1. Thorny Lily
1. Thorny Lily
The first thing Han So-jeong felt upon waking was a strange, uncomfortable stiffness pressing between her thighs.
The sensation, which she was experiencing for only the second time in her life, reminded her all too vividly that the events she had endured all day yesterday were no mere nightmare.
Once she became aware of it, it was so unbearably uncomfortable that she couldn't possibly fall back asleep. The thing, swollen to the point of pain, was straining against her pants with all its might.
"Huuuk......"
So-jeong let out a sob-laden moan and roughly tugged her pants and panties down in one go, trying to relieve the stifling discomfort.
But freed from its fabric prison, the thing brushed lightly against the soft cotton of the blanket, forcibly imposing a subtle sense of liberation upon So-jeong.
That pleasant sensation felt so utterly repulsive to So-jeong that she curled her body into a tight ball to prevent it from touching the bed or blanket.
As she forced herself to crouch down and take deep breaths, she could feel the blood that had pooled in her lower body gradually receding.
"Haa, haa......"
Confirming the situation had been resolved by the feeling between her legs, So-jeong relaxed her body and slumped down. Despite the cool morning, a light sweat had seeped into her sleepwear.
"......"
So-jeong bit her lip and swallowed her tears. Sleep had long since fled, as distant now as the ordinary daily life she remembered.
It was the second day since a man's genitalia had appeared on Han So-jeong.
***
It was the second day that Han So-jeong hadn't shown up for class. Ryu Baek-seol was starting to get worried about her.
Everyone has a private life, so she hadn't planned to make a big deal out of her missing just one day of school. But skipping for two whole days without any contact was clearly a problem.
Of course, if this were the So-jeong from high school, she wouldn't have batted an eye even if she'd been absent for a week, let alone two days.
But now, it was a little strange.
'I thought her trauma was better by now.'
Thinking that, Baek-seol soon shook her head quietly.
Since when do psychological wounds heal so easily? The scars left on the heart are carved deeper and more prone to reopening than those on the flesh. Baek-seol knew that all too well.
'Not answering calls, not replying to texts either......'
Baek-seol's face momentarily contorted as she stared at the erased '1' notification on her smartphone screen.
Clatter-
As she pushed herself up from her seat, the lecture hall chair made a slightly loud noise. But since class hadn't started yet and the room was still chaotic, no one paid any attention to Baek-seol leaving.
Baek-seol's footsteps down the hallway were, without her even realizing it, a little fast and rough.
I definitely told her to tell me first if anything ever happened.
***
[I'm coming to your place now.]
Reading the text from Baek-seol, So-jeong shot up from her bed and looked around with the terrified face of a herbivore backed into a corner.
"No way......"
Stupid me.
Why didn't I anticipate that Baek-seol would get worried and come find me?
So-jeong rushed into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The reflection staring back at her was a complete mess.
Her long black hair was a tangled disaster, and her skin was dry and flaky. Moreover, her eyes were swollen hideously, probably from crying all day yesterday before falling asleep.
>
So-jeong quickly washed her face and dampened her hair to tame it as best she could. Then she ran back to her room, opened the window, and aired the place out.
She didn't want to worry Baek-seol. Whenever she was having a hard time, Baek-seol always worried about her twice as much.
And thinking of Baek-seol naturally led to thoughts about the thing between her legs that was still occasionally asserting its presence.
'What if Baek-seol finds out?'
Her heart sank with a thud.
She didn't even want to imagine such a thing.
It was certain that if Baek-seol discovered this monstrous thing attached to her, she would be disgusted.
'I have to hide it no matter what.'
The top priority right now was to not get caught by Baek-seol.
Opening her closet, So-jeong chose the skirt she owned with the widest cut and longest length and put it on.
Just as she was rummaging through her closet for a top that would go with the skirt after putting it on,
Ding-dong-!
"Eeek!"
As the doorbell rang, So-jeong let out a shrill sound and jumped in place.
"So-jeong-ah, Han So-jeong."
Ryu Baek-seol's voice came from beyond the door.
"Is something wrong? Open the door."
"R-right, coming out!"
In the end, So-jeong just threw on any top, ran to the front door, and yanked it open.
"......"
Baek-seol, revealed as the door opened, stared holes into So-jeong for a moment. Her slightly upturned eyes gave her a cold impression, and feeling a little embarrassed under that persistent gaze, So-jeong turned her head slightly and spoke.
"Wh-what's up? What about class?"
"......Ah."
At So-jeong's words, Baek-seol seemed to finally remember the purpose of her visit.
"That's what I should be asking. Why aren't you coming to school, and why aren't you answering your phone?"
