Checking if she turned off everything in the dorm, Seulgi pulled up her faded hoodie over her head before going out. It was almost summer but she didn’t want anyone to see her so she opted for a cap and a hoodie. As much as she likes performing on stage in front of their fans, she still didn’t like the attention especially off-camera.

It was going to be just a short trip to the nearest convenient store anyway. She was craving for some ice cream. Blame that commercial she saw on tv minutes ago. She was dead bored home (dorm) alone and was flipping through the channels when this new tv commercial from this well-known ice cream brand showed a new flavor to try.

Seulgi shoved her hands inside her tattered jeans pockets as she breathed in the warm night breeze. She walked towards the store but stopped midway when she noticed there were groups of girls outside the store. They looked harmless but Seulgi had been in this business for 3 years to distinguish normal teenage girls to obsessive stalkers.

Sasaeng fans – as what they call them.

They seemed to be waiting for a van to pull over and drop I SCREAM members to their dorm. Word was out in the internet that they were having a schedule today. Unknown to them was Seulgi had zero in her calendar this day.

Fortunately for the idol, she was dressed just one level higher than a homeless person so she was invisible to the crowd.

She quickly turned around and was about to go back to the building when she saw another group of girls being ushered by the security guard away from the entrance.

So much for getting that ice cream and going home.

Without much thought, Seulgi turned to the other side of the road. She was walking aimlessly. She stopped around another corner and realized she had walked 7 blocks away from their dorm already.

Wanting to go back home, she pulled out her phone to call rescue when she noticed a huge poster in front of her. Seulgi chuckled when she saw it was the ice cream poster she watched in tv.

Is the world mocking me?

Pushing the glass door open, she entered a small 24-hour convenient store. She quickly made her way to the freezer at the back and got that ice cream which was making her night a living hell.

She walked towards the counter. The store was so small that it only had one cashier. The customers had to queue to get their items checked out. Seulgi stood behind an old lady in line.

Out of habit, she opened the pack of ice cream and started to eat it. They usually do this when they were treated for snacks on the way home from a schedule. She would always start eating the frozen treat right away, afraid it would melt by the time they got to the dorm or Joy would eat it when she would be saving it for a midnight snack.

Then, it was Seulgi’s turn to pay so she reached in her back pocket for her wallet while she held the ice cream in front of the cashier indicating it was what she bought. She froze suddenly, realizing there was nothing there. She quickly checked her other pockets in her jeans. Nothing.

.

“That’s 1200 won.” The young guy behind the cash registry said.

“Oh!”

Seulgi her melting ice cream since that was the only thing she could do.

“Uhm. Well.”

The cashier gave her a stern look. He might have already caught up with Seulgi’s problem.

“One thousand and two hundred won.” He repeated.

“Yeah, about that.” Seulgi leaned in on the counter and whispered, “Can I get back to you? I’ll just go ahead and run back to my dorm. I kind of left my wallet.”

“This trick has been tried to me 10 times already just this week. I’m not a fool.” The cashier said in a strict but boring voice.

A man who was queuing in line asked in a loud voice why it was taking too long for the line to move. So much for Seulgi not wanting to get attention.

Seulgi leaned a little closer not wanting the other customers to hear the problem.

“Listen, I’m not trying to rob you. For goodness sake I can buy your whole freezer.” She took a deep breath. This was going to be hard. “Just give me five minutes and I’ll be back.”

The cashier only smirked. “Nice try honey but you’re not the first one to come up with this trick. One thousand and two hundred won or I’m calling the cops.”

Within a second, Seulgi had reached out for the cashier’s collar. “Why you little – “

“That wouldn’t be necessary.” A soft voice cut off, saving the guy from his death known as Kang Seulgi. “Here’s 1200 won for her ice cream.”

Both Seulgi and the guy looked to where the voice came from. She released his collar and stood straight facing the girl who paid for her ice cream.

“Hey! What’s holding up?” The same guy who shouted before was getting impatient.

Seulgi moved so the girl next to her could pay for her items. She waited for the girl to finish then opened the door for her.

“You didn’t have to, you know.” Seulgi said once they were outside.

She heard the girl chuckle.

“Your ice cream was melting on my shoe back there, plus I’m really hungry. I had to do something.”

Seulgi looked down and groaned when she saw the stained shoe of the girl. This was so embarrassing.

“I’ll pay you back.” Seulgi said. “And I’ll get you a new pair of shoes. Onitsuka Tiger right? What’s your size?”

The girl laughed which made Seulgi furrow her brows in confusion. Her rescuer stopped walking and faced Seulgi.

“That’s okay. You don’t have to pay me back. It was only a thousand won.” She looked at Seulgi from head to toe. “And you probably need the money more than waste it on a pair of sneakers.”

Did the girl just think she cannot afford one branded pair of sneakers?

“You’re pretty judgmental for a kind person.”

“I’m sorry. I’m not really good with other people. I’m lacking in the social skills department.”

The ice cream was long forgotten until Seulgi felt it drip from her hand.

“What a night.” Seulgi mumbled as she threw away the melted ice cream.

“Here.” The girl handed her a pack of tissue.

Feeling her pride sinking when this kind and beautiful girl keeps helping her, Seulgi just wiped her hand on her jeans.

“That’s going to stick.”

“Not my problem. I’m not the one doing the laundry.”

“Okay.” The girl put the pack of tissue back to her bag.