Chapter Text
Seulgi clutched the handle of her old suitcase, its wheels wobbling as she stepped out of the taxi onto the cobblestone path of Chaehwa Girls’ Boarding School.
The driver muttered a quick “Good luck” before peeling away, leaving her alone with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder and the weight of her scholarship letter in her pocket.
First day, first chance, and she already felt like a smudge on Chaehwa’s polished surface.
The school loomed ahead, its ivy-covered spires piercing a sky too blue for her nerves. Marble statues of the founders flanked the entrance, their stone eyes judging her duffel’s faded straps. She tugged at her sleeve, humming to steady her racing heart. The email from the housing office had been clear: Room 304, Third floor, East wing. Her new start. Her only shot.
The hallway lights hummed softly overhead, too bright for comfort at 7:43 AM. Seulgi stood stiffly outside Dorm Room 304, duffel bag on her shoulder and her suitcase pressed against one leg, the school-issued keycard pinched between her fingers.
She glanced down at the email for the sixth time.
Welcome to Chaehwa Girls' Academy! Your dorm assignment is Room 304, Third Floor, East Wing. Please check in before 8 AM. Tap your keycard to enter.
Tap your keycard.
Right.
Seulgi raised the card again and tapped it against the black sensor by the door. A small red light blinked. Nothing else.
Tap.
Blink.
Tap.
Still locked.
“Maybe I’m early?” she murmured, though she could already hear the low hum of someone blow-drying their hair in a room down the hall. Girls chattered behind a partially open door two rooms down. Definitely not too early.
The email said 304.
She checked again. Still 304.
Seulgi hesitated, she pressed her ear to the door. No sound. She reached for the doorknob and twisted.
It opened with a quiet click.
“…Huh.”
She peeked in.
The first thing she noticed was the scent. Light. Clean. Faintly floral, like expensive fabric softener and something vaguely citrusy. The second thing she noticed was that it looked nothing like the shared dorm rooms she saw on the website.
A floor lamp glowed in the corner. Books were neatly stacked on the desk, and a fur-lined chair was draped with a blazer that looked more couture than uniform. Her brows furrowed as she took it in. There was only one bed in the room, smack in the middle. Her housing orientation booklet had said two students per room. Two beds. Two desks. Two closets.
But nope, there’s only one bed. A wide, fluffy-looking thing with a very obvious lump of blankets in the middle.
Her brows pulled together. “This can’t be right…”
This was supposed to be a shared room, wasn’t it?
Where was the second bed?
She dragged her modest suitcase in anyway, the wheels making a traitorous squeak across the polished floors. Slowly, cautiously, she approached the bed and placed her suitcase right at the foot of it. It landed with a heavy thump.
The blanket lump moved. Shifted. Groaned.
Seulgi froze.
“What the fuck?” A groggy voice, low and scratchy with sleep, muttered.
The blanket moved, was thrown off, actually and a girl sat up with messy hair, long lashes, and an expression somewhere between sleepy confusion and mild irritation.
She blinked at Seulgi, then looked down at her legs, where Seulgi’s suitcase had very rudely landed.
“Ow.” She winced, shifting, and reached for her legs. “Did you just…did you drop your suitcase on me?”
“S-sorry!” Seulgi stammered, scrambling to put her suitcase back. “I didn’t know there’s….I thought it was empty!”
“…Who,” the girl croaked, sitting up fully, “are you?”
Seulgi opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
“I…uh…I think…I live here?”
The girl stared.
“What?”
“I mean, this room. They assigned it to me.” Seulgi held out the keycard like it could explain everything for her. “I got an email.”
The girl glanced at the card, then back at Seulgi, then at the suitcase. Her face scrunched.
“There’s been a mistake,” she said flatly, flopping back into the pillows and throwing an arm over her eyes. “There’s definitely been a mistake.”
“I-it says 304—”
“This is my room.”
“I think it’s mine now too?”
That made the girl peek out from under her arm. A smirk played at the corner of her lips. “Wow. You must be new.”
Seulgi’s cheeks burned. “I—I am.”
The girl pushed herself upright with a sigh, brushing her hair back and fixing Seulgi with a slow once-over. “Scholarship?”
