The next morning, Hana couldn't stop thinking about the previous night.
Yuri's words kept replaying in her mind.
The real game is only starting.
But something bothered her.
The hooded student had looked familiar.
Very familiar.
Hana sat quietly in class, staring at the notebook in front of her without writing a single word.
"Hana?"
She looked up.
Min-jae stood beside her desk.
"You've been staring at that page for ten minutes."
She blinked. "I have?"
He smiled. "Yes."
She glanced around before lowering her voice.
"I think I know who the other person was."
His smile disappeared.
"Who?"
"I don't know his name."
"Then what makes you think you know him?"
Hana hesitated.
"His voice."
Min-jae pulled out the chair beside her.
"Tell me."
"I heard him during the festival. He was helping with the decorations near the stage."
Min-jae thought for a moment.
"Do you remember anything else?"
"He had a silver bracelet."
Min-jae's expression changed.
"What?"
"What?"
"That bracelet."
Hana frowned. "You know it?"
"I've seen it before."
"Where?"
Min-jae looked toward the classroom door.
"On someone in the student council."
Hana's eyes widened.
"Who?"
Before he could answer, the bell rang.
Their teacher walked into the classroom.
Min-jae leaned closer and whispered,
"After school. We need to talk somewhere private."
Hana nodded.
But neither of them noticed the student sitting two rows behind them.
He had heard everything.
After school, Hana waited behind the library.
Min-jae arrived a few minutes later, carrying a folder.
"I checked the festival records."
Hana looked at him. "And?"
He opened the folder.
"There were only three students assigned backstage that evening."
Hana leaned closer.
"Yuri was one."
Min-jae nodded.
"I was another."
"And the third?"
He turned the paper toward her.
Hana's eyes widened.
Kang Joon-ho.
"The student who was at my house last night?" she whispered.
Min-jae nodded slowly.
"He's been helping the student council for months."
Hana's stomach twisted.
"But why would he do this?"
"I don't know."
Min-jae closed the folder.
"And that's what worries me."
A soft voice came from behind them.
"You shouldn't have looked."
They both froze.
Hana slowly turned.
Joon-ho stood several meters away.
His silver bracelet caught the afternoon sunlight.
Min-jae stepped forward.
"Why?"
Joon-ho looked at Hana.
"You really want to know?"
Hana nodded.
He sighed.
"Then you should ask Min-jae what happened three years ago."
Min-jae went completely still.
Hana looked at him.
"Three years ago?"
Joon-ho smiled faintly.
"You never told her?"
Min-jae's face had lost all its warmth.
"Joon-ho. Leave."
"Of course."
Joon-ho turned around.
Then stopped.
"Oh, and Hana?"
She looked at him.
"Some people fall in love because they find happiness."
His eyes shifted toward Min-jae.
"Others fall in love because they're trying to forget something."
Then he walked away.
Hana slowly turned toward Min-jae.
"What was he talking about?"
Min-jae said nothing.
"Min-jae."
Still nothing.
Her heart sank.
Whatever happened three years ago...
It wasn't a small secret.
And judging by the look in his eyes—
he had never planned to tell her.