Seulgi felt a strong force from behind her back, pushing her. She stumbled on the ground as she heard screeching tires along with a loud thud and some people’s gasps. She lifted her head from the fall then sat up, her hand on her head as she felt it spinning. Her jaw dropped, her eyes widened, and her breathing stopped—there in front of her, lying lifeless on the ground full of blood, was the person she secretly liked.

Why did she save me?

Her head was still spinning as she continued to ask herself that question, along with curses because she was so stupid to not notice the incoming danger. She wouldn’t mind being hit, it’s not like someone will care anyway. So why did you?

For sure it was because of her personality. She’d save anyone, that’s the kind of personality she has. Seulgi knows this, because she had saved her once. When she thought of quitting, she somehow gave her a reason to continue.

“Let’s hurry taking a bath, the lesbo might come in and join us. Who knows what she’ll do, she might film us or assault us or something!”

Seulgi heard them from outside the public bath of the inn they were in. She thought high school would be different, but she guessed not. She went back inside the room she was assigned in and feigned sleep, until such time that everyone was sound asleep. She got her things and went back to the public bath.

Seulgi settled her things, took off her clothes and entered the empty bathroom. She turned the shower on and let the warm water fall on herself as she thought of quitting school. If it’s going to be the same as middle school, she might as well quit.

Her deep thinking was cut when she heard the bathroom door slide open. Seulgi’s eyes jolted open in surprise, as her head automatically turned to the sound as reflex. There, standing, was a girl with shoulder-length black hair, pinning a towel on her chest to cover her body.

“Ah… Is it okay for me to join?”

Seulgi saw her ask with a wary smile on her face. She immediately looked away. “Y-yes…” She answered. She heard her mumble an almost silent thank you as a reply. She actually asked if she mind? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Shouldn’t she mind Seulgi, being there with her?

Seulgi maintained her gaze at her left side when the girl decided to take the spot on her right side. She hurriedly cleansed her body with soap and water, rinsed, then got inside the huge tub behind them, with her back facing the girl, thinking that she probably won’t be dipping in there too, especially when she’s there. But to her surprise, she heard wet footsteps walking towards her, then, there the girl was, dipping herself in the tub too. Worse, she decided to sit across her.

Seulgi looked down, feeling all disturbed by the girl’s presence. She believes that there isn’t a single soul in their school that would be comfortable having a bath with her. Seulgi is an open lesbian after all.

Seulgi came out when she was in middle school, she had cut her hair short and started cross-dressing since their school doesn’t require uniform. And since then, she was always targeted by bullies. Even more so because her school was an all-girls school. Her friends, who were supposed to be her friends started to stay away from her. She thought it couldn’t get worse, but it did—

Seulgi’s thoughts were cut again when she heard the girl across her take a deep sigh. She rolled her eyes at her and found her comfortably leaning her head on the edge of the tub, strands of her wet hair scattered, her eyes were closed, her cheeks tinted with pinkish color, her lips pursed into a tiny smile as her nose emits a foggy smoke each time she breathes out. Her heart has started to beat faster, this is the first time she has ever seen someone so close, in a public bath, after all. Why didn’t she mind being with her, when all of the people tried to avoid her?

Seulgi looked down, realizing she had started to stare. She stood up; the splashing of the water echoed in the room as she did that. She got out of the tub, got her towel then walked towards the door. She went out and took a last look at the girl who was already looking at her, then closed the door. She immediately dried herself up then put on her change of clothes, then went back to her room. She covered herself with a blanket, wishing that she can somehow know the girl’s name, her section or just even pass by her somewhere at school, completely forgetting that she had just decided to quit school a while ago… until she fell asleep.

After that school trip, Seulgi had started to observe her, from afar. Her name is Bae Joohyun, a second-year student, a grade older than her. She’s always with her group of friends. She wears those big round eyeglasses that made her look more beautiful, smarter. She’s always smiling and laughing. Those made Seulgi’s heart flutter and she’d end up smiling as well. She was actually looking forward to school days because of those.

There were times that Seulgi wanted to approach her, but then, she thought, it’s not like the girl remembers her, or that just because she was comfortable taking a bath with her meant she’s okay with being friends with her. She was just kind and didn’t think differently of her.

Seulgi spent every day having the courage to talk to her, but once she’s just a few steps away, she’d end up losing that courage and walk away. She spent every day just watching her from afar. She has accepted that that time on the public bath was the closest she can ever get to her.

“Kang Seulgi-shi?”

Seulgi’s eyes jolted open at the call. She looked up and saw the doctor smiling at her. She stood up in panic. “H-how is she—”

“Bae Joohyun-shi is okay now.”

Seulgi felt her body heavy so she slumped back on the chair she was sitting, releasing a deep sigh of relief at the same time. She felt the doctor sat beside her.

“But we still have to observe her. She had a concussion because of the impact, so we’ll still have to observe her until she wakes up. For now, you migh