Seulgi blinked. “How did you…?”
The girl didn’t answer. She just leaned forward and plucked the student ID off Seulgi’s lanyard, flipping it once between her fingers.
“Woo Seulgi,” she said, “Mhmm.”
Then she extended her hand. Her smile was lazy, almost amused, like this was just the start of her entertainment for the day.
“Yoo Jaeyi,” she said.
Seulgi took it, heart hammering. “Woo Seulgi,” she repeated awkwardly.
“I just said that,” Jaeyi replied, but not unkindly. She stretched like a cat, then dropped her arms with a sigh. “Well, Woo Seulgi. This is my room. Mine alone.”
Seulgi fidgeted. “I’m really sorry, but the housing office—”
“It’s not your fault,” Jaeyi said, already sounding bored. “It’s the school’s fault.”
Seulgi said, her voice smaller. “Maybe…but they told me 304 and—“
Jaeyi was already lying back down. “Not my problem.”
“But…what if this year, they assigned a roommate to you?” Seulgi tried to reason. “They emailed me. My name was on the—”
“Trust me. It’s not.” Jaeyi’s smile turned sharp, her voice firm.
Seulgi faltered. She wanted to argue. She really did. But Jaeyi had the kind of confidence that made you second-guess yourself even when you were right. She shifted awkwardly, shoulders curling inward. “Okay.”
She stood frozen for a second, then turned, shoulders heavy. “I’ll go… talk to them,” she muttered. “Maybe they’ll fix it. Sorry again.”
She picked up her duffel bag and suitcase, turned toward the door, and tried not to look as humiliated as she felt.
But before she could step out, she heard a sigh behind her.
“Wait.”
She turned.
Jaeyi was pushing back her covers, standing up, tall and languid in her tank top and boxers. Her legs were pale and smooth and Seulgi’s brain short-circuited.
She gulped.
Her eyes traveled up before she could stop herself and there was Jaeyi, already staring at her, smirking like she knew.
Seulgi squeaked and looked away. “I—I’m sorry!”
“Relax,” Jaeyi said, amused, as she padded to her cabinet and pulled out a school uniform. “Let’s go clear this up. Since I’m in a good mood, I’ll help you find your actual dorm. Okay?”
Seulgi blinked. “Oh. Um…thank you.”
Then Jaeyi reached for the hem of her tank top. Seulgi caught a flash of her waist before immediately squeaking and looking up at the ceiling, eyes wide.
“Sorry!”
There was a quiet laugh behind her, but Jaeyi didn’t say anything. A few moments passed.
Then Seulgi flinched when she felt something soft brush her chin. She looked down. Jaeyi stood in front of her now, fully dressed, one finger hooked lightly under her chin, tilting her gaze back up.
“You’re cute,” Jaeyi murmured. “Are you a freshman?”
Seulgi shook her head, stumbling a step back. “I—I’m a senior.”
Jaeyi’s smirk widened.
“Perfect.”
She turned on her heel and walked toward the door, like this entire mess had somehow landed in her favor.
“Come on, Woo Seulgi.” she said.
And Seulgi followed.
The hallways of Chaehwa Girl’s Academy gleamed with polished tile, sunlight filtering through tall windows and catching on sleek lockers and glass-panel doors. Seulgi tried not to trip over her own feet as she followed Jaeyi, her suitcase wheels thumping against the floor, duffel bag heavy on her shoulder. She had to take three steps for every two of Jaeyi’s just to keep up.
Jaeyi had changed into the school uniform, but of course, hers didn’t look anything like the pressed and proper version Seulgi had seen in the welcome packet. Her skirt was shorter, pleated just so to swish around her thighs. The blazer was tailored, nipped at the waist, with a custom school crest pin glittering gold near her collar. She wore ankle boots instead of the regulation loafers, and her long hair was twisted into a loose, perfect ponytail.
It was the kind of uniform that screamed don’t bother trying to copy this, you’ll just look like a try-hard.
Seulgi, by contrast, felt like a pack mule trailing behind royalty. She swallowed and tugged her cardigan tighter around herself. Her own outfit looked…humble, at best. Her sweater was plain gray and a little too big, sleeves rolled up neatly. Her skirt was the right length, her ID lanyard perfectly aligned. She looked like a girl trying not to get in trouble.
