When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

Chapter 58

Cheonga's POV

I wake up slowly.

The world comes back in fragments. The weight of my body against the chair, the warmth of my arms folded beneath my head, the soft hush of air shifting through the open window. My eyes blink open, the room still hazy with sleep, and for a moment, I forget where I am.

Then I lift my head.

The study group room is quiet, empty except for one person.

Geon-Yeop stands by the window, his back to me. His hands are in his pockets, his posture relaxed, but there's something about the way he's staring outside-still. Unmoving. As if his thoughts are somewhere I can't reach.

I rub my eyes, letting out a small yawn. "You look like a movie character standing there like that."

He doesn't turn around immediately. Then, after a pause, his head tilts slightly in my direction. "Do I?"

"Yeah." I stretch my arms, feeling the stiffness in my shoulders. "The brooding type. The kind that stands by windows and stares out like they're thinking about life's biggest mysteries."

He lets out a short laugh through his nose. "Maybe I am."

I blink at him, still drowsy. "Were you watching me sleep?"

Now he finally turns, leaning slightly against the windowsill. "You were sleeping in the middle of a study room in broad daylight. Hard not to see you."

I narrow my eyes at him. "That's not an answer."

He shrugs, a lazy, nonchalant movement. "You looked peaceful. I didn't want to wake you."

I stretch again, pushing my hair back. "How long was I out?"

"A while."

I glance at him. There's something unreadable in his expression, but I don't question it. Geon-Yeop has his own world, and sometimes, he chooses to let people in. **Other times, he doesn't.**

"Did anyone else come by?" I ask.

He only offers a small, vague smile. "No one important."

I frown. "That's suspicious."

He only shrugs again, glancing out the window like the conversation is already over.

I exhale, deciding not to push. Instead, I stand up, grabbing my bag. "I should get to class."

Geon-Yeop turns back toward me. "Skipping again?"

I roll my eyes. "No. Unlike you, I still care about attendance."

He smirks. "You say that, but you're the one who fell asleep here."

I narrow my eyes at him playfully. "Shut up."

He only grins.

I sling my bag over my shoulder, walking toward the door. "See you later?"

He nods. "See you."

I push open the door, stepping into the hallway, the last thing I hear being the sound of the window creaking as Geon-Yeop turns back toward the view.

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Class is quiet, the steady sound of pencils scratching against paper filling the air. The teacher's voice drones on, explaining a new concept, but I barely need to listen. I already know this.

My hand moves on instinct, writing down answers before the questions are even finished being asked. The material is easy-too easy. My focus should be here, on the formulas in front of me, on the smooth rhythm of calculations, on the satisfaction of getting the right answer.