Ghost Bride's Jealous Glare
"Hey, ghost lady! You're way too pretty—mind if we snap just one photo?"
"Um, do you have a boyfriend? Could you give me your number?"
10:30 a.m. Not long after outsiders started flooding in, the hallway in front of Class 2 was already packed to the brim. Baek Isul's ghost bride cosplay was more than enough to draw the stares of boys from other schools.
Her brows furrowed in weary annoyance at the blatant leers and the endless stream of guys hitting on her.
"My number?"
Isul stared at them with emotionless eyes.
"If you go into our class's haunted house and come out without screaming once, I'll think about it. Entry fee's two thousand won."
She thrust out the bloodstained signboard with a blank expression. The boys took the bait, lining up stubbornly in front of Class 2. Soon after, thick-voiced screams erupted from inside the classroom one after another.
"Aaaah! Fuck, you scared me!!"
Isul let out a small sigh as she listened. The cumbersome skirt hem felt irritating, and the gnat-like stares swarming her were utterly repulsive. After hawking tickets for a while, swallowing curses under her breath, she glanced at her watch.
Only thirty minutes have passed?
It felt like she'd been standing in the hallway for three or four hours already, but the hands pointed to just half an hour gone by.
Suddenly, Nam Siu's face flashed in her mind—tied down in Class 1, mixing up aides. She'd seen him that morning, dressed up in a loose shirt trying to look cool, and it had set her insides burning just as much as him.
Taking a quick breather, Isul peeked around toward the hallway in front of Class 1, signboard still in hand.
Is he still quietly making aides?
Her steps halted abruptly as she wandered near Class 1's booth and peered through the window. Right in front of the counter where he was making aides stood a heavily dolled-up girl from another school, gazing at Siu.
The girl twisted her body this way and that, chattering nonstop at him, and then—Siu smiled back at her with his eyes crinkling.
In that instant, Ji Yoon's words from a few days ago streaked through Isul's mind.
Crack.
Isul gripped the signboard tight, and a splintering sound came from the handle.
"Your strawberry aide's ready."
Siu wiped sweat from his brow and set the finished red drink on the counter.
Class 1's handmade aide booth was swamped. With Seo Juwon leading the charm offensive on customers, lines snaked in front of every assigned student—including Siu.
For the festival, he'd ditched his glasses for contacts for the first time in ages at school, and a long line formed in front of him too.
"Um... could you give me your Instagram handle?"
The next customer, a girl from another school, blushed and held out her phone.
Caught off guard, Siu scratched the back of his head.
"Uh... I don't do Instagram."
"Really? Then maybe your phone number..."
"Th-there's a line building up, sorry..."
As Siu turned away with an awkward refusal, the class president—who was hauling an icebox from inside the classroom—mouthed at him furiously: 'Hey! Nam Siu! Smile at customers! Be friendly, damn it!!'
Haa... gotta smile, huh.
Siu sighed inwardly a hundred times while mixing aides, then carried the finished one to the counter. Swallowing his reluctance, he forced the corners of his mouth up at the girl in front of him—the best business smile he could muster.
"H-hope it's tasty."
"Whoa... it looks so good!"
As Siu handed over the drink with a slight eye smile, the girl's friend squealed and smacked her arm.
"P-please, just your number once..."
Before the girl could plead again, clinging to her hopes—
Thud.
A creepy, bloodstained signboard wedged itself between Siu and the girl.
"...He doesn't do Instagram. No, he doesn't even have a phone."
It was a voice that sent chills down Siu's spine, one only he could feel.
Isul had sidled up to the counter, staring down the girl with a blank face.
"You've bought your drink—now go to Class 2's haunted house over there. Tons of hot guys inside."
"Huh? Oh, y-yes!"
The girl whipped her head around in confusion, spotted Isul's face, yelped in surprise, and bolted out of Class 1.
"Huh, Seol-ah. Promotion's..."
"Nam Siu."
Isul cut him off.
"You smiled so pretty at her."
She slammed the signboard on the counter and cocked her head snidely.
Cold sweat trickled down Siu's back at her tone.
