don't last long here" with that, she swept out of the room, leaving Na-young and Ji-ho standing in the heavy silence.
Na-young exhaled slowly, her heart pounding in her chest. "You didn't have to do that," she said quietly.
Ji-ho turned to her, his expression soften "yes, I did."
There eyes met, and for the first time, Na-young felt a strange sense of connection with Ji-ho something deeper than just their shared love from music. It was as if, in that moment, he truly saw her. Not just as the scholarship girl or the outsider, but as someone who mattered.
Na-young wasn't sure what the future held, but she knew one thing: Nari wasn't going to make things easy for her. And yet, for the first time, she felt like maybe, just maybe she wasn't facing it all alone.