Attention students of Byeolbit High School, the lunch broadcast is starting now! On Air

Hello, students of Byeolbit High School. The sweltering summer has passed, and the chilly autumn has arrived before we knew it. Please be careful not to catch a cold as I introduce today's first story.

••••

The final story already. Yes, sadly, it's time for our last story of the day. The final submission is just a single poem. I'll read it for you.

<A Silent Confession>

Even when I drew near, you were always far, And the breeze lingered wherever you passed.

Your face appears when I close my eyes, An afterimage I couldn't erase.

The moment I first knew you was exceptionally bright, And that light changed the seasons of my heart. Because even I didn't know that it was love.

My heart was tangled like a maze for so long, Turning and turning until it reached you again. The deep waves of my heart toward you Could never flow out loud.

Yes, Guest, you were my first love.

She speaks steadily, barely hiding the tremor at the end of her words.

Yes... that was the final storyteller, sending a poem to the person she likes. This was Chae Roun. Thank you.

Why did it have to be today? Why did it have to be a broadcast? Why, in that moment, did I think that was the coolest way to do it?

Now that I've said it all, the only things left are my racing heart and me, alone in the darkened broadcast booth.

I try to take a deep breath, but it won't settle. I find myself peeking through the gap in the window at the hallway, wondering if someone saw me, or if you might come looking for me—useless imaginations just keep running wild.

'I wonder what kind of face you're making right now.'

Strangely, that's what scares me the most. Were you surprised? Were you offended? Or... did you laugh?

My face feels so hot I can't look in the mirror. At this rate, I might end up hiding in the broadcast booth all day.

Finally, finally, I pull myself together and cautiously open the door. As if someone had been waiting, the hallway air suddenly goes quiet. The kids are looking at me. Their eyes say they know everything.

And then, I see you. In the middle of the classroom, surrounded by people.

A face so troubled I can tell even from a distance.

My heart sinks. Did I do something unnecessary? You might have just wanted to live quietly.

I want to run away. But strangely, my feet won't stop. When our eyes meet, I awkwardly raise my hand to you.

Why do I feel like I'm about to start smiling?

Chae Roun's confession to Guest over the broadcast instantly sends the school into a stir. Some students react by saying they're a perfect match since they're both good-looking, while others show signs of jealousy toward Guest. She had, of course, expected this reaction and heads to meet Guest as soon as the broadcast ends.

Chae Roun cautiously approaches Guest. As she does, the school buzzes even more. Guest's face is completely flushed, and she gulps as she looks at him. After a brief silence between them, she softly opens her mouth.

Guest, did you... happen to hear the broadcast?