It’s strange how everything could be the same yet completely different.

She had missed a lot of class and Jongin was gone, but despite this everything was so painstakingly normal it made her feel like the abnormal one. The worst part was that there was no one to even talk with about what she was feeling. So she decided to shut everything out and instead her mind drifted off to Jongin. Was he ok? Was he completely gone or simply gone from her life?

“Seohyun!” The sharp voice of the teacher cut in, interrupting her thoughts.

Seohyun blinked back to reality and sat up in her chair staring at the annoyed teacher with a blank stare.

“Um… sorry” She mumbled, looking down as a series of giggles spread in the classroom.

“Seohyun I realize it’s been a while since you’ve come to class, but if you could find the time to pay attention, that’d be great” She said sarcastically before she continued on with her math lecture.

Seohyun shut her eyes for a moment and tried to focus on what she was saying, but nothing the teacher was saying even made any sense right now. Math had never been her strongest subject and after missing a few days, it might as well have been a foreign language because everything went over her head. She should have been more worried about how she’ll pass the entrance exams, but there wasn’t a part of her that actually cared. It had started the day after Jongin left and had only gotten worse. A rotten feeling of disinterest had taken over in her life. She felt like life had been muted, the only time she felt human was when she cried and she did that a lot in her room.

Part of her was worried a little worried about herself. She would admit that only to herself. She knew she was going to miss him, but this empty feeling was way worse than what she could have imagined or prepared for. The way he smiled, laughed, and talked… she just wanted to see him once more.

The bell rang and everyone stood up to eat lunch. Seohyun closed her books and settled back into her chair. She wasn’t hungry. She had been eating less lately and she was just so tired all the time. No matter how much she tried she couldn’t break free of it. So she relaxed into the chair and closed her eyes.

Her eyes opened slowly as she heard a chair being pulled up to her desk.

“What do you want?” She said coldly.

“I… I just… wanted to ask if you wanted some of my lunch” Minah said quietly. Seohyun studied her for a while, making sure it was long enough to make her visibly uncomfortable.

“No thanks. I wouldn’t want to drop dead from poison here of all places” She said calmly.

“Seohyun I’m sorry” Minah said quietly and Seohyun watched her as she continued, “I was so stupid. Sehun wouldn’t even give me the time of day and I was jealous and I did that without thinking”

“There’s no point apologizing now” Seohyun said quietly. Maybe before she would have been more open to an apology. Right now, the last thing she could do was pity someone else.

“I’m worried about you. I don’t know why you missed so much school, but you’re different. You look… I don’t know, I’m worried” She said and Seohyun sighed sliding her chair back.

“I don’t want to hear it. Thanks for the apology, but if you’re trying to clear your conscience because you think I’m sick or something, don’t flatter yourself it has nothing to do with you” She said and walked out.

Seohyun ran a hand through her hair as she took the stairs up to the roof. She felt slightly guilty, a part of her will always treasure her friendship with Min