Midterms (3)
Was it because of our height difference? All she could see was my back, nape, and the short hair at the back of my head, obscured by my school uniform shirt.
The sharp gazes that had been fixed on her just moments ago were instantly blocked by me.
The suffocating pressure that had surrounded her eased a bit, but at the same time, her heart pounded even faster. She couldn't tell if it was from the tension releasing or from the unexpected intervention of someone she hadn't anticipated.
Yoon Seo-ha looked down at her wrist, which I had grabbed. It wasn't a tight grip, but it was firm enough to feel my body heat clearly.
That's when I spoke in a low voice.
"What are you doing."
The girl in front froze, her raised hand hesitating before dropping.
"Uh, Min-woo..."
Her voice, which had been laced with aggression, softened in an instant. Hearing the change from behind, Yoon Seo-ha almost let out a hollow laugh.
"No... she bumped shoulders with me and didn't apologize." "You raising your hand—I didn't see that wrong, did I?" "That's..."
The girl fidgeted with her lips. But before she could respond, Yoon Seo-ha spoke up.
"They bumped into me on purpose."
She said it calmly, but her voice still carried the fatigue she hadn't shaken off.
Instead of replying, I turned my head slightly to look at Yoon Seo-ha.
I wonder if she saw how tired I looked. Without a word, I turned back to the front.
I don't know exactly how I looked at them. But the girl at the front sighed in defeat.
"Hey, let's just go."
The girls who had surrounded her so ridiculously easily backed off.
Only after a while did I fully turn around. At the same time, her wrist naturally slipped free from my grasp.
"You okay?"
Yoon Seo-ha didn't answer right away.
Her heart still seemed to be racing a little.
The sensation of my hand on her wrist lingered faintly, and her mind was a jumble, not yet sorted out.
The feel of my hand on her wrist. The broad shoulders right in front of her. The side of my face when I turned my head.
Every detail was unnecessarily vivid.
Still, Yoon Seo-ha didn't let her expression crack. As always, she kept her composed face and gave a short reply.
"...Yeah."
I smiled lightly, as if it were no big deal.
"Good thing I showed up. Would've been a hassle otherwise. Or maybe more than that."
Yoon Seo-ha clenched and unclenched the hand that had been held, for no particular reason. And in that moment, her heart gave another big thump, without any explanation.
*
"Where'd you two go?"
It was U Hana's question as she saw me, Yoon Seo-ha, and herself entering together. Her tone was light, but her gaze was pretty sharp.
Of all things, we'd come in at the same time, and while Yoon Seo-ha's face was its usual stoic self, it wasn't entirely unflustered.
I paused while pulling out a chair and answered briefly.
"Something weird happened to Seo-ha."
"Weird?"
"Yeah... kinda. Looks like she ran into some sketchy people."
U Hana's voice dropped. Her face turned serious, no playfulness in it.
"Sketchy people? You okay?"
"Yeah."
Yoon Seo-ha gave a short reply, but U Hana didn't seem satisfied. She stood up right away.
"What happened? Let's step out for a sec."
I nodded, and Yoon Seo-ha, who had been about to sit, followed along with quick steps.
At the end of the hallway a bit away from the reading room, U Hana's face hardened more and more as she heard the story of what happened earlier, then she let out a small sigh.
"Haa..."
That one word carried disbelief and absurdity.
"People like that still exist?"
"Apparently."
"Wow, so childish."
U Hana let out a disbelieving chuckle, then turned to Yoon Seo-ha.
"Must've been exhausting. Stuff like this happens 'cause you're pretty."
"...It connects like that?"
"It does. Jealous types always pick on what others have that's better."
It was meant as comfort.
Even when she heard I'd helped out, U Hana hadn't shown much change in expression.
No discomfort, just worry for Yoon Seo-ha.
"Should we tell a teacher?"
"It's fine. I'll handle it."
When Yoon Seo-ha said that, U Hana asked worriedly.
"You sure you can just let it go?"
"Yeah. Min-woo helped."
"..."
Did U Hana sense something in those words? She went quiet for a moment.
But in the end, her expression didn't change. Same as before.
Was she holding it in?
At this point, it felt like she was determined not to show anything in front of me. Had something happened?
Yoon Seo-ha spoke with her usual nonchalant face.
"Are you two dating?"
"...Out of nowhere?"
I was the one asking back.
"Just got curious suddenly."
Neither I nor U Hana could answer easily to Yoon Seo-ha's response.
That was enough for her.
"No need to answer if it's awkward."
"..."
Yoon Seo-ha and U Hana's eyes met. One calm, the other composed.
Outwardly, nothing seemed amiss, but neither looked away first.
*
As her part-time shift approached, U Hana stood up first.
