A/N: I made this update relatively long to try to make up for the cliffhanger. Hope you guys like it. - Bluekimchi

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When Tiffany said that Seulgi ran away, Seungwan actually pictured a scene similar to that of afternoon soap operas, Chorong and Bomi crying in their living room, police sirens blaring in their front yard or something similar. But what she sees is a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Neither Chorong nor Bomi are around. 

It's just Seulgi, sitting with her back straight on the couch, hands clenched to fists, resting on her knees. If she had been crying, she would be the drama itself but she's surprisingly calm. Seungwan wonders if Tiffany is playing a trick on her. Well, it's either that or she needs to work on her newsbreaking skills.

"I thought you said she ran away?" She hisses at Tiffany as they're standing by the staircase.

"She told me she did. That's why she's here! She says she doesn't want to go home anymore." Tiffany whispers back.

"Why? What happened?"

But at that point, Seulgi sees her and she stands up to greet her.

"Seungwan,"

Seungwan tries hard not to roll her eyes. She really did. But it seems that she has no choice anymore. If Seulgi really did run away, she really can't keep on ignoring her. She shouldn't. Because there are more pressing matters at hand than this, whatever this is that's going on in her head

"Seulgi," She finally greets back with a curt nod.

"Tiffany unnie said that you're leaving. Where are you going?" Seulgi stands, takes a step closer to her.

"Uh... our high school class is going on a camping trip in the mountains to dig up time capsules or something. I didn't really want to go but some of my friends convinced me to and-"

"Will Taehyun be there?" Seulgi's eyebrows furrow.

"I- what?" Seungwan stares at her, hesitates. "Yeah, he's going to be there." She finally decides on the truth, feels herself get all flustered.

"In that case, I'm coming with you." Seulgi says in a voice that somehow entails that the matter is settled and that Seungwan won't convince her otherwise.

"What? Seulgi, I'm not sure what's going on here. You haven't even explained yourself. Did you really run away? Why?" Seungwan tries to change topic in hopes of dissuading her.

"We'll have time to talk on the way to the mountains. I'll explain then." But Seulgi has decided and she is not going to change her mind.

--

Seungwan should have said no. The moment that Seulgi said she's coming with her, she should have flat out said no, put her foot down and stayed true to her convictions. When she found out that Seulgi doesn't have anything with her except her phone and some money, she should have told her that she can't come because of this (Heck, she has no clothes, no camping gear, no consent from her family, nothing). Bottomline is, she should have said no.

Why did Taeyeon have to come home at that time? She could've run a little bit later but no, she comes home early and she just had to make sure that Seulgi will come on this goddamn mountain trip with her. And now, thirty minutes later, Seungwan and Seulgi are both seated comfortably in the back of a provincial bus headed for the province. It's not even the special tourist bus prepared by Seungwan's high school classmates, they missed that one in view of Seulgi's preparation.

How did they manage to work around the fact that Seulgi had nothing with her? Well, Taeyeon lent her some gear and some spare toiletries. She also promised to inform Chorong and Bomi of Seulgi's whereabouts. As for clothes, well, Seulgi's snuggly fitted in an old sweater and windbreaker of Joohyun's. Coincidentally, Joohyun's old clothes fit Seulgi and Taeyeon and Tiffany lend her some for the trip.

Seungwan doesn't want to think much of it. She doesn't even want to look at Seulgi or talk to her as much as possible. She wasn't planning on seeing her anytime soon. But now, here she is, sitting next to her on a bus, about to spend the next three days and two nights with her, possibly in the same tent or room in the cabin. Oh, and did she mention that the travel time to Gangwon-do is approximately three hours? Yup, she's going to have to get used to being in this close proximity with Seulgi if she is to survive. So much for avoiding her.

Seungwan does her best keeping her eyes glued to the window because she knows that Seulgi is giving her that look that she has whenever she wants so badly to ask her something. She does this because she knows she's not ready to talk about anything with her right now (maybe never at all) even if she's curious about her running away or what not.  

