Glass Mentality (1)
The dark room was filled with the blaring noise of an alarm. A sliver of sunlight filtered through the curtains, illuminating the rustling blankets. Soon, the blankets that had been fidgeting slipped off like a veil, revealing the figure inside.
It was a girl with long black hair covering her face. She propped herself up, then reached out blindly from under the covers to silence the alarm clock.
Click. The alarm stopped, and a quiet morning returned.
She closed her eyes again. She'd suffered from insomnia all night again, so just a bit more sleep. That's what she thought.
'You have to go to school! Do you know how much I've struggled raising you? You can't even do that!'
The voice echoed from somewhere, even though the room was clearly silent. To her ears, it rang like a scolding. No, it appeared vividly before her eyes.
"Yes, Mom... I have to go to school."
She reluctantly got up, just as she was about to drift back off. Brushing her hair back from her face revealed a pretty girl with a hime cut. But dark circles hung heavy under her eyes, and her gaze held no spark of life.
"I don't wanna go to school."
Muttering complaints, she headed straight to wash up. It was 9 a.m. The first class had already started, but she slowly got ready. She applied heavy makeup, dusted a bit of red blush under her eyes, curled her hime-cut hair neatly, then slipped into her uniform and checked the name tag that read Cho Yuli.
"I'm heading out."
She slung on her pink mini backpack, tossed haphazardly on the floor of her room, and set off alone to school. Saying goodbye to the empty house. As she walked the peaceful morning streets, now quiet after rush hour, Yuli muttered to herself.
"I wanna graduate soon."
Then she'd fulfill her mom's wishes, and she could finally say goodbye to this world.
"Cough—cough—"
"Seonwoo, what's wrong?"
Hayan approached, worried at my coughing. I waved it off, signaling I was fine.
I, Choi Seonwoo, had lived 18 healthy years without so much as a cold. But for the past few days, I'd been coughing strangely, and my head hurt. Probably from sleeping with the window open.
"Just a light cold."
"Ugh... sit farther away from me."
Hayan was concerned, but unlike Gahee, my childhood friend Juyeon even moved her desk to put distance between us.
"I'm wearing a mask properly so I won't spread it. Don't worry. I'm airing out the room too. Cough—cough—"
When another cough threatened, I quickly turned my head toward the open window beside me.
"You look like you're dying. Why not check the nurse's office?"
"Hmm... maybe?"
"Yeah, or go home early."
"Definitely see a doctor!"
Such kind girls. Worrying and encouraging me over a little cold. And they were all stunning beauties who turned heads.
"If you die, who'd keep me entertained? Go see someone quick."
All except smirking Seong Juyeon.
"Don't you care about me?"
"I do. Don't die."
"You're on a whole different level from the others."
"What's wrong with me?"
"Be a little warmer."
"Sure, sure~ Get better soon, Seonwoo~ So I can bully you more."
"Argh... seriously!"
Sigh. I shouldn't even bother talking. Juyeon had always been like this—mischievous, no delicacy. Always teasing me this way.
"Juyeon, stop picking on the sick kid."
"Hahaha, got it."
Hayan intervened, and Juyeon backed off with an "okay." Anyway, I stopped bickering with her and stood up.
"I'll head to the nurse's office then. Tell the teacher—cough—"
"Sure, I'll let her know. Rest up, no worries."
I left the classroom and made my way to the nurse's office. Come to think of it, I'd never been there before. No injuries or anything. Still, I knew the way after all this time at school.
I knocked on the door and waited, but no response. Was she out? As I hesitated to leave, the door slid open.
"……"
"……Oh, hi?"
A girl in gym clothes stood there. About chest-height to me, she looked up without lifting her head, peeking through her bangs.
"Is the nurse in?"
"Not right now..."
"I see."
She said nothing else to my question, just stared up at me blankly, expressionless. She was pretty, but it was kinda creepy.
"Cough—cough— Mind if I wait inside?"
"………Yeah."
She nodded slightly and stepped aside. I entered and perched on a bed. Or should I just lie down? Clutching my head, I lay back and glanced sideways.
"……"
She sat on the bed two spots over, mouth shut, staring straight ahead whether I was there or not. Like... she'd died inside, empty.
