The weekend after my birthday passed in a soft blur of laughter, leftover cake, and late-night messages.
By Monday, the bracelet Soo-min gave me had practically fused to my wrist — I hadn't taken it off once.
Yura noticed first.
"You're still wearing it," she said, eyeing the silver band as I tied my hair before class.
I tried to sound casual. "It's comfortable."
She smirked, tossing me an apple. "Uh-huh. Comfortable and given by Soo-min."
I caught it, narrowing my eyes. "You sound like Hye-jin."
"I'll take that as a compliment," she said, grabbing her bag. "Anyway, don't be late. Mirae said Soo-min's helping hang art pieces today."
That last line made my stomach flutter.
I didn't know why that small fact mattered so much.
Maybe because I hadn't seen her properly since the birthday night — just a few messages, short and polite, like we were both testing the ground again.
---
The Hallway
By the time I reached the art room, the morning light spilled through the tall windows, painting everything gold.
Soo-min was already there, on a ladder, pinning up a canvas. Her sleeves were rolled, a faint streak of charcoal on her wrist.
She looked so focused that for a moment, I just… watched.
Then she glanced down and caught me.
"Hey," she said, smiling a little. "Morning."
"Morning," I said, setting my bag on a chair. "You're early."
"So are you," she replied, stepping down carefully. "Guess we both like quiet starts."
Something about that made me smile.
"Or maybe we both just can't stand Yura's morning playlist."
She laughed — that warm, low laugh that always made me feel lighter. "That's fair."
---
We worked together in silence after that — not awkward, just easy.
Every time our hands brushed while hanging frames, my heart gave a traitorous flutter.
At one point, Soo-min handed me a roll of tape and said softly, "You've been smiling more lately."
I blinked, caught off guard. "Have I?"
"Yeah," she said, still looking at the wall, but her tone softened. "It suits you."
My brain short-circuited.
"I— it's probably the sugar from all the cake."
She chuckled. "Sure. Let's go with that."
---
Lunch Break
By lunch, Yura and Mirae joined us, arms full of snacks.
Yura plopped down beside me. "So, Soo-min, how's our birthday girl behaving?"
Soo-min gave her a calm look. "Surprisingly well."
"Surprisingly?" I repeated, pretending to be offended.
"You were dramatic when we blindfolded you," Hye-jin chimed in as she entered. "The whole hallway heard you screaming, 'I'm being kidnapped!'"
Everyone burst out laughing. I groaned and covered my face.
"Remind me never to trust you guys again."
"Oh, don't say that," Yura teased. "Your face when you saw the decorations was worth all the trouble."
Their laughter filled the room, warm and alive.
And through it all, Soo-min just watched quietly, smiling — not her usual smirk, but something softer.
Like she was memorizing the sound.
---
After Classes
It started raining by the time our classes ended. The kind of soft drizzle that made the world look hazy.
Yura had run ahead to meet Mirae, leaving me fumbling with my umbrella at the building's exit.
I was half a second away from giving up when someone's hand appeared, steadying mine.
"Here," Soo-min said, her voice calm. "Let me."
Her fingers brushed mine as she adjusted the latch, and somehow that tiny contact sent a jolt straight to my chest.
When the umbrella finally clicked open, I managed, "Thanks. You really do think of everything."
She gave a small shrug, half-smiling. "Old habit."
The rain wasn't heavy, but she walked beside me anyway, keeping pace until we reached the dorm path.
We stopped in front of the gate — the soft glow of the lamppost reflected off her damp hair.
Neither of us spoke for a moment. The rain made everything sound quieter, slower.
Then she said, almost too softly, "I'm glad you liked the bracelet."
I touched it instinctively. "I love it."
Her eyes flickered — that look again, the one that made my heart ache and race at once.
"I'm glad," she murmured. "You look… happier lately."
"I am," I admitted before I could stop myself.
And then there was silence — the kind that didn't need filling.
Finally, she stepped back, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
"Go inside before you catch a cold."
"You too," I said, though I kind of wanted to keep standing there.
She hesitated, like she was about to say something more, but instead just nodded.
"Goodnight, Eun-ji."
"Goodnight, Soo-min."
---
Back in the Dorm
Yura was sprawled across her bed scrolling through her phone when I entered.
"You're late," she said, not looking up. "Were you—ohhh." Her grin turned wicked when she spotted the umbrella. "Walking home together?"
I threw a pillow at her. "Shut up."
She laughed, dodging easily. "You're glowing. Don't deny it."
I turned away, pretending to organize my desk.
But when I caught my reflection in the window, I realized she was right.
There was a lightness I hadn't seen in a long time.
Something steady. Something warm.
And when my phone buzzed with a message from Soo-min — just two words:
> Sleep well, overthinker.
…I couldn't stop smiling.