Midterms (2)
Yoon Seo-ha ended up coming to the library with Lee Min-woo and U Hana.
She claimed her usual spot. Hung her bag on the chair beside her and neatly laid out her pens, textbooks, and workbooks.
She figured she'd start studying just like always.
But not long after picking up her pen, a soft whisper drifted over from right next to her.
It wasn't loud, but being right beside them, it was clear enough.
"How about like this?"
"The hairpin's kinda..."
"Why? It suits you perfectly."
A quiet chuckle of breath.
U Hana had reached out, fiddling with Lee Min-woo's hair. She was pretending to tidy his messy bangs, her touch playful and teasing.
"Ha... fine, do it. Only 'cause it's you..."
"Heh, you better. You've messed with my hair plenty."
"Damn, now I got nothing to say."
Lee Min-woo tilted his head away a bit but let her hands linger.
It was such a natural touch, such easy banter. The kind of closeness only old friends could pull off.
Yoon Seo-ha glanced over for a second, then turned back like it was nothing.
But oddly, her grip tightened just a fraction on the pen.
Their little game didn't drag on.
Soon the space fell quiet again, filled only with the scratch of pens on paper.
In the midst of it, Yoon Seo-ha pulled out a Post-it note and scribbled a few words like always, sliding it over to Lee Min-woo.
Do you think this problem will be on the exam?
The edge of the Post-it brushed lightly near his arm.
Lee Min-woo glanced down, picked it up, and let out a short laugh.
It'll be on there, right? No need to beat around the bush. Thanks.
Yoon Seo-ha knew it herself. What she was doing was just a ploy to get his attention.
Childish?
But honestly, she liked being childish. And Lee Min-woo was the only one who knew that side of her.
That's when it hit.
A gaze from across the table. She looked up and locked eyes with U Hana.
U Hana was beaming sweetly. It looked kind on the surface, utterly harmless.
But Yoon Seo-ha knew better. Fake as hell. Hell, anyone would spot it. She probably thought she was hiding it well.
Yoon Seo-ha turned back to her work without a word.
Did that set U Hana off?
It was lunchtime when the three of them finally stood.
They packed up haphazardly and headed for the cafeteria. At first their steps matched, but soon they drifted apart.
U Hana spoke up first.
"Lemme fix that hair I messed with earlier."
Lee Min-woo had stuck in a hairpin to keep his bangs from flopping down. U Hana reached out with familiar ease, brushing them lightly to tidy.
"I got it."
As her touch lingered, he shook his head himself and swept his hair back entirely.
U Hana grinned mischievously.
"Ooh, confident enough to leave it messy."
"Feels better this way."
U Hana jumped right back in.
"Manager sis knew you stopped by the cafe yesterday."
"Yeah? You're going casual with her now?"
"She was super chill about it. Kept asking why you didn't come say hi."
The chatter flowed nonstop.
U Hana was a pro. She'd toss out some random topic, listen intently with big reactions, and it never felt forced.
Then she suddenly turned to Yoon Seo-ha.
"Seo-ha, anything you're craving?"
Her voice was so smooth, so caring—like she was making sure no one got left out.
Yoon Seo-ha eyed her for a beat. That was U Hana. Always steering the conversation.
And that was the one thing Yoon Seo-ha couldn't do. Picking up every little thread, guiding it effortlessly.
"Anything."
"'Anything' is the toughest... Hmm."
Yoon Seo-ha kept it cool, but her head was buzzing with thoughts.
The vibe stayed the same on the walk to eat, picking menus, even while chowing down.
The back-and-forth between the two flowed easy, and whenever she felt sidelined, one of them would loop her in. No outright exclusion.
Still, it bugged her. She was just tagging along.
A step behind.
The distance hit her sharp and clear, and that's when the thought struck.
Come to think of it, the only thing linking me and Lee Min-woo is studying.
Exam season made it natural—ask about problems, swap notes, share library space.
But take that away?
No shared hobbies, no overlapping hangouts. Unless someone kicked it off, there weren't topics to fill the air.
She'd always known she sucked at this stuff.
Getting close to people. Keeping that warmth going naturally. And of all things, it was U Hana's specialty.
For a split second, an odd skepticism washed over her. Hard to put into words.