"Try to keep up, aegiya," Jaeyi called over her shoulder without even turning around.
Seulgi blinked. “Aeg—?”
Her cheeks turned hot.
Did she just call her baby?
Jaeyi didn’t even look back. She just kept walking like nothing had happened, phone in one hand, her stride confident and unbothered.
Seulgi scrambled forward, dragging her suitcase a little faster, willing her face to cool down.
Students parted as Jaeyi passed. Some turned to watch. Others whispered. A group of girls near the vending machine actually straightened up, like they’d been caught slouching in front of a queen.
Seulgi blinked.
They passed a group of students on the stairs, “Sunbaenim, good morning!” one girl chirped, waving a little too eagerly.
Jaeyi didn’t slow. She offered a lazy, almost distracted smile. “Morning,” she said, without turning her head.
The girl beamed like she’d been handed a handwritten blessing.
Seulgi blinked. Another pair of girls at the end of the hall whispered behind their hands, watching Jaeyi as she walked. One even nudged the other and tilted her chin in their direction. A girl, who seems to be an athlete, half-raising a hand as if to wave, then thinking better of it.
No one spoke. They all just…watched Jaeyi.
And then glanced at Seulgi like trying to calculate why she was beside her.
Seulgi kept her eyes down. This was worse than she’d feared.
They turned a corner toward the academic buildings, and Jaeyi veered past a courtyard where students were taking photos under a tall silver sculpture. Seulgi blinked as her eyes landed on a sleek, glass-paneled structure at the edge of campus. A new wing. It stood out even more than the rest of the school, state-of-the-art architecture with frosted doors and tinted windows.
The glass doors of the building gleamed under the sunlight.
Etched in steel above them were three sleek words:
YOO INNOVATION CENTER
Seulgi’s eyes widened.
Yoo.
As in…Yoo Jaeyi.
Her brain scrambled to catch up. On the school website. On the brochure. Top student. Debate champion. Honor Society president. Face of Chaehwa. A glowing smile. Long, glossy hair. A blazer just slightly off-regulation.
Yoo Jaeyi.
There had been a whole paragraph about her academic achievements, her debate wins, her leadership in like, five different organizations.
And, apparently, her family funded half the school.
Oh.
Oh.
Seulgi nearly choked on her own realization.
The housing office sat tucked between the library annex and the administrative wing, an unimpressive glass door marked only by a small plaque that read Residential Services. Inside, it smelled faintly of air conditioning and printer ink. Rows of student folders sat behind the front desk, manned by a lone admin assistant who looked far too cheerful for a Monday morning.
Jaeyi didn’t knock. She strode right in.
“Hi, Ms. Lee,” she said breezily, leaning one elbow on the counter.
The woman looked up, startled for half a second, then immediately relaxed when she saw who it was. “Oh! Jaeyi. Good morning, sweetheart. I thought you already moved in.”
“I did. That’s the problem.” She tilted her head toward Seulgi, who had just awkwardly wheeled her suitcase inside. “There’s been a mix-up, she got assigned my room.”
Miss Lee blinked at Seulgi. “Oh?”
Seulgi cleared her throat, stepping forward. “Good Morning Ma’am. I—I got this room assignment by email. Room 304.” She held up the keycard again, as if it hadn’t failed her spectacularly already. “But the door didn’t work, and when I went in, she was already there, and—”
“And dropped her suitcase on my legs,” Jaeyi added blandly.
Seulgi’s eyes widened. “I didn’t mean to—”
Miss Lee was already typing rapidly into the desktop computer. “Let me just check… what’s your name?”
“Woo Seulgi.”
Tap. Tap. Scroll. Pause.
Miss Lee frowned.
“Ah,” she said, squinting at the screen. “So… it seems like there was a clerical error. You were actually supposed to be assigned to Room 403.”
Seulgi blinked. “Four-oh-three?”
“Yes, but it seems we gave Room 403 to another student during orientation when the mistake wasn’t caught.” She scanned the list. “A Woong Seul-ki. Quite similar names. I’m so sorry, this shouldn’t have happened.”
