✔ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐖𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐃: 𝑆𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑟

CHAPTER 26

In the last few weeks, I found comfort and distraction in my friendship with Miss Hwang. I helped out in the store and it was good to talk about feelings and life. The hours I spent with her gave me a kind of calm that I needed in the midst of the hectic school days. I also got the feeling that this contact was good for her, that she laughed more often and accepted compliments from customers more easily. She started to see life in a positive light again after it had become so sad following the death of her daughter. She really blossomed when we talked about memories of happy moments and celebrated the small joys of everyday life together.

The bond between us deepened and I appreciated the opportunity to give as well as receive. Whether it was tidying the store, having conversations or just being there, it felt like we were supporting each other on our individual healing journeys.

Meanwhile, the relationship with Taehyun remained in a delicate balance. His daily visits to pick up my sister turned into brief moments of encounters. We made small talk and I still felt the urge to be close to him. The looks between us revealed more than our words could express and I had to accept that we both needed time to sort ourselves out.

Still, I wished I could delve deeper into his mind, but at the same time I respected his space and the challenges he had to overcome.

I had noticed how Taehyun, who had been training intensively with his team in recent weeks, was gradually returning to school life. It seemed as if he had made up his mind to overcome his mistakes, and this was evident not only on the soccer pitch but also in the classroom. The joint efforts with the team paid off and the cohesion between them grew. It was noticeable how Taehyun was now hanging out with the boys on the team more often. The initial distance that prevailed after the lost game turned into a more solid friendship. He developed a particularly close bond with Soobin, the leader of the team. The two of them not only spent training sessions together, but also leisure time off the pitch.

And I was really happy about that, because during our last serious conversation, Taehyun had mentioned that I had been the first person to show interest in him.

Now it seemed as if he was a full member of the soccer team and Soobin proved to be an empathetic friend who not only supported Taehyun in a sporting sense, but also listened to his personal concerns. The two shared not only an enthusiasm for soccer, but also thoughts, dreams and life's challenges.

It almost seemed as if the situation with Bongcha had faded into the background. At least she was no longer talked about much.

But Bongcha was by no means forgotten.

There were still whispers and whispers at school about the turbulent events. Especially when Bongcha's rich parents were so upset about her suspension that they quickly decided to send her to another school. The news of Bongcha's change of school caused another commotion. I heard some students whispering that she was now at an exclusive private school, while others claimed that her parents had changed schools to escape the scandal. The rumor mill was churning, and some students saw the change as another act in their contrived drama.