Unwritten Truths

Jun's Pov

By the time Jun reached home, the sky had shifted into deep blues and purples, and the stars blinked down like distant, watchful eyes. He pushed the door open slowly, trying to sneak inside as quietly as possible.

"Where have you been?"

Jun froze. His aunt, Molisa, stood in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed, her usual warm expression replaced by something softer—concern.

"I went to buy a book," he muttered, avoiding her gaze.

"You could've at least told me where you were going," Molisa said, a faint edge to her voice. "Do you know how worried I was?"

Jun's shoulders sagged. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

Molisa sighed, her lips pressing together. "Go wash up. Dinner's ready."

Jun nodded and headed to the bathroom, grateful for the silence. After dinner, he retreated to his room, the book still clutched tightly in his hands. He sat on his bed, the cool sheets brushing against his legs as he stared down at the book. It wasn't just a book. It felt like a key—an answer to something bigger. Something about the school.

His fingers brushed over the worn leather cover. The rumors had been buzzing for weeks—stories about the school's past, about hidden secrets buried beneath its walls. He had to find out the truth. This book was supposed to be the missing piece.

But then there was the boy. The one from the shop. Why did it feel like he was somehow connected to all this?

Jun opened the book, his heartbeat quickening, expecting something… anything.

But the pages were blank.

Frustration boiled up inside him, hot and unexpected. With a sharp motion, he tossed the book aside, the sound of it hitting the wall cutting through the stillness.

His breathing slowed, and the anger that had surged through him slowly fizzled out. He stared at the ceiling, feeling the weight of the silence pressing in on him. He reached for the locket around his neck, his fingers tracing the edges absently.

Who was he? Jun thought, eyes closed.

Suddenly, a strange feeling washed over him—an odd tightness in his chest. It wasn't a girl this time. It was a boy. The same boy from the shop. Jun's heart skipped a beat as their eyes locked. His face was delicate, almost ethereal, his eyes shimmering like they held a secret Jun couldn't yet understand.

Is something wrong with me? Jun wondered, his pulse quickening.

Aguh! Jun, calm down, he told himself, shaking his head as if to rid himself of the thought. He lay back, trying to ignore the strange mix of emotions twisting inside him, and let sleep pull him under.

The Next Morning

Jun walked to school in his uniform, the routine of the morning doing little to ease the tension in his chest. His thoughts kept returning to the book, to the boy, to everything that felt just a little off.

"Hey, Jun!" Mean called out as he spotted him entering the classroom, flashing a wide grin.

"Hey," Jun replied, setting his bag down on his desk, grateful for the distraction.

"What's with the face? Something interesting happen?" Mean asked, studying Jun's expression like it was a puzzle. He'd been trying to master the art of reading people's faces for a while now, and whenever he picked up a new trick, he'd test it on Jun.

"I don't know about interesting," Jun said, slumping into his seat. "But I got rejected."

Mean placed a dramatic hand on Jun's shoulder. "Oh, no!" His voice was teasing, but Jun could hear the genuine concern under it.

They walked toward the canteen together, the hum of students talking and laughing filling the air.

"So, how are you so good at singing?" Mean asked, the smile still in place.

"They said I need to fall in love to sing love songs," Jun said, rolling his eyes. "I don't know. Some people just don't get it."

"That's impossible," Mean laughed, shaking his head.

"What's impossible?" Jun asked, nudging him playfully.

Mean dodged the shove with a quick move. "Hey, don't get mad at me. But it's the bitter truth."

"What bitter truth?" Jun frowned, unsure where this was going.

"You're just not good with girls," Mean said, his voice dropping to a teasing tone.

Jun blinked, caught off guard. "That's not true!" he protested, his face flushing.

"It is true. Remember Rose?" Mean said, raising an eyebrow.

Jun stiffened. Rose. She'd been in his class last year, a girl who had quietly liked him. To him, she had been just a friend, but to her… well, that was never clear until the end of the year. She'd confessed to him in front of their classmates, hoping for something more, but he'd turned her down, and it had crushed her. She'd left the school soon after, and Jun had never seen her again.

"Okay, fine," Jun muttered, unable to argue. "I didn't accept her, but that doesn't mean I don't like girls."

Mean raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "I didn't say you didn't like girls. Just that you're a little clueless when it comes to them."

Jun groaned, dropping his head into his hands. "I can't deal with this right now."

By the time they reached the canteen, Jun was ready to change the subject. "Let's just get orange juice today," he said, gesturing to the stall.

"Okay."

As they stood in line, Jun couldn't help but notice the young man in front of him. The boy was paying for his drink, and when he turned around, their eyes met. Jun's heart gave an unexpected jolt. It was him—the boy from the bookshop.

The boy froze, his eyes widening, and before Jun could react, the boy collapsed, falling to the floor with a thud.