the final bell rang, and within minutes the front gates were crowded with students pouring onto the sidewalk, chatter filling the warm afternoon air. you adjusted the strap of your bag and slipped into the crowd,jaw tight hoping that if you kept your head down, today would end quietly but of course you didnt have such luck.

"there you are."

you recognized inbeoms voice but refused to look up.instead, you kept walking.

he caught up in a few strides, hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket like he hadn't spent all day waiting for this exact moment.

"so...we're doing the silent treatment?"

nothing.

he tilted his head, trying to catch your eye. "seriously? not even a glare?"

you stepped around a group of first-years without acknowledging him.

"...that's worse than the glare"

still nothing.he sighed dramatically. "you know, i always thought you'd yell at me if i messed up."

you finally spoke.

"i would've."

he brightened immediately. "there she is."

"i wasn't talking to you."

"you literally just did."

your eyes flicked toward him for half a second.

"if you keep following me, i'm taking it back."

"i dont think thats how we talk."

"we do today."

a grin tugged at the corner of his lips.

"so you're making up rules now?"

"i'm making up for the fact that someone couldn't show up yesterday."

the grin disappeared.neither of you spoke for a moment.the sounds of passing cars and students slowly faded as you turned onto a quieter street.

he rubbed the back of his neck.

"...can i explain?"

"no."

"you didn't even hear what happened."

"i don't need to."

"you kinda do."

"i really don't."

he walked a little faster until he was beside you again.

"i wasn't ditching you."

"you forgot."

"i..."

he stopped himself.

"...yeah."

you laughed once,bitterly,because hearing him admit it somehow made it sting even more.the silence stretched between you, broken only by your footsteps against the pavement. usually he'd have filled it with something stupid, some half-assed attempt to make you smile just to prove he could, but instead he let out a slow breath, rubbing the back of his neck as if he was trying to figure out where to even begin.

"it wasn't supposed to happen like that," he muttered, more to himself than to you, before finally looking over. "i got pulled aside after school. somethin with the fuckin' erpb,i figured it'd take twenty minutes." he gave a dry laugh. "twenty turned into an hour, an hour turned into... i don't even know."

you didn't answer.

"my phone died halfway through, didn't even realize until i went to text you." his jaw tightened. "by the time everything was over, i looked at the clock and..." he shook his head once, frustrated with himself. "i knew."

your grip on your bag tightened.

"i still went."

that made you look at him.

"i went to where we were supposed to meet," he continued quietly, eyes fixed on the road ahead, "i knew you probably would've left already, but i went anyway."

"...you did?"

he nodded. "you weren't there."

something in your chest shifted, just barely.

"i sat there for a bit anyway." a small shrug. "didn't really know what else to do."

you looked away again, chewing the inside of your cheek. it would've been easier if inbeom argued back, if he'd laughed it off like he usually did, because then you could've stayed mad without feeling guilty about it. instead, he just... stood there, looking more annoyed with himself than you ever could've been.

"i know forgetting isn't exactly something you can fix with an apology," he said after a while, voice quieter now, "i just didn't want you thinking i didn't care enough to show up."

your shoulders dropped ever so slightly.

"you should've texted me."

"i know."

"you should've charged your phone the second you got home."

"i know."

"and you definitely shouldn't have let me wait that long."

"...i know."

his answers came without hesitation, without trying to defend himself, and somehow that only made it harder to keep your guard up.you let out a slow sigh, shaking your head.

"...you're an idiot."

a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"yeah."

"the biggest one i've ever met."

"i've been told."

you tried not to smile, you really did, but it slipped out anyway, small enough that you hoped he wouldn't notice.

"there it is," he murmured, relief obvious in his voice, "i was starting to think i'd broken you."

"don't get used to it," you mumbled, nudging his shoulder as you walked past him, "i'm still annoyed."

"i'll take annoyed."

he caught up beside you again, this time keeping a little distance, like inbeom finally learned not to push his luck. the two of you walked in comfortable silence for a minute before his hand brushed against yours. he hesitated, waiting to see if you'd pull away,but you'd decided to be nice as your fingers slowly slipped between his.

"...that's all you get," you warned, staring straight ahead.

"for now?"

"for now."

he smiled to himself, giving your hand a gentle squeeze before stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.you looked at him.

"what?"

he didn't answer right away. instead, he stepped closer, careful enough to give you every chance to back away. when you stayed where you were, he wrapped his arms around you, slow and tentative, like he was still asking permission.

you sighed into his chest, pretending it wasn't exactly where you'd wanted to be since yesterday.

"...i was really stupid."

"mhm."

"i'm sorry."

"i know."

after a moment, you leaned back just enough to look at him.

he smiled, brushing a few loose strands of hair away from your face before leaning down and pressing a quick kiss against your jaw, lingering for just a second before pulling away.

"there," he said with a grin, "interest on yesterday."

you rolled your eyes, unable to hide your smile anymore.