Still, she was gorgeous. Jet-black hime-cut hair like ink, heavy makeup—she looked like a princess. On par with Kim Hayan, Choi Gahee, or Seong Juyeon. Probably popular too. How had I never noticed her before?
I wanted to know her name, but her gym clothes had no name tag. The silence dragged awkwardly.
Should I say something? "Um... what class are you in?"
Her head turned at that.
"Why... do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason. Just curious."
She tilted her head, puzzled.
"Class 1."
"Ah, that's far. I'm in Class 5."
"……"
She was so quiet. How to keep the conversation going? Ask when the nurse would be back? Or try small talk about hobbies?
I pondered the options and decided. Small talk seemed unlikely, so the nurse's timing it was.
"Hey, do you know when the nurse might come?"
"...In a rush?"
"Nah, not really. Just some cold symptoms."
"Lie down."
She stood, opened the medicine cabinet freely, and rummaged.
"Isn't that off-limits?"
"It's fine."
Didn't seem fine... But she seemed familiar with the place, pulling out two medicine boxes.
"This painkiller's good for headaches, and this cold medicine helps you sleep and feel refreshed."
"Oh... really."
Not sure if I should take random meds, but I accepted. It said cold medicine. And she knew her stuff, so probably okay.
"I'll get water."
"Thanks."
Hey, she's sweet. At first, her beauty felt off-putting, but now she just seemed shy. Tired from lack of sleep, that's all.
"It's lukewarm—boiled and cold mixed—so easy to drink."
She really looked out for me, bringing a paper cup of water right to the bed.
"Thanks, I'll drink up."
"Yeah... Whoa!"
Her eyes widened suddenly, and she tripped forward. Water splashed everywhere, her body pitching toward the bed.
To keep her from getting hurt, I caught her quickly. We ended up in an embrace.
"Ah..."
"Phew~ You okay?"
I checked her over. Whoa! Our faces were super close. Arms around each other, noses almost touching.
Our eyes met.
"Ah... aaah!!"
"I was just catching you so you wouldn't fall! Calm down!"
She startled out of my arms. Blushes crept up both our faces. Honestly, it felt nice... but I shelved the manly urges and tried to calm things.
"Hey..."
"Sorry!!! You hated it, right?"
"What?"
Before I could explain, she apologized first. Fair for spilling water, but that wasn't it.
"Sorry for letting my disgusting body touch you. My fault!"
She bowed deeply over the contact.
"...What? No, I should apologize."
"What are you talking about? I pressed my gross body against you, so of course..."
Her voice grew smaller, trailing off like she was ashamed.
"I caught you to stop you falling, but I grabbed a girl's body without asking. You're not upset?"
"Huh? I... dunno."
She tilted her head. Good, not mad. I smiled, relieved.
"No way I'd hate touching someone as pretty as you."
"...Pretty? Liar."
She shook her head frantically, panicking.
"What lie? Have some confidence. You're one of the prettiest girls I've seen. Who'd hate a pretty girl like you?"
"...You don't hate it?"
"Nah. At least I know you're a good girl who brings meds."
She bowed her head at my words. Looking closer, she was hiding her face, but her mouth twitched upward, cheeks almost splitting. She was stifling a quiet laugh. That big a deal? Guess she hadn't heard compliments in ages.
She seemed more open than at first. Since we're here, might as well get closer.
"What's your name?"
"Huh? Name?"
She hesitated, then whispered cautiously.
"Cho Yuli."
"Pretty name. Let's be friends. I'm Choi Seonwoo."
"……Yeah!"
Yuli beamed, no longer hiding her joy. Her smile made her even prettier. And so, Cho Yuli and I, Choi Seonwoo, met for the first time.
"It's almost the day."
Kim Taeyang eyed the calendar and opened his Love Chain notes.
"Cho Yuli's first flag. Can't avoid this one, so skip."
Taeyang attended a different school from Choi Seonwoo and Yuli, so he couldn't interfere in school events yet. Unless something unexpected happened, Yuli's first flag would play out as scripted.
"Hmm... yeah, most events happen inside school."
The early-game flags and story for Yuli all unfolded at school. She rarely went out otherwise.
Understanding the situation, Taeyang nodded.
"Alright then."
He paused, deep in thought.
"Now, how do I block these two?"
Choi Seonwoo entering the Yuli route had to be stopped at all costs. No matter what.