Suspicious of Everyone

The book. It’s here.

Joo-seon didn’t touch it. He just stared, as if it might explode at any second.

The room was cold, even though it was hot outside.

He slowly reached out, hesitant… until he finally touched it.

Nothing happened.

He flipped through the pages, one by one. They looked the same.

Joo-seon stopped.

He flipped back a few pages.

And then… why was his name there?

Further down, handwritten in fresher ink:

“The one who is protected will be betrayed. The one who sees will be the first to close their eyes.”

Joo-seon brought his hand to his mouth.

It was him.

He saw.

He was always the first to notice things. To hear things before anyone else.

To feel.

---

At school, he tried to act normal.

But now, he looked at each of his friends with different eyes.

— Joo-seon? — Min-ha called. — Are you okay?

— I’m fine, just... just tired — he replied.

— You’ve been acting kinda weird lately. Wanna talk?

He hesitated. He couldn’t say anything. She’d think he was crazy.

But he could feel it: time was running out.

Where was Eun-ha when he needed her?

And then, he saw her.

Just up ahead, leaning casually against the wall like nothing was wrong.

As soon as she noticed him, Joo-seon walked over.

— Hey, Eun-ha!

— Hm? — she looked up.

— I need to tell you something. It’s about—

— Hey, princess~ — Ji-hwan cut in, grinning at them.

— Can you not call me that? — Eun-ha snapped.

— Oh… I wasn’t talking to you, sweetheart — he smirked.

— I was talking to him — he pointed at Joo-seon.

— Did you just call me princess? — Joo-seon asked.

— Yep. Haven’t you heard the rumors?

— People even know I exist?

— Not exactly. But they know Eun-ha hangs out with you. So technically, yeah — they kind of do.

— What kind of rumors? — Eun-ha asked.

— People are saying you’re girly ‘cause you only hang out with girls.

— And you’re telling us this why? Do you actually care about Joo-seon or are you just mad you’re losing popularity for hanging around us? — she shot back.

— I don’t hang out with you.

— But you’re here now...

— ...

— No, I’m not. — he turned and walked away.

Joo-seon watched Ji-hwan leave, the words still echoing in his head.

“Girly.”

“Only hangs out with girls.”

“Rumors.”

It wasn’t the first time he’d heard things like that.

But this time... it felt different.

A chill ran down his spine, and it wasn’t from the wind.

He looked to the side.

Eun-ha was still there, arms crossed, eyes narrowed in the direction Ji-hwan had gone.

Always ready to defend him. Always so... present.

Too present.

Joo-seon swallowed hard.

What if…?

What if it was her?

The chosen one?

The book had mentioned a bond. A sealed fate. Someone who would bring the end of his human journey.

She knew too much.

Protected too much.

Got too close.

His heart pounded in his chest, like it wanted to escape.

— So... what were you gonna tell me? — she asked, turning to him with that curious look she always had.

Joo-seon blinked, trying to shake the thoughts away. Her smile looked sharper now. Or maybe it was just his imagination.

— Nothing... it’s nothing — he mumbled, looking away.

Joo-seon turned and walked off.

He started walking fast.

Then, he ran.

He dashed through the school hallways like an arrow, his footsteps echoing on the cold floor.

— Joo-seon? — Min-ha called as he passed. — What’s going on?

He didn’t answer.

Didn’t slow down.

Just ran right past her like she wasn’t even there.

Up ahead, he saw Ji-hwan.

Without a word, he grabbed Ji-hwan by the arm.

— Hey! — Ji-hwan protested, startled.

Joo-seon yanked him forward, dragging him into an empty classroom.

They stepped inside.

CLACK.

The door shut behind them.

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