Just Twilight

It's so childish, I might just lose my mind.

The heat was rising, and the breath escaping from her lips felt uncomfortably warm. Junyoung tried to push her way toward the ball, but each time, she was shoved and jostled by the children’s movements, whether intentional or not. The ball she desperately wanted never seemed to come her way.

Maybe I should just fall down. Even if I have to be stepped on and kicked, at least I’d get some peace.

Gasping for breath, Junyoung paused for a moment, feeling the world blur before her eyes. It was hard to find a place to lie down amidst the chaotic flurry of children.

As she looked around desperately, her gaze suddenly met the eyes of someone standing ahead of her. Seungwoon, holding the ball he had just received, was staring at her.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Seungwoon swung his arm, and the ball came flying toward her shoulder at a surprisingly fast speed. It hit with a resounding thud.

Though the impact wasn’t enough to make her fall, the shock of it caused her legs to buckle unexpectedly.

Feeling lightheaded and in pain, Junyoung collapsed onto the ground without resistance. Her body instinctively fell backward.

“Junyoung!”

Among the sharp intakes of breath from the other children, Seungwoon’s startled shout cut through. His pale face was the first thing she saw as he rushed toward her.

Hearing her name for the first time like that, seeing his flustered expression up so close, was new to her.

Breathing heavily, her gaze darted past him, and her eyes locked onto the large, dark figure standing at the edge of her vision.

He was standing there, still as ever, but now wide awake.

...I guess I’ll need to use the second floor today. I wonder if he’ll give it up.

That thought was the last thing on Junyoung’s mind before her eyelids fluttered closed. In an instant, the noise around her faded away, and the world went silent.

***

The dream was short.

In the dream, she walked and walked toward the distant, bright sun, but no matter how much she moved, the distance never seemed to shorten. At each moment, shadows appeared, blocking her path.

The sun was too bright, and she felt an abstract urge to keep walking toward it, yet the occasional darkness that covered her path strangely felt comforting. But she couldn’t stop, so she kept walking, wondering if she was truly walking. It was around this time that Junyoung woke up.

Cold sweat soaked her back. It might just be the heat, though. The air in the nurse’s office was stuffy.

Gathering her scattered thoughts, Junyoung blinked slowly. Her mouth was dry. As she sluggishly got up, she absentmindedly turned her head toward the window and squinted.

What is that?

Her bed was in a sunny spot, but in the middle of the window was a large sheet of paper. It wasn’t just one sheet; a big world map, anatomical drawings, and several sheets of newspaper covered the window.

Junyoung had often relied on the nurse’s office, but she had never known the teacher to have such hobbies. The desk where the teacher sat was far from the window, next to the door, and the teacher had never seemed concerned about the curtains that a student took to wash at the beginning of the semester, even if it took months to bring them back.

Rubbing her aching head, Junyoung stared at the world map and anatomy chart, which faintly blocked the setting sun. She heard the creaking of the door opening.

“Ugh, what’s this? Why is it so hot? No, who brought a heater in here?”

No wonder it felt so hot.

Junyoung’s eyes rolled over to the heater at her feet. The teacher’s second scream rang in her ears.

“What’s this? Who put all this on the window? Junyoung, was it you?”

If I had sleepwalking, maybe I did.

Junyoung didn’t respond, only slowly blinking her eyes and gazing at the teacher. The teacher sighed in exasperation and quickly moved to the window to peel off the papers.

With each sheet she pulled away, the sunlight spilled onto Junyoung’s face in a cascade. Frowning, she raised her palm to shield her eyes, still dizzy.

“How are you feeling? You’re soaked in sweat. Let me see.”

The teacher brought a chair from the side of the bed and touched Junyoung’s forehead with a sigh.

“This heat, I can’t tell if it’s a fever or just the warmth. How long have you been feeling unwell? You should’ve just told someone and rested during gym class.”

“I thought it would be fine.”

When her voice, dry as cracked earth, slipped out, the teacher clicked her tongue.

“You should’ve rested when you started feeling off. It’s too late now. You should go home and rest.”

People don’t realize that not everyone’s home is a place of rest. Junyoung didn’t answer, and the teacher glanced at her before standing up.

“I have a meeting, so I need to go. If your fever gets worse, take some medicine. And make sure to tidy up your bed before you leave.”

“Okay.”@@novelbin@@

The teacher wasn’t the type to interfere unnecessarily, even if she understood the situation. Junyoung found that easier, too. After sorting through some papers at the desk for a while, the teacher opened the door to leave but paused.

