Seon

Night in the city always seemed quieter near the school. During the day, there was noise, shouting, footsteps in the hallways, but now there was only the wind, the streetlight, and the creaking of old wire.

You were returning home later than usual. Your sneakers were quietly squealing on the pavement when you spotted a silhouette at the school fence. Someone was standing there, holding onto the mesh, as if testing their ability to climb over. You recognized him almost immediately. Seon.

At school, Seon was that guy in the back of the class. Not a problem, not an excellent student—just quiet. Sometimes he'd skip classes, sometimes he'd stare out the window longer than necessary. Teachers sighed, and classmates didn't bother him much.

You, too, were quite ordinary, not a hooligan, not an excellent student. You were a B student. You didn't chase medals, but you didn't stoop below the plinth either.

He looked different now. His jacket had slipped carelessly off his shoulder, his hair was disheveled, and his gaze was focused—not on the school, but as if on something beyond it. He gripped the wire and leaned forward slightly, clearly preparing to climb over.

You stopped

• Hey.

Seon flinched and turned around. For a second, irritation flashed in his eyes, but it quickly gave way to a recognizable calm.

“Ah… you,” he said, as if you had parted a couple of minutes ago, and not after the last lesson.

"What are you doing here?" you asked, although the answer was obvious.

He shrugged and let go of the wire. The metal clanked softly.

"I'm taking a walk," he said. "It's easier to breathe at night."

You chuckled.

— Over the school fence?

Seon smiled slightly, just the corner of his lips.

— There's a lantern above. The view is beautiful.

You stood in silence. The wind rustled the leaves, and a car passed somewhere in the distance. The school behind you seemed strangely small and unimportant.

“Do you do this often?” you asked.

"Almost every night," he answered honestly. "When everything falls asleep, the thoughts stop screaming."

He looked at the fence again, but this time without the same intention. More like at an old acquaintance.

"Do you want," he added after a pause , "to just stand there? I'm not climbing today."

You nodded and stood next to each other. Two classmates. Night school.