Minjin's guilt and Mun Sara's guilt-tripping

Minjin was walking down the hallway, sighing deeply to herself.

When she reached the back door of their classroom, she immediately spotted Minjun sitting at a desk in the center of the room, surrounded by their classmates. She tried to stay composed as she walked to her seat. Once she sat down at her desk, she began to organize her belongings, but she couldn't help glancing over at Minjun. Deep down, she felt upset watching him act cool in front of their classmates, and recalling their recent fight crossed her mind again.

Just then, Bang Eun-kyung plopped down beside her, grinning mischievously. "So, tell me, what happened last night?" he asked, resting his head on his hand with a playful expression.

Minjin gave him a sharp look. "What do you think happened?" 

Bang Eun-kyung's grin widened. "Did your in-laws like the dress you wore?" 

Minjin's hand shot up as if to hit him, her voice barely above a whisper. "Shh! Keep it down! No one knows I went there last night!" 

"Why are you hiding it? Every girl would envy you," he teased. 

"Don't tell Sara-ah about it, okay?" Minjin insisted as she turned to place her backpack behind her chair.

Bang Eun-kyung looked puzzled. "Why not? Isn't she your friend?" 

"She is, but just don't tell her, please," Minjin repeated. 

Bang Eun-kyung then leaned over in his chair. "Can I ask you about it? Just for confirmation."

Minjin kept her eyes on her book as she opened it. "About what?" she asked.

"She... likes Minjun, right?" Bang Eun-kyung replied, tilting his head and staring at Minjin.

The question made Minjin's eyes widen, and she slowly turned to look at him. "How did you know that?" she whispered.

Bang Eun-kyung smiled faintly. "Remember when you were sleeping and Minjun on your desks? She came over to see for herself, and that's how I knew."

Minjin's eyes widened even more. "Omo, really? She saw that?" she asked, trying to lower her voice. 

Bang Eun-kyung nodded. "Yeah."

Minjin let out a deep sigh and covered her face with her hands. She then turned back to Bang Eun-kyung. "Please don't tell anyone about this, okay?" 

"Okay, I won't. But, Minjin-ah, doesn't it complicate things for you and her? How will you handle it once Minjun… well, you know what I mean," Bang Eun-kyung said.

Minjin sighed again and glanced at Minjun, who was chatting casually with one of their female classmates. "I don't know," she replied.

"Speaking of that, when are you going to reconcile with Minjun?" Bang Eun-kyung asked.

Minjin snorted and began to open her notes. "He should be the one apologizing to me. I tried to apologize first, but he reacted so rudely."

"Come on, how can you both stay mad at each other while sitting so close?" Bang Eun-kyung asked.

Minjin shrugged slightly. "I have no idea."

Suddenly, Minjun's voice interrupted their conversation. "Ya, go back to your seat." 

Bang Eun-kyung raised his hands in mock surrender as he stood up. "Alright, alright." He shot one last grin at Minjun before walking away.

Minjun settled back at his desk and scanned his book. He stole a glance at Minjin out of the corner of his eye before returning to his notes and letting out a deep sigh.

### 

As the days went by, Minjin and Minjun maintained their distance despite sitting near each other in the classroom.

Although they were physically close, their emotional gap was evident. Minjin tried to keep her composure, but it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to bear it. She would often steal glances at Minjun from the corner of her eye, watching him act as if everything was fine while she battled her internal struggles.

The pain of their strained relationship was evident during her moments of solitude. She would rest her head on her desk and, when overwhelmed, tug at her hair in frustration, letting out silent cries of anguish. As Minjin sat beside Minjun, the weight of her emotions prevented her from sleeping, so she kept her eyes fixed on the window outside.

As the days went on, their classmates began to notice the unusual silence between Minjin and Minjun. They were accustomed to hearing the two argue frequently. During self-study sessions, Minjun often helped their classmates, staying away from Minjin while she would walk out of the room.

Mun Sara was among the group gathered around Minjun when she saw that Minjin had left the self-study class again. She turned her attention back to Minjun just as one of their female classmates suddenly asked, "Minjun-ah, what happened between you and Minjin-ah? There's such intense tension between you two."

Minjun forced a smile, trying to hide his hurt. "You could say she hates me."

Another classmate chimed in, "Minjun-ah, you've always been cool to everyone, especially the girls. But with her, you seem... different."

Minjun smiled faintly as he glanced around at the crowd surrounding him. Everyone was watching him with curiosity. "Minjin-ah and I have known each other since we were little kids. I suppose she knows me better than anyone else, and that's what frustrates me."

Minjun lowered his head to resume his notes and the ongoing discussion, but the group fell silent. Mun Sara's eyes widened at his statement. She noticed that everyone was exchanging confused glances before turning her gaze back to Minjun, who appeared to be acting casually in front of everyone else.

