Chapter 9

A few days later, Ara sat in the art class, her pencil gliding effortlessly across the paper. She was drawing a fashion model walking down the runway, the long, flowing fabric of the dress capturing movement in delicate strokes. As she added details to the model's pose, lost in her own world, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Wow, that's so beautiful!"

Ara turned to see one of her classmates, Mina, leaning over her desk, admiring the sketch.

A small smile formed on Ara's lips. "Thank you," she said, feeling a rare sense of pride.

But that happiness was fleeting. A shadow of sadness lingered in her heart. Drawing fashion designs used to be more than just a hobby for her—it was a dream she had once pursued with everything she had. But now… it was nothing more than a distant memory.

Before she could dwell on it further, another classmate, Jisoo, joined the conversation.

"Hey, Ara, I heard something interesting," Jisoo said, sitting on the desk beside her. "There's a female senior in the Fashion Faculty, right? I think her name is Arianna Park."

Ara's grip on her pencil tightened slightly, but she kept her expression neutral.

Jisoo continued, "I also heard that you and Arianna went to the same middle school and high school together. Is that true?"

Ara hesitated, feeling a sudden tension in the air. "Yeah, we were in the same school," she admitted, keeping her tone light.

Mina tilted her head curiously. "Then… if you were in the same grade as Arianna back then, how come she's a senior now, and you're not?"

Ara froze for a split second. Her heart pounded.

They don't know.

Of course, they don't. No one here knows about her past, and she had worked hard to keep it that way.

She forced a small chuckle, trying to appear unbothered. "Things just… happened," she said vaguely, hoping they'd drop the subject.

But Jisoo pressed on. "Like, did you take a gap year or something?"

Ara's smile remained, but inside, she felt suffocated. She didn't want to talk about it. Not now. Not ever.

"It's complicated," she said finally, shutting down any further questions.

Jisoo, still fascinated by the topic, smiled as she leaned back. "You know, it's kind of amazing. Both you and Arianna—you're both so elegant and tall. You have that model-like presence, you know?"

Mina nodded eagerly. "Yeah! It's like you two were meant to be in the fashion world. Arianna is already making a name for herself in the Fashion Faculty, and seeing your sketch just now… I feel like you belong there too, Ara. You're both really impressive."

Ara's fingers unconsciously tightened around her pencil. Compliments were supposed to feel good, right? Then why did they feel so heavy?

She forced a small smile. "Thanks… but I'm not really aiming for that anymore."

Jisoo pouted. "That's a shame. You seriously have the talent for it. And the looks! Honestly, both you and Arianna could easily be models."

Mina nodded in agreement. "Yeah! Tall, elegant, and with that refined vibe. I bet people used to compare you two a lot back in school, huh?"

Ara's chest tightened. They did. All the time.

Everywhere she went, people would whisper about how Ara and Arianna were rivals—the two most promising girls, always competing, always being measured against each other. And back then, Ara had cared. She had wanted to prove herself.

But look where that got her.

She swallowed the bitterness creeping up her throat and let out a small chuckle. "Maybe," she said vaguely.

Jisoo grinned. "I bet you were just as popular as Arianna back then."

Ara didn't answer. Instead, she just looked down at her sketch.

Mina, noticing the slight shift in Ara's expression, gently nudged Jisoo. "Hey, maybe we should stop gossiping and let Ara finish her art."

Jisoo blinked, then laughed. "Oh, right! Sorry, Ara. But seriously, your drawing is amazing."

Ara nodded with a polite smile. "Thanks."

As her classmates moved on to another conversation, Ara exhaled softly, her heart still feeling oddly heavy.

She didn't hate the compliments.

She just wished they didn't remind her of everything she had lost.

After some time

As Ara walked down the hallway, her mind was still lingering on the compliments from her classmates. Just as she turned the corner, she bumped into someone—a solid, tall figure.

Her body flinched at the sudden impact, and before she could react, her books and sketchpad slipped from her arms, scattering across the floor.

"Ah—!" She immediately crouched down, reaching for her things.

The boy she had bumped into knelt down as well, picking up a few papers. He glanced at them briefly before handing them over.

"Sorry," Ara muttered, keeping her focus on gathering her belongings.

"It's fine," the boy replied, his voice calm.

She quickly reached for her sketchbook, but noticed he was still staring at her. It was subtle, but she could feel his gaze lingering.

As Ara gathered the last of her things, the sharp sound of the bell rang through the hallway, signaling the end of the period. Students began pouring out of classrooms, their chatter filling the space.

She quickly stood up, adjusting her bag over her shoulder. The boy, still watching her, handed her a stray pencil that had rolled a little further away.

"Here."

She took it, murmuring, "Thanks."

The growing crowd in the hallway made her anxious to leave. Without another word, she gave him a small nod and turned away, blending into the stream of students heading toward the exit.

Even as she walked, she couldn't shake the feeling of his lingering gaze on her back.