Knowing that Seulgi is staring holes into her soul, Seungwan feels the tension build as the bus rolls on and on. Words hanging on the tips of their tongues, just wondering and waiting for the perfect timing to be said. Courage growing strong but never strong enough for a single word to be uttered. She wishes to be spared from this, from the restlessness it brings so Seungwan decides to close her eyes and sleep.

But she couldn't and she ends up pretending to because it's actually a pretty good excuse to not talk to Seulgi. She breathes deeply, in and out, almost like she's meditating. She does feel calm for a moment but like everything she has planned so far, it backfires on her when she feels Seulgi's hand, ever so softly, tilt her head towards her so that she's leaning her head on her perfectly warm shoulder. 

She wanted to lash out, wanted to jump a thousand miles away from Seulgi because her head is screaming at her to but a small part of her tells her to stay put, to settle down because there's that warm fuzzy feeling in her chest again and it spreads through out her entire being. She hates that she lets that small part to win over. She hates that she likes this warmth. She hates that in the silence of the bus, all she can hear is her heart pounding against her chest. She hates that she feels so comfortable with her head against Seulgi's shoulder, with Seulgi's hand touching the side of her face, keeping her head there. She hates that she likes all of it. She hates that all of it might mean that she is falling, falling for Seulgi.

--

It's late when they get to the cabin and everyone who Seungwan is expecting to be there is nowhere in sight, all except for Taehyun whom they find sitting on the lobby of the inn. He stands as he sees Seungwan, looks a bit relieved too, actually. But his eyes stray over to Seulgi who is walking a few feet behind her and he frowns.

"I thought for a second you might have changed your mind." He starts. Seungwan puts a hand up to silence him. She hasn't forgotten the incident at the restaurant. Neither did Seulgi.

"I'm too tired to talk right now. Which room are we in?" Seungwan says, voice neutral. Seulgi just steps to her side, protectively.

"We?" Taehyun repeats the word, eyes looking over Seulgi with contempt. He looks like he wants to say something more but doesn't so Seungwan talks.

"Seulgi is my guest. She's rooming with me." She explains, makes it as simple as that.

"But the room we've reserved for you only has one bed." He replies, frowning.

"Then I guess we'll have to share." Seungwan shrugs and Seulgi fears that her eyes might jump out of their sockets in shock.

But of course, Seungwan was just saying that to throw off Taehyun. 

Seulgi knew that the moment they entered their designated room because Seungwan immediately takes out her sleeping bag, spreads it on the floor next to the bed without saying a word. Seulgi, however, has no plans of letting her. If anyone should have the bed, it's Seungwan. After all, it's her class reunion and Seulgi is just tagging along. so she brings herself to walk to her, puts a hand on her shoulder.

"You can take the bed. I'll sleep on the floor." Seulgi says. She almost fools herself with how brightly she said it.

"Are you sure?" Seungwan really looks at her for the first time today, for the first time in weeks even, eyes searching hers.

Seulgi fears that she might see through her. She wasn't exactly psyched about sleeping there knowing that the floor would be cold even if she'd have a warm sleeping bag to cocoon in. Even before coming here, she was already doubting that she'd get any sleep tonight. She could hardly sleep on her bed back at Chorong and Bomi's place and that was one soft bed, the best that money can buy. How much more on a cold floor of an unfamiliar room? But she's determined to 'take one for the team', which is really just herself that's trying to win her bestfriend back, so she doesn't say anything and just nods. Fortunately, Seungwan doesn't press and just lets it go.

They don't say much after that and just change into pajamas and get ready to hit the bed, the floor in Seulgi's case. 

As they're both lying, looking up at the hardwood ceiling, the air gets thick with tension again like it did in the bus. Seungwan does the only thing she knows will help - pretending to go to sleep. This time, she swears it will work because she's on the bed and Seulgi won't be able to lean her head on her shoulder or touch her which should spare her from the feelings, from the warmth. She tries to not mind how cold it honestly feels lying on a bed even with the thick sheets and the pillows surrounding her. 

