Great. Now I'm trending for sitting next to the human version of a statue.
I reached for my mocha. My hand was shaking a bit — not from nerves, just... from ugh. That feeling when you already know how bad the gossip is gonna get before the comments even hit.
Jack didn't react. Not even a flinch. He just looked down at his phone, locked it again like he'd seen this movie before.
Typical.
I leaned back and sighed.
"Are you seriously okay with people taking photos like that?"
He didn't look at me.
Jack:"They always do."
His voice was too calm. Like a shrug wearing a uniform.
Jini:"Must be nice. Being used to it."
Jack:"It's not. You just stop caring."
Right. Of course. Just stop caring. Easy for him to say — he's used to being watched. I'm used to being ignored.
And now suddenly we're this... thing?
Cherry appeared, looking like she ran all the way from wherever drama lives.
Cherry:"Girl. What. Was. That."
She pulled out her phone without waiting for an answer and shoved it in my face.
My heart dropped.
There it was: A blurry photo of me and Jack, sitting across from each other. I looked like I was mid-sigh. Jack looked like a Greek sculpture come to life. Caption?
> "Wait... is this JINI x JACK now?! 😱 #ColdAndSweet"
I nearly choked on my own mocha.
Jini:" I hate this school."
Cherry (laughing):"Welcome to being mildly popular. You're officially part of the chaos."
Jini:"I didn't even do anything."
Cherry:"You sat next to him for more than 10 minutes. That's doing plenty."
Before I could even react, I saw Jin walking toward us, stiff, unreadable, and probably ready to say something blunt and brotherly annoying. I stood up fast.
"Gotta go."
I didn't wait for a reply. I just walked away. Jack stayed seated, still pretending not to care.
But as I passed him, he looked up just once.
And said — in that same low, careful voice:
Jack:"Thanks... for sitting."
Scene 2
I didn't say anything.
I just kept walking.
But my fingers wouldn't stop curling tighter around the cup.
Perfect — here's the continuation of Chapter 5, picking up right after Jack says:
> "Thanks... for sitting."
I didn't say anything back. I couldn't. His voice was too soft. Too real.
Not cold. Not flat.
Just... genuine.
And that was somehow worse.
I walked out of the library, the mocha still warm in my hand, but the quiet in my chest felt too loud. I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until I was halfway down the stairs.
People were staring.
Whispering.
Phones out. Eyes everywhere.
I hated it.
Cherry caught up with me outside the gate.
Cherry:"So… are you gonna tell me what that was?"
Jini (dryly):"A mocha."
She rolled her eyes.
Cherry:"No, not the coffee. That. You and Jack."
Jini:"There's no me and Jack."
Cherry:"Mmhmm."
She showed me her phone again. More photos. More reposts. The caption had changed this time:
> "Jini and Jack... cold boy finally melts? 👀☕ #SilentShip"
I felt my stomach twist.
Jini:"I didn't ask for this."
Cherry:"You didn't have to. The school's obsessed with pairings. Welcome to the circus."
I stayed quiet.
I didn't like him — not like that.
But now, everyone was looking at us like we were already something.
And for some reason…
Jack didn't look surprised.
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