The lunch bell rang, echoing through the corridors, and students collectively exhaled in relief as they poured out of classrooms.

Karina stretched her arms over her head, easing the stiffness from sitting through two classes. Beside her, Giselle was already shoving her books into her bag, moving with a single-minded purpose.

"Let’s go," Giselle said, her voice edged with impatience. "I’m starving."

The two friends joined the line at the cafeteria, where students chatted in a low, constant hum. The familiar aroma of school lunch filled the air. Today’s menu offered rice, soup, kimchi, a choice of protein—fish, meat, or tofu—and a side of fruit or vegetables. Karina opted for fish, while Giselle grabbed tofu, pairing it with a generous helping of kimchi.

They carried their trays to a table by the windows, where sunlight streamed in, warming the otherwise busy space. Settling into their seats, they began eating, the initial silence broken only by the clinking of utensils.

"So, where are you thinking of going for college?" Giselle asked casually, poking at her tofu with her chopsticks.

Karina paused mid-sip of her soup, her expression turning thoughtful.

"I don’t know yet," she admitted, her voice soft. "It’s not just about where I want to go. I have to think about my family, too. We’re doing okay, but we’re not exactly well-off, you know?"

Giselle nodded, her playful demeanor giving way to understanding. Karina’s sense of responsibility was something she admired deeply.

"Look," Giselle said, her tone firm yet reassuring, "you’re one of the smartest people I know. You’ll get into any college you want, no question. Scholarships? Please. You’ve got this."

Karina smiled faintly, warmth spreading through her chest. "You make it sound so easy."

"It is easy," Giselle replied with a grin, wagging her chopsticks at Karina. "You’ve worked so hard, and it’s going to pay off. Trust me."

Karina nodded, letting the encouragement sink in.

"I’ll think about it," she said, still uncertain but grateful.

"Good," Giselle said, leaning back with a satisfied smirk. Then she turned the tables. "What about you? Got any plans for college?"

Giselle snorted, setting her spoon down. "Honestly? I’m so over studying. My family’s loaded, so they’re going to push me into the family business anyway."

She shrugged, her tone casual but with an undercurrent of defiance. "But I don’t care about that. I’d rather just dance."

Karina’s eyebrows shot up. "Dance?"

"Yeah," Giselle said with a grin, her eyes lighting up. "You know I love it. If it were up to me, I’d spend all day dancing and not worry about anything else."

"But your parents?" Karina leaned forward slightly. "Don’t they expect you to follow in their footsteps?"

Giselle shrugged again, her calm demeanor unwavering. "They do, but I don’t want that life. It’s boring. I just want to do what makes me happy."

Karina studied her friend for a moment, taking in the rare vulnerability behind Giselle’s bold words. Finally, she smiled, her admiration shining through. "You’re braver than I thought."

Giselle smirked, a hint of pride in her expression. "I do my best."

—

After lunch, with a few minutes to spare, the two decided to take a stroll around the campus. A gentle breeze teased the edges of their uniforms as they wandered without a particular destination, soaking in the calm before the next round of classes.

Turning onto a quieter path, they found themselves near one of the older, unused buildings. The shadows of the structure contrasted sharply with the sunlight bathing the rest of the grounds.

It was there that Karina spotted something unusual—a lone junior, Ningning, standing near the building’s corner. Her expression was fierce, her body tense with anger as she shoved another student against the wall. The intensity in her gaze made Karina stop in her tracks.

Ningning had been the star of the summer festival, her dance performance full of energy and joy. Seeing her now, so consumed by rage, felt jarring.

Karina took a step forward, her instinct to intervene kicking in. But before she could act, Giselle grabbed her arm.

"Hey," Giselle whispered urgently. "We’ll be late if we don’t head back now."

Karina hesitated, her eyes lingering on the scene. A part of her wanted to step in, to de-escalate whatever was happening. But Giselle’s voice cut through her thoughts, calm and practical.

"It’s not our business," Giselle said, her grip firm but gentle. "You don’t even know what’s going on. Let’s go."

Karina glanced at her friend, then back at Ningning. She reluctantly nodded, letting Giselle lead her away.

As they walked back to class, Karina’s thoughts remained fixed on what she had seen. The image of Ningning’s anger was seared into her mind, and though she couldn’t act in the moment, she silently resolved to keep an eye on the junior in the coming days.

Giselle chatted about something trivial, her voice filling the space between them, but Karina barely registered the words. Her mind was elsewhere, replaying the unsettling scene behind the building.