Where Fate Begins To Shift

Outside the cafeteria, Sooyeon stomped ahead with her iced tea cup, now empty, fingers clenched around the plastic like she wished it were Haerin's collar. "Shiibaaal... that silly girl," she snapped, her voice sharp enough to split air. "I hate her. How did she even get both twins sitting so close to her? She's not even as attractive as I am." Behind her, Mijin hesitated before saying cautiously, "Uh... Sooyeon... she actually is attractive. Like... as attractive as you." Sooyeon stopped cold. Her head turned with surgical precision, eyes wide, one brow arched high in 'Did you just insult me?' disbelief. "What?!" Mijin's hands flew up like she'd triggered a trap. "Nooo, no! Slip of the tongue! I didn't mean it like that... I swear!" Sooyeon narrowed her gaze, lips pursed. She didn't respond immediately. Mijin fumbled for a diversion. "I mean... seriously, how did she get them over there? Was it the wounded bird act?" Sooyeon crossed her arms, jaw tight. "Must be. That fake sweetness works on guys with zero depth. She's nothing special. Watch... I'll make sure they forget her by next week." 

  The cafeteria had never felt so suffocating. Eyes. So many eyes. Haerin pressed her damp sleeve to her chest, her cheeks stained pink from tea and humiliation. The murmurs weren't loud, but they were everywhere, threaded into laughter, stitched into glances. She stood slowly, head bowed, fingers clenched around the napkin Jisoo had handed her. Then she turned, and ran. Her steps quickened into a hurried escape, her bag bumping against her side, footsteps echoing against the tiled floor. But fate wasn't done with her. Just a few meters from the cafeteria door, her sole slipped, A squeak. A gasp. Haerin crashed to the ground, hands scraping against cool tile, knees bent awkwardly. Her school skirt rode dangerously high, almost flipping open, only spared by the angle and speed of her fall. A chorus of gasps followed. A few laughs. One camera flash. She scrambled up, face now crimson and eyes burning. With nothing but dignity left to salvage, Haerin walked faster, almost jogging, trying to outrun the moment like it hadn't already tattooed itself onto the memory of half the cafeteria. Behind her, Minjun watched in stunned silence. Jisoo's chopsticks froze mid-air. Nana clutched her juice box, ready to swing it at anyone who dared laugh too loud.

 Whispers were no match for fury. Nana's eyes locked onto a trio of students snickering by the juice dispenser. One girl clutched her phone, gleefully recounting the moment Haerin slipped, complete with gestures and exaggerated gasps. Nana's steps were deliberate. Her grip tightened around the now-crumpled juice box.  "Really?" Her voice cut through the hum of chatter. "You think it's funny watching someone humiliated like that?" The whispering paused. One boy stammered, "It was just a joke..." "Oh, I love jokes." Nana leaned in. "Especially ones I can shove down someone's throat when they cross the line." The tension was palpable. Even the vending machine seemed to hold its breath. Another student stepped back, muttering, "Chill, girl." But Nana was already turning, not to cool off, but to catch up. She sprinted from the cafeteria, leaving behind a trail of stunned silence and one half-crushed juice box rolling slowly across the floor. Her sneakers squeaked with urgency, echoing Haerin's earlier footsteps. The hallway stretched ahead, echoing with distant sobs.

 The restroom lights hummed faintly overhead, casting a sterile glow on the pale tiles that echoed every shuffle, every breath.  Haerin stood by the sink, gripping its edge like it was the only thing anchoring her. Her reflection stared back, mascara slightly smudged, lip trembling. She hated crying in public, but this wasn't public. This was her small, tiled collapse. The door creaked open and Nana rushed in, still slightly breathless. Her shoes squeaked against the floor as she spotted Haerin. "Haerin," she said, voice gentler now. "You okay?" Haerin didn't answer right away. She stared at her blotched blouse, the bruised knees. "I fell... in front of everyone," she said faintly. "They laughed." Nana's expression hardened. "Let them laugh. They don't have hearts, just echo chambers for whatever Sooyeon feeds them." Haerin wiped her cheek. "I shouldn't have run like that." "You had every right." Nana grabbed tissues and gently pressed them into her hands. "And for the record, that spill wasn't your fault. It was straight-up sabotage." Haerin glanced sideways. "She hates me." "She's intimidated," Nana corrected. "You sat near Minjun and  Jisoo... without any efforts." That made Haerin pause. Nana leaned back against the tiled wall and grinned. "Honestly, even I'd hate you a little if I weren't me." Haerin laughed through a sniffle. And just like that, the tiles stopped feeling so cold.