Jaeyi crossed her arms, visibly unimpressed. “So fix it. Move the other girl.”
“We would,” Ms. Lee said quickly, “but there’s… another issue.”
She looked at Seulgi again, guilt creeping into her smile.
“It looks like all the other dorms have been filled.“
“All of them?” Seulgi asked, trying not to sound as crushed as she felt.
“We had a few more enrollments than expected this year. A couple of transfer students, and more seniors opting to stay on-campus instead of commuting. So every room’s already taken.”
“Wait, so where can I stay?” Seulgi’s voice came out thinner than she meant it to. She hugged her duffel bag to her chest.
Ms. Lee looked vaguely embarrassed. “We’re working on temporary accommodations. Maybe converting one of the guest lounges, or seeing if the faculty dorms have space. In the meantime…”
Seulgi’s heart sank. In the meantime?
“There is… an option.”
Seulgi perked up. “There is?”
Ms. Lee gave her a careful look. “We have a small room available. It’s technically not part of the student housing list anymore, but if you’re willing to be flexible—”
“I am,” Seulgi said quickly, almost too quickly. “I don’t mind at all.”
“You haven’t even heard where it is yet.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m fine with anything.”
Jaeyi shot her a skeptical look.
“It’s in the basement level,” Miss Lee added. “Originally used by a staff member during renovations. The space is small, but it’s clean and private.”
Seulgi hesitated.
The basement?
Her grip on her duffel tightened. It wasn’t ideal, not even close, but she’d worked too hard to be here. Late nights, tutoring, mock exams, interview prep, part-time jobs. She could sleep in a broom closet if she had to.
“I’ll take it,” she said, standing straighter. “It’s fine.”
Jaeyi’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Wait. The basement? You mean the one with the rattling pipes and no windows?”
Ms. Lee’s polite smile strained. “It’s temporary,” she offered.
“No,” Jaeyi said, sharp and immediate. “She’s not staying there.”
Seulgi turned to her, confused. “It’s okay, really. I don’t mind.”
Jaeyi’s gaze didn’t leave Ms. Lee at the desk. “You’re talking about the old custodian’s room. No windows. The radiator rattles. Smells like bleach and damp floorboards.”
Miss Lee flushed. “We’ve cleaned it thoroughly since then—”
“She’s a student,” Jaeyi said flatly. “Not a mop.”
Seulgi’s mouth parted, stunned.
Jaeyi turned to her, arms crossed, face unreadable. “You’ll stay with me.”
Seulgi blinked. “Wait. What?”
“I don’t do roommates,” Jaeyi said. “But I’m also not going to let the school shove a scholar into a basement closet because they can’t count.”
The words hung in the air like a suspended chord.
Ms. Lee looked down, embarrassed.
Seulgi’s heart skipped. She stepped forward. “You really don’t have to…”
“You’d rather sleep in a dungeon with a boiler?” Jaeyi asked, raising an eyebrow.
“…No.”
“Then that’s it. You’re staying with me.”
Seulgi stared. “…Thank you,” she said, quietly.
Jaeyi didn’t respond, merely glances at Ms. Lee then she pulled out her phone as she gives orders. “Give her access to 304. I’ll clear a space.”
“You—you’re sure?” Ms. Lee asked, voice small.
Jaeyi shrugged. “You’ll owe me. But yeah.”
Ms. Lee hesitated, then sighed and tapped back into the system. A few clicks later, she reached into the drawer and slid a fresh card across the desk toward Seulgi.
“This will now give you access to Room 304.“
Seulgi took it with both hands, giving a small bow. “Thank you.”
Miss Lee offered a thin smile. “We’ll update the records officially by tomorrow morning. Please… do your best to get along.”
Jaeyi didn’t respond. She just turned on her heel and tossed over her shoulder, “Come on, aegiya. Let’s go set up your side.”
And with that, she walked out the door again, expecting Seulgi to follow.
Which, of course… she did.
They walked in silence for a while.
Or rather, Jaeyi walked. Seulgi trudged.
Her suitcase bumped against her ankle for the third time in two minutes.