### 

In recent taekwondo sessions, Heo Yeong-hwan noticed a significant decline in Minjin's performance.

Her usual sharp kicks and accurate strikes had become less precise, and her movements lacked the fluidity they once had. Observing her from the sidelines, Heo Yeong-hwan sensed that something deeper might be affecting her concentration.

As the training session concluded and some students began to head to the changing room, Mr. Kim called Minjin over. Heo Yeong-hwan watched as she approached Mr. Kim, standing before him with her hands clasped behind her back as a sign of respect.

Mr. Kim sighed deeply and lifted his head for a moment, placing his hands on his waist. He then turned to Minjin. "What is wrong with you, Minjin-ah? Please tell me."

Minjin swallowed hard, keeping her eyes downcast. "N-nothing, saem."

"You've been acting weak these past few weeks. Are you exhausted?" Mr. Kim asked while Heo Yeong-hwan listened from a distance.

Minjin lowered her head and shook it slightly. "I guess I am, saem."

"You still have not responded to my offer from a couple of weeks ago. Are you going to give me an answer, Minjin-ah?" Mr. Kim asked.

Minjin sighed deeply and turned to face Mr. Kim. "I'm sorry, saem, but I don't want to participate in the computation. I really am sorry." She then bowed her head to decline politely.

Mr. Kim sighed and said, "I understand. You may go now."

Minjin bowed respectfully before walking away. Heo Yeong-hwan quickly approached her. "Minjin-ah, why did you reject the offer?" he asked.

Minjin paused and turned to face him. "I'm too tired to handle everything at once. Studying hard while working on my brain is already physically exhausting, Yeong-hwan-ah."

"But I've noticed that you've been acting strangely lately. What's wrong?" Heo Yeong-hwan asked.

Minjin sighed deeply, her shoulders slumped. "I'm just tired. Midterms are coming up, and…" She paused for a moment. "Nothing... I'm just really tired."

Heo Yeong-hwan saw her hesitation but, sensing her stress, chose not to press further. He nodded. "Alright, then. Go home early and get some rest."

Minjin offered a faint smile. "Okay," she replied before turning her back to him.

Heo Yeong-hwan let out a deep sigh as he watched her walk away.

### 

Inside the classroom, Minjun appeared to be acting normally beside Minjin.

In the cafeteria, Minjin often stood at the front of the line with Kim Aecha and Heo Yeong-hwan, while Minjun observed her from a distance until it was their turn to get their meals. After they picked up their trays, Minjun would frequently glance over at Minjin's table, where he often saw Heo Yeong-hwan placing food on Minjin's tray. While they ate at their table, Mun Sara would frequently catch Minjun watching them with anger. As a result, Minjun often left the cafeteria immediately, barely touching the food on his tray.

Mun Sara followed him to the library, where she often found him sitting alone with his hands covering his face. Whenever someone approached him, he would quickly smile and be polite. 

After their self-study sessions, Mun Sara and Minjun continued their studies at the study house. However, she often noticed Minjun staring at his book while holding his pen while lost in thought. 

One time, she asked Minjun to treat him to some ice cream, but he sadly declined her offer.

Mun Sara noticed the pattern of Minjun's behavior and realized it broke her heart to see him this way, especially since it was her first time seeing him like this. It hurt her even more to understand that his actions were influenced by Minjin. This realization brought tears to her eyes as she felt a deep ache inside her. She recognized that there was a special bond between the two that she could not ignore disrupt.

Mun Sara had been trying to observe Minjin from a distance as well. Unlike Minjun, Minjin seemed unaffected by their situation. She had stopped sleeping in class and was becoming more active. Minjin easily joined Kim Aecha and Heo Yeong-hwan for meals. After their self-study class, even when Mun Sara was with Minjun in the study house, she often texted Minjin to find out where she was. Mun Sara would later discover that Minjin was either playing computer games or enjoying a meal at Heo Yeong-hwan's BBQ restaurant.

These observations made her feel upset.

### 

It was finally midterm week, and for Minjin, this was her first experience with formal examinations in a Korean high school. Students dedicated a significant amount of time to studying both at school and at home in preparation for their exams. Teachers extended class time to cover important topics and provided additional practice problems. 

Typically, students took several tests in different subjects on the same day, with only short breaks between each exam. The tests usually covered material from the first half of the semester, including Korean, math, English, science, and social studies. Each exam had a designated time limit, which encouraged students to manage their time effectively. Additionally, extra study sessions were offered to help students prepare.

