23. In the Unchanging Daily Life (1)

Spring, as it transitions into May, is always special for university students.

The warm spring breeze blowing through the air that has now completely shed its winter clothing not only swells one's chest with the vitality of spring, but there's also no guilt in fully enjoying this splendid weather thanks to midterms having ended not long ago.

Of course, Han So-jeong was the complete opposite of those extroverted people who go around in groups enjoying spring to the fullest,

"The weather's so nice~"

But today, having heard that a new book by an author she likes had been published and come out, So-jeong was also one of those university students enjoying this blessed weekend weather.

"Hmm, hmm hmm~"

Perhaps that's why, as she waited for the bus at the bus stop while looking at her phone, a light hum unconsciously flowed from So-jeong's lips.

An ordinary yet special day.

On days like these, baseless hopes that something good might suddenly happen tend to sprout like new buds.

"Ah."

Seeing the bus that would take her downtown approaching in the distance, So-jeong put her phone in her handbag and pulled out her wallet.

Perhaps because it was the thing that would take her to the place she was looking forward to, even that slowly approaching bus felt strangely familiar, as if it too was oddly excited.

***

"Hmm~."

After a while, having arrived at a large bookstore downtown, So-jeong took a deep breath through her nose.

This large bookstore always had the same air freshener scent. A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠refreshing fragrance that reminded one of light green, as if entering a lush forest.

That scent blended perfectly with the smell of paper emanating from the bookshelves that stretched high like trees and the books packed tightly within them.

Baek-seol always wondered why she insisted on going to a bookstore to buy books when they'd arrive in less than a day if ordered online, but this scent, which always seemed to lead her to new worlds, was a good seasoning that added to So-jeong's joy of buying books.

And So-jeong's reason for coming to the bookstore, even going so far as to use public transportation, wasn't solely because of that.

"Now, I wonder what good books have come out?"

Although she already had a book in mind to buy, So-jeong began examining the books displayed by category one by one, starting with the bestseller corner with familiar steps.

Not just novels, but essays, poetry collections, even the humanities books on the third floor.

With energy unbelievable for someone of her weak physical strength who normally didn't like moving around, So-jeong roamed the enormous bookstore.

As she skimmed through bookshelves and occasionally opened a book that caught her eye to read for a bit, a thin arc remained on So-jeong's lips the entire time.

Each book contains its own world. Even without reading a book from cover to cover, the act of opening its pages and immersing oneself in that world for a moment is also a pleasure.

Encountering infinite new worlds in one place. That was precisely why So-jeong loved the act of going to a bookstore itself, just as much as she loved buying and reading books.

So-jeong's book exploration only came to an end when her legs grew numb and her back ached from standing for so long to read the books. When she suddenly checked the time, several hours had already passed and it was time to eat a late lunch.

Some might think it's a waste to spend hours just looking at books after coming all the way to this downtown area brimming with all kinds of entertainment, food, and shopping items like clothes and cosmetics.

But since books were essentially her only interest from the beginning, So-jeong didn't seem to mind at all as she lightly walked to the checkout counter with the book she originally planned to buy and one that she particularly liked from what she'd just read.

When So-jeong emerged from the bookstore holding a paper bag with her books, the downtown streets were more crowded with people compared to when she had entered.

The people who had been sleeping or at home until So-jeong arrived at the bookstore in the morning were now gradually converging here to enjoy their precious weekend more fully.

So-jeong carefully but quickly navigated through the crowds that were growing in real time.

While coming to the bookstore to look at books was always enjoyable, being swept up in these crowded masses drained So-jeong's energy even more than standing still in the bookstore for hours.

"I should quickly eat lunch and go to a cafe."

Just as she was making plans to eat a simple franchise sandwich and then sit at a relatively less crowded cafe she frequented ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to read the book she just bought—

"Hey, So-jeong?"

At the familiar voice, when So-jeong turned around, the unmistakable figure of one person came into view.

"Baek-seol?"

Amid the nameless people surging like waves, Ryu Baek-seol stood out conspicuously, like a single flower blooming in a green meadow.

***

A short while later, So-jeong found herself sitting not at the sandwich shop she originally planned, but at a Western restaurant that looked several times more upscale.

The hall with soft classical music playing, staff moving quickly but formally in neat uniforms, and people around them wearing expensive-looking clothes and conversing in quiet voices to match the atmosphere.

While this kind of restaurant was on a completely different level from the places So-jeong usually went to, since Baek-seol always guided her to these upscale restaurants when they ate out together, So-jeong could now say she was somewhat accustomed to the atmosphere.