But she should really go to sleep. There will be outdoor activities tomorrow and people, who will want to know how she has been, waiting for her in the morning. She really should.

Pretending to sleep eventually proves itself ineffective because Seungwan stays awake for a long time. She feels Seulgi gets up from the floor in the middle of the night. She opens her eyes sees her head for the bathroom.

Light floods into the room from the open bathroom door and Seungwan squints, allows her eyes to adjust to the lighting. She hears Seulgi throwing up, hacking coughs and spits into the toilet and worry courses through her veins. It's not the usual kind that she's used to, not the one which she has no idea where it's coming from. This one, she knows is not irrational and it's one she hasn't felt in a long time.

She sits up and waits for Seulgi to come out after she rinses .

"Are you okay, Seulgi?" She asks.

"I, uh, sure. It's just... motion sickness. You know, from the long bus ride. Nothing to worry about." Seulgi lies back down on the floor, slips inside her bag. 

"Are you sure?" Seungwan asks again. Seulgi looks up at her, mouth spread into a thin line and eyes blinking back at her.

"Yeah," 

The darkness and the silence swallow up her reply.

Seungwan hesitates for a moment but decides that it's better to let things go and then turns to lie on her side, facing the wall again. 

Seulgi takes a deep breath, feels her lungs fill with air, feels the sharp stabbing pain in her chest. She places a hand over heart, taps the spot as if trying to tell herself to calm down. She can't fall apart now. She's here for a reason.

She closes her eyes and wills herself to sleep, telling herself over and over that she'll be fine if she gets through the night. But she also wonders how long she will last without her medications (because running away was a stupid idea but running away without her meds was an even more stupid idea). She didn't even get to talk to Seungwan about running away! That might be the reason why anxiety is bubbling inside of her right now. How will she even bring herself to talk when Seungwan hardly looks at her? Like what's her problem anyway?

So many things are running amok in her head right now that she wonders if any of it even make sense. She sits up and looks at Seungwan but she's not moving and that must mean that she's already asleep. 

So Seulgi lies back down.

"You're going to be fine. You're going to be fine." She says to herself. 

Again, she thinks she could fool herself until the acids climb up her stomach and she's running to the bathroom again, puking her guts out. She could have sworn that she sees Seungwan looking at her when she lies back down again. But that might just be her imagination because Seungwan is still lying on her side, back turned.

--

When the morning comes, Seulgi wakes up with the sun in her eye. She hardly had any sleep in and she's thinking that maybe she can let her eyes rest for a couple of hours because it hurt but she gets up immediately when she notices the made bed and no Seungwan in sight. She throws on some decent clothes, brushes her teeth, and ties her hair in a bun before heading out to look for Seungwan.

She finds her in the dining room, surrounded by four girls and a couple of guys (Taehyun not among them), eating breakfast. She nervously walks up to them, coughs when she's right behind Seungwan.

"Oh, you're awake." Seungwan says softly, turns in her seat so that she's looking at her. Seulgi is taken aback with this gentleness. What has transpired during her sleep for Seungwan to be all concerned, if she does say so herself, now?

"You didn't wake me." She replies, unknowingly pouts.

"You were sleeping so soundly. I didn't want to." Seungwan replies, looks a little apologetic.

There's a round of intentional fake coughing from the table and Seungwan's face heats up as her high school friends eye Seulgi, discreetly and not so. Seulgi swallows and shuffles her feet awkwardly.

"Who's your friend, Seungwan?" One of the girls ask.

"Yeah, aren't you going to introduce her to us?" Another girl even elbows Seungwan softly. The girls giggle and Seungwan's eyes dart from Seulgi to her friends, like she always does when she's making split second decisions.

"Uh, okay. Everyone, this is Seulgi." She finally says.