"Ah...... Um, I had a fever."
"The semester just started, what kind of fever is that already."
Though Baek-seol's words were sharp, having spent so much time with her, So-jeong knew she was worried about her.
"Ahaha, right. You know I have a weak constitution."
"Are you... okay now?"
"Yeah. I'm okay now. Thanks for worrying."
So-jeong smiled slightly as if to reassure her, and at the same time, she very subtly gripped the hem of her skirt. As if by doing so, the 'not okay thing' beneath that skirt could somehow disappear.
"I was just about to wash up and maybe go to my afternoon class......"
"No, rest today."
Baek-seol cut So-jeong off.
"Huh? But......"
"Your complexion is still a bit pale. Rest until today. Don't overdo it and make the fever worse. I'll organize the class notes and send them to you later."
When Baek-seol was that firm, it was usually impossible to persuade her otherwise. So-jeong eventually decided to follow Baek-seol's advice.
"Mmm, okay. Sorry for making you worry about me again."
"It's fine."
"Ah, since you're here, do you want to grab something to eat? It's lunchtime now."
At So-jeong's invitation, Baek-seol seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then she shook her head and spoke.
"No, it's okay. I feel bad making a sick person cook. Don't even think about cooking, just order some porridge or something. Okay?"
"Yeah, okay."
At So-jeong's reply, Baek-seol nodded lightly.
"Then I'll go. See you tomorrow."
"Yeah. Bye, Baek-seol-ah."
After turning around and taking a few steps, Baek-seol, as if remembering something, looked back at So-jeong.
"And, if anything happens, be sure to contact me first."
Emphasizing the word 'be sure,' Baek-seol added in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Because I worry."
"I will."
>
So-jeong answered with a slight smile.
Baek-seol looked at that smile for a moment before silently turning and swiftly walking down the hallway.
So-jeong, who had followed her retreating figure with her eyes until she completely disappeared from view, gently closed the door, leaned her back against it, and let out a sigh of relief.
"She didn't find out......"
Maybe it was only natural that she didn't get caught, but So-jeong felt her heart pounding like a child who'd done something bad.
But on the other hand, she also felt grateful that Baek-seol had come to find her.
Though it was a short conversation, talking with Baek-seol made her feel like she was being returned to her usual daily routine.
It was always like that. Baek-seol was always the one who gifted her peaceful times as part of her everyday life.
Back then, and now too.
"......"
Suddenly, the thought of consulting Baek-seol about this problem crossed her mind.
If it's Baek-seol, wouldn't she worry about this with me to help solve it?
But So-jeong quickly dismissed that thought.
>
She couldn't do that. Precisely because it was Baek-seol, this was the one problem she couldn't consult her about.
Because if she ended up being hated by her too, there would be no one left in So-jeong's world.
"I can't keep relying on Baek-seol's help forever."
Muttering to herself as if scolding herself, So-jeong walked into her room as if she had decided something and turned on her computer.
She didn't know if this curse-like thing that had happened to her could be resolved, but she had to try anyway.
To reclaim the daily life where she could laugh without any worries alongside Baek-seol, her only friend.
To reclaim this daily life that she had gifted her.
***
Baek-seol, who had turned the corner in the hallway and completely left So-jeong's line of sight, leaned against the wall and placed a hand over her eyes.
"Hoo......"
As she closed her eyes, the scene from moments ago seemed to vividly replay.
The collarbone and skin faintly visible through the loose t-shirt.
Her hair, flowing softly even though she'd probably just dampened it.
Her slightly flushed face from hurriedly cleaning her room after getting her message that she was coming.
And......
Baek-seol slid the hand covering her eyes down to cover her nose and mouth this time.
Having been home all day yesterday, So-jeong's room was filled with her scent.
"That was dangerous."
The moment the door opened and So-jeong's scent wafted over her, Baek-seol momentarily couldn't think of anything. To the point of forgetting even the reason she had come to So-jeong's apartment.
Cold sweat trickled down her back from the effort of clinging to reason and maintaining a blank expression.
'Do you want to grab something to eat?'
>
The image of So-jeong smiling like sunlight on fresh snow as she said that came to mind.
If she had accepted her invitation there, if she had stepped into her room.
Could she have maintained her reason until the very end?
"Ssuup, hoo......"
After a few deep breaths to compose herself, Baek-seol slowly began to descend the stairs.
I can't. Going down the stairs, Baek-seol told herself that over and over again.
Each other's irreplaceable best friend. For now, that was the best relationship.
Not yet. I mustn't approach her hastily.
Because with her, above all others, I don't want to be hated.