“Bogum-sunbae!”

          He is locking the room when he hears someone call his name. Hurried footsteps sound and Kang Seulgi emerges from the darkness, eyes bright and smile intact.

          Bogum smiles upon seeing a friendly face. He sees Seulgi more and more often these days, probably because he now knows she is associated with Joohyun (not that he makes it a point to know all her friends. Nope, no sir). But he soon learns that the younger girl is everywhere.

          She hangs out with Park Sooyoung and her gang during lunch, chats with Seungwan and Soojung in the halls, attends archery club and track-and-field practices, and probably much more. He sees her mingle with the dance club group (one can tell with the way they carry themselves, all boisterous laughter and pent up energy), and he wonders if, in addition to everything she does, she dances too.

          He thinks her schedule is probably more packed than his.

          “Seulgi?”

          She stops in front of him and takes in deep breathes, resting a hand on the wall as if she had just run a long way to get to him. Bogum wonders if she did, eyeing the duffel bag slung around her shoulder, in addition to the schoolbag she brings.

          “What are you still doing here?”

          He frowns slightly in mild confusion as he waits for her answer. It is Friday evening and it is 6 o’clock. He checks his watch and the minute hand moves forward a bit.

          “Oh, I had to attend study hall.” Seulgi straightens up a bit, and smiles reassuringly. Cheeks bunching up to form a grin that always is infectious.

          Immediately, Bogum thinks of Joohyun and how he hasn’t seen her for the whole week.

          He worries about her, and he would be lying if he says he does not feel a teensy bit sad and disappointed each morning, at not being able to see and be with her.

          He silently debates if he should ask Seulgi about her (he does not want to ask anybody, and oddly, he cannot pluck up the courage to talk about Joohyun in front of Seungwan again).

          “It’s about Joohyun-unnie.”

          Oh.

          Seulgi’s face suddenly looks so serious and focused that a dart of apprehension passes through him. Bogum gulps.

          Perhaps she found out about his feelings for Joohyun. Or perhaps something has happened to her. Did she get sent to the hospital? To the emergency room? Or worse, did Seungwan tell her about-

          “Sunbaenim, you’re classmates with Joohyun-unnie, right?”

          The question takes him by surprise, and he stares at her for a moment before nodding. Seulgi’s smile returns, and she hurriedly s her bag and digs around for something to write on.

          When she asks for a list of homework to give to Joohyun, he breathes a sigh of relief and lets out a chuckle, too happy to not have been caught. He gives it to her, by reciting from memory.

          Then Bogum remembers to ask what has happened to Joohyun, and he asks Seulgi casually. It is, after all, a question that has itched within him since Tuesday morning.

          “She has the flu.” Seulgi replies, eyes still on the notebook she jots down on. She pouts a bit, and her voice is devoid of the usual fun and laughter he usually hears her speak with. Bogum feels kind of bad for her.

          Surely, he is not the only one who misses Joohyun’s presence.

          He nods sympathetically and he feels bad for Joohyun.

          Is she okay now?

          Seulgi finishes writing, and she stuffs the notebook and pen back in her bag.

          “Thanks a lot, sunbae!” She turns and waves at him, bags bouncing behind her back.

          Bogum waves back.

          He wonders how, amidst everything she does, Seulgi still makes time for Joohyun.