Ara's First Outing
Choi Ara was finally enjoying some time alone after a long while. She had always holed up in her room, but there was always someone just beyond the door—her childhood friend Kim Il-woo, her boyfriend Park Jun-hyun, her precious family, her mom.
"…"
Even when her mom occasionally left the house for errands, it was only for a few hours, never more than half a day. Tonight, for the first time since that incident, she realized she was truly alone and was enduring the solitude.
"Mom's so late."
She'd gotten a message saying work would run late, but Mom hadn't come home even as dawn broke. It was only natural for anxiety to bubble up. Mom had lost Dad young and raised her single-handedly for five years with unyielding strength, so Ara didn't think anything major had happened—but her weakened mind twisted her imagination toward the worst.
"She's not answering calls…"
No response to calls or texts. As she huddled under the covers, swallowing her loneliness alone, the sound of the front door keypad beeping reached her ears.
"Mom…"
A spark of life returned to Choi Ara's eyes, dulled by the heavy darkness. She crawled out from under the blanket and shuffled weakly to the entryway to greet her.
"Welcome home."
Flinch! Lee Seo-yoon, midway through taking off her shoes, froze visibly, radiating surprise at the voice from the shadows.
"Ara? Did I wake you? Why are you up so early?"
She couldn't imagine her daughter had stayed up all night waiting; instead, guilt washed over her for disturbing her sleep. Her hair, tied down over her chest, was disheveled, and her usually neat clothes were heavily wrinkled, steeped in exhaustion. Just like her outfit, her face looked drained, though a faint smile lingered as if it might vanish any moment.
"Il-woo and Jun-hyun are taking me to the university to submit my leave of absence today, so I got up early."
Ara lied to keep her mom from worrying.
Lee Seo-yoon couldn't hide her agitation at the mention of Kim Il-woo's name, more than at the leave of absence itself.
"Mom…?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah… right. Today, huh. Okay… Mom'll go with you. What time are you heading out?"
Her slightly drooping eyes crinkled with the usual loving smile, but an inescapable weariness clung thickly to them.
"No, Mom. We'll handle it ourselves."
Ara's real feelings were that the world still terrified her and she'd love Mom's company, but she couldn't burden her mom further after a night of overtime.
"You're not pushing yourself, are you?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Choi Ara hid her trembling hands behind her back. Truth be told, she didn't want to go, but university rules required the student to visit in person at least once for a leave of absence.
Lee Seo-yoon slipped off her shoes and slowly approached, wrapping her precious daughter in a hug. Ara was too big to fit fully in her arms now, but in a parent's eyes, a child is always a little kid.
"Okay. Just tell Mom if it gets tough."
"……Yeah."
Choi Ara felt a deep sense of security in her mom's embrace—always so sturdy and warm.
"Then Mom's gonna rest a bit."
Lee Seo-yoon's legs seemed to lack strength; she shuffled heavily toward her room as if she might collapse any second, then shut the door.
"…"
Choi Ara eyed her mom's laborious retreat with suspicion. That odd feeling when she'd hugged her. Had she showered before coming home? Why? No lavender scent, no familiar maternal smell—just cheap body wash. And faintly, cigarette smoke. Not from her skin, but soaked into her clothes. Ara had never seen her disciplined mom so disheveled after years in the workforce. This unfamiliar dissonance planted seeds of unease in her heart.
As those seeds of anxiety swelled with dark imaginings, Choi Ara realized it was nearly time for her appointment.
"Gotta go."
She dressed in muted colors, clothes that covered as much skin as possible—no bright outfits—and prepared to head out.
"…"
Before leaving, she cracked open her mom's door for a peek. Mom lay dead to the world on the bed. Beside it, her office attire lay discarded haphazardly, wafting that faint cigarette smell.
"…I'll be back."
Self-mockingly wondering how long it had been since she'd said goodbye for an outing, she stepped outside.
The bright sunlight stung harshly. Cooped up too long, her stamina had waned, and the glare made her eyes ache painfully.
"Huuu…"
With a small sigh, she stepped onto the street. Not far off, her childhood friend and boyfriend stood waiting, deliberately avoiding each other's gaze.
"I-I'm here…"
Her trembling voice called out, and only then did they turn, noticing her. One glance showed her pale face and strained effort, stirring pity.
"Everyone's here—let's go?"
"Ah, Ara…"
Kim Il-woo smiled plainly, treating his childhood friend with his usual casual nonchalance. Park Jun-hyun handled his girlfriend like fragile glass, afraid she'd shatter.