“Hmm? What’s going on? Is it because of Junyoung? Go on in.”

As Junyoung lifted her head in surprise, feeling a dull pain at the back of her neck, she was momentarily stunned.

Who could be here for me?

If she had to choose one person, it would probably be...

“You’re awake?”

But the person who entered wasn’t the face she had imagined. Junyoung couldn’t hide her surprise. Seungwoon, seemingly more embarrassed than she was, cleared his throat and slowly approached.

Of course, it had to be now.

Drenched in sweat and looking as if she had passed out, her hair a mess, she pulled the blanket up to hide herself and sharply spoke.

“What is it?”

Embarrassed by her flushed face, Junyoung lowered her head. Noticing the rejection in her tone, Seungwoon thankfully stopped a few steps away.

“I just wanted to check if you’re okay. You kept sleeping during every break, and I was worried. I’ve never seen someone faint like that before.”

A laugh escaped Junyoung’s lips. She never expected to collapse like that. Maybe she should thank him for letting her sleep for hours.

“You know, it’s because of me, right? You hit me with the ball.”

Looking up briefly, she saw Seungwoon’s sulky face. Junyoung almost laughed out loud.

It’s not your fault. If I had to make an analogy, you’re like the person who didn’t notice someone already knocked out by a car, and you just stepped on them without realizing.

So, I’ll take the blame.

Junyoung raised her hand to touch her sore shoulder, which was still aching. It wasn’t from a rubber ball, but from the heavy stone used as an ashtray. She’d already noticed the bruise this morning.

Still, you hitting the spot I already injured was bad luck for you.

Junyoung could see the guilt in Seungwoon’s eyes, and oddly enough, she didn’t feel bad about it.

“Were you really worried?”

Seungwoon’s voice was soft, as if talking to a small animal ready to flee. Junyoung glanced at him sideways before speaking in a flat tone.

“You threw that ball with all your might, and now you come to check on me? Are you confirming how badly I’m hurt? Is this the mentality of a killer coming back to the crime scene?”

“No, no! I’m not a killer... That’s wrong.”

Seungwoon’s eyes widened in shock, clearly taken aback by her harsh words. It seemed the prince charming act didn’t match his true personality.

Well, of course. Your world must be nothing but warm and safe, without pests to bother you.

“I noticed you weren’t feeling well since the moment you came to school today. You seemed anxious during dodgeball too. You looked like you were trying to get hit on purpose. I thought maybe you were trying to get hurt so you could rest. I just wanted to help.”

Junyoung’s lips, which had been curled in displeasure, slowly relaxed. Seungwoon let out a sigh of relief.

“I guess I threw it too hard when I rushed. I’m really sorry.”

When Seungwoon bowed his head and apologized so sincerely, an unfamiliar emotion surged in Junyoung.

Can people really be this honest? I’ve never been able to say thank you so easily.

“It’s fine. I don’t think anything’s broken.”

She responded roughly, and Seungwoon’s face brightened, visibly relieved. It was as if he had shed a heavy burden.

“The bruise will go away soon.”

“You’ve got a bruise?”

Seungwoon’s eyes widened in surprise, and Junyoung simply nodded without confirming or denying it. She shifted the blanket off and stood up slowly. Seungwoon reached out, seeming to want to help, but his hand hovered in the air, unsure whether to touch her.

“Ah.”

Junyoung, brushing off her crumpled shirt, glanced at the heater and spoke.

“You did this, didn’t you? It was too hot.”

Seungwoon, nervously looking at her, blinked.

“I...”

“Thanks, though. For blocking the window.”

Junyoung surprised even herself with how casually the words came out. She noticed Seungwoon’s slightly stunned expression, and a flush spread across her neck. She quickly tried to walk past him but staggered, feeling a wave of dizziness.

“Junyoung!”

The familiar voice and strong arms supporting her back made her heart race as Seungwoon firmly grasped her wrist, his touch warmer than the heater.

Junyoung, her face flushed from the proximity, felt the cool, fresh scent of him brush against her nose, making her heart beat faster.

“Are you okay? It’s better if you don’t move too quickly.”

His soft, soothing voice whispered in her ear, and Junyoung felt as though she could disappear into the air. Without saying a word, Seungwoon held her gently, watching over her in silence.

In the strange tension between them, just as Junyoung was trying to calm her emotions, the door swung open, and she turned toward the harsh sound, only to meet the sharp eyes of someone standing in the doorway.

“Ah, Beomjin.”