INVISIBLE STRINGS ~ Scoups [C]

🎀10

The morning sun filtered through the classroom windows as Y/N flipped through her notes, her pen tapping rhythmically against the desk. Her focus was sharp, her mind determined to keep personal matters at bay.

“Y/N” Yeri’s voice broke through her thoughts. “You’re zoning out again.”

“Just thinking about the project” Y/N replied.

Yeri gave her a knowing look. “Sure, the project. Not someone in the project?”

Y/N shot her a glare. “It’s just a project, Yeri. That’s it.”

Yeri raised her hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. But if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me.”

Y/N smiled faintly. “Thanks. But I’m good.”

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During lunch, Scoups sat with Mingyu, Jun and Joshua, their table buzzing with casual conversation. However, Scoups was quieter than usual.

“She’s still keeping her distance, huh?” Mingyu asked, sipping his drink.

Scoups nodded, his expression unreadable. “I don’t blame her. I just… I don’t know how to get through to her anymore.”

Joshua leaned forward, his tone serious. “Then maybe stop trying to fix things all at once. Start small. Let her see you’re genuine.”

Scoups sighed, his fingers drumming on the table. “Easier said than done.”

“Nothing worth it is easy” Mingyu added with a shrug.

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(I know I’ve been jumping between parts a lot. This is because I had written some parts earlier, but when it comes to continuing, I often don’t know how to move forward. I’m really sorry and I hope you all understand.)

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The Unexpected Gesture

That evening, as Y/N walked out of the library with Yeri, the sky was painted in shades of orange and pink.

“I’ll catch up with you later” Yeri said, waving before heading in the opposite direction.

As Y/N made her way to the school gate, she noticed Scoups leaning against a tree, holding two cups of iced coffee.

She hesitated, unsure whether to acknowledge him, but he spotted her before she could walk away.

“Hey” Scoups said, pushing off the tree and walking toward her. “I got this for you.”

Y/N blinked in surprise, her gaze flickering to the cup he held out.

“Just an iced Americano. Figured you might need a pick-me-up after all the work we’ve been doing” he said, his voice awkward but sincere.

Y/N hesitated before taking the cup. “Thanks” she said curtly.

Scoups rubbed the back of his neck. “I know I can’t undo everything overnight, but… I want to try. To be better. Even if it’s just as your project partner.”

Y/N looked at him for a moment, her expression unreadable. “We’ll see.”

With that, she walked away, leaving Scoups standing under the tree.

Over the next few days, Scoups continued to show small gestures of kindness—offering to carry Y/N’s books, staying late after their project sessions to help with extra research, and even standing up for her in class when someone made a snide comment.