Jaeyi moved like she was late for something, quick, confident strides that didn’t allow much room for stragglers. Her ponytail swayed with every step, neat and deliberate, like everything else about her.
Seulgi’s duffel bag was digging into her shoulder. She adjusted it with a grunt and quickened her steps.
Still, the distance between them grew.
And again, from several paces ahead, Jaeyi called out casually, “Keep up, aegiya.”
There it was again. That word. Aegiya. She wasn’t sure she’d heard it right the first time, but now there was no mistaking it.
She keeps calling me that…
Seulgi blinked and nearly tripped over her own foot trying to catch up. Her calves were starting to burn.
A few more steps. Just a few more…
She stopped.
“Wait…just…hold on,” she panted. “I gotta catch my breath.”
She leaned forward, resting her palms on her knees, breathing hard.
Jaeyi had gotten a few strides ahead but paused when she noticed Seulgi lag behind.
She turned around slowly, then crossed her arms, studying Seulgi like one might study a strange new creature.
She tilted her head.
“Such a baby,” she said, clicking her tongue. Then, to Seulgi’s shock, she walked back toward her and grabbed the strap of the duffel bag right off her shoulder.
“I’ll carry it.”
Seulgi blinked. “You don’t have to—”
“I’m not asking.” Jaeyi slung the bag over her own shoulder with ease, like it weighed nothing. “You’ll move faster if I carry it,” she added. “Besides, you look like you’re about to fall over.”
Seulgi opened her mouth to protest, but… she wasn’t wrong.
“…Thank you,” she muttered, feeling her ears go pink.
Jaeyi simply hummed, already walking again but this time a little slower, just a step or two ahead instead of five.
Seulgi followed, still red-faced, clutching her suitcase handle like it was the only thing keeping her upright.
She hesitated, then blurted, “Why do you keep calling me aegi?“
Jaeyi glanced over her shoulder.
Seulgi stumbled slightly under the weight of her question. “I’m not a baby,” she added. “I’m a senior. Same as you.”
It came out a little more breathless and whiny than she intended. Her voice cracked on the last word, and she immediately wanted to shrivel into herself.
Jaeyi glanced down at her from over her shoulder, eyes sparkling. Her smirk curled slowly.
“Oh?” she said. “You kinda sound like one right now.”
Seulgi’s face burned hotter.
“That’s not—I’m not…” she trailed off shyly.
“You’re small,” Jaeyi said simply, as if listing off a fact. “You have chubby cheeks. You make little noises when you’re flustered. It fits.”
“I don’t!”
“You do.”
Seulgi huffed, looking anywhere but Jaeyi’s face.
Jaeyi just smiled wider.
“Don’t worry. I think it’s cute.”
Seulgi nearly tripped over her own suitcase.
She made a small squeak of surprise, which, of course, only made Jaeyi laugh.
They made it back to Room 304 just as the sun began slanting golden through the windows.
Jaeyi unlocked the door with her card and pushed it open, stepping inside first.
Seulgi stood just at the threshold, suitcase in one hand, uncertainty weighing heavier than her duffel bag.
Jaeyi dropped the duffel bag on the floor by the foot of her bed with a soft thud.
Without a word, she shrugged off her blazer, tossing it over the desk chair. Then her fingers reached up and began unbuttoning the top of her uniform shirt, casually, like Seulgi wasn’t standing right there.
Two buttons undone. Three.
Seulgi stared, then yanked her gaze toward the floor so fast her neck cracked.
She was still staring at the floor when they both spoke at once.
“I can sleep on the floor—”
“We’ll share my bed for tonight.”
They blinked.
Seulgi lifted her eyes.
“You…what?”
Jaeyi raised a brow. “What did you say?”
“I said I can sleep on the floor,” Seulgi mumbled, eyes now fixed firmly on a speck of dust on the floorboards. “It’s fine. I don’t mind.”
“You’re not sleeping on the floor,” Jaeyi said, like it was obvious. “What are you, a monk?”
Seulgi blinked. “I just thought…I mean, you don’t do roommates—”
“I don’t,” Jaeyi agreed, stepping closer, unbothered. “But I also don’t let people sleep on the floor like stray animals. Especially not cute ones.”
