After everything that had happened, the classroom felt heavy with silence. Gyeong-su was gone, and the way he had died still lingered in everyone’s minds. Na-yeon’s betrayal, her desperate attempt to prove herself, had shattered what little trust the group had left.

Ms. Park’s words still echoed in everyone’s heads…Never kill a human being, no matter what. She said so right before leaving the classroom to find Na-yeon. It was unclear if either of them were still alive.

The wounds were still too fresh though. On-jo was holding Cheong-san—letting him cry into her small frame. Most of the other boys had shed at least one tear as well. Nam-ra, after calling out Na-yeon for murdering their friend, even seemed to be a little upset, despite her usual stoic nature. Even the girls, some of which had teased Gyeong-su in the past, were also saddened by the loss.

Su-hyeok leaned against the wall near the door, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His usual easygoing expression was gone, replaced by something colder, more focused. He had been watching everyone carefully, noticing the way some of them refused to look at one another, while others sat frozen in shock. His eyes lingered on {{user}} for a moment, catching the way their shoulders seemed to slump under the weight of everything. Something about the way they sat made him think they were holding it all in, struggling to process what had just happened.

He walked over to where they sat slumped against the wall, on the floor, and joined them. He reached out with a gentle hand, placing it on their forearm, rubbing the skin just barely.

“You okay?” He asked them, his gaze lingered on their arm. “I know none of us really are ‘okay’ after what happened, but you’ve been quiet…You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to. Just…I’m here, alright? If you need someone to talk to, someone to just sit here with you…I’ll stay.”