╰─▗ ▘➤𖥸 mysterious woman-

EUNJUNG'S P.O.V

We were yet to be dismissed from the trip as the host from earlier announced that we would stay here for a few more hours before we took our departure. For the students to rest. Well, we did stay up all night running and walking, so I did quite like the idea.

But since the announcement of us winning the game, I've been longing for the soft mattress of my bed.

Our classes had dispersed into several groups. With students from various classes gathered together, I'm currently with Leira, Minnie, and Minjung. It turns out that the class we tricked into stealing our fake flag was theirs, and Minnie has been sulking about it since earlier. Meanwhile, Minjung couldn't care less.

"Hey! Aren't you at least a tiny bit disappointed, Minjung?" Minnie grumbled, her question sounding more like a statement as she faced Minjung with a pout on her lips. Minjung heaved out a sigh and looked at Minnie. "Not the tiniest bit. You didn't help much, honestly. You just stared at Heesung in the distance." Minjung claimed as a smirk spread across her lips. A smile crept up on my lips as my attention focused on Minnie's, whose ears were burning red now.

"Well, we are talking about Minnie, so it's not much of a shock." Era Unnie teased as she came closer to Minnie and tilted her head as if urging her to respond, but Minnie remained silent as she glared at the two beside her. However, once she saw me, a relieved smile reached her lips as she came in my direction with her arms open.

I thought she was going to hug me. Therefore, I mirrored her actions. However, I was left dumbfounded when she went to my back and hugged me from behind.

I let out a short laugh. "Ohhh, poor Minnie, have they been teasing you?" I asked her, seeing her head bobbing up and down.

"Don't you worry. If you look over there-" I gestured to a spot near the stage, with Minnie's eyes following to where I was pointing at. "-you could see Heesung chatting." I teased as I broke the hug and quickly hid behind Minjung and Leira. Coincidentally, I saw Heesung looking in our direction. I looked at Minnie once again as I slowly came out of my hiding and looked at her from the side.

To see her pursuing her lips. Jaeyun and Jungwon seemed to have noticed him looking behind them, so they turned around and saw us already staring at them. With Minnie at the front and the three of us at the back. Jungwon and I met eyes. I hesitated to wave at him, but I shrugged the thought off and gave him a slow wave and a reluctant smile, to which he answered with a nod before letting his back face us again.

The silence surrounding our group was shattered as we heard the crushing of leaves and a toned-down squeal in front of us. "Did you guys see that?" Minnie asked in a whisper as she came forward. My eyes traveled from her eyes to her ears, which were redder now. It looked more saturated than the orange-red leaves below us. "That Heesung smiled at you?" Minjung knowingly asked. "Yes, that."

JUNGWON'S P.O.V

I'm currently with Heesung Hyung and Jaeyun Hyung, they have been chatting since earlier, but I have been maintaining my silence. After the announcement, that we would stay here for a little longer. I was disappointed, but I would rather be anywhere than be in that house, so this situation is a bit favorable on my part.

Jaeyun isn't a friend of ours, but Heesung saw him alone earlier and, being his usual self, invited Jaeyun to join us. He looked hesitant at first, but gave in afterward. "I can't believe we didn't think of that strategy," Heesung complained, but his tone of voice didn't sound disappointed at all. "If only I were there with my class that time. Maybe we could've won." He claimed. I looked at him with furrowed eyebrows seeing him swinging his arm around Jaeyun's shoulder.

Jaeyun looked amused by him as he nodded to Heesung Hyung's statement. Choosing not to counter his confident remark. "Oh, right. 'Won. My classmates told me you and Eunjung seemed to get along."

I thought over our interaction... Is that what they call 'getting along?'

"They need to get their eyes checked." I simply said, wanting to dismiss this topic as fast as I can, but two versus one isn't an easy challenge.

"I think their eyes are fine."

"The two of you did seem to get along well, though," Jaeyun added, supporting Heesung's claim.

Heesung smiled at Jaeyun and raised his hand motioning for a handclap. Which, Jaeyun reciprocated. I noticed his comfort with Heesung is increasing, but this isn't something to be surprised about. Since this is how I felt when I first met Hyung. "Go to an eye doctor."

Can't they let this topic go?

They dismissed my disapproval and continued to talk about it as if I wasn't in front of them. "No, they did get along quite well earlier. There had been rumors in our class that he and Eunjung don't go well together, so I initially thought they would fight as we played the game, but I and Leira fought instead."

I sighed looking back to their annoying quarrels. I stared at Heesung Hyung to see his already big eyes widening. "I find this very, very interesting. Tell me some more." Heesung Hyung urged as he began to act like he was watching an immensely interesting movie.

Heaving out a frustrated sigh. I attempted to leave but was pulled back by Heesung Hyung's hand. "I'm not interested. Let me go." I demanded as I tried to sound rough, but I realized that it was Heesung Hyung we were talking to. "Uh-uh. No can do 'Won." I knew he would say that. I released all the tension in my shoulders admitting my defeat.

________________

They're still going at it. As soon as the recent question has been answered. Heesung Hyung already has the next one coming out of his mouth. "See? This is proof that the two of you did get along!" Heesung Hyung exclaimed gleefully as if he caught me red-handed. "I'm not that childish," I stated as I gave him an annoyed look, which didn't seem to offend him. Instead, his smile grew wider. His eyes started to resemble a half-circle.

