After a week
It was another normal day at school.
The same chatter, the same tired faces, the soft scratch of pencils on paper.
Then, the teacher clapped her hands once.
"Alright, everyone, I have an announcement."
The class immediately fell silent.
"Next week," she said with a smile, "we'll be going on our annual trip to Busan!"
For a second, the room stayed quiet.
Then. chaos.
Chairs screeched, voices rose, and even the laziest students lifted their heads.
"Are we really going to Busan?!"
"Where are we staying?"
"Can we bring snacks?!"
I couldn't help but smile a little. Everyone looked so alive.
Beside me, Joon-ho leaned back in his chair, looking amused by the noise.
"Are you going?" he asked, glancing at me.
"Yes," I said. "Why?"
He shrugged, his lips curving faintly. "No reason. Just asking."
I looked away. "Don't tell me you're only coming because I am."
He laughed softly. "Maybe not only because of that."
I didn't answer, but for some reason, my heart felt a bit lighter.
A Few Days Later
The whole school buzzed with excitement.
Everywhere I went, people were talking about Busan, about swimsuits, snacks, cameras, and the beach.
At lunch, Seo-yeon leaned over my desk, eyes sparkling.
"Ha-rin, promise me you'll pack something cute. We have to take pictures!"
I looked up from my notes. "It's a school trip, not a fashion show."
She gasped. "It's Busan, Ha-rin. You can't just wear boring stuff."
I laughed. "You really take this seriously."
"That's why you love me," she said, grinning.
I didn't deny it.
The Week Passed
The week passed faster than I expected.
By Monday morning, Daehan High was alive with noise, rolling suitcases, laughter, and teachers trying (and failing) to keep everyone in order.
The air smelled like early summer, warm and full of something new.
I met Seo-yeon by the school gate. She was waving both hands like she was trying to stop traffic.
"Ha-rin! Over here!"
I ran up to her, a little out of breath.
"You packed everything?"
"Of course! I even brought matching keychains for our bags," she said proudly.
I laughed. "You're unbelievable."
Then I heard a quiet voice behind us.
"Morning."
Joon-ho stood there, bag slung over his shoulder, hoodie slightly unzipped.
"Morning," I said softly.
Seo-yeon grinned. "Looks like our class is ready."
The teachers shouted instructions, counting groups and loading students onto buses.
I ended up sitting by the window again. and of course, Joon-ho found a seat nearby.
The Bus Ride
The city slowly faded behind us, replaced by open roads and the glimmer of the sea in the distance.
Seo-yeon kept chatting with the girls sitting near us, already planning what to do when we arrived.
I leaned my head against the window, the vibration of the bus humming quietly beneath me.
From the seat beside me, Joon-ho asked, "Tired already?"
"Not tired," I said. "Just thinking."
"About what?"
"Nothing important."
He smiled faintly. "You always say that."
I glanced at him. "And you always ask."
"Maybe I just like hearing your answers."
For a moment, I didn't know what to say.
The sunlight flickered across his face as the bus turned. I looked away quickly, pretending to focus on the view outside.
Arrival in Busan
By the time we arrived, the air had changed ,
salty, warm, alive.
Students burst out of the buses, cheering.
"Ha-rin! Look!" Seo-yeon pointed toward the distant sea, waves glittering under the sun.
It looked endless.
We walked together to the hotel where our class was staying. The teachers handed out room keys — four girls per room.
"Me, you, and two others," said Seo-yeon, waving the key. "We're roommates!"
Our room faced the sea.
I opened the window and felt the wind rush in. clean and fresh, carrying the sound of waves.
Below, I could see the boys' rooms on the other side.
Joon-ho was leaning on the railing, looking out toward the beach.
When our eyes met for a second, he gave a small nod , just enough to say, we made it.
Nightfall
That evening, after dinner, our class walked along the sand under the fading orange sky.
Everyone was taking pictures, laughing, playing with the waves.
I stood quietly, letting the water touch my feet.
For a moment, everything felt still ,
like the sea had swallowed all the noise.
Then I heard his voice again.
"Pretty, isn't it?"
Joon-ho was standing beside me, hands in his pockets.
"It is," I said.
We both watched the horizon, the waves washing away our footprints one by one.
And though nothing had changed between us,
not yet .
something in the air felt different.
Maybe it was just Busan.
Or maybe... it was the beginning of something neither of us could name.
To be continued