The Fear in His Eyes

The classroom buzzed softly with chatter and the scratching of pens. Jiho sat at his desk, nervously twisting the threat note between his fingers as he whispered to the one person he could trust—his best friend, Seungwoo.

"Someone sent me a threat letter," Jiho muttered, his eyes flickering with worry.

Seungwoo's eyes widened comically. "Mwo?! Jinjjayo? (What?! Really?) A threat letter? From who?" He suddenly gasped dramatically, clutching Jiho's arm. "Could it be... Hyejin?!"

Jiho shook his head. "Aniya (no). She's too bold for that. If she had a problem, she'd confront me face-to-face, not hide behind paper."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Seungwoo-nodded , then wiggled his eyebrows. "Maybe it's from one of Minjae's sasaengpaen (obsessive fans)."

"Ya! This isn't funny!" Jiho hissed, punching Seungwoo's shoulder.

Seungwoo rubbed his arm with an exaggerated pout. "Apeudalago! (That hurts!) I'm just trying to help! Besides—" he leaned closer with a mischievous grin, "—you two looked pretty cozy after your little movie date."

Jiho's face flamed. "Eotteohge arasseo?! (How did you know?!)"

"Instagram, duh. Someone posted a pic of you two. Your hand in his?" Seungwoo made kissy noises. "Very convincing, lovebirds."

"Aish, jinjja! (Seriously!) It wasn't—"

Before Jiho could finish, a pair of hands suddenly covered his eyes from behind.

"Guess who~?" a cheerful voice sang out.

Jiho groaned. "Idiot."

"Ya!" Minjae pouted, pulling his hands away. "That's rude, you know. I expected at least 'my handsome boyfriend.'"

Seungwoo burst out laughing. "Don't expect too much. You kind of asked for it."

Minjae settled against Jiho's desk, impossibly close. "What are you two whispering about anyway?"

"Nothing," Jiho said quickly, shoving the note into his pocket.

But Minjae suddenly paused, his eyes narrowing as he looked toward the back door of the classroom. For a brief second, he was certain someone had been watching them. He blinked and glanced again—nothing. Maybe he was just being paranoid.

"Gwaenchana? (Are you okay?)" Jiho asked, noticing the change in his expression.

Minjae shook it off with a smile. "Yes. Just thought I saw someone."

---

The day passed on like usual. Minjae teased Jiho endlessly, and Jiho responded with his usual exasperated sighs and annoyed mutterings. But beneath that normalcy, the unease in Jiho's chest lingered.

As the final bell rang, students rushed out into the hallway. Minjae walked over to Jiho's seat, ready to go home together. But just before he reached him, a student walked up.

"What are you doing here?" the student asked. "Jiho already left school."

"What?" Minjae blinked in confusion.

"Yeah, I saw him leave with a boy..."

Minjae assumed it must've been Seungwoo. "Oh, Seungwoo?"

"Aniya (No). I think it was... Hyunwoo."

Everything inside Minjae froze. His blood ran cold.

Hyunwoo.

The name alone was enough to ignite every alarm in his body. He didn't even hesitate. He bolted toward the school entrance like a madman.

But in his panic, he forgot to check one place—the classroom.

Jiho was still there, quietly doing his cleaning duty. He glanced out the window just in time to see Minjae sprinting out of the building like he was chasing death.

Jiho opened his mouth, ready to shout after him. "Ya! Kang Minjae!"

But something stopped him.

His breath caught.

A chilling fear wrapped around him.

And then—darkness.

A hand clamped over his face, and a black bag slipped over his head.

---

The scene changed.

Minjae was still running, his breath ragged, his shirt soaked in sweat.

"Jiho-ya, jebal anja isseoyo. Jebal, jebal, anja isseoyo." (Please be safe, Jiho. Please, please be safe.)

In the distance, he saw Seungwoo walking calmly down the path.

"Seungwoo-ya!!" Minjae shouted.

Startled, Seungwoo turned to see Minjae looking like a mess. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Have you seen Jiho?"

Seungwoo blinked. "Yeah? He's still at school. He had cleaning duty today."

Minjae stopped dead in his tracks.

"What?!"

Seungwoo tilted his head. "Wae?(Why?)"

"Aigoo... (Oh no...)" Minjae whispered, panic returning with full force. "JIHO-YA!!"

---

When the bag was finally lifted off Jiho's head, his heart dropped.

Standing before him was the last person he ever wanted to see again.

Hyunwoo.

"Hey," the boy sneered. "Long time no see."

Jiho didn't answer.

"Still ignoring me, huh?" Hyunwoo mocked. "I told you before—next time, you won't get the chance to ignore me."

Jiho's lips stayed sealed.

Hyunwoo stood up and walked away for a moment. When he returned, he held something in his hands.

A tiny, trembling kitten.

He crouched in front of Jiho again, grinning.

"Well? Will you keep ignoring me? Or should I throw this kitten into the river?"

Jiho's eyes widened in horror. "Michyeosseo?!(How could you?!) It's just a kitten! You have a problem with me, not with that animal!"

Hyunwoo laughed maniacally. "Ha! Look, guys! The angel finally spoke!"

"Please," Jiho begged. "Let the kitten go."

"Oh, sure," Hyunwoo smiled sweetly—and then threw the kitten into the river.

"ANDWAE!! (NO!!)" Jiho screamed.

His body moved before his mind could catch up. He sprinted to the edge and jumped.

He didn't know how to swim.

The water engulfed him instantly. He was thrashing, choking, but he managed to push the kitten toward a nearby rock. The kitten clawed to safety.

But Jiho—Jiho was sinking.

From the top of the bridge above the river, a voice tore through the air.

"JIHO-YA!!! I'M COMING! DON'T WORRY!!"

Minjae.

He jumped without hesitation.

The icy water hit him like knives, but he didn't care. He reached Jiho and wrapped his arms around him tightly.

Hyunwoo stepped back from the edge, watching them. His smugness faded.

Minjae broke through the water, gasping, dragging Jiho up onto the bank.

Their eyes met—Hyunwoo and Minjae.

Minjae growled through clenched teeth.

"You've crossed the line now, Hyunwoo."

But before he could say more, Jiho's hand gripped his tightly.

Minjae looked down.

Jiho was burning up.

His skin was pale, his lips trembling.

Then—

Jiho collapsed into Minjae's arms.

"Jiho-ya!! Jiho-ya!!! Ireona, jebal!! (Wake up, please!!!)" Minjae cried, shaking him.

But Jiho didn't open his eyes.

---