“Is she not here today?”

“No, I saw her going to class this morning.” Kyungsoo frowned, realizing that something was up. Even though she missed school often enough, she didn’t leave in the middle of the day.

And then someone walked by, telling their friend about how Lim Chaeyeon was bad for the school and how it was about time that someone confronted her and told her that she was just as bad as her sister.

Jongin’s and Kyungsoo’s heads whipped toward each other, pushing their chairs back, and Jongin murmured in a strained voice, “You check in the school, and I’ll check outside.”

Kyungsoo nodded, and they headed off in opposite directions, forgetting about lunch entirely. Jongin went through the back of the school that led to the sports facilities, going through the door and ignoring the calls of “Jongin!” and “Jongin, wanna join?”

Instead, he walked briskly, eyes scanning the basketball court and then moving on to the rugby field. She was nowhere to be found, and he checks his phone for updates from Kyungsoo.

Nothing.

He bit on the inside of his cheek, going toward the soccer field and sighing a little with relief when he sees her sitting on the bleachers alone, arms around her knees. He gingerly stepped over the rows of metal seats, toward her, and she looks up at the noise, eyes softening with recognition.

Jongin plopped down next to her