Breakfast felt heavier than usual.
Ha-rin sat at the table, her spoon tracing circles in her bowl.
Seo-yeon chatted about the trip schedule, trying to lighten the mood,
but Min-Jae seemed quieter than normal.
After a while, he stood up with a soft smile.
"I think I'll wait by the bus," he said.
"Different bus, right?" Ha-rin asked gently.
"Yeah," he nodded, then hesitated. "See you there."
He left before she could say anything else.
When the doors closed behind him, it felt like the room grew a little quieter.
Seo-yeon leaned in. "You notice how weird things have been lately?"
Ha-rin sighed. "Not weird. Just… confusing."
Seo-yeon smirked. "That's literally the same thing."
Later
Two buses rolled along the coastal road.
Waves flashed silver under the morning sun.
Ha-rin sat by the window, resting her chin on her hand.
Seo-yeon scrolled through photos beside her.
Across the highway, she could see the other bus through the glass.
She couldn't make out faces, but she wondered if Min-Jae was awake
if he was looking out the window too.
She shook her head, pushing the thought away.
"Why am I even thinking about that?" she whispered.
Seo-yeon glanced over. "Talking to yourself again?"
"Just tired," Ha-rin said, smiling faintly.
Arrival
The buses stopped by the entrance of the Underwater Observatory .
a modern glass building stretching toward the sea.
Inside, the air smelled faintly of salt and metal,
and the ceiling shimmered with light reflected from the tanks above.
Groups of students lined up for the tour.
Ha-rin looked around, eyes wide at the huge walls of blue water surrounding them.
Fish darted through the glass tunnels like living stars.
Seo-yeon whispered, "This place is insane. It's like walking inside the ocean."
Ha-rin smiled softly. "Yeah… it's beautiful."
When the teacher called for groups, she ended up standing next to Joon-ho .
by coincidence, or so it seemed.
He glanced at her. "Looks like we're partners."
Ha-rin nodded, trying not to look awkward. "Yeah. I guess so."
The Aquarium Halls
They entered a long corridor surrounded by glass tanks.
Sharks glided above them; schools of silver fish moved together like one shimmering cloud.
Children pressed their faces against the glass, gasping in awe.
Ha-rin slowed her pace, taking in the blue light dancing on the floor.
"It's so quiet," she said softly.
"Feels like time stops here," Joon-ho replied.
Then a small voice echoed nearby
"Mom? …Mom!"
They both turned.
A little girl stood alone by the tank of jellyfish, her tiny shoulders shaking.
Ha-rin walked over quickly and knelt. "Hey, sweetheart. Are you lost?"
The girl sniffled and nodded. "I can't find my mom."
"It's okay." Ha-rin smiled gently. "We'll find her together, okay?"
Joon-ho nodded. "I'll tell the staff."
The Search
They moved through glowing hallways tanks of turtles, coral reefs, and stingrays casting shifting shadows.
Ha-rin held the girl's hand, whispering to calm her.
"Look, see the clownfish? He's hiding in the coral.
He's shy, just like you."
The girl giggled softly.
Joon-ho glanced at Ha-rin with quiet amusement. "You're really good with her."
She shook her head. "I just… don't like seeing anyone scared."
After a few minutes, they reached the dolphin exhibit .
and there, near the railing, a woman was calling frantically.
"Min-ah! Min-ah!"
The girl's face lit up. "Mom!"
She ran to her, and they embraced tightly, both crying.
Ha-rin smiled with relief.
Joon-ho crossed his arms, watching quietly. "Good job."
She laughed. "You did most of it."
Their eyes met briefly , calm, not romantic,
but something gentle lingered in the silence.
Observation Room
Later, the group was given free time to explore.
Ha-rin and Joon-ho ended up by a wide glass wall that looked out into the deep ocean.
Blue light flooded the room, painting their faces soft and calm.
Small bubbles drifted past, and the hum of water filled the air.
"It's strange," Ha-rin murmured. "You feel like you can breathe better here."
Joon-ho nodded slightly. "Maybe because there's nothing fake down here."
She looked at him curiously. "You think so?"
He smiled faintly. "Fish don't lie."
She laughed quietly. "That's… weirdly true."
From across the hall, someone's reflection moved .
Ji-sung, standing behind another group, watching them silently through the glass.
His eyes darkened.
The Confrontation
When the tour ended, everyone gathered near the exit hall .
a wide area filled with echoes of laughter and chatter.
Ha-rin was walking with Seo-yeon when she noticed Ji-sung approaching Joon-ho.
Something in his walk made her stop.
"Hey," Ji-sung said, his tone sharp.
Joon-ho turned. "What?"
Ji-sung's voice lowered. "What, you came here to steal my girlfriend too?"
The noise around them dimmed ,even the sound of the water felt distant.
Ha-rin froze, the words slicing through the air.
Joon-ho's expression stayed calm, but his eyes hardened.
"You should think before you talk."
"Oh, I'm thinking just fine," Ji-sung snapped. "I saw you two , walking together, like nothing happened."
Joon-ho stepped closer, his tone steady.
"You don't get to talk about her like that.
Not after what you did."
Ji-sung's jaw tightened.
For a second, neither moved .
just two stares locked under the dim blue light of the aquarium.
Ha-rin's heart pounded.
Seo-yeon whispered, "This is bad…"
And just as it seemed the air would break,
a teacher's voice echoed across the hall.
"Everyone, to the buses! We're leaving!"
The moment shattered
but the tension stayed, heavy as the ocean around them.
To Be Continued…