FLASHBACK

Hana knelt beside the small, scruffy kitten, gently stroking its fur as it nibbled on the crumbs she’d brought. Her usually guarded expression softened for a moment, a rare display of tenderness as she whispered to the cat.

"There you go... eat up," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. The world around her seemed distant as she enjoyed this quiet moment of peace.

Suddenly, a loud, exaggerated throat-clearing sound broke through the silence. The kitten startled, leaping away into the shadows before Hana could react. Startled herself, she spun around sharply, her eyes narrowing when they landed on Jaykay.

"Seriously?" she snapped, standing up and dusting off her hands. "You just scared that kitten away! You happy now?"

Jaykay’s face shifted from a playful smirk to something sheepish as he raised his hands defensively. "Oh, come on, I didn’t mean to—wait, Hana!"

Before he could explain or offer an apology, she turned on her heel and began walking away briskly, muttering something under her breath.

Jaykay jogged after her, trying to keep up. "I was just trying to get your attention! How was I supposed to know you were playing Snow White with a stray cat?"

Hana shot him a glare over her shoulder, her pace unrelenting. "Maybe try not being annoying for once. It’s not that hard."

Jaykay paused, clutching his chest dramatically as if her words had physically struck him. "Wow. Brutal. But okay, I get it—next time, I’ll bring tuna and win the kitten over. Deal?"

Hana rolled her eyes, her lips pressing into a firm line to suppress the tiny smirk threatening to escape. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he’d amused her. Instead, she kept walking, leaving him standing there, still grinning like he’d just won some small victory.

-

The rain outside poured relentlessly, drumming against the windows and filling the corridors with a muffled, rhythmic sound. Hana stood by her locker, the solitude wrapping around her like a heavy blanket. She could still feel the lingering fatigue from sports class, but the absence of Jaykay had been a strange anomaly. For someone who was always around, always pestering, his disappearance had left an odd void she wasn’t sure how to process.

She shook her head, forcing the thoughts away. The hall was now deserted, the laughter and chatter of her classmates fading into the rain. Just as she was about to grab her belongings and leave, a sudden noise made her freeze. Footsteps.

Turning cautiously, she caught sight of a figure approaching her. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

There stood Jaykay, drenched from head to toe. His hair was plastered to his forehead, a few rogue leaves and branches tangled within it as if he'd run through a jungle. Water dripped from his clothes onto the floor, and his slight shivering made him look pitiful. But there was something about the wild, disheveled sight of him that made him appear oddly endearing. He looked like a rain-soaked stray cat, mischievous and a little lost.

“What the hell happened to you?” Hana asked, her tone a mixture of exasperation and confusion, though her widened eyes betrayed her surprise.

Jaykay didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he shrugged off his bag and held it out to her, the zipper slightly undone. The rain had soaked through it, and water dripped from its edges.

Hana raised an eyebrow. “Are you seriously nuts—” Her sentence trailed off as her eyes caught movement inside the bag. A tiny kitten poked its head out, its fur damp but its eyes wide and curious.

Hana’s breath hitched. It was the same kitten she’d been feeding earlier, the one that had run off scared. Her lips parted slightly in surprise, and for a moment, all her irritation dissolved. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, unbidden and genuine.

Jaykay sighed dramatically, breaking the moment. “So that’s all it takes for Miss Choi Hana to smile, huh? Arghhh, Jeon Jaykay, what haven’t you tried all these years for just one smile from her?” He spoke half to himself, his voice full of mock agony but laced with real satisfaction.

Hana blinked, her expression quickly reverting to annoyance. “Just—shut up and go. It’s late already.” She avoided his gaze as she gently took the kitten from the bag, cradling it close to her chest.

Jaykay smirked, his heart swelling at the sight of her softening demeanor. “Alright,” he said lightly, turning to leave, his steps slow and reluctant despite his words.

“Wait!”

The urgency in her voice made him stop and turn back, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

Hana approached him briskly, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. She handed him an umbrella and a small towel. “You look like a porcupine,” she muttered under her breath, her tone sharp but her actions betraying her concern. Before he could respond, she spun around and marched back to her locker, busying herself as though the encounter had never happened.

Jaykay stood there for a moment, stunned. Then, a smile spread across his face, warm and wide. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to.

As he walked away, the rain no longer felt cold against his skin. Hana’s small gesture was enough—more than enough. It was a moment he knew he would carry with him forever, a day he would replay in his mind again and again. It was the first crack in the wall she had so carefully built, and for him, it was everything.

