“I am not sure if you are naïve or stupid,” said Lisa with her brows knitted together.

“Stupid. Definitely stupid,” chided Jennie. In her best effort to drive home her point, she picked up her phone and said, “Hello, 119? Please help. My friend lost her head.”

Ji Soo who was scrolling her phone stopped midway. She looked up cautiously, pondering if she should let them know the news she just uncovered. In the end, she meekly let her voice trailed, “Chae Young ah, they said he has never had a girlfriend before…”

“Oh goodness gracious, he is gay. Mystery solved!” Jennie threw her palm wide open.

“Are you sure it is him?” Lisa peeked over the phone and before she could get a good look, Jennie snatched the phone away from Ji Soo’s hand.

If only gazes can set things on fire, the gaze Jennie burned into Ji Soo’s phone would have been strong enough to not only set Ji Soo's phone on fire. It would probably set the entire campus on fire as well. Between the tug-of-war between Lisa and herself for the phone, she managed menacingly, “Jung Jin Young.”

“Ooh he seems nice,” drawled Lisa with a mischievous smirk. The word ‘nice’ used by Lisa was definitely laced with something more—sinister.

“He seems gay.” It was a straight in your face remark thrown by Jennie with disgust.

“But—“

Sensing the tension and the deafening silence of the bearer of the bad news, Ji Soo stood up quickly. “Torts is starting in ten! We need to run!”

She grabbed Chae Young’s hand and both of them left Lisa and Jennie with the latter mouth wide opened in protest. She knew how much Chae Young probably wanted to hide.

The leaves were changing like how they should in autumn. Chae Young had not spoken a word since she broke the news to the three of them. After putting quite a good distance between themselves and Lisa and Jennie, Chae Young slowed down her steps as she wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck. She wasn’t sure if it was the breeze or the prospect of moving on to the next stage of life that brought chills down her spine.

“Why?” Ji Soo asked suddenly. Chae Young smiled weakly and gave a shrug in reply. Ji Soo who had always been the more perceiving one among the quadruplets of friends pondered before saying, “I hope you are happy.”

Taking in a deep breathe, Chae Young looked up at the clear blue autumn sky. She heaved out the air she had been holding and said almost hopefully, “Me too.”

Silence enveloped them again as the two friends struggled to find something to say to each other. With leaves crumbling beneath their sneakers, Ji Soo stringed her next question carefully. “Why did he...?” Ji Soo couldn't finish her sentence. She doesn't know if Chae Young knows the answer to her question so she left it at that. 

Chae Young kicked the stone in front of her. “I quote, ‘Dating is a waste of time.’ Unquote. That was what he said.”

Fast forward to three months later, Chae Young at the age of 22 was standing in front of the closed door with her dad by her side. Once the door opened, her future would be standing right at the altar, his expression would probably be stoic, wishing he was somewhere else. If it was true, she was hoping he would at least try to smile. She knew he will be decked in an expensive tailored made tuxedo. She knew his hair will be perfectly done.

However, she would not know if the tuxedo will be black or white. She would not know if he will be having his hair slicked back or slightly waxed. Why would she not she know?

It was easy. When the door opens later, she will be taking slow uneasy steps towards the altar and seeing him, the 28 year old man— for the first time in person through her white veil.