What's he smiling so brightly for?

Heesung Hyung nudged my shoulder in a teasing manner saying, "Ohhhh, Jungwon's growing. Did my words have an effect on you?" I looked at Jaeyun who had a hesitant smile on his lips as he watched Heesung Hyung nudging my arm persistently.

I let out a groan and moved away from him. "So she wasn't that annoying, right? Right?" Heesung Hyung refused to drop the topic. Even though my reactions since the start have been opposing his statements and questions since earlier. "Not as annoying as Leira." I heard Jaeyun say, pretending I didn't hear it. I decided to answer this annoying person in front of me instead.

"She wasn't as annoying compared to when I first met her." Damn, that question. I was looking at Heesung Hyung as I said it and I noticed his enthusiastic smile fading into a pleasant one. I frowned and decided to back up my statement. "And she has crazy bed hair."

I fought the urge to laugh as I began to visualize her scrunched-up face and unruly hair once I re-entered the tent. "She does?" Jaeyun and Heesung asked in unison, both looking shocked. "Uh, yeah." I simply answered suddenly feeling awkward.

"Well, I have bed hair, too," Heesung claimed as he played with the strands of his hair. "Everyone does," Jaeyun added as he looked at Heesung. Hyung walked toward Jaeyun and rested his arm on his shoulders once again. Saying, "Plus it can be cute."

Maybe.

EUNJUNG'S P.O.V

After what felt like endless chatter and laughter. The facilitators of our Field Trip finally dismissed us. Minnie and Minjung were no longer with us because we belonged to different classes. Era Unnie and I were finally boarding the bus along with our classmates.

Despite having fun on this field trip. I couldn't help, but feel exhaustion creep up into every corner of my body. Once I realized that I would finally be going home, but then remembered Dad and the Lady, I felt compelled to remain longer. I still didn't know what to do about what I'd seen.

My thoughts dispersed when Ms. Min spoke as we went to our respective seats and seatmates.

"I'm so proud of you, class! All of you did a great job. Expect a high grade on Physical Education." The silence within the bus was shattered at that very moment as joyous cheers started to resonate through the small space.

And once it all died down. I successfully sat down beside Jungwon. Who already had earphones on his ears with his eyes closed, while resting his head on the glass window. Was he already sleeping?

I decided to leave him alone and rested my head on my chair's headrest. Feeling it slightly move down due to my movement.

Should I tell Mom? But they're already happy and they've been fighting less.

Does Mom know? That Dad is- I straightened my back refusing to let that thought cross my mind as I shook my head forcing myself to shove it away. That is until I heard a groan. "Ughhh... Stop." I looked beside me to see Jungwon's eyes already open and piercing me with a glare. My mouth opened in shock and closed once again. I forgot he was there. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" I apologized as I started bowing my head repeatedly.

"Your head might fall off if you keep doing that." He said in a low voice. I stopped bowing, still feeling embarrassed. I decided to look away.

I've lost track of how many hours have passed. The only thing I was aware of is that it was enough time for my classmates to fall asleep. Some even snore.

Even though I have been hearing the same sound since earlier and hearing them multiply. I didn't feel annoyed, because my thoughts were far more irritating than their unconscious sounds.

I looked at Jungwon beside me who was fast asleep and I wished I was as peaceful as him. I tried to fall asleep. I really did, but it isn't an easy task when your mind is occupied with thoughts.

"Ok class, we're nearing school. Make sure you don't leave anything valuable on the bus." Ms. Min broke me out of my trance as I looked away from Jungwon, who was slowly starting to open his eyes. I slightly raised my head to look at Ms. Min, but my view was obstructed by a slew of arms being raised in the air in a stretch.

I heard Jungwon shuffling beside me, so I turned around to look at him. His hair was sticking out in all different places with the top resembling grass due to how it stood. The back was hiked up creating an unnatural shape. He then ruffled his hair, messing it up even more as he fixed his posture and looked outside the window as he tried to put his hair back to its place.

"We're near our school," I informed him in case he didn't manage to pick up what Ms. Min said earlier. He looked away from the window and faced the back of the chair in front of him. "Can see that." He shortly replied. I nodded and was about to look away from the glass pane, but then the bus stopped and I saw a familiar car stop beside us.

Without even realizing it I stood up from my seat peering over the window. I looked at the automobile and immediately recognized it. It was the car from that night. I could vaguely hear Jungwon complaining beside me, but this time I chose to ignore him.

My eyes traveled to the driver's seat, and there he was...

My dad had his right hand on the steering wheel while his left hand was resting on a thigh. He was with a girl. Is that the girl? But I couldn't see who he was with as the girl's face was out of frame. Though, that's when I averted my eyes to the tiny car mirror in front of them.

"Sit down. Can you?" Upon hearing Jungwon's voice and the bus suddenly jolted forward. I broke out of my trance as my body suddenly shifted to my right, but before I could even hit the hard surface of the chair beside me. A hand circled my waist, stopping my body in the middle of a fall.

Jungwon's eyes were fixed on his hand, which was clutching my waist, and I gazed at him in surprise. He looked uncomfortable with his action, so I took the initiative and broke away from his grip by removing his hand and taking a seat once again.

"Thank you," I said in almost a whisper, to which he only responded with a nod, still looking tense.