The evening air was quiet only the sound of her footsteps against the pavement and distant cars passing along the road.
Seol Hyorim walked slowly toward her house, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder.
The streetlights flickered on one by one, casting long shadows across the sidewalk.
As she passed a building near the corner, someone leaning against the wall straightened.
"Hyorim!"
She stop and slowly turned around.
"…You?" Her expression stiffened. "What are you doing here?"
Choi Giryang scratched the back of his neck, offering an awkward smile. "…I was waiting for you. You didn't text back. You're probably busy, so I thought I'd just see you here."
Her brows knitted together.
A faint uneasiness crept into her whole body.
"…Why do you want to see me?"
He shifted his weight. "You guys have night study for so long. I kind of feel bad for liberal arts students."
She only stared at him, unimpressed.
He cleared his throat. "Can we talk for a bit? Do you have to go in right away?"
"Sorry. I need to go home." Her voice was calm but firm. "If I'm any later, my brother will get suspicious."
She turned to leave.
But before she could take more than a step, he reached out and grabbed her wrist.
"Wait- I just wanted to give you something."
Her expression immediately hardened.
She pulled her hand out of his grip sharply, glaring at him.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Her voice dropped, edged with irritation. "Didn't I just say I have to go home? Are you deaf?"
Giryang's face paled slightly. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just…"
He quickly opened his bag and pulled out a small plastic pouch. Inside was a bracelet.
"It was your birthday, right? I got this on the way. A gift."
Hyorim hesitated.
Her fingers tightened around her bag strap.
Refusing might only make this drag on longer.
After a brief pause, she reached out and took it with a small nod.
"…Thanks."
His face lit up relief flashing across it.
"Then…" he said quickly, almost too quickly, "can we hang out this weekend?"
Seol Hyorim glanced at him, her expression cold.
"…You've bothered me long enough."
Her voice was firm, her eyes narrowing just slightly.
Without waiting for him to respond, she turned sharply and continued walking to her house, not looking back.
Behind her, Choi Giryang's smile slowly faded.
Irritation flickered across his face as he ran a hand through his hair.
He watched her retreating figure, his gaze lingering a little too long.
"…You got away once, but I wouldn't let you go again." he muttered under his breath though she was already far enough away not to hear.
-
"Eeeek!?"
Irina's voice burst through the phone as she clipped her nails, her head tilted so the phone stayed wedged between her shoulder and ear.
"That's totally him asking you out on a date, isn't it? Is that guy bold or just crazy? Seriously, what's his problem?"
Seolhyo lay sprawled on her bed, phone pressed to her ear, staring at the ceiling.
"Haaah… It's so troublesome."
"So what are you going to do?" Irina asked. "Are you going?"
"What the hell are you talking about? Of course I'm not. Why would you even ask that?"
She rolled onto her side, frowning slightly.
"…Now that I think about it, last weekend Kim Kwangwoon and Choi Giryang were hanging out. They're friends. Did you know?"
"Nope," Irina replied. "I only found out on your birthday too."
She switched to cutting her toenails now, completely unfazed.
"He never showed his friends before. Said there was no one worth introducing. Idiot. Biggest joke ever. I swear, something's off. What kind of sane guy asks out a girl who already has a boyfriend?"
She paused.
"…Does Seojin know?"
"No," Seolhyo said quietly. "I haven't told him. And I don't plan to."
"Huh? Why?"
"Are you crazy? Do you think Seojin would stay calm if he knew what that guy did just to meet me? He'd probably start a fight. I don't want him getting into trouble because of this."
Irina sighed. "If you say so. You're old enough to know what you're doing. Anyway, I gotta go."
She hung up and flopped dramatically onto the floor, blanket half-wrapped around her legs.
"Ugh, That piece of trash!! Just die!! Go die!!"
Her bedroom door swung open.
A middle-aged man stood there, looking concerned. "Why are you screaming again, our princess? And watch your language!"
Irina didn't even look at him.
"Whatever! Just cut me some fruit! I'm mad!."
Her father blinked once then hurriedly go to take some fruit for her.
"Alright, alright. I'll bring it."
-
Instead of going to the PC bang like originally planned, Seojin and Suwon had run into Ono on the way who was heading to the plaza to exercise.
Somehow, that was enough for them to ditch the others and follow him.
Now
Suwon was on his knees on the ground.
"Huff! Heok!"
Ono glanced down at him with zero sympathy. "You're collapsing after just 1,000 jumps? What a weakling."
Suwon shot him a glare from below. "Hey! That's more than enough, okay?!"
"Is it?" Ono tilted his head slightly. "Look at him."
Suwon turned.
Seojin was still jumping rope at a steady rhythm, breathing controlled, movements clean.
He had started at the exact same time.
And he didn't even look tired.
Ono crossed his arms. "Minimum should be 2,000."
Suwon groaned and forced himself back to his feet. "Not everyone's built like you two…"
He wiped the sweat from his chin, panting. "Hey, but seriously… does jump rope actually make you grow taller?"
Ono didn't miss a beat. "It's common sense, idiot. I do 2,000 a day."
Suwon stared at him.
…That's exactly why I'm doubting it.
But instead of arguing, he gritted his teeth and started jumping again.
"Huff! I swear!! I will!! grow taller no matter what!!"
"Grrh!!"
Ono's eye twitched. "Can you shut up and just jump?"
"Grrh!!"
Seojin, still jumping , not minding those two and focusing on his own.
At the Ratteria, a popular fast food chain in South Korea.
They were sprawled across a half-circle couch.
Park Dong sat slouched deep into the cushions, gray hoodie pulled over his head.
"Can we do something other than a movie?!" he complained. "How about billiards? You didn't even learn last time. Or maybe a comic café? That's more fun. What do you think?"
Irina sat cross-legged on the couch, shaking a paper bag of fries to mix the seasoning evenly. "We already decided we're watching a movie. What are you even saying? Mijin and Jinkyung agreed too."
Park Dong grabbed a French fry and muttered, "I'm out of allowance. How am I supposed to afford a movie?"
Irina stared at him. "Then why did you say you'd come?"
"When did I say that?" he shot back. "I said, 'Should we watch it?' That's all. I never confirmed."
Beside him, Suwon quietly chewing his burger finally spoke. "Why are you whining so much? Are you uncomfortable because there's a hot male lead in the movie?"
Park Dong whipped his head toward him, raising one fist a single fry stood firm between his fingers.
Suwon slowly raised both fists.
Each one holding a fry.
They glared at each other with no intention of backing off.
Irina look up to them. "Don't mess with food, you idiots. Seriously, why are you like this?"
Park Dong huffed. "Fine. Fine! I'll watch it, okay? But why aren't the girls here yet?"
"They're coming in the evening," Irina replied. "I just wanted to eat Ratteria first, so I called you guys."
Park Dong froze.
"…You what?"
He sharply turned to glare at her. "What the seriously wanna die?"
Irina stuck her tongue out. "HAHA, Bleh."
Suwon stood up, brushing crumbs off his shirt. "I'm good with this. I was craving for this anyway… but I gotta pee."
He stood and walked off.
Park Dong grabbed a burger and took a huge bite. "I was supposed to go to the PC room with Daegyu, you know. I came all the way here for this. Tsk."
A faint blush crept up his ears.
He had absolutely zero intention of going with Daegyu.
Irina leaned forward dramatically. "Oh, come on. Just hang out with me!"
"…Fine," he muttered. "Are Seolhyo and Seojin coming later too?"
Irina scoffed. "Those two? They went on a date first. Said they'll catch up with us later."