 The bell rang, echoing through the halls like a reset button on the messiness of lunch. Students shuffled back into class, some still buzzing from the cafeteria drama, others pretending nothing had happened. The teacher clapped twice. "Alright, we're starting the group assignment today. Five members per group. I've pre-arranged the teams." A soft groan rippled through the room, everyone knew this kind of grouping was a toss-up between survival and chaos. Haerin stared down at her desk, trying to disappear. Nana glanced sideways at her, whispering, "If we end up with Sooyeon I swear I'll... " "Group Three," the teacher announced, pointing at the projector. "Haerin, Nana, Jisoo..." Nana's eyes widened. "...Donghyuk, and Yuri." Yuri whispered a squeal. Donghyuk blinked like someone had thrown him into a reality show. Haerin's stomach turned. Jisoo... in their group? "Group Six," the teacher continued. "Sooyeon, Mijin, Haechan, Sunmi, and Jiwon." Sooyeon barely reacted. She was too busy side-eyeing the front of the room. She saw the names. She saw the distance. Her lip twitched. "Group One... Minjun, Taeyang, Jinwoo, Areum, and Sori." Minjun turned in his seat, eyebrows lifting as he saw the group lists finalize. He gave Haerin a playful thumbs up. She stared back, not knowing what to do with her face. Nana whispered, "We're dead. Or blessed. I can't tell." Jisoo, who hadn't spoken once since entering the classroom, glanced briefly at Haerin, then scribbled something in his notebook.

 The golden haze of late afternoon painted the school gates in warm light as students trickled out with tired chatter and clunky backpacks. Haerin and Nana walked side by side, steps dragging slightly from the emotional weight of the day. Suddenly, a sleek black Genesis G90 glided around the bend and came to a smooth stop just outside the gates. The windows were tinted, the chrome shined like it belonged in a drama scene, and even the engine sounded expensive. Two uniformed staff, one driver, one bodyguard, stepped out and opened the back doors almost in perfect sync. Minjun and Jisoo emerged, calm as ever. No visible surprise. No flaunting. But the air shifted around them like gravity had realigned. "Oh my God..." Nana stopped mid-step, grabbing Haerin's arm. "They're mad rich too?! This isn't fair, this isn't fair!" Haerin didn't respond immediately. Her lips parted just slightly, eyebrows rising in soft, stunned innocence. No jealousy. No awe. Just quiet realization, like watching puzzle pieces fall gently into place. "Let's go home, Nana," she said, voice steady, almost gentle. They turned away before the crowd could follow their expressions. Behind them, the car door clicked shut. But the echo lingered.

 The late afternoon sun trailed behind the girls as they stepped out onto the tree-lined street, the chatter of other students fading into the background. Nana was on a roll.  "I'm telling you, Minjun's smile has a gravitational pull. I almost left my soul behind in the cafeteria," she said dramatically, swinging her bag as they walked. Haerin stayed quiet, watching the sidewalk, her thoughts tangled. "And Jisoo?" Nana continued, unfazed. "He didn't even say much, but when he gave you that napkin? That was elite. Brooding yet considerate? It's giving main character energy." Haerin gave a small sigh. "Can we please not talk about them right now?" Nana blinked. "Wait, what? Why not?" Haerin looked away. "It's just... too much today. The spill, the fall, the group project, the... the everything." Nana nodded, pretending to zip her lips, but five steps later, she burst again. "But imagine if Minjun texts you, like, one day, randomly. 'Hey, Haerin. Want to study trig functions and fall in love?'" "Nana..." "Okay, okay. Last thing. Just imagine Jisoo actually speaks in full sentences during the group project. I bet it's poetry in disguise." Haerin's lips twitched. Silence settled for a few more steps, broken only by the sound of gravel crunching under their shoes. "...Okay, maybe they're a little interesting," Haerin muttered quietly. Nana grinned like she'd won the lottery.

 She suddenly gasped. "Oh my God... it's the weekend!" Haerin blinked at her, startled from her thoughts. Nana grabbed her wrist like the idea was life-saving. "Should we go shopping tomorrow? C'mon c'mon c'mon c'mon! It'll be fun. At the mall. We'll walk through all the rich-people stores like we belong." Haerin was quiet, her steps slow, face unreadable. She looked straight ahead like she hadn't heard, but she had. Then, finally, her voice surfaced like a soft ripple. "...Okay, Nana." Nana squealed in victory, nearly jumping. "Yes! I'll text you tonight. Let's pick outfits that scream 'we don't care but we totally do.'" Behind them, the sun dipped lower, quietly blessing tomorrow's chaos.

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