It’s a Friday and Seulgi has never felt this bone weary before.

She trudges along the beat-up path towards her apartment, a little room she calls home, where Seulgi can only hope there are no unwashed plates by the sink and clothes scattered all over the floor. She has no energy to clean but must because Mama Kang did not raise a messy daughter, yet her eyes are drooping like there are anchors dragging them down.

Her feet feel like they were filled with lead because with every step that she takes, Seulgi debates if she should just collapse right on the sidewalk and take a quick nap. It was a quiet street anyway. Surely, she’ll be safe in crouching in a corner and getting some shuteye. A speeding motorcycle shatters that thought as it drives past her from behind, making her jump and stepping to the side to give way. Seulgi curses underneath her breath before settling that yes, home is her safest bet if she still wants to wake up tomorrow.

She lights up when she sees the neon sign of her apartment house peek out between a canopy of trees. Her pace speeds up a little bit and she is delighted to see the trees showering the road with little, yellow flowers and once she passes through, the apartment is in sight.

“Yah, Kang Seulgi. I see that you’re arriving home late again.” The landlord, Mr. Young-chul, comments as he sees her a few steps away from the door. She bows in greeting, face flushing at the sound of her full name.

“Annyeonghaseyo, Young-chul-ssi. Dance practice ended up a little bit late and there were fewer buses around.” Seulgi says in defense, remembering how lucky she was just to get on one of the last buses that passed by her stop. It couldn’t be blamed; it was nearing the weekend after all.

She stomps her dirty shoes on the “Welcome!” mat before inputting her fingerprint by the door, a safety measure to know which occupant entered the building at what time. The old man chuckles as he opens the door for her after the scanner gives a happy beep! and entering right after.

“I know, I know. I’m just reminding you that if it’s too late, you can always call me or the missus to pick you up. Better safe than sorry, Seulgom-ah.” The nickname makes her calm, that the landlord was just worried and was not reprimanding her. She bows again as she stands near the elevators, Mr. Young-chul heading off to the front desk.

“Thank you for the offer, Young-chul-ssi. I’ll keep that in mind. Have a good night.” Seulgi says as Mr. Young-chul waves her off good-naturedly. She pushes up and waits for a few moments before entering an empty car. When the doors close and Floor 7 pressed, it’s like the first time Seulgi has felt the waves of exhaustion weighing down on her entire being after all she did that day.

There’s a headache crawling up to her temples from her proposal paper for her museum to open up a new exhibit over the weekend. Her shoulders were sore from receiving all the new artifacts a friend from overseas told her to display in celebration of a history week. Tremors racked up her legs when she leans back, an annoying reminder that she should have just turned down Joy and Yeri’s request for a dance practice.

Fatigue, hunger, and stress all pooled at the pit of her stomach and if not only for the elevator’s loud ding! she would have fallen asleep right then and there.

With Herculean effort, she drags her feet towards Room 721 and pats her pockets for her room key. When she fails to feel for the familiar imprint of her key, all Seulgi could do was curse the dance practice again, making her change into sweatpants that certainly doesn’t have the key to her room. She presses her forehead against the wood of her door, a resounding thunk! echoing across the hall, and wishes the door magically opens because she’s tired, Good God, and she needs a win. Just a small one would be nice.

Imagine her surprise when the door opens, chain clinking against the door, and she sees Bae Joohyun staring at her with wild hair, glasses dipping low on her nose, and a smile that punches all the air out of Seulgi’s lungs.

Apparently, the small win the universe gave her was “I forgot my white coat in here the last time that I visited” as per Joohyun’s words when she unhooks the chain on Seulgi’s door and, as if she owns the space and Seulgi is merely a visitor, ushers her in. Joohyun takes the heavy duffel bag weighing down on Seulgi’s shoulder as Seulgi shuffles off her shoes by the door. Her dance sneakers bump against Joohyun’s black work heels and she tries her hardest to ignore the flutter of butterflies at her belly at the domesticity.

“Well, I’m glad you made yourself at home. Were you working?” Seulgi asks as she stretches, popping the joints on her sore shoulders.

“I was just looking over some old patient records until I got bored. I was mostly by the TV before I decided to help you clean a bit. You’re so messy.” Joohyun says as she wrinkles her nose and places the duffel bag against a c