"I'm heading out. You two don't stay too late."
"Yeah."
"See ya."
I watched her wave casually and disappear, then turned my gaze back to the desk.
Now it was just me and Yoon Seo-ha. With three subjects on tomorrow's exam, there was plenty to study. It wasn't like I had to grind desperately, but I kept investing time to review as much as I could.
We sat there quietly, each in our own zone, and before I knew it, the library's closing time was approaching.
I glanced over, and Yoon Seo-ha was dozing lightly, leaning on her desk.
She must be tired too. Seeing the usually poised, flawless girl so vulnerably asleep felt a bit unfamiliar.
Or maybe the incident today wore her out more.
According to her, it was the first time something like that had happened—someone openly picking a fight and even raising a hand.
First time for me too.
Such rare events had to happen to Yoon Seo-ha today, of all days.
I looked down at her briefly. Even her neatly arranged hair was a little mussed.
I lightly touched her arm on the desk.
"Yoon Seo-ha."
She opened her eyes very slowly.
"...Huh?"
"We gotta go."
"Oh."
Her drowsy eyes sharpened back to normal in a way that didn't suit Yoon Seo-ha.
In just a few seconds, she looked like her usual self again—no trace of the dozing girl from moments ago.
"Sorry."
For some reason, Yoon Seo-ha apologized.
"Still waking up? Let's hurry. Aren't your parents waiting?"
"...Yeah."
Her expression recovered fast, but not her wits apparently.
Her pronunciation was a bit slurred in her half-asleep state. It almost sounded cute.
I glanced at her without thinking, and she quickly looked away. She must've been embarrassed by her own words.
Pretend I didn't notice.
We packed our bags and headed out.
Outside the library, I looked around, but the black sedan that usually waited nearby every day was gone.
"...Did they leave already?"
When I asked puzzled, she shook her head.
"I told them I'd go alone today."
"Oh. Yeah? Your house close from here?"
"Not... really."
"How you getting home then?"
"Just."
Yoon Seo-ha lightly brushed back a strand of hair. A few loose ends had fallen from dozing.
"I'll walk a bit to fix my hair, then grab a taxi or bus."
A question mark popped in my head, but she said it so matter-of-factly, it seemed genuine.
Too easy to just accept, I guess.
As I thought that, Yoon Seo-ha sidled up closer to me.
Her gaze seemed to say, What're you waiting for, let's go?
"...This way?"
"Where's your place?"
"It's that way, yeah."
"I'll walk you that far."
"Alriiiight..."
She insisted, so I couldn't exactly say no.
Before I knew it, I was walking toward my house with Yoon Seo-ha. About a 20-minute walk.
The spring night air wasn't too chilly.
We didn't talk much, as usual, but it wasn't awkward either.
Not many people can walk in silence without it feeling off. Minus her occasional unpredictable comments or actions, Yoon Seo-ha was comfortable to be around. Her calm nature made it so.
Normally, this would've overlapped with the end of U Hana's shift, but we'd stayed too late at the library, so she'd gone home first.
And just like that, we reached my house.
As I slowed, Yoon Seo-ha matched my pace naturally and glanced around.
She said softly.
"...This is it."
"Yeah. See ya. Bus stop's that way."
"...Thanks for helping today too."
I chuckled at that and teased playfully.
"You're secretly such a klutz? Not that it was your fault this time."
She didn't take it as a joke, pondering my words before asking.
"Better than always having the same expression, right?"
"Uh... yeah? Wait, is it? Hard to say which is better."
Did she have her own worries about relationships?
"Really?"
She looked a bit disappointed. Not what I meant.
"Doesn't change that you're a good person. Expressionless or klutzy."
I added, and she looked up again. Under the streetlight, her eyes seemed softer than usual.
"...Got it. I understand."
Then she asked again.
"Am I a good person to you?"
"Obviously?"
No-brainer.
Especially after all her help during exams. Honestly, without Yoon Seo-ha, this midterm might've been risky. I'd skipped so much early semester.
I answered without hesitation, and after a pause, she replied shortly.
"You too."
Hearing it back was kinda embarrassing, so I cleared my throat and nodded.
"Cool. ...See ya then?"
As I turned to actually leave, her voice followed from behind.
"Wanna come over after exams?"
"Your house?"
"Yeah."
"Just me?"
She hesitated at that.
"A few people... maybe."
Her tone was subtle, and I chuckled inwardly.
Inviting just me seemed a bit much for her too.
I swallowed the laugh and said sure. She turned right away.
I stood there a moment, watching her back.
...Did her mouth just curve up?
With her default blank face, it stood out. Or maybe my imagination.
Either way, she looked oddly in a good mood. I watched, then turned myself.
