Summer break always left something strange behind at school—the scent of sun-warmed paint on the walls, hallway fans spinning again after weeks of stillness, and students' voices sounding far too loud after weeks of silence.

Han Seorin walked down the corridor at an even pace. Her bag hung neatly from one shoulder, fingers loosely gripping the strap while laughter and shouted names passed around her like something that never quite reached her.

"Seorin."

Her steps paused for a fraction of a second.

Han Gyol was already standing in front of her before she could say anything. The next moment, two arms wrapped around her shoulders.

Seorin stiffened instantly.

Han Gyol’s uniform brushed against her arm before the hug loosened.

"I heard you shared a room with Kang Ara and Minji during camp."

Seorin slowly lifted her gaze.

"Tell me," Han Gyol said, leaning closer and lowering her voice, "is there something going on between them?"

The hallway behind Han Gyol remained crowded. Shoes scraped against the floor. Someone ran past laughing at the far end of the corridor.

"Minji and Kang Ara are friends."

Han Gyol caught hold of her arm again, more casually this time, as if they were close enough for it.

"Oh, come on. There has to be something between them."

Seorin let out a quiet breath through her nose.

"Whether they're dating or not isn't my business." Her gaze drifted past Han Gyol's shoulder. "And I don't think it's yours either."

Han Gyol's hand finally fell away.

Seorin started walking again.

After only a few steps, she stopped and glanced back slightly.

"Besides..."

Her jaw tightened briefly before she continued in an even tone.

"We're not close enough to hug each other."

She left the hallway without waiting for a response.

The noise of the crowd closed behind her again. No one called after her. No hand reached for her shoulder.

Until someone crashed into her at the corner.

"Sorry—"

Her books slipped from her arms.

The sound of folders and papers hitting the floor echoed through the hallway for several seconds before something else reached her first.

Vanilla.

Seorin froze.

She didn't need to look up.

Kang Ara was already crouching in front of her, gathering the scattered books without a word. The hem of her blue jacket brushed the floor as she retrieved Seorin's mechanical pencil, which had rolled all the way to the wall.

Seorin's gaze settled on Ara's fingers.

Long.

Pale.

Slightly flushed at the knuckles.

"I just came from your classroom."

Ara stood and straightened the stack of books in her hands.

Her school tie swayed as she straightened.

Seorin accepted the books without touching those fingers.

"I have something for you."

Her gaze followed Ara's hand as it disappeared into her bag.

"I'm not in the mood for jokes."

Seorin moved past her shoulder, but Ara shifted half a step as well—enough to block her path without actually standing in her way.

"Wait a second."

Her voice was low and calm as always.

"I'm serious."

Her hand was still inside the bag.

Seorin released a short breath.

She should leave.

Yet her feet remained rooted to the spot until Ara finally pulled something out.

A small keychain.

A fluffy brown bear head with drooping brows and a permanent scowl.

"It looks like you."

That smile appeared again.

Ara's eyes narrowed slightly whenever she smiled, making the tiny mole near her eye stand out more clearly beneath the hallway lights.

Seorin stared at the keychain for several seconds too long before looking up again.

"I don't like things like that."

She brushed past Ara, pushing lightly against her shoulder.

A little harder than necessary.

"Seorin."

Ara's voice remained calm behind her.

"I'm giving you a gift."

Seorin's steps slowed.

"As a token of our friendship."

Ara rubbed one of the bear's tiny ears with her thumb.

"Friendship?"

The corner of Seorin's mouth twitched faintly.

"We just happened to end up in the same place. That's all."

The words dropped between them, swallowed by the flow of students passing through the hall.

Ara's smile didn't disappear completely, but it became thinner around the edges.

Seorin's fingers shifted against her bag strap.

"Besides..."

Her gaze drifted toward the hallway windows first.

"We're not that close."

Ara didn't answer right away.

The corridor filled once more with passing footsteps and laughter.

Seorin turned and walked away.

Her pace quickened until the books in her arms began slipping.