She noticed that every student seemed busy and engaged, concentrating intently on their studies. Although she tried to focus as well, she didn't feel the same pressure as the others. Instead, she often found herself looking at Minjun, who, like the others, was also deeply immersed in his work.

During the exam, Minjin occasionally glanced at Minjun. She noticed how diligent and focused he was, carefully tackling each question. Mr. Kang's words echoed in her mind, and although she believed in her own potential, she found herself wishing that Minjun would keep his position as the top student and Mun Sara would remain in second place. As for herself, she realized that the class rankings no longer mattered to her.

After the morning exam ended, Minjun quickly left the classroom without looking back.

Bang Eun-kyung slipped into the seat beside Minjin. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"The exams are difficult; how could I be okay?" Minjin replied, hinting at sarcasm in her tone.

Bang Eun-kyung sighed. "I didn't expect Minjun to avoid you for this long. It's been weeks. I just hope it doesn't affect him this week."

Minjin forced a smile. "Don't underestimate Minjun. He can live without me."

At that moment, Mun Sara approached them. "Minjin-ah, can we talk?" she asked.

Minjin looked up. "Of course."

"Let's talk outside," Mun Sara suggested.

"Araso," Minjin agreed.

As they left the classroom, Minjin spotted Kim Aecha approaching in the hallway. Upon seeing them, Kim Aecha stopped in her tracks. "You go ahead, Aecha-ah. I need to talk to Sara-ah for a moment," Minjin said.

"Araso," Kim Aecha replied.

Just then, Bang Eun-kyung stepped out of the classroom and spotted her. Kim Aecha approached him. "What's going on?" she asked.

"How's Minjin doing?" he inquired.

Kim Aecha tilted her head. "Um, I think she's alright. Why do you ask?"

Bang Eun-kyung sighed again. "It's been weeks since Minjun and Minjin started ignoring each other. Some of our classmates have noticed, too."

Kim Aecha's expression fell. "Minjin-ah hasn't told me anything." She paused, then sighed as she watched Mun Sara and Minjin disappear at the end of the hallway. "I wish she would."

"I think you should follow them," Bang Eun-Kyung suggested. 

Kim Aecha frowned slightly in confusion and turned to him. "Why would I?" 

Bang Eun-Kyung sighed deeply. "Just do it."

### 

Mun Sara led Minjin to the secluded garden, away from the bustling crowd of students. When she turned to face Minjin, it became clear that Mun Sara was upset—more than Minjin had ever seen her before. 

"I shouldn't meddle, but I can't hold it in any longer," Mun Sara began, her voice trembling.

"What's wrong, Sara-ah?" Minjin asked.

"You seem fine, acting all normal. But you don't care about Minjun-ah, do you? " Mun Sara's voice almost trembling with frustration.

"What do you mean?" Minjin's confusion deepened.

"You don't see it, but I do! You've been making Minjun-ah sad!" Mun Sara's voice cracked as she struggled to hold back tears.

"Sara-ah," Minjin whispered with her shock eyes.

"I don't understand why you two are fighting, but how can you act like nothing is wrong while Minjun is emotionally struggling? He was fine before you arrived! He was cool and composed—he was himself! But now, because of you, he's lost! He's sad, and it breaks my heart to see him pretending and wearing a mask so no one else can notice!"

Minjin stood frozen, the impact of Mun Sara's revelation hitting her hard. Tears began to swell in her eyes as she realized she had no idea Minjun was suffering. To her, he always seemed fine.

From a distance, Kim Aecha had seen and heard the conversation. She wanted to intervene but hesitated, sensing that this was a moment Minjin needed to confront on her own.

"You've disrupted Minjun's peaceful life, Minjin-ah. How could you be so thoughtless and selfish? Don't make me resent you, Minjin-ah. I know you're smarter than this," Mun Sara said, her voice breaking as she spoke.

As Mun Sara turned to leave, she paused when she noticed Kim Aecha standing nearby. They exchanged a glance, but Mun Sara continued walking, her steps weighed down by frustration and tears on her face.

After she left, Kim Aecha slowly approached Minjin, who stood there with tears streaming down her face while looking utterly lost. "Minjin-ah," Kim Aecha said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "It's okay to cry. Don't hold it in."

Minjin began to sob as the weight of Mun Sara's words crashed down on her. All the pain she had been bottling up for weeks came flooding out. Deep down, she started blaming herself, realizing she never noticed that Minjun was hurting. She had thought he was fine all along.

Kim Aecha stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Minjin in a comforting hug. "You don't have to pretend, Minjin-ah. I know you're hurting too. You've been hiding it for weeks."

Minjin's sobs grew louder as she clung to Kim Aecha, finally allowing the emotions she had buried deep inside to surface. The pain, guilt, and confusion all poured out, and for the first time, she let herself feel it all.