At the stark contrast in their attitudes, Choi Ara let out a wry chuckle and headed to the university.
Feels like forever since I've been here.
The trio entered the bustling campus. Ara hadn't been locked away that long in reality, but nostalgia for normalcy mixed with resentment—why me, of all people?
"…"
The two men patiently waited as she stood still, soaking in the campus vibe.
"Shall we?"
With slightly stiff words, she started moving, flanked by the pair as they headed to the administrative office for her leave form.
"No need to stop by your department?"
Kim Il-woo casually probed, reminding her of the rumors swirling in her department. Her demeanor shrank.
She must've expected this. She'd had plenty of time alone to brood; any guess was probably spot-on.
"Yeah, let's just go."
"Okay…"
Reading her reluctance, they beelined for the office.
This guy's been here a while since enrolling, but I've never seen him around. Park Jun-hyun, a freshman genius, had poured all his time into caring for Ara, so they'd never crossed paths on campus.
Come to think of it, I don't even know his major… Il-woo and Ara were in the same department, but Jun-hyun's was different entirely. As that thought crossed his mind, a cheerful greeting halted them.
"Hey! Il-woo."
Three department mates—ones Ara knew too. Her posture wilted further; she shrank back, hiding behind him.
Things are going my way. The more isolated she felt, the more she'd depend on me. Seizing the chance, he blatantly shifted to block her from view. The trio eyed him oddly.
"What's up? Who's behind you?"
"Who's that next to you…?"
Curious about the unfamiliar Park Jun-hyun, they closed in. As distance shrank, Ara behind him was inevitably revealed.
"Huh…?"
"Ara? Choi Ara?"
Flinch! They instantly clocked her identity.
She wasn't disguised like a celebrity—no deep hat, mask, or sunglasses. For someone innocent with nothing to hide, that would've drawn extra stares. But to acquaintances, it was a dead giveaway.
"Hi…"
Choi Ara cautiously stepped out to greet the three.
"It's Ara! Long time!"
"Where you been?"
"Back for classes today?"
Questions poured like a waterfall. The old Ara would've beamed, chatting brightly about trifles. Now, even keeping up was a strain; she managed an awkward smile, face etched with effort.
The trio's chatter tapered as they sensed her off vibe.
"…"
Park Jun-hyun, total outsider, looked conflicted. Time for me to play mediator, Il-woo thought, stepping forward—
"Ara, you know those weird rumors going around campus?"
"Hey, dude…"
"Shut your trap!"
One tactless guy bluntly spilled the bad rumors about her.
"Just show up to class and shut 'em down."
He must've been a friend; pre-incident Ara wouldn't sweat gossip and would've denied it outright. He spoke like he was helping her quash the chatter…
But right now, that's a terrible move.
They only knew the rampant rumors, not the horrific truth. At worst, they dismissed heavy talk as unlikely, treating it lightly. That casual mindset turned disastrous.
"Haa…! Haa…! Haa…!"
Ara's breathing grew ragged, panic symptoms mounting as her state deteriorated.
Noticing, Park Jun-hyun unleashed his pent-up rage.
"You bastard?!"
"Whoa?!"
He grabbed the guy's collar, lunging like he'd slam him down.
"Hey! What the hell?!"
"Let go!"
Chaos erupted as the three and Jun-hyun tangled.
Jun-hyun's reckless too. He was a victim in his way—listening live to his girlfriend's rape screams over the phone. He played calm, but his mind couldn't be whole. Opposite Ara's repression, he vented fury…
"Haa! Haa! Ah, ahh…? Ah…!!!"
With a moan laced in despair, Ara bolted suddenly.
"Huh?!"
As Il-woo pondered detangling the brawlers, she vanished in a flash—where'd she get that speed amid the panic?
"Tch…!"
Tongue clicking at the unexpected snag, he chased after her.
Pushed too hard last night. Fucking her friend's mom all night without sleep, barely resting after—his stamina lagged chasing her.
"Where'd she go?"
Exits off-campus were behind them, so probably not. Not her department with familiar faces. Somewhere quiet, secluded yet open to calm her panic.
Not an alley. She'd avoid enclosed spots like her assault site. He dashed around searching.
"Hah! Hah! F-found her."
As predicted, Choi Ara lay collapsed on an open, quiet lawn with few people, gasping.
"Haa…! Haa!!! Haaahhh!!!"
Approaching, her panic hadn't eased; she hyperventilated in agony.