Seulgi made a strangled noise in response.
Jaeyi smiled. A slow, almost smug one.
“I have a queen bed,” she added, gesturing to said bed. “There’s space. Unless you kick.”
“I don’t.”
“Snore?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Seulgi stayed awkwardly near the door, eyes flitting from the closet to the desk.
“So,” she started, clearing her throat. “Do you think the school would…let me request another study table? And a cabinet? I mean, there’s usually two of everything in dorm rooms, right? Two beds, two desks…”
“Probably not,” Jaeyi cut in, tone casual, unbothered. “You heard Ms. Lee. All rooms are full. They probably don’t even have spare furniture lying around.”
“Oh,” Seulgi said, biting the inside of her cheek. “Makes sense.”
A beat passed. Then Jaeyi tilted her head. “I can get you those things.”
Seulgi blinked. “You can?”
“Mm.” Jaeyi’s voice was soft, smooth. “But you’ll have to do something for me in exchange.”
Seulgi tilted her head. “What?”
Jaeyi didn’t answer.
Instead, she took a step forward.
Then another.
Seulgi backed up instinctively, her spine brushing the closed door. She felt her breath catch in her chest as Jaeyi drew closer, too close. Close enough for Seulgi to feel the heat rolling off her skin, to catch the faint scent of her perfume, sharp and clean and expensive.
Jaeyi’s gaze swept over her, unreadable, slow.
Seulgi didn’t know what to do with her hands. She clenched them by her sides, pulse thudding in her ears.
“W-What do you want?” she asked, voice a breathy mess.
Jaeyi didn’t answer.
She leaned in, one hand braced on the door beside Seulgi’s head, the other resting casually on her hip. Her hair brushed Seulgi’s cheek as she lowered her mouth to her ear, her voice a velvet murmur, “I’ll think about it… aegiya.”
The word curled like smoke in the air between them.
Seulgi shivered.
By the time she opened her mouth to respond, Jaeyi had already pulled away, smirking to herself as she moved across the room.
Seulgi stayed frozen by the door, heart hammering, unsure if she’d just been threatened or flirted with and half-horrified to realize she kind of liked both.
She stayed pressed against the door, her hands still fisted at her sides like she didn’t trust herself to move. Her ears were hot. Her thoughts were louder than ever, rattling around in her skull like loose coins.
What just happened?
She tried to rationalize it. Maybe Jaeyi was just messing with her. A rich girl’s idea of teasing. Or hazing. Or maybe that was just…how she talked. Maybe calling people aegi and leaning close and whispering things against their ear was just a rich-girl dialect she hadn’t learned yet.
Seulgi pressed her palm lightly to her cheek. Still warm. Still breathing too fast.
Jaeyi, meanwhile, was unbothered. She’d kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed with the grace of someone who’d always known comfort, one leg folded beneath her as she lounged back against the headboard and scrolled lazily through her phone.
Trying to busy herself, Seulgi wheeled out the study chair and sat down stiffly. She pulled out her phone and opened the school portal. Her fingers fumbled more than once. The screen loaded her class schedule, but she barely registered any of it. Monday: Lit, Chem, History. Tuesday: Advanced Math, Bio, English. She scrolled. Scrolled again.
Behind her, Jaeyi shifted, the bedsheets rustling softly. A breath. A low hum.
Seulgi glanced back before she could stop herself.
Jaeyi’s gaze was on her. Not sharp, not direct, just there. Watching. Curious. Like Seulgi was some puzzle she hadn’t decided how to solve yet.
Quickly, Seulgi turned back to her screen and tried to focus.
Jaeyi had looked perfectly relaxed. Like nothing had happened. Like she hadn’t just cornered her roommate and whispered something that made Seulgi's stomach flip and her spine spark.
This was going to be fine. She could handle this.
But even as she stared blankly at her schedule, she knew the truth.
Surviving Room 304 was going to be a lot harder than she thought.
Seulgi closed the bathroom door behind her with a soft click and exhaled. Alone at last.
She did her business, washed her hands twice, mostly just to buy herself a little more time and stared at her reflection. Her cheeks were still warm. Her thoughts still scrambled.