"What brings you downtown?"

So-jeong asked as she sat in the seat shown by the waitress.

"Ah. I was thinking about buying some new workout clothes."

Baek-seol said this while lifting a bag bearing the logo of a famous sportswear brand.

"You're still working out hard at the gym."

Since she first met Baek-seol, she had been quite diligent about exercise. Her smooth, perfectly toned figure was clearly the result of consistent effort.

But Baek-seol shrugged her shoulders as if it were nothing.

"It's just a hobby. More importantly, shouldn't you be the one doing some exercise?"

At Baek-seol's words, So-jeong gave a weak, embarrassed laugh. "Ahaha."

"I try to make an effort, but as you know, Baek-seol......"

With Baek-seol always by her side emphasizing the importance of health, it was perhaps natural that So-jeong would attempt to exercise.

But So-jeong was terribly untalented at anything physical.

Using simple equipment at the gym, or even just walking on a treadmill—all of it seemed as difficult for So-jeong as an ordinary person trying to mimic a ballerina's movements.

When she once got her pace tangled up and fell while walking at a steady speed on the treadmill, even Baek-seol couldn't hide her astonishment.

Perhaps remembering those times, Baek-seol pressed her fingers to the corner of her eye and sighed.

"That did happen, didn't it......"

"Ahaha... But at least these days I don't collapse sickly like I used to, right?"

"That's true."

At So-jeong's words, Baek-seol briefly recalled So-jeong from their high school days.

Certainly, compared to those days when it wouldn't have been surprising if she shattered like glass at any moment, the current So-jeong had become bright and healthy to an unimaginable degree.

Perhaps what she really needed wasn't physical training but a change in environment.

'That time a few months ago when she said she had a fever... wasn't actually true.'

That thought extended to the reason why So-jeong had lied to Baek-seol,

"Gulp."

Causing Baek-seol to unnecessarily chug the iced water brought by the waitress and turn her head away.

It had already been a week since the incident at the academic conference. While not long, it wasn't a short time either, but Baek-seol could still vividly recall the sensations from that day.

When she met So-jeong for the first time after that day, So-jeong had greeted her with the same bright expression as always.

She couldn't tell if So-jeong simply wasn't as bothered by that day's events as she herself was—to the point of losing sleep—or if she was trying hard to pretend nothing happened, just like Baek-seol was.

But what was certain was that because So-jeong treated her normally, she too could treat So-jeong normally. In that sense, Baek-seol was grateful to So-jeong.

'...Though it's not like I don't have some hope that she'd ask for "help" again.'

Since what happened that day occurred under the pretext of solving an "accident" that suddenly happened to So-jeong, it wasn't something Baek-seol could request first.

So Baek-seol straightened her expression and changed the subject.

"So-jeong, did you come to buy books?"

"Hehe, yeah. A new book came out this time."

"From that author you said you liked last time?"

"Yeah! And you know how this author always wrote mystery novels, but suddenly released a romance this time? Of course it's not purely romance—it has some mystery and suspense mixed in—but I'm really curious what kind of feel this author's romance will have. This work has a ski resort as its main setting..."

Baek-seol watched So-jeong, who had effortlessly launched into her explanation, resting her chin on one hand and gazing softly. Occasionally nodding and giving reactions.

Though So-jeong was timid by nature and hardly spoke when with other people, when she was with Baek-seol—especially when talking about books she liked—her words flowed without interruption.

Though she wasn't particularly interested in the book's content itself, Baek-seol felt she could watch forever the way So-jeong talked to her in that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cheerful, babbling brook-like voice.

"But then a murder happens at the ski lodge the next day... Hey, Baek-seol?"

So-jeong, who had been chattering away for quite some time, suddenly stopped and called Baek-seol.

"Hmm? What?"

"Did I say something strange? You were smiling..."

"Ah, was I?"

Only then did Baek-seol realize she had been wearing a contented smile.

"No, it's just..."

Even after experiencing that strange incident of suddenly growing male genitalia,

'I was thinking you're still the So-jeong I know.'

Baek-seol's eyes, searching for a suitable excuse to replace her true feelings, momentarily turned toward the blue sky outside the window.

"The weather's nice today."

***

Something feels strange.

As she excitedly talked to Baek-seol about the new book she just bought today, that thought suddenly occurred ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to So-jeong.

Had Baek-seol changed, or had she herself failed to notice something until now?

Whatever the reason, the sense of something different about her remained unchanged.

'Was Baek-seol... always that pretty?'