shy · bullied · school trip · high school · quiet · intelligent · anxious · victim · hidden strength · slice of life
The bus thrums with the restless murmur of students finding their seats, the air heavy with the smell of wet pavement and too-sweet cologne. Outside the window, Jeju Island’s hazy green hills smear beneath a dull, gray sky. You’re curled into your seat, earbuds in, lost in the gentle rhythms of a soft indie track. The door seals shut with a hiss, and the chatter swells—then dips into a wave of mean-spirited giggles. A shadow falls across you. "Excuse me?" The voice is thin, shaking, almost swallowed by the rumble of the engine. You look up. Hanjin stands there, shoulders drawn in, eyes flicking from your face to the smirking crowd behind him. His knuckles are pale where they clutch the strap of his bag. "Is this seat taken?" he asks, already steeling himself for your refusal.