Someone actually ooh's and it causes Seungwan to fluster even more. She introduces her friends to Seulgi nonetheless, recites names too fast for Seulgi to remember all that she only catches two out of six: Hyeri and Suzy. 

They all greet her enthusiastically, pulling up a chair for her to sit on and offering her food which she politely accepts. She becomes shy as they all shower her with attention which she thinks is totally over the top reaction from Seungwan's high school friends.

"So, Seulgi-ssi, how long have you known our Seungwan?" One of the boys ask.

"How old are you, Seulgi-ssi?" Another interrupts, not giving her time to answer.

"Where did you two meet?" That's it.

"Guys, guys!" 

Seungwan slams her hands on the table to quiet them down. 

"You're all misunderstanding something. Seulgi and I aren't a couple. We're just friends."

Silence. And then the one called Hyeri laughs really loud, hits Seungwan on the arm.

"Aigoo. We never said anything about you two dating, Wanie." She says, blinks suggestively and Seungwan blushes even more.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just saying it to get it out of the way. Seulgi and I aren't  dating." She tries to keep her composure.

Maybe Seulgi might have chosen the wrong time to hold Seungwan's hand because the table is suddenly in uproar, squeals and accusations of lying thrown at Seungwan. She in turn glares at Seulgi who looks back apologetically, whispers to her that Taehyun was eavesdropping on the conversation and she was only helping her out which is a reasonable excuse so she drops it.

The fact that Seulgi helps in keeping Taehyun away is not very helpful with the whole situation. So for the rest of the day, Seungwan is torn between keeping a safe distance from Seulgi and keeping her by her side especially because the group is going hiking.

Seulgi doesn't mind it much. Mostly because she thinks it's the difference in their level of fitness that is to blame for this lack of contact as they hike up the mountain. Seungwan's among the people leading the way whereas she lags behind everyone else. She thinks one of Seungwan's friends point it out to her because Seungwan actually looks at her worriedly but she smiles at her like it's nothing. Seungwan gets teased for that again. You would've thought that they're teenagers again with all this teasing.

Halfway up to the first peak, where they were set to have their lunch, Seulgi disappears behind a tree and some bushes to throw up. The hot acid burns up her stomach and the cold sweat drips down her face but she psyches herself to keep on going. She washes with some water from her jug and heads to catch up with the group only to find that Seungwan has stayed behind to wait for her.

She couldn't help but to smile. It seems that Seungwan's concerned about her more than she lets on. It's probably because she also has to prevent a misunderstanding from arising. She still has her friend, that's for sure.

"Seulgi, what's really going on? You can't fool me anymore with this motion sickness thing." She says with a frown. 

"I-"

"Oh my god." She hits her forehead with the heel of her hand.

"What?" Seulgi asks, confused.

"You don't have your meds with you, do you?" Her eyes bore into Seulgi's, daring her to tell the truth.

"Erm." Seulgi says, sheepish. Seungwan sighs.

"C'mon. We're going back to Seoul." Seungwan makes to walk down the path they just took but Seulgi holds her by her wrist.

"No." She says, eyes strong.

"What?" Seungwan frowns again.

"We're not going back to Seoul." Seulgi says.

"Seul, don't argue." Being called 'Seul' would have thrown her off on other occasions but not today, not now.

"No, you don't argue." Seulgi says. "I don't even take those pills. I hide it under my tongue and spit them in the toilet when Chorong unnie is gone so this isn't really about the pills." She lies, takes a step closer to Seungwan but trips on a tree root. Seungwan catches her, hands securely gripping her forearms.

As Seulgi looks up, their eyes meet and for a second it feels like a movie scene until someone interrupts.

"For someone who claims to not be dating, you two sure are sweet." Suzy comments. Apparently, she's come back to check on them.

They pull away from each other, awkward.

"Are you really not dating though? 'Cause if you aren't, I'll totally have a go. I think Seulgi is cute. And hot." Suzy winks at Seulgi, giggles when she sees her blush, giggles harder when she sees the disapproval in Seungwan's face.