The two walked side by side down the busy street, the morning sun warming the pavement.
Seolhyo rubbed her eyes once more.
Seojin glanced at her, amused. "You didn't sleep enough?"
"Kinda…" she mumbled, still half-drowsy.
As they walked, a small gap naturally formed between them, just from the flow of foot traffic.
Seolhyo, noticing it, quietly stepped closer just enough that her sleeve brushed his.
Seojin felt it immediately.
Without looking, he reached out and took her hand.
Seolhyo's fingers tightened around his instinctively, and she tries to hold her smile.
They continued down the sidewalk, swinging their hands slightly in a rhythm that matched their steps.
Their first stop was a restaurant the sign buzzed faintly, and the smell of tteokbokki and frying kimbap drifted out the door.
Inside, the tables were small and crowded together, the plastic chairs slightly uneven, and an old fan hummed lazily in the corner.
A handwritten menu hung above the counter, its edges yellowed from years of steam.
Seojin and Seolhyo slid into a booth by the window.
Sunlight spilled across the table, turning the surface warm to the touch.
A waitress placed their order down with a soft clatter a bubbling pot of tteokbokki, two trays of kimbap, and cold metal cups filled with barley tea.
Seojin picked up a piece of kimbap and blew on it before holding it out toward her.
Seolhyo blinked, surprised, then leaned in and took the bite.
"…It's good," she murmured, cheeks puffed slightly as she chewed.
He smiled, grabbing another piece for himself.
They didn't talk much.
Just ate slowly, quietly, the sound of sizzling food and muffled conversations filling the air around them.
Later, they wandered into the arcade.
The neon lights buzzed faintly, machines flashing with colors.
Seolhyo's competitive streak came alive at the claw machine.
She leaned close to the glass, glaring at it for not getting it after attempting many times, while Seojin watched, arms crossed and a smirk tugging at his lips.
After a few failed attempts, he stepped forward, slid in a coin, and with steady hands guided the claw.
The prize dropped neatly into the cute a small stuffed rabbit.
He handed it to her wordlessly.
She hugged it close, trying to hide her grin.
From there, they drifted to a bookshop café.
Sunlight spilled through wide windows, warming the wooden tables.
Seolhyo flipped through a magazine, her short curls brushing against her cheek, while Seojin sat across from her, chin propped on his hand, watching her more than the pages in front of him.
She noticed and kicked his shin lightly under the table, cheeks puffing out in mock annoyance.
As evening painted the sky with orange and violet, they stopped by the river.
The water shimmered with scattered light from nearby bridges.
Standing side by side, Seojin casually slipped his hands into his pockets, while Seolhyo leaned on the railing, her hair swaying gently in the breeze.
A silence stretched between them, but it wasn't heavy it was comfortable.
When she finally turned to him, her eyes softened.
Seojin met her gaze, and without words, reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
She froze for a second, her lashes fluttering once before she slowly closed her eyes.
Rising on her tiptoes, she leaned toward him, but her height fell short.
After a second, she cracked one eye open, glaring up at him with her cheeks puffed in frustration.
Seojin couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, the sound low and warm.
He leaned down at last, closing the distance, and their lips met softly under the dim light.
It wasn't rushed, nor clumsy just a quiet press that lingered long enough for her heart to race.
When they finally pulled apart, Seolhyo's face was red as fire.
She immediately turned back toward the river, clutching the stuffed rabbit against her chest as if to steady herself.
the night deepened, and when it was finally time to part, they lingered at the corner where their paths split.
Seolhyo clutched the stuffed rabbit close to her chest.
Seojin gave a faint smile, one hand raised in a lazy wave.
Neither of them moved at first, caught in that lingering silence where neither wanted the moment to end.
Then, almost without thinking, Seolhyo stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him soft, brief, warm.
"...Thanks for today."
Before Seojin could respond or even fully smile, she pulled away quick, a sudden shyness flicker across her face as she turned her back.
Her short hair swayed as she walked, pace slightly faster than normal, desperate to put distance between her and the heat blooming across her entire face.
Seojin watched her go, lips curling into a smile he couldn't suppress, the warmth of her hug still lingering on his chest.
***********
Across town, Irina was on a date with Kim Kwangwoon, the two of them strolling down a busy street lined with street vendors.
Kwangwoon held a cup of tteokbokki while Irina happily picked pieces from it with a toothpick.
As she lifted one to her mouth, her eyes drifted across the street.
"…Oh?"
Kwangwoon glanced at her. "What is it, honey?"
Irina squinted, leaning forward a little. "Isn't that… that girl who used to date Park Dong? What was her name again…?"
Kwangwoon followed her gaze. "Oh, the one with the shark-like teeth?"
Irina nodded. "Yeah, that one. Looks like she's got a new boyfriend now. Hah."
She popped another tteokbokki into her mouth, still staring. "Seeing stuff like that feels weird, you know? How the person you liked before can just… move on. Makes everything feel meaningless."
Her tone was unusually quiet, almost thoughtful.
But then she spun toward her boyfriend with a bright grin, the sudden shift making him flinch.
"Sooo will we end up like that too, honey?"
Kwangwoon stiffened, caught completely off guard by the deadly question. "W–What are you even talking about? No way. We're never breaking up. We're getting married."
Irina raised an eyebrow. "Tch. You're all talk."
"I mean it!" he insisted, chest puffed out as if that made it truer.
She leaned in, teasing. "You're really gonna marry me?"
"Of course," he said without hesitation, trying to sound cool.
Irina let out a small laugh and wrapped both arms around his, hugging it tightly. "Then how old will we be when we do that?"
Kwangwoon thought hard. "…Hmm. Maybe 2020? That sounds good, right?"
Irina pulled away just enough to glare at him. "What the that's so far away!"
************
The next school day came, sunlight spilling lazily through the classroom windows.
Our group gathered near the window, chatting idly before class began.
I leaned against the sill, a candy in my hand, lazily popping one into my mouth.
Seolhyo, standing right beside me, eyed the candy, then me. "Give me," she said flatly.
I raised a brow, but without hesitation, plucked one from the pack.
Instead of handing it to her palm, I brought it straight to her lips.
Without missing a beat, Seolhyo leaned forward and took it with her mouth, her expression calm as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
For a brief moment, our eyes met, and something warm flickered in her gaze.
I raised a brow, but without hesitation, plucked one from the pack. Instead of handing it to her palm, I brought it straight to her lips.
Without missing a beat, Seolhyo leaned forward and took it with her mouth, her expression calm as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
For a brief moment, our eyes met, and something warm flickered in her gaze.
The others were already throwing us looks seeing us like this.
Irina pinch my arm with zero hesitation.
"What about me, huh, Seojin? Now that you're dating Seolhyo, you're not even acknowledging us?!"
Before I could react, Seolhyo slapped Irina's hand off harder than necessary.
"Ouch! So protective," Irina hissed dramatically, rubbing her hand. "I'm your best friend and this is how you treat me after you get a boyfriend?"
Park Dong groaned loudly from beside her.
"Can you two stop being lovey-dovey?! This is a school, you know we're supposed to learn."
I glanced at him flatly. "Who are you kidding? You don't even study. You sleep through literally every class."
Irina burst into snickers. "Let's be honest he probably doesn't even have a single note in his bag. HAHAHA!"
"Stop acting like you're smarter than me, will you?" Park Dong snapped.
Irina shot him a glare. "Smarter? Please, even a goldfish has a better memory than you!"