3. Thorny Lily (3)

"Y-you mean a trip?"

So-jeong blinked her eyes and asked back.

"Yeah."

Baek-seol was still staring at So-jeong with an impassive expression.

"Don't want to?"

"No, it's not that I don't want to... but."

So-jeong laughed awkwardly, "Ahaha."

"It just feels a bit sudden."

"It's been a while since we last traveled together, and it's still before the semester gets busy."

"Hmm, that's true."

As So-jeong was trying to remember when was the last time she traveled with Baek-seol, Baek-seol turned her head forward slightly and blurted out.

"If it seems like it won't work out, forget it. I don't want to pressure you unnecessarily."

"No, no!"

So-jeong waved her hands frantically.

"Let's go. I want to go. Where should we go?"

"Wherever you want to go, So-jeong."

Baek-seol replied immediately, as if she had been waiting for So-jeong's answer.

"Last time we went where you wanted to go. Don't you have any place you want to go, Baek-seol?"

"Not particularly."

Baek-seol answered briefly and glanced at So-jeong.

"Anywhere is fine as long as I'm going with you."

"You sometimes say embarrassing things without changing your expression at all... Don't you have any recommendations? You're good at that kind of thing."

"Then..."

"Now, where did we leave off last time?"

Just as they roughly decided on the travel date and destination, the professor who had finished taking attendance began the class, so Baek-seol and So-jeong decided to make detailed plans later and started scribbling notes.

***

The class was in full swing and the professor was pouring out stories that seemed important yet unimportant, but none of them stayed in So-jeong's ears for long.

'What should I do?'

So-jeong nervously bit the tip of her pen and muttered to herself.

A trip, all of a sudden.

Actually, it wasn't uncommon for Baek-seol to suddenly suggest going somewhere like this. And (though Baek-seol always denies it with a stern face) So-jeong knew it was mostly for her own sake.

If Baek-seol didn't forcibly drag her out, So-jeong would never step outside her comfort zone.

Of course, she didn't go on trips just because she was grateful for Baek-seol's concern. Traveling with her was fun even without any special activities, and it always gave So-jeong new memories.

'But right now...'

Fidget.

So-jeong nervously crossed her legs slightly.

Feeling the foreign sensation, So-jeong let out a small sigh.

Most trips with Baek-seol were overnight stays of two days or more. And Baek-seol always insisted on sleeping in the same bed with her.

'I'll get caught right away!'

She wondered if she should have refused after all, but So-jeong shook her head slightly.

'If I refuse suddenly, Baek-seol will become even more suspicious.'

If Baek-seol, who would assume she was sick somewhere, took her to the hospital, there would be no escape.

In the end, So-jeong had only one choice left.

'Go on the trip... without getting caught.'

Having made up her mind, So-jeong began writing something else in her notebook instead of class notes.

Carefully in the corner so that Baek-seol sitting right next to her couldn't read it.

After class, as students were flooding out of the lecture hall, So-jeong called out to Baek-seol who was packing her bag.

"Baek-seol."

"What?"

"We only have one afternoon class today."

"Yeah."

"Want to go clothes shopping after that?"

Hesitation. Baek-seol's movement of putting her notebook in her bag stopped for a moment. But it was brief, and Baek-seol soon zipped up her bag and stood up with a clatter.

"Clothes? Why clothes all of a sudden."

"Yeah. I want to buy new sleepwear pants to bring on this trip."

So-jeong followed Baek-seol into the hallway as she spoke.

"How about it? Do you have time?"

"...Sure."

Baek-seol, who had been silent for a moment as if thinking about her schedule, nodded.

"Ehehe, great."

"What's so great?"

Baek-seol asked in a monotone.

"It's great because I have you. I can't really go to places like downtown alone, you know."

So-jeong smiled brightly and casually linked arms with Baek-seol, whose arms were as white as snow.

"Where's our next class again?"

"...Building XX, Room 305."

"That's a bit far. Let's hurry."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Leading Baek-seol's arm first, So-jeong gave her a slight smile.

***

So-jeong and Baek-seol arrived at the shopping mall by bus from campus.

"Welcome! Is there anything you're looking for?"

As soon as they entered the clothing store, a familiar voice greeted them as the clerk approached.

"Ah, uh, well, I..."

As So-jeong stammered and fidgeted uneasily, Baek-seol subtly stepped between her and the clerk as if shielding her.

"We'll look around on our own."

"Ah, okay."

The clerk flinched momentarily at Baek-seol's sharp gaze but soon put on a professional smile and went elsewhere.

"Whew..."

When other people disappeared from the vicinity, So-jeong made a deflated sound and rested her forehead against Baek-seol's back with a thump.

"Sorry, Baek-seol. I was the one who suggested coming here, but..."

"It's fine."

Despite Baek-seol's response, So-jeong didn't lift her forehead from Baek-seol's back.