"N-no! That's not—!"
He flailed his hands in panic, scrambling to explain.
"The president was cursing me out earlier, saying no smiles means lost sales... It was just business! For real!"
Isul watched his indignant flailing and let out a small sigh. Truth be told, she knew Siu wasn't the type to have eyes for anyone else. It was just seeing him smile at another girl right in front of her that sparked her petty jealousy.
A snicker slipped from her lips at his sweaty, flustered state.
"Business?"
"Yeah! Totally! No feelings involved."
"Sure. That capitalist grin was a bit too wide, though. Try flashing it that freely again."
She crossed her arms, feigning a threat. Siu relaxed and grinned broadly.
"Won't smile anymore. But isn't that outfit uncomfortable? Want a drink while you're here..."
As Siu leaned over the counter to fuss over her—
Seo Juwon, who'd snuck up, rapped the counter with his empty ice bucket.
"Hey, Class 2 part-timer. Don't mess with our business—back to your zone."
He jerked his chin at the incoming crowd and grumbled.
"While you two flirt like idiots, I'm slicing lemons, serving, dying over here. Get out before I report you for interference."
"Ah, president'll kill me."
Isul brushed off Juwon's jab, grabbed her signboard, and turned.
Juwon gawked at her back, checked the schedule in his apron pocket, then tossed over his shoulder:
"Siu's off at one for his break, so hold out till then."
"Wh-who said I'm waiting!"
Isul snapped back briefly, then quickened her pace. Siu fought a twitching smile at "break," waving cautiously.
"I'll come get you later, Seol-ah!"
"...Do what you want."
She muttered indifferently, bunching her annoying dress skirt as she hurried back to Class 2.
Juwon smacked Siu's back with the bucket as he grinned at her retreating figure.
"Mix aides, asshole. No smiling."
1:00 p.m. sharp.
"Yo, my shift's up! Good luck!"
The second hand hit twelve, and Siu ditched his apron without a backward glance. Swapping the fussy dressed-up shirt for his comfy usual uniform, he grabbed one of his own aides and bolted out.
Still hawking in front of Class 2?
Turning the corner to Class 2's hallway—
"Nam Siu."
The familiar voice made a bright smile bloom on his face.
There stood Isul, scrubbed clean of the heavy wedding dress and pale makeup.
She'd been pretty in cosplay earlier, but to Siu, her neat uniform look was always the prettiest.
"Oh? Seol-ah, you off at one too?"
"...Yeah, about that time."
She mumbled evasively, eyes flicking to the aide in his hand.
"What's that."
"Figured you'd be beat from that heavy getup. Thought you'd want something cool. Made it myself."
As they started walking together, she eyed his hand.
"...Hand it over. Thirsty."
At "made it myself," she stuck out her hand eagerly. She slurped the cool aide through the straw, cheeks twitching faintly at the pleasant sweetness.
"How's it? Less syrup than yesterday's practice."
"Hm... not bad. Drinkable."
Her gruff reply belied her refusal to return the cup. Siu fell naturally into step beside her.
"Lunch? Kids hook you up?"
"Nah. Haven't eaten since morning. Hit some other class booths."
They synced steps into the festival bustle. Outside, endless outdoor stalls dotted the grounds. Siu took her hand naturally and tugged.
"Tteokbokki! Let's grab some to share!"
She stared at their joined hands, then smiled wordlessly and followed.
Since she'd skipped breakfast, Siu bought a bit of everything from stall to stall.
"Hey, stop buying. How're we eating all this."
"Think so? Well... leftovers to Geon."
Isul snickered at his carefree reply and nodded.
"Yeah, let's."
They claimed a bench under a tree by the field. Spreading out arms full of tteokbokki, fish cakes, hot dogs, they dug in. Siu fed her bits of everything.
"Hey, enough. My mouth's stuffed."
Her cheeks puffed adorably as she blocked him—a rare sight. Siu's eyes caught red tteokbokki sauce on her lip.
"Whoops, on your mouth."
He pulled tissue from his pocket and dabbed her lip gently.
