The next day:
Morning arrived like a spectacle.
From opposite ends of the city, two cars cut through traffic with quiet authority—one sleek and silver, the other obsidian black, both unmistakable. They pulled into the school grounds within seconds of each other, engines humming low before falling silent.
The moment the doors opened, the campus exploded.
Jinho stepped out of his car first, perfectly dressed, uniform crisp, hair styled with effortless precision. Sunlight caught on his features as if the day itself had decided to favor him.
Moments later, Minho emerged from his own car—handsome in a way that felt almost unfair. His jacket sat easily on his shoulders, his smile already half-formed before he even looked up.
And then—
Chaos.
"MINHOOO!!"
"JINHO OPPA!!"
"LOOK THIS WAY!"
All the classes exploded.
Students poured in from every direction, phones raised, voices overlapping. Most of them were girls—cheering, screaming, clutching each other like they might lose consciousness if they didn't hold on.
Minho laughed, that familiar charming grin spreading across his face. He lifted a hand and waved casually, dimples flashing.
Several girls audibly gasped. One actually stumbled backward, supported just in time by her friends.
"I'm dying," someone whispered dramatically.
"Minho looked at me," another breathed.
Jinho glanced sideways, amused—then, unexpectedly, smiled.
It was subtle. Controlled. But it landed.
"Wow…" a girl murmured. "He looks like an idol."
"He's even more handsome than Minho oppa today," another said in disbelief.
Jinho raised a hand and—almost shyly—blew a kiss toward the crowd.
That did it.
The girls lost their minds.
Minho barked a laugh. "You're enjoying this too much."
"For once," Jinho replied lightly.
They walked inside together, the noise fading behind them as doors closed the classroom buzzed the moment they entered.
Minho dropped into his seat and immediately looked to the side.
Bobae's seat was empty.
He frowned.
She's late?
Or… is she not allowed to come to school?
The thought unsettled him.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone, thumb hovering over her name—
—and paused.
Sohyeon was watching him.
Her eyes lingered a second too long.
Minho locked his screen and stood abruptly. "I'll be back."
He didn't wait for a response.
The cafeteria was crowded, buzzing with lunchtime chatter. Minho grabbed a tray and moved toward a table—then slowed.
Whispers.
Soft. Sharp. Uneasy.
At first, he ignored them. Girls whispered all the time. It meant nothing.
Then he heard a name.
"…Bobae…"
He stopped.
His tray clattered onto a nearby counter as he turned sharply and walked toward the source of the sound. He didn't even realize how close he'd gotten until—
Bang.
His hand slammed down on the table.
The girls jumped.
One nearly screamed.
"What were you saying?" Minho asked.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
They stared at him like deer caught in headlights, shaking visibly.
"I asked," he repeated, eyes darkening, "what were you saying?"
Silence.
Then one girl broke.
"It—It was Lizzy," she stammered. "And her friends. And Sohyeon."
Minho's jaw tightened.
"They said Bobae was taking what wasn't hers," the girl rushed on, voice trembling. "They told her to stay away from you."
Minho felt his pulse spike.
"They… they beat her," the girl whispered. "Until Junpyo oppa came. He rescued her."
The rest of the words never landed.
Minho was already turning away.
He left the cafeteria without another word, pushing every doors in the school except the teacher's and the principal's door, eyes scanning faces, movements sharp and restless.
Lizzy wasn't there, his jaw tightened painfully.
Where are you?
And somewhere deep inside him, something dangerous woke up.