"I should get used to talking with other people quickly."

"Being shy isn't a fault."

Baek-seol turned around, took So-jeong's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠small hand, and gave it a slight squeeze. So-jeong looked up at Baek-seol briefly before showing her usual bright smile again.

"Yeah. Thank you. Always."

"...You said you wanted to buy sleepwear, right? They're over there."

Still holding hands, Baek-seol went with So-jeong toward the pile of sleepwear and suddenly became lost in thought.

Suggesting this trip was quite an impulsive proposal even for Baek-seol.

If it were the usual Baek-seol, she wouldn't have suggested a trip on the very day So-jeong returned to school after suffering from illness. After all, she didn't want So-jeong, who already had a weak constitution, to overexert herself on a trip and get sick again.

Nevertheless, she suggested the trip because she felt like So-jeong was hiding something from her. So-jeong's attitude toward her had changed slightly, very subtly.

'I wish she would just come clean.'

But there was nothing she could do about So-jeong's feelings.

So Baek-seol suggested a trip to So-jeong. Maybe in a place removed from daily life, it would be easier for her to open up about her worries.

She had been secretly anxious about whether So-jeong would refuse, but she was glad she seemed to like the idea.

Seeing how So-jeong, who normally didn't like going out much, even suggested going shopping.

'I should suggest traveling together more often from now on.'

Filling her heart with imagination of traveling to various places with just So-jeong, Baek-seol watched as So-jeong seriously picked out sleepwear pants.

...Come to think of it, this was the first time So-jeong had suggested going to such a crowded place first. When she first suggested it, Baek-seol thought she had misheard.

'She's definitely changed somehow.'

She thought maybe she had become a bit depressed from the aftereffects of her illness, but then she showed a brighter side than usual like now, while also seeming to be concerned about something regarding ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠herself.

It was certain that she had changed, but she couldn't grasp what had changed her or how.

'Could she have met someone without me knowing?'

As that thought flashed through her mind, Baek-seol's chest felt stuffy as if blocked.

Of course, as a friend, Baek-seol thought she should be happy if So-jeong met someone ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠other than herself. That would be proof that So-jeong was overcoming her shy personality.

But what about her true feelings hidden beneath 'best friend Ryu Baek-seol'?

"Hmm..."

Baek-seol swallowed a sigh without realizing it.

She doubted she could maintain her composure if she discovered So-jeong was dating a guy.

'Well, given how So-jeong is now, she might manage with girls, but talking with guys would be impossible.'

***

"You didn't have to walk me all the way to my door."

"I did it because I wanted to, so don't worry about it."

Arriving in front of her studio apartment building, So-jeong waved her hand gently at Baek-seol.

"Thanks for today. Thanks to you, I could shop well."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow."

After exchanging goodbyes, So-jeong turned around first and entered the building.

Entering her room, So-jeong threw the paper bag and backpack in her hands haphazardly on the floor and flopped face down on the mattress.

"Going around everywhere after so long is tiring."

After lying face down on the bed as if dead for a while, So-jeong rustled and sat up. It wasn't so much from thinking she should move diligently, but because lying face down was somewhat uncomfortable with her current body.

"I should organize what I bought today."

Saying this, the first thing So-jeong took out was the sleepwear pants she bought with Baek-seol.

In case an 'unexpected event' occurred during her trip with Baek-seol, she had chosen something much larger and baggier than her usual sleepwear to avoid getting caught as much as possible.

Placing the sleepwear pants beside the mattress, So-jeong this time opened her backpack and took out something wrapped in plastic.

"I hope Baek-seol didn't notice I bought this?"

What So-jeong took out of the plastic was men's underwear.

She had quickly dashed to a convenience store and bought it while pretending to go to the bathroom during shopping.

"Ugh..."

So-jeong's face flushed as if on fire as she remembered what happened at the convenience store.

Unlike clothing stores, convenience stores were places So-jeong could use without much problem since she didn't need to make eye contact or conversation with clerks, but just the fact that she, a woman, was buying men's underwear made her feel like her heart would burst.

"I thought I'd die from nervousness... But my original panties..."

The form-fitting women's briefs were too uncomfortable for her... thing. They gave a slight feeling of tightness even normally, but if it grew even a little, they would pull so painfully on her panties that she would unconsciously adopt an awkward posture.

"It's embarrassing to wear men's underwear, but just in case, I'll only wear them when we travel."

This should be fine. So-jeong muttered to herself and placed the men's underwear on top of the sleepwear pants.

With the problem solved, her thoughts finally began to stretch toward the trip itself that she would take with Baek-seol in a few days.

"...I'm looking forward to it."

Trips with Baek-seol had always been happy memories for So-jeong.

Believing this time would undoubtedly be the same, So-jeong plopped down on the bed. This time facing the ceiling.