Episode -3 " Hidden Words "

> “Park Haejin… who are you really?”

That question haunted me all the way home.

The next morning, everything felt normal on the outside. Same school walls, same noisy hallways, same whispers about Park Haejin everywhere I went.

But something felt different.

Especially when I walked past him in the corridor.

He didn’t glance at me.

Didn’t say a word.

But for one split second, I felt his eyes on me—like a flicker of attention he didn’t want anyone to notice.

---

Meanwhile, in the boys' classroom corner...

Haejin sat quietly with his so-called new ‘friends’—the boys who had suddenly started clinging to him like magnets just because he was tall, good-looking, and mysterious.

He didn’t say much.

Didn’t laugh.

Didn’t even fake interest.

He just... sat there. Listening. Observing. Silent.

And then, the topic shifted.

"Bro, did you see the new girl in Class A? She’s HOT."

"Not as hot as Minju, though. That girl’s unreal."

One of them chuckled. "But we all agree on one thing—there’s one girl who could scare off the whole school."

Haejin didn’t even look up.

"Yumin," the boy said, laughing. "Like seriously—glasses, braces, always alone, acts like she owns the back row. Ugh. I don’t even know why she bothers showing up."

Another guy added, "Yeah, I heard she confessed to someone last year and got rejected in front of the whole class. Honestly, with that face?"

"No offense, but she’s the ugliest girl here."

Everyone laughed.

Everyone… except one.

Haejin.

His fingers tapped the table once.

Then stopped.

> “Ugliest girl?”

He didn’t say a word. Not because he agreed—

But because he didn’t care what others thought.

Judging people by looks?

It disgusted him quietly, but he didn’t bother wasting breath on fools.

But then—

"Hey, Haejin," one of the boys smirked, elbowing him. "You sit behind her, right? What do you think? She's not your type either, right?"

There was a pause.

Every guy at the table stared at him, waiting.

Haejin looked up.

Eyes cold. Emotionless.

He didn’t say a single word.

Just picked up his water bottle, stood, and walked away like they didn’t exist.

The boys blinked.

"What was that?"

"Did we say something wrong?"

"Nah, he probably just doesn't like talking. Chill."

But no one noticed the look in his eyes as he walked down the hallway…

Like something had shifted inside him.

---

Meanwhile, back at her desk, Yumin scribbled in her notebook, unaware of the conversation that had just happened. Unaware that, for the first time, Park Haejin didn’t just see her as a random classmate…

He saw someone differently.

Someone he didn’t want others mocking.

Even if he didn’t know why yet.

> And he didn’t like it either.

Not one bit

It was raining.

Not the soft, romantic kind.

The crazy, unpredictable, "I forgot my umbrella and now I look like a disaster" kind.

Yumin stood at the school gate, cursing her luck.

Jiwoo had already gone, and of course… her umbrella was sitting safely at home, next to the books she meant to bring.

"Just great. I love being soaked and single."

She hugged her bag and started walking toward the bus stop anyway.

---

Haejin stood near the gate, watching from under his black umbrella. He had no intention of getting involved.

But then… he saw her.

Yumin—walking into the rain without complaining, her uniform slowly getting drenched, her hair clinging to her cheeks, and her glasses fogging up slightly.

But… something was different.

The way she didn’t care.

The way she laughed at herself when her shoe splashed into a puddle.

The way the wind messed up her hair, but she kept walking confidently—like she didn’t owe beauty to anyone.

For the first time, Haejin didn’t see glasses or braces.

He saw her eyes sparkle when she looked up at the sky.

He saw her lips curved in a smile that wasn’t for anyone else—just for herself.

And something in his chest twisted.

> “She’s… actually…”

---

Suddenly—THUD!

Someone ran into him from the side.

"AHHH sorry!! I wasn’t looking—"

It was Yumin.

She had slipped while walking fast past the gate, and crashed straight into the person she didn’t expect at all.

Park. Haejin.

For the second time that week…

She ended up tangled in a very awkward position—with him catching her halfway.

Her hands were on his chest. His umbrella had dropped. Rain poured around them like a perfect drama set.

Their eyes locked.

"You again?" he said softly.

Yumin blinked. "You caught me again. Are you secretly my guardian angel or something?"

He didn’t smile. But he also didn’t look away.

Raindrops slid down his hair, and his hand was still around her arm.

He stared at her face, close enough to see how different she looked without glasses… since they had fallen during the fall.

And for the first time—he noticed...

The shape of her eyes.

The curve of her cheekbones.

The light in her gaze.

> "Why… didn’t I see it before?"

Yumin slowly pulled back, cheeks turning red.

"Um… thanks. Again. I should really stop falling near you."

She picked up her glasses, wiped them, and turned them.

But this time—

Haejin picked up the umbrella… and held it over both of them.

"I’ll walk you."

She froze. "Wait, what?"

He didn’t answer. Just started walking beside her, holding the umbrella high enough to cover them both.

> And that was the first time Yumin heard silence that didn’t feel awkward.

It felt warm.

The walk under the umbrella started calmly—quiet footsteps on wet roads, the soft rhythm of raindrops hitting the umbrella.

But in minutes, the sky changed.

The rain grew wild.

The wind picked up speed.

It was no longer soft or romantic—now it was a full monsoon mood.

"This is getting bad," Yumin shouted over the wind, grabbing the umbrella with both hands.

It was wobbling, threatening to fly away.

"We can’t walk like this anymore."

She looked up at Haejin, whose black hair was now sticking to his forehead.

"My house is nearby. Let’s go there. You can leave when it calms down."

Haejin hesitated. "I mean—"

"Or would you rather get hit by lightning?"

He blinked. "Right. Lead the way."

---

They finally reached a small building. Yumin opened the old iron gate and led him to a narrow set of stairs.

"It’s not much. Just... home."

Inside was a simple, cozy apartment. Worn-out sofa, a small TV, and a few plants by the window. A family photo hung near the dining area.

"You live here alone?" Haejin asked, looking around curiously.

"No. My mom lives with me."

He raised a brow and smirked.

"Awwww… little Yumin still lives with her mommy?" he teased.

She shot him a look. "Don’t act like you don’t have parents too."

"Touché."

She went to get towels while he stood awkwardly near the entrance, dripping wet.

She returned with two.

"Here, dry off. I’ll get you some clothes—well, my dad’s old ones. Hope you don’t mind looking like an uncle for a bit."

He gave a short laugh. "Better than catching pneumonia."

As she handed him the towel, he froze for a moment.

Her thin school uniform was soaked, clinging to her skin.

The light fabric is now slightly transparent under the bright living room light.

Her bra outline is slightly visible—she didn’t notice.

But he did.

And he instantly looked away.

> Control yourself, Park Haejin.

Without a word, he stepped forward and gently placed the towel over her shoulders.

She blinked. "Oh... thanks."

He didn’t say anything. His ears had turned a bit pink.

"You… should go change first," he said, voice a bit lower than usual.

"I’ll wait here."

She gave a nervous smile and quickly disappeared into her room.

As the door closed behind her, Haejin exhaled deeply, running a hand through his wet hair.

> "What the hell is happening to me?"

...****************...

To be Continued.....

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