-

The luxurious house shone brightly with its dazzling chandeliers and pristine surfaces, every corner screaming wealth and power. But to Hana, it was suffocating. She stepped inside cautiously, her footsteps echoing faintly across the marble floors. From the dining room, laughter spilled into the hall, lively and carefree, a stark contrast to the storm of anxiety swirling within her.

Her fingers twitched at her sides, nails scraping against each other as she tried to calm herself. Her stomach churned, not from hunger, but from the thought of stepping into that room. If only the staircase to her room wasn’t situated in the dining room, she could have avoided this nightly ordeal altogether.

Hana entered the doorway slowly, her gaze fixed downward, her heart pounding in her chest. At the head of the dining table sat her father, Wooshik, a man whose charm and commanding presence masked a far darker reality. Beside him, Eunji and her family were engaged in cheerful conversation, their faces glowing with laughter.

“Hana!” Eunji’s voice cut through the chatter, sickly sweet and brimming with false enthusiasm. Her wide, innocent smile could fool anyone—except Hana. There was a malicious glint in her cousin’s eyes, one that no one else seemed to notice.

“Oh, Hana! Come on, we’ve been waiting for you! It’s been so long,” Eunji exclaimed, her tone dripping with an exaggerated warmth that made Hana’s skin crawl.

“I’m not hungry,” Hana muttered, gripping the strap of her bag tightly. Her voice was barely audible, but she made no effort to repeat herself. She turned slightly, hoping to slip away unnoticed.

“Hana.”

Her father’s voice froze her in her tracks. It was low and measured, with just enough menace to send a shiver down her spine.

Her breath caught, and she forced herself to turn back. Her father’s sharp gaze was fixed on her, his expression calm yet heavy with unspoken threat. Her chest tightened. There was no escaping now.

Reluctantly, Hana moved to the table, sliding into the chair next to her father. She kept her head bowed, her gaze locked on the empty plate before her, her hands trembling faintly in her lap.

“Where have you been, huh?” Wooshik asked casually, scooping food onto Eunji’s plate as though his question carried no weight. But his voice was laced with a dangerous undercurrent, one that only Hana could detect.

“You know how worried I was?” he continued, his smile pleasant, almost fatherly. To the others, it was a display of concern. But to Hana, it was a warning, sharp and clear.

Her throat tightened as she fumbled for words. “I-I had extra class,” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Hmm.” Wooshik leaned back in his chair, studying her closely, his gaze narrowing just slightly. “You’ve been having extra classes quite a lot lately, haven’t you?”

His hand reached out, resting on her shoulder. To anyone else, it would have seemed like a gesture of comfort, but the way his fingers dug into her flesh made Hana wince.

“I asked you something, sweetheart,” he said, his tone unnervingly calm.

“Yes, Appa,” Hana mumbled, the words tumbling out hurriedly.

Her response seemed to satisfy him, and he released her shoulder with a slight pat before turning his attention back to the others. “Eunji, how’s that internship of yours going?” he asked, his demeanor light and jovial once again.

Hana exhaled shakily, daring to glance at her plate. Her hands trembled faintly as she gripped her napkin under the table, willing herself to keep it together.

Eunji smirked subtly, her gaze flickering toward Hana as she answered, her voice syrupy sweet. “Oh, Uncle, it’s going wonderfully! I’ve been so busy, but it’s rewarding, you know? I just wish Hana would share her accomplishments too. She’s always so… quiet.”

The comment stung more than it should have, but Hana said nothing. She focused on keeping her breathing steady, on blending into the background of their conversation.

The laughter resumed, warm and full of life, as if nothing had happened. But for Hana, the air was heavy, suffocating, her every movement weighed down by invisible chains. She sat still, a ghost in her own home, enduring the facade of normalcy while carrying the burden of secrets no one else seemed to see.

-

A/N

After ages... I had wrote the next chapter. I am sorry for taking so long. I was so busy these days and was literally in a rollercoaster ride. I completed my intern
ship two days ago and I vacated my hostel room. It was a heartbreaking moment for me. So for the past few weeks I prioritize to enjoy my time with my friends and took a break from everything else, that's why I couldn't update. Well now I am back. I will try to update as much as possible.

Love y'all. Do let me know how you feel about this chapter. Thankyou for reading. Have a great day.... Bye....