Someone might call it energy drain, but nah. If she really wanted, she could play childish too.
It was something more basic.
That feeling itself.
Do I actually like Lee Min-woo... as a guy?
More precisely, it was doubt about the drive that hit her automatically around U Hana.
She just wanted to get closer.
Butt in for attention, get a thrill from his smile, then sink when he clicked easy with someone else.
Was that romance? No clue. She'd never felt it for real, never pinned it down clear.
Which made it all the more confusing. Especially watching U Hana—no hesitation, charging full-tilt after what her heart wanted. It forced the question.
At least U Hana seemed dead certain about her own feelings.
So Yoon Seo-ha couldn't tell if hers matched.
*
After lunch, Yoon Seo-ha split off, saying she needed the bathroom.
She slipped into the women's restroom, washed her hands, and shook off the water.
Dried them roughly on a paper towel and spun toward the door.
Bang.
The door flew open hard, slamming her shoulder into whoever was barreling in.
"Ah, fuck."
The curse flew out before she could blink, and Yoon Seo-ha looked up.
Familiar face. Too familiar—the kind you wished wasn't.
The girl rubbed her shoulder pointlessly, then smirked the second she saw Yoon Seo-ha. The two trailing behind clocked it too and snorted openly.
"Whoa, it's Yoon Seo-ha."
"Bumps into you and doesn't even say shit again."
Yoon Seo-ha sized them up without a word.
Here for round two?
Not the first time.
A few days back, same deal—brushed past on the way to the library, but way too deliberate, shoulder-checked her hard enough to drop her stuff. Made her late once.
No sorrys, just laughing faces. Burned into her memory.
Yoon Seo-ha let out a shallow sigh.
"You barreled in and hit me."
The girl up front scoffed like it was ridiculous.
"Then why block the damn door?"
Just three girls.
But in the cramped bathroom, it felt like a wall. They'd circled her on purpose.
"Spit it out. What do you want?"
"Look at her, acting all high and mighty. Thinks she's on another level."
Someone else walked in then, and the girls jerked their heads at Yoon Seo-ha.
Take it outside.
She tried to brush past without a peep, but a hand clamped her arm.
"Hey."
Rough yank twisted her halfway around.
"You asked. What do I want to say."
"..."
"Ask and then just bail?"
They'd hit the bathroom right after nearing the library—too far from the reading rooms.
Any noise there would've drawn eyes, even small stuff.
Out here? Kids glanced and kept moving, too busy for drama.
They dragged her outside before releasing her wrist.
She glanced down at the red mark, then said,
"Get on with it."
The front girl barked a laugh.
Truth was, Yoon Seo-ha had never dealt with this in school. No one had ever come at her so blatant.
Middle school had some delinquents, but paths never crossed. High school? Barely saw that vibe.
So this felt alien. Scared? Lying if she said no. But no crumbling needed.
Just... annoying as hell. Mood soured.
"You know how ridiculous you are? Strutting like you're above it all, pure as snow."
The girl stepped closer.
"Ignoring people, killing the vibe."
"Never pretended."
"Bullshit."
The others snickered along.
"Whole school knows what a bitch you are."
"Ditched Jeong-hyun hard, huh? Same energy."
"If you hate the guy, just say it. You're the one who made him look like an idiot."
...Ah. That was it.
Park Jeong-hyun. The guy who'd kept confessing to her.
Now it clicked why the beef.
"Does he know you're pulling this?"
"You dumb? It's 'cause you're a rude bitch."
"So?"
"Ha."
Her deadpan twisted the girl's face.
"Think I won't hit you?"
"Go ahead."
"Ugh, fuck."
Deep down, she figured no real swing. Cameras everywhere—report to school, done.
Just tangled her head, pissed her off mid-exams with this bullshit.
And right then.
The girl reared back like she meant it, hand flying high.
Yoon Seo-ha's eyes went wide.
She'd said hit her, but not like this—no warning, straight savage.
Never been hit. Never stared down a threat this raw up close.
Dodge? Brain lagged—body locked. She just gawked at the hand.
Then a grip clamped her wrist. Her frozen body got yanked back.
Stepping up in her place: Lee Min-woo.
His broad back slid in, blocking her view completely.