A Hollow Holiday
The early morning of the first day of the holiday at Cradle. I set out along the walking path where the fog had yet to fully lift. The chilly air swept away the last traces of lingering drowsiness. As I finally reached the main gate of the central building, I spotted someone standing beneath the massive ornament beside the iron gate.
"Hyun-ah, over here!"
Yena spotted me too and bounced on her toes, waving enthusiastically. Instead of her usual uniform, she wore plain casual clothes, but the simplicity only seemed to highlight her natural cheerfulness.
"Did you wait long?"
"Hehe, nope! I just got here too! Anyway, let's go quick...!"
Yena fell into step beside me and hurried us along. Today was the day I was finally fulfilling the promise I'd made to her last time.
We left through the main gate and followed the pathway. As we walked, the number of people around us gradually increased. I could still feel the occasional sidelong glances from passersby. But by now, I was as well-known as I was going to get. Even if I had three heads instead of a mask, attending the same lectures every day and showing up on campus would naturally make people get used to me.
They might glance once at my unusual appearance, but the unpleasant, piercing stares that used to dig into me like probes had definitely decreased. What felt strange, though, was that Yena seemed to be drawing just as many looks as I was. She was popular among the first-years, but their gazes didn't hold admiration. Instead, they seemed filled with a pitying sympathy.
Maybe it was because she was with me...
"...Hmph."
Yena must have noticed those looks too. She puffed her cheeks slightly, clearly displeased.
We eventually arrived at the commercial district, where shops lined the main road and alleyways. At the center of the plaza, a massive stone fountain sprayed water in every direction. Above it, a giant windmill spun ceaselessly, driven by the seasonal winds. The buildings, decorated entirely in red brick and white marble, gave off an almost exotic atmosphere. Colorful ornaments and banners fluttered in the wind above the narrow alleys.
The Cradle grounds were said to rival a small city in size. With most basic amenities available on-site, students could handle nearly everything they needed without ever leaving for the capital.
"Whoa...!"
The festival-like atmosphere made Yena's eyes go wide. They sparkled with pure excitement. Soon she was darting around like someone who didn't want to waste a single second. She tried on piles of clothes at a clothing store, only to sigh and put them back, muttering that she wouldn't have time to wear them anyway. At the bookstore, she bought a couple of books she'd been wanting to read, though she refused to show me the titles. At the flower shop, she picked out a small, plump cactus in a pot, saying it would brighten up the bleak dormitory. A bright smile never left her face the entire time.
Though we'd agreed to meet in the morning, it wasn't until late afternoon that we finally sat down in a cafe to rest our legs.
"Hehe... Are you tired? Now that I think about it, I got way too excited all by myself..."
Only then did the previously energetic Yena start stealing glances at me, like a rabbit on high alert.
"You even carried all my stuff... I just made you suffer for nothing..."
"It's fine. It wasn't that heavy. But you really enjoyed yourself, huh?"
"Hehe, yeah..."
Yena lowered her head, looking a little embarrassed.
"These are all things I've wanted to do my whole life... Just going to school like a normal person... Hanging out with someone else—no, with a friend like this..."
Her voice was filled with genuine happiness.
"So... what about you...?"
"Me? I had a good time too."
There was something about Yena that put people's hearts at ease. I'd been feeling like I needed some mental rest after everything that had happened recently, so I saw today as a good chance to shake off some fatigue.
"...Is that all?"
"Why?"
"...Hmph, never mind. But that thing about wanting such a high rank... was it because you wanted to name Yeon Minha as your mentor...?"
"That's right. You caught on pretty well..."
"...I'm not an idiot, you know?"
Yena puffed out her cheeks again, pretending to be upset.
"I don't know the details, but... there are complicated circumstances, right? Between your sponsor family... and Baek Seoyeon sunbaenim's family... and Yeon Minha sunbaenim's family..."
"That's true, but honestly, I don't know much either. It just kind of ended up this way."
"I see... But are you really okay? Last time too..."
"I told you, I'm fine."
"Really...? She's not secretly bullying you or anything, right...?"
Yena asked again, her tone full of concern. She seemed naive and innocent, yet she occasionally struck at surprisingly sharp points. The only thing she hadn't figured out was who the real tormentor was.
"It's really not. You can stop worrying. What about you, though?"
"Me? I'm doing good too...! My sunbae is really nice... Hehe... I was worried, but I'm so relieved..."
Yena laughed brightly. She'd apparently been almost forcibly chosen by a second-year female senior from the same remote region. Still, she said the senior had a kind personality and, coming from a similar background, patiently explained everything, which made her feel very comfortable. I'd worried her gentle nature might cause her some hardship, but seeing how happy she looked, I could finally relax.
"You're really, really okay, right...? Or should I switch over too...? Yeon Minha sunbaenim is still a bit scary, but it'd be better than leaving you alone..."
"I'm really fine. If I ever get bullied later, I can just switch groups then."
I gently turned down her offer. Being with Yena would only narrow my own range of movement. Besides, she'd already trembled like a leaf after just catching a glimpse of that murderous glare once. I doubted she could endure being around Yeon Minha all the time...
"Huh?"
Red light poured in through the cafe's large windows. When I looked outside, the sun had already dipped halfway toward the west, casting sunset hues everywhere.
"We should probably head back soon. I need to prepare for tomorrow's special morning class..."
"Already? Hng, I don't want to... Why do only first-years..."
Yena drooped her eyebrows, looking utterly dejected.
"...Want to come out again next time?"
"Eh? Really? Really really?"
Her mood instantly brightened. She sprang up from her seat, bouncing with joy.
"Hehe, for real? You promised...?"
We cleaned up and prepared to return to Cradle. As we left through the cafe's rear exit—the closer option—Yena suddenly looked toward the main entrance after hearing the sound of a bell.