Suddenly, the bench-sitting pair drew much closer. At his touch, Isul whipped her head away, wiped her mouth casually, and sipped her aide like nothing happened.
But she couldn't hide her slightly flushed ears.
Soon, bellies full without calling Park Geon, they clasped hands again for proper festival roaming.
"Ooh! Balloon darts over there. Wanna try, Isul?"
Siu's eyes sparkled at the PE club's game booth: pop five-plus balloons for a cute animal keychain.
"Hm... never thrown darts."
Isul paid first, gripped a sharp dart. True to her calm nature, she closed one eye, stared at the target, and threw.
Pop! Pop! Ppop—!
"Whoa, she's nailing 'em."
"Isn't that Baek Isul? She's gorgeous."
Unfazed by the murmurs, she burst balloon after balloon.
"Wow... you're amazing. Here's your prize!"
"Wooow."
She took the black cat keychain from the dazed booth runner with a soulless cheer.
Siu gaped as she returned.
"What. Never played, my ass—why're you so good?"
She snickered at his reaction, slipping it into his hand as they left.
"Here. You were peeking. Wanted it, right?"
"No way... for me?"
"Ahem. Don't need it. You take it."
She strode ahead, sheepish but with upturned lips, inwardly pleased.
"That one too."
Now she tugged his hand. A student with a Polaroid waited there—popular, with a long line.
"Get two shots, one each."
Siu smiled at her unusually bubbly vibe and followed without a word.
Their turn came; they posed.
"Okay, cute couple! Shooting! One, two!"
As the lens captured them and the student counted down—
Siu turned from the camera to the girl pressed close beside him.
Click—!
One photo. Isul V-signing at the lens, Siu gazing at her tenderly—perfectly captured.
"Why look at me, not the camera."
"Oops, missed timing."
She grumbled at the printout, but a happy smile played on her lips.
Siu wished this peaceful time could last forever.
"Gotta hit the bathroom—wait here."
"Got it. I'll wait. Take your time, Seol-ah."
End of the second-floor hall, quiet stairwell. Isul left Siu there and headed off.
He clutched her half-drunk aide and gifted cat keychain to his chest, gazing out the window at the field, waiting obediently.
Right after her figure vanished around the corner—
"Impressive. Bouncing back after that breakup, huh."
A slimy voice from behind.
"...!"
Siu's shoulders stiffened. He turned slowly—Yoo Eunho stood there, casual clothes, glasses, leg crossed casually.
"You..."
Siu's eyes iced over. His aura turned vicious, ready to grab by the collar—but Eunho smirked leisurely.
"Look at those eyes. Gonna swing first again?"
Eunho nodded toward the noisy hall, whispering.
"Don't wanna cause a scene at someone else's school fest."
"What do you want."
Siu ground his teeth. Eunho pushed up his glasses.
"Follow me."
He brushed past, descending the stairs.
"Or stay and make a racket."
"...Tch."
Siu's gaze chilled. He glanced briefly back toward Isul's return path, then followed.
[+ Side Note]
Sweat dripping as she collected fees at Class 2's door, the class president looked up as someone strode right up.
"Huh? Wh-who... What. Baek Isul! Where've you been? Not hawking outside..."
Thud—!
Isul dropped her signboard on the president's desk.
Her pale makeup, red lips, and blank expression made the president shrink back a bit.
"President."
"Y-yeah? What..."
"My break's today. From two?"
The president nodded cautiously at her words.
"Make it from one."
"What? No way! One's peak time with outsiders pouring in—if you bail, our promo..."
The pleading president tried to persuade, but Isul—in the position of power—stared down firmly.
"One."
"Isul, please..."
"Pull me at one, or I strike. You promised from the start: I set my breaks."
Her words shook the president's eyes, hungry for top sales.
After tense standoff, the president surrendered, hands up.
"Fine...! One sharp. Hold the fort till then?"
Isul nodded faintly in satisfaction, then blank-faced, hoisted the signboard toward the hall again.
She glanced out the window at the field.
...Darts corner? Looks fun.
Outwardly disinterested and prickly, but her head buzzed with thoughts of booth-hopping with Siu at one.