On reaching Jan's room, her door was open.
"Jina!"
Jan called my name the moment she saw me and rushed out, pulling me into a tight hug.
"Jan… you scared me," I said softly, hugging her back.
"I've been looking everywhere for you," she said quickly. "I even went to the cafeteria because I felt you would be there, but you weren't."
I froze for a second at the mention of the cafeteria.
I had been there. All through.
And Jan wasn't.
But I waved the thought away immediately. What mattered was that she was here now, alive, safe, standing in front of me. I hugged her tighter, almost as if I was trying to reassure myself.
Jan slowly released me and fixed her gaze on Yoon, who was standing a few steps away. Her eyes lingered on her longer than necessary.
"Jina," Jan called softly, still staring at Yoon.
"Yes, Jan," I replied.
"This is Yoon," I said quickly. "She's a transferred student. I've been with her all through. We were just coming from the—"
I stopped mid-sentence.
Jan had just said she was at the cafeteria looking for me. I didn't want to mention where we were coming from anymore. I didn't want to confuse her or make her uncomfortable. So I swallowed the rest of the sentence.
"Anyway," Jan said, removing her eyes from Yoon, "come. I need to tell you something real quick."
Before I could respond, she grabbed my wrist and dragged me away from Yoon. I glanced back once. Yoon stood still for a moment, watching us, before finally turning and heading toward her room.
Inside Jan's room, it was quiet.
Her roommates were still absent. Their beds were untouched, sheets neatly folded like no one had slept there in days.
"Your roommates are not back yet?" I asked, looking around.
Jan smiled faintly.
"Yes, Jina. You'll be my roommate for a long while. I'll be sleeping in your room for some time."
I smiled back,
"Any news?" Jan asked, sitting properly on her bed and looking at me closely.
"Nothing yet," I replied. Then I hesitated. "But Jan… my dad's camera."
Her expression changed instantly. She straightened up.
"What about it?"
"I saw something different on it," I said slowly. "Something I hadn't seen before. I freaked out… and it's finally broken."
Jan leaned forward.
"What did you see?"
"A mystery image… or maybe a video," I said. "It wasn't like the others. It terrified me. I couldn't even understand what I was seeing. I panicked and broke it."
Jan stood up and hugged me tightly.
"Oh, Jina," she whispered. "You must have been so scared. I'm sorry you went through that."
Her hug was warm, grounding. But my mind was already racing again.
"So Jan," I said quietly, "where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you. After that thing that happened in my room, I was scared to go back. That was when I met Yoon."
At the mention of Yoon's name, Jan stiffened.
"Jina… don't you find it strange being with someone you don't know?" she asked carefully. "She doesn't even look that young."
"Jan, trust me," I said. "She's been good all through. Funny, even. She hasn't done anything strange."
Jan didn't respond immediately.
"So where have you been?" I pressed. "You still haven't answered me."
"I was in the cafeteria with my friends," she said. "I searched everywhere for you, but I couldn't find you."
I nodded slowly.
Maybe she was with that secret boyfriend I once suspected, I told myself. I didn't push further.
Just then, my phone buzzed.
A message popped up.
Raven.
He wanted to see me at his usual spot.
The tree.
"Jan," I said, showing her the screen, "Raven wants to see me. I think I need to go."
"Raven?" Jan asked. "Should I follow you?"
I shook my head.
"I don't think Raven would like that. I'll gist you when I'm back."
She nodded reluctantly.
As I opened the door, I saw Yoon walking toward her room, slow, as if she had been standing there waiting—or listening.
"Yoon," I called.
She stopped and turned.
"Yes, Jina?"
"What have you been doing?" I asked. "Hope you're good?"
"Yes, I'm okay," she replied calmly. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going out."
"Okay," she said immediately. "Let me follow you."
I raised my hand.
"Hold on. Follow me as what?"
She stopped.
"Enough, Yoon," I said firmly. "I accepted you as a friend, not a companion. I'm going out alone now, okay?"
She stared at me for a moment, unreadable.
"Okay," she said softly.
I walked away, leaving her standing there.
When I reached the tree, Raven was already there.
He didn't smile. He didn't greet me.
"You decided to be seen today," I said bluntly. "You've been acting like a ghost lately. So what changed?"
"Because you stopped listening to me," Raven replied calmly. "I decided to distance myself from you."
I looked up at the tree.
"If I may ask… why do you fancy this place so much?"
Raven looked up too.
"Maybe my spirit matches it," he said. "I feel secure talking here. I rest here. When I'm tired, I come here."
"Wow," I muttered, scanning the area.
"Jina," Raven said, fixing his eyes on me, "you keep many friends lately."
"You mean Jan?" I asked. "She's a sister. And Yoon… she's just new."
"And the locker I told you to change," he continued. "You didn't."
"You never told me why," I replied.
"You leave your window open at night," Raven said quietly. "Yesterday, it was wide open."
My heart skipped.
"That's a lie," I snapped. "I closed it myself."
"Really?" Raven said. "Just be careful. Life is a mystery. This school is worse."
I wanted to tell him about the camera.
But I didn't.
"Thanks for your concern," I said finally. "I need to go."
Raven climbed the tree effortlessly.
Now it made sense—how he always noticed my window.
For the first time, he smiled at me.
"Keep that smile," I said. "If you do, you won't look so weird."
He frowned immediately.
I laughed softly and walked away.
Back at the hostel, Yoon was standing by the stairs again.
"Jina," she called.
"Yes?"
"This weekend, help me rearrange my room."
"I'll be busy," I lied.
I will be going home for weekend leave,maybe when am back or you can call someone else to help with that
She nodded as she stood looking at me
I left her there.
Jan's room was locked.
I entered mine, cleaned up, then sat by the window, staring at the tree Raven had climbed earlier.
After a while, I picked up my novel and began to read.