"Huh? Isn't that... Baek Seoyeon sunbaenim...?"
The moment I heard those words, I turned my head as if possessed.
"Hey, I told you not to...!"
"You're getting shy again... Come on..."
"Kyaa! Seriously!"
There, entering the cafe while chatting with two female students and a bright smile, was someone I knew all too well.
"..."
My head went blank, like wet paper. It had been such a nice holiday, but it felt completely ruined at the very end. Her long hair swayed beautifully in the sunset light, yet that very beauty only made my chest feel tight and heavy.
"...Let's go. Quickly."
"Eh? Oh! Yeah..."
Fearing we might run into her, I immediately turned and left the cafe. Yena followed after me at a quick pace. Right now, I was incredibly grateful for the mask covering my face. Otherwise, everyone would have seen my expression, which was surely twisted beyond recognition.
I escorted Yena back first, then walked along the shaded path toward the dormitory. I wanted to organize my chaotic thoughts, but they refused to settle. For some reason, the way back felt endlessly long today.
There was a time when I had wished for that person to get along better with others. I'd hoped others would recognize her true worth. Should I consider it fortunate that my wish had finally come true? No matter what my true feelings were, she was now in perfect harmony with everyone else. The only thing that remained was the lonely, painful realization that there was no longer a place for me there.
The girl with braided hair and glasses, Choi I-re, suddenly let out a deep sigh.
Across from her, a girl with hair as beautiful as the night sky smiled awkwardly.
I-re shook her head firmly, her attitude surprisingly resolute. The companies owned by their two families had maintained a close cooperative relationship for over a decade. But because of her immature younger brother's sudden action, she'd suffered quite a bit of mental anguish for a while. It was fortunate that Baek Seoyeon had responded graciously. Otherwise, several collaborative projects could have fallen through without anyone batting an eye.
Seoyeon's face was filled with genuine remorse.
When Seoyeon made a slightly troubled face, I-re flashed a mischievous smile.
Then she changed her expression and sneered at someone who wasn't even present.
The three girls seated in the cafe continued chatting animatedly, changing topics as they went. They were the three most powerful figures among Cradle's second-years. They were also young ladies from prestigious families that owned highly reputable corporations. Their uniformly elegant beauty drew the eyes of everyone who passed by, yet no one dared to approach them with the courage to strike up a conversation.
At I-re's persistent urging, Seoyeon shook her head with a smile.
The girl with refreshing features and a striking tear mole under her eye, Kwon Yuri, joined the conversation. A sly smile played on her lips.
Seoyeon smiled shyly and lowered her head.
At yet another firm refusal, Yuri let out a deep sigh. This time, I-re, sitting across from her, perked up with sparkling eyes.
Yuri slapped I-re's wrist with a loud smack, making a fuss. Seoyeon, upon hearing the question, suddenly lowered her head timidly. Her soft cheeks were now flushed a deep crimson.
I-re muttered as if in a trance. She simply couldn't understand her friend's fiancé. If she were a man, she wouldn't have been able to just walk past someone who looked like that.
Seoyeon turned her gaze away and kept fanning herself with her hand. On the fourth finger of her left hand was an old, plain-looking ring. Jewelry was prohibited at Cradle, but whenever Seoyeon went outside, she always wore the same two pieces. One was a simple chain necklace. The other was the ring currently on her finger. At her level of status, she could wear rings made with the highest-grade gemstones on all ten fingers and no one would say a word. Yet she continued to cherish only the ring that symbolized the first token she had exchanged with her fiancé. Such frugality only earned her even more admiration.
Seoyeon shook her head in embarrassment, her face burning red.
Seoyeon stomped her feet, looking thoroughly flustered. The other two covered their mouths and laughed with delight. The air was filled with a warm, friendly atmosphere.
However, beneath the table where no one could see, Seoyeon's left hand was clenched so tightly that blood droplets were forming. She was acting again today. Playing the most ideal version of herself that someone once wished for.
The spacious dormitory was filled only with silence. As Seoyeon took off her shoes at the entrance, she suddenly frowned slightly while looking at the floor. There lay the clothes and socks Ttangkong had carelessly tossed aside. Lately, that child had been going out unusually often. Sometimes she wouldn't return until late at night.
"Huu..."
She thought about scolding her later but soon gave up and let out a sigh. When had Ttangkong ever listened to her anyway? She simply folded the small clothes neatly, placed them on the shelf, and headed to the bedroom.
The stark bedroom, devoid of any decorations, contained only a bed and a metal desk. Seoyeon sat at the desk, opened the bottom drawer, and then fixed her gaze on something, staring at it for a long time.
"..."
Inside was a small jewelry box and a half-burned portrait of someone. Though it was from a time when she had been sickly and frail, the girl in the picture was smiling brightly with a face that looked many times happier than she did now.
Seoyeon carefully removed the ring from her finger. She placed it gently on the cushion inside the jewelry box, afraid it might get scratched. Then she unfastened the buckle of her necklace and removed it from her neck. Only then did something that had been hidden beneath her clothes reveal itself.
Hanging from the end of the chain was an old, shabby ring bearing marks that looked like burn scars. It was identical in appearance to the ring that had been on her finger.
Seoyeon hesitated to put the necklace into the jewelry box and instead clutched it tightly with both hands. Her face was cast in shadow, with not a single ray of light touching it. The expressionless pallor made her look almost like a corpse.
The shy smile she had worn while laughing and chatting with her friends had left not even the smallest trace.
"..."
Clutching the ring tightly in her hand, she repeated it to herself again today. The biggest, most fatal, and irreversible mistake she had ever made. And she wished for it. For the day that would soon come—the day that would put an end to all this pain.