The following day, the school buzzed with rumors. Whispers about the late-night encounter between Seojoon, Azalea, and Taehwan spread quickly. Seojoon tried to brush it off, but the weight of the attention was suffocating. Everywhere he went, curious eyes followed, and hushed voices speculated.
By lunchtime, Seojoon found himself sitting with Minjun under the old cherry blossom tree at the edge of the school grounds. It was their usual spot, far from the prying eyes of their classmates.
"You're the talk of the school again," Minjun said, leaning back against the tree trunk with a smirk.
Seojoon sighed. "Great. Just what I needed."
Minjun's smirk faded, replaced by a look of concern. "What really happened last night? I only heard bits and pieces."
Seojoon recounted the events, his voice steady but laced with frustration. "Azalea thought Taehwan wanted to apologize, but it was obvious he had something else planned. I couldn't just stand by and let her handle it alone."
Minjun nodded thoughtfully. "Taehwan's not one to back down. You think he's planning something?"
"Probably," Seojoon admitted. "But I'll deal with it when it comes. Right now, I'm more worried about Azalea."
Minjun tilted his head, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Worried, huh? You sure it's not something more?"
Seojoon shot him a glare, but the heat in his cheeks betrayed him. "It's not like that."
"Sure, sure," Minjun said with a laugh. "Just looking out for a friend, right?"
Before Seojoon could respond, Hana appeared, her expression unreadable as she approached.
"Seojoon, can we talk?" she asked, her tone unusually serious.
Minjun took the hint and stood, stretching dramatically. "Guess that's my cue to leave. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
Seojoon rolled his eyes as Minjun walked away, then turned to Hana. "What's up?"
Hana hesitated, her hands fidgeting at her sides. "I heard about last night. You and Azalea… you're getting close, huh?"
Seojoon frowned. "Why does that matter?"
Hana looked away, her expression conflicted. "I just… I don't want you to get hurt. Taehwan's not the only one who's dangerous. You know Azalea has her own history, right?"
"What are you trying to say, Hana?" Seojoon asked, his voice tinged with irritation.
"I'm saying you should be careful," she said, meeting his gaze. "Not everyone is who they seem to be."
Seojoon's chest tightened. "Azalea isn't like that. She's not trying to hurt anyone."
Hana sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I'm not saying she's bad. I just… I don't want you to get caught up in something you can't handle."
Seojoon shook his head. "I appreciate your concern, but I can handle myself. I know what I'm doing."
Hana's expression softened, but there was still a shadow of doubt in her eyes. "Just… promise me you'll be careful, okay?"
"I promise," Seojoon said, though he wasn't sure if it was more to reassure Hana or himself.
That evening, Seojoon found himself replaying Hana's words over and over. He didn't want to believe there was anything suspicious about Azalea, but the seed of doubt had been planted.
Unable to sit still, he decided to text Azalea.
Seojoon: "Hey, are you free to talk?"
A few minutes later, his phone buzzed with her reply.
Azalea: "Sure. Meet me at the park?"
Seojoon grabbed his jacket and headed out, his heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and unease.
When he arrived at the park, Azalea was sitting on a bench under a streetlamp, her face illuminated by the soft glow. She smiled when she saw him, but there was a hint of weariness in her eyes.
"Hey," she greeted as he sat down beside her. "What's up?"
"I just wanted to check on you," Seojoon said, his voice cautious. "After everything that happened last night."
Azalea nodded, her gaze distant. "I'm fine. Just… tired of all the drama, you know?"
"I get it," Seojoon said, hesitating before continuing. "But I have to ask… why did you trust Taehwan enough to meet him alone?"
Azalea's expression tightened, and she looked away. "I don't know. Maybe I wanted to believe people could change. Or maybe I just didn't want to feel so alone."
Seojoon's heart ached at the vulnerability in her voice. "You're not alone, Azalea. You don't have to go through this by yourself."
She turned to him, her eyes glistening. "Do you really mean that?"
"Of course," Seojoon said without hesitation. "I'll always have your back."
For a moment, they sat in silence, the night air wrapping around them like a cocoon.
But as Seojoon walked Azalea home, the nagging doubt in the back of his mind refused to fade.
Hana's warning echoed in his thoughts.
Not everyone is who they seem to be.
And for the first time, Seojoon wondered if there was more to Azalea's story than she was letting on.