When she finally stepped out, Jaeyi was no longer in uniform. She’d changed into a cropped sweatshirt and loose joggers, her long hair tied into a low bun that somehow made her look even more untouchably elegant.
She looked up from her phone the moment Seulgi emerged. “You can change too, you know.”
Seulgi blinked. “Oh. Right.”
“No classes today. It’s orientation week. All boring speeches.”
“Okay.” Seulgi crouched beside her suitcase on the floor and unzipped it, rummaging through her neatly packed clothes. She could feel Jaeyi’s eyes on her, sharp and quiet, standing just behind her shoulder.
It made her hyperaware of every motion. The way her shirt rode up slightly as she leaned forward. The way her elbow bumped the suitcase handle.
Then Jaeyi’s voice again, low and casual, “Wear that one.”
Seulgi paused. “This?”
Jaeyi nodded at the soft blue hoodie Seulgi held. “Mm.”
Seulgi nodded too, flustered, and grabbed a pair of black leggings to go with it. She stood and scurried off to the bathroom again, closing the door behind her.
When she returned, she found Jaeyi still standing there, waiting.
Jaeyi looked her up and down once, then gave a small nod. “We match.”
Seulgi looked at her hoodie, then at Jaeyi’s. “I guess.”
Jaeyi smiled, just a little. “Let’s go.”
“Go?”
“To get you your bed.”
Seulgi perked up. “They found an extra one for me?”
Jaeyi was already reaching for her keys and slinging a small purse over her shoulder.
“No, silly,” she said, walking past. “We’re buying one.”
Seulgi was left standing as she tried to process what Jaeyi just said. She snapped out of it once she heard the door closed behind Jaeyi.
“Wait! Jaeyi!”
Seulgi’s voice rang out a little louder than she meant. Jaeyi was already a few steps ahead, halfway down the corridor.
At the sound, Jaeyi slowed. Seulgi jogged to catch up, clutching the sleeves of her hoodie, then hesitating for a second before reaching out and lightly grabbing Jaeyi’s wrist.
Jaeyi turned her head, looked down at the contact, then looked up at Seulgi with her brows slightly raised. A slow, teasing smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.
Seulgi realized what she’d done a second too late.
“S-sorry…I just…wait—” She let go like she’d been burned, stepping back so quickly she nearly tripped over herself.
Jaeyi tilted her head, still looking at her.
“I-I can’t afford to buy a bed right now,” Seulgi stammered. “It’s fine, really, I can just sleep on the floor—”
“I told you,” Jaeyi said calmly, “I’m not letting you sleep on the floor.”
“But…”
“I don’t want to force you to sleep with me either…” Jaeyi added smoothly, her voice dropping into something soft and teasing.
Seulgi flushed. Her ears turned red. Her brain short-circuited.
“I mean…not that I…that’s not…” she stumbled over her own thoughts, waving her hands uselessly.
Jaeyi laughed, quiet, warm, and smug and took a step closer. Seulgi found herself instinctively backing up half a step.
“So…” Jaeyi said smoothly, “I’ll just buy you a bed. Mhmm?”
Seulgi looked up at her, lips parted. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. It was hard to think when Jaeyi was this close, when her voice curled so gently into her space.
Then Jaeyi smiled, slow and disarming. “Can’t have my aegi feeling uncomfortable after all.”
Before Seulgi could reply, Jaeyi reached down and casually took her hand, fingers curling around Seulgi’s without hesitation, like they’d done it a hundred times.
Seulgi might’ve died a little inside.
She didn’t resist, couldn’t, just let herself be tugged along like a stunned baby deer.
This wasn’t normal. None of this was.
As they walked down the corridor, hand in hand, Seulgi thought dimly that this couldn’t be real. It had only been a few hours. She’d barely arrived. And already, Jaeyi had called her “aegi” more times than she could count, smirked at her like that, and was now literally buying her a bed.
Her heart couldn’t take it.
She followed quietly, blinking hard. Maybe she was dreaming. Maybe she hit her head on arrival. That would explain everything.
She was just a loser. A loser baby lesbian who definitely wasn’t built for this level of attention.
And somehow, she was pretty sure Jaeyi knew it too.