Changes in Relationships (6)
Lee Seol emerged from the reading room.
Having sat in the quiet space for so long, her mind felt heavy and damp, like it had sunk into the floor.
Thinking she'd grab something quick to eat before heading back in, she picked up a loaf of bread and a drink from the convenience store.
She headed straight to the nearby break room.
Food was allowed there.
As she pushed open the door, she saw other students already settled in.
Lee Seol took a seat in an empty spot in the corner.
Even as she tore open the bread packaging, her gaze drifted blankly to the table. Her mouth felt utterly tasteless, and she couldn't tell if she was hungry or just stuffy inside.
With Lee Min-woo... well, they'd sort of made up, at least on the surface.
But that didn't mean the awkwardness had vanished. If anything, the vague resolution had left things feeling even more halfway.
On top of that, Lee Min-woo had declared he'd study like a madman during exams, U Hana had her part-time job, and things with Seo Jae-hyun were completely awkward now... No way could they recreate those freshman-year group study sessions.
Lee Seol pressed a hand to her forehead. How did it come to this in just a moment...
Of course, if she traced the cause, it was her own fault.
She knew that. In fact, she knew it too well—that was the problem. It kept circling back in her mind.
She'd drag out the finished scene, chew it over, wonder why she'd said that, if there'd been another choice, replaying it endlessly on her own.
Ugh, that thought again. Once one idea latched onto another, there was no end to it.
In the midst of that, snippets of chatter from a nearby table caught her ear—some girls unfolding lunchboxes and talking animatedly. She'd meant to tune it out, but a few words yanked her attention over.
"He's way too handsome."
"For real. Who knew someone like that went to the school right next door."
It was unmistakably about Lee Min-woo.
And on one of their phone screens, she glimpsed a web drama scene featuring him.
"Wonder what he's up to after filming that."
"Right? No updates at all."
"At least make him post some Insta selfies."
"I heard he did a magazine photoshoot, though."
"Where?"
"Saw it in the comments. Hang on."
At that, the girls huddled together. The one scrolling her screen soon raised her voice.
"Whoa, it dropped today."
"Lemme see! Where?"
"Wait, don't skip!"
Lee Seol pulled out her phone almost reflexively.
No real thought behind it—just checking, that's all.
She searched.
Searching Lee Min-woo brought up an article: "Between Boy and Actor: Lee Min-woo's First Photoshoot." Clicking in led to the magazine's homepage and SNS links.
The photos were right there.
The first shot showed a neat, student-like look.
Clean school uniform shirt shots, and basic outfits with crisp shirts and slacks instead of the uniform.
But flipping to the next, the same face took on a subtly different vibe.
Boyish one moment, youthful the next—capturing that ambiguous, captivating boundary.
Lee Seol flipped through the screen in silence for a while.
Front-facing shots, profiles—all suited him too well. They overlapped with the school version she knew, yet felt like a total stranger. Familiar, but foreign faces.
At the end, there was a note:
— Interview coming soon.
Interview?
It was from an earlier shoot, so the interview was already out.
She'd read right up to there when an odd feeling washed over her.
Somewhere deep in Lee Seol's mind, a long-buried scene flickered faintly.
A boy awkwardly trailing behind her. Someone always hovering nearby.
That boy was Lee Min-woo. Of course, if they hadn't become friends in high school, she'd have forgotten it entirely.
It was so faint she'd even wondered if it was a dream.
No way...
Lee Seol reread the interview intently.
Lee Seol's hand froze.
It could all be coincidence. Plenty of people have kindergarten first-love stories.
Still, impossibly, each line meshed with the blurry outline of her childhood memory.
Trailing the girl he liked. She wouldn't know. Zero reaction.
Wait a sec...
Her mind went strangely blank.
So he liked me?
No way.
That Lee Min-woo? Not the current one, but all the way back then?
She wanted to reread from the start but feared what more she'd uncover.
In the end, Lee Seol sat frozen, phone in hand.
The words on screen hadn't changed, but her heart reading them had turned into utter chaos.
Yoon Seo-ha silently offered me a cookie from the side.
I glanced at the snack in her hand, then took one without much thought and popped it in my mouth.
Behind the crisp crunch spread a subtle, unfamiliar aroma.
Tastes... good. A bit plain, unique, but not bad.
"You make these yourself?"
"Yeah."
I knew what this meant from Yoon Seo-ha.
Sharing food meant you were in her circle, right?
Even if we're deskmates and it'd feel weird eating alone, for someone like her to offer first was rare.
"Tasty."
"Want more?"
"Nah, I'm good."
"..."
Right after my reply, Yoon Seo-ha's gaze lingered on me for a split second.
Thinks it sucks?
"...One more?"
"..."
I took the cookie she silently held out and ate it.
Homeroom ended, and students started getting up one by one. I slung my bag over my shoulder haphazardly, and that's when U Hana approached.
Yoon Seo-ha glanced at us and slipped out of the classroom first.
"Cookies good?"
"Oh, from Yoon Seo-ha?"
"Yeah."
She must've seen from the back row.
U Hana played it casual, but her eyes were oddly sharp.
"Getting real close with Seo-ha, huh? Eating together in the library and all. She doesn't share her stuff with just anyone."
She knew too—Yoon Seo-ha wasn't one to share food easily.
"Pouting already."
"Can't help it. Jealousy's bubbling up."
I glanced around—too many people.
Otherwise, I'd do something.
As I thought that, U Hana clasped her hands behind her back. She leaned away slightly, avoiding my eyes, but her words stayed cool.
"Wha... just saying. Can't exactly turn down Seo-ha offering."
She seemed to mull it over, then continued.
"Wanna hit the cafe? I can make you something tasty too."
"Weekend? Gotta check my junior's skills as a senior."
"Ah, no then."
"Why."
"That'd be too much pressure."
"Kidding. I'll go study there."
"...Oh, that works."
U Hana's face lit up instantly. Her mood visibly soared.
By then, we'd left school. I was headed to the library, she to the cafe after a quick home stop, so we walked together briefly.
U Hana's tone pitched higher.
"I saw that too?"
"The magazine?"
"Yeah."
"Some fun stories..."
The trailing end felt loaded, so I narrowed my eyes.
"Wanna talk kindergarten."
"..."
U Hana pressed her lips tight, but yeah, nailed it.
It wasn't a big deal, really. Just came up naturally answering the interview questions—no deep meaning loaded in.
Plus, we were off school grounds, no one eavesdropping. Words flowed easier.
"Back then it was kindergarten, now it's you."
"...Say that so casually and what am I supposed to be."
"Wasn't handsome like this back then."
U Hana tilted her head.
"Face isn't the issue. Didn't fall for your looks."
"Hm."
I played it nonchalant on purpose, and her expression turned urgent fast.
"No, for real! Sure, you're hot, yeah. But that's not the whole reason. If you don't believe that, I'll be offended."
U Hana swept back her hair like she was wronged. Her words sped up.
"Never cared about handsome guys before. You're the only one I've liked this much."
"..."
She couldn't handle the brief silence, muttering excuses again.
"Some might say that. 'Haven't met the right one.' But!"
"But?"
"Hearts don't always work that way. And I really, really..."
The longer she went, the more I smiled.
Was this worth such a serious defense? Yet her sincerity shone so bright I couldn't help it.
Finally, I reached out and ruffled her hair lightly.
"Got it."
"...You're the only one I'd let mess with my hair like this. Appreciate that?"
It sounded like a pout, or an extended confession.
I slid my hand through the tousled strands, smoothing them back into place.