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Chapter 5 - Chapter Five: Under Pressure

Na-young's world became a tightrope walk of balancing school work, avoiding Nair, and pretending that her insides weren't in knots every time she saw Ji-ho. The piano was her only true refuge, but even there, the precious seem to be closing in. The gossip about her and Ji-ho had spread, and now people whispered when she passed by the hallways. Some of it was idle curiosity: most of it was cruel. The what part was, Nari wasn't done. She was far from done.

lt started small a shove here, a snide comment there. But everyday, Nari found in new way to make Na-young feel smaller. From "accidentally" spilling water on her books to having her friends cut in front of her in the lunch line, Nari's campaign of intimidating was relentless.

Na-young tried to ignore it, but every time she found a quiet corner to study or practice, Nari or her friends would appear, watching her, waiting for her to crack.

And yet, Na-young refused to give Nari the satisfaction.

One afternoon, as Na-young walked out of her maths class, she found herself face to face with Nari and her clique once again. This time, Nari didn't smile or make a snide remark. lnstead, she stepped forward, blocking Na-young's path with a hard, cold look in her eyes.

"You think you can just cozy up to Ji-ho, and that'll protect you? Nari's voice was low, dangerous. 'You're nothing, and the second he gets bored, you'll be gone."

Na-young's chest tightened, but she forced herself to stand tall, "I don't need anyone to protect me."

Nari raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by Na-young's defiance. "Is that so?" she looked over her shoulder at her friends, who Snickered behind her. "Let's see how

long that confidence lasts."

Before Na-young could react, Nari shoved against the lockers. The sound echoed through the hallway, and for a moment, the world seemed slow down. Na-young's books tumbled to the floor, her heart racing

as she tried to regain her balance. She could hear the faint laughter of Nari's friends but it was drowned out by the ringing in her ears.

Na-young's vision blurred, but something inside her snapped. She tired of being pushed around, tired of feeling like didn't belong .

"You know what?" Na-young said, her voice steady despite the boiling inside her "you're right. I don't belong here."

Nari's smirk widened, but Na-young wasn't finished. She took a step closer, her eyes locked on Nari. "But neither do you. You exist here because you can throw money at your problems. But someday, that won't be enough. And then what are you going to do?"

The hallway was silent. Nari blinked clearly not expecting Na-young to push back. Her smile faded into a scowl, but before she could respond, a voice interrupted them.

"Enough"

Ji-ho appeared, his eyes narrowed as he looked between the two girls. He didn't seem surprised by the scene in front of him, but there was an unmistakable edge to his voice. Nari, back off."

Nari turned to him, her anger barely contained. You're always depending her, Ji-ho. Why? What do you even see in her?"

Ji-ho stepped forward, his gaze never left Nari's. "Because she's not a coward who hides behind her friends to feel powerful.

Nari's face twisted in fury, but she said nothing. with one last glare at Na-young, she stormed off, her friends trailing behind her. Ji-ho turned to Na-young, concern flickering in his eyes."Are you okay?"

Na-young nodded, though her heart was still pounding "I'm fine." For a moment, they stood in silence, the tension of the moment still hanging between them. But before Na-young could say anything more Ji-ho spoke.

"Nari's not going to stop," he said quietly. "I know her. she's ... relentless."

Na-young looked down at her books scattered across the floor, her fingers trembling slightly. "I don't know what to do,' she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't keep going like this." Ji-ho hesitated for a moment, then crouched down, helping her gather her books. "I'll help you."

Na-young's heart skipped a beat. She didn't know if Ji-ho meant he'd stand up to Nari or if he was offering something deeper. But in that moment, his presence was enough to make her feel like maybe - just maybe - she could survive this. "Thanks," Na-young said quietly, meeting his gaze. For the first time in days , she felt a small glimmer of hope.

But as Ji-ho handed her last book, his fingers brushed against hers, and something unspoken passed between them. Na-young pulled her hand away, unsure of what to say.

The connection she felt with him was undeniable, but there was something about Ji-ho - something beneath the surface - that she couldn't quite understand.

Ji-ho stood up, his expression unreadable. "Be careful," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Na-young standing in the empty hallway, her mind swirling with thoughts she couldn't untangle.