She hurriedly adjusted her grip.

***

Dongchul looked up the moment Seorin entered the classroom.

"Han Seorin. Kang Ara came by earlier. She—"

"We already met."

Dongchul raised an eyebrow.

"Something wrong?"

Seorin shook her head as she set her books on her desk.

"She said she had—"

Dongchul hadn't finished speaking before Seorin stood again.

"Dongchul, sorry. I need to see Teacher Oh."

He studied her for a few seconds before nodding.

Seorin had already left the classroom.

***

The cafeteria was loud that afternoon, filled with the clatter of trays, scraping chairs, and the scent of warm food mixed with spicy sauce.

Seorin ate slowly without looking up much until the chair across from her was pulled out.

The scrape of metal legs against the floor made her chopsticks pause.

Kang Ara.

And Kim Minji.

Minji immediately dropped into her seat with a dramatic sigh.

"Ah, I've missed Auntie Choi's cafeteria food."

Ara sat beside her without saying much.

The sleeves of her white shirt were creased at the elbows. The wrinkles still hadn't smoothed out.

A few seconds later, something appeared on Seorin's tray.

Four strawberries.

Her hand stopped before she could pick up her chopsticks again.

Ara had already returned to holding her own spoon as though the gesture meant nothing at all.

"Wow, Kang Ara."

Minji immediately leaned across the table in protest.

"I'm usually the one who gets your strawberries."

Seorin quickly pushed them back before her fingers lingered too close to Ara's tray.

"I don't really like strawberries."

Dongchul laughed softly from beside her.

"That's a lie. They're your favorite fruit."

Seorin's breath caught for a second.

"I like them."

She lowered her gaze to her food again.

"That doesn't mean I have to eat a lot of them."

She didn't look at Ara.

She kept her eyes on the rice in her tray until the tips of the strawberries slowly became damp from the cold milk.

"Han Seorin."

Ara's voice was lower this time.

"I think there's something we need to talk about."

Seorin stood immediately.

Her chair scraped loudly enough that Minji blinked in surprise.

"I need to see Teacher Oh."

There was still food left on her tray when she walked away.

***

She didn't realize her feet had carried her toward the back staircase until someone caught her wrist.

Ara's fingers closed around it.

Warm.

The rooftop door opened with a short metallic sound.

Autumn wind hit her face the moment they stepped outside.

"This is far enough."

Ara released her first.

Seorin immediately pulled her wrist back and straightened the sleeve of her uniform, even though nothing had changed.

Ara's hair was a mess in the wind. Her school tie shifted gently against the white shirt that stood slightly open at the collar.

"I know something happened with you—"

Ara paused.

"No."

Her gaze remained steady.

"With us."

Seorin took a few seconds too long to answer.

"What did I do wrong this time?"

"Nothing."

Seorin turned toward the rooftop railing. White paint had begun peeling away in several places.

"We're just not close enough to be friends."

Her hand tightened against the side of her skirt.

"I'm only acting the way I always do."

The wind blew several strands of hair across her cheek. She brushed them away quickly.

"I'm sorry."

Her fingers stilled against the folds of her skirt.

"For what?"

"I tried to come."

Ara looked at her steadily.

"But I couldn't."

Seorin's gaze shifted briefly.

"I had to pick up my cousin from the airport. But the flight was delayed. Then there was an accident on the road."

"Were you hurt?"

The question slipped out before she could stop it.

Seorin immediately bit the inside of her lip.

The corner of Ara's mouth lifted.

"I wasn't the one in the accident."

Seorin's gaze dropped briefly to the concrete beneath their feet.

"So..."

Ara stepped half a pace closer.

"Am I forgiven?"

"Who said that?"

Her eyes caught briefly on Ara's tie moving in the wind before she quickly looked away again.

Ara stepped closer still.

The scent of vanilla drifted back with the breeze.

Her tie swayed gently in the space between them while a few strands of hair fell near her eyes.

Seorin's palm touched Ara's shoulder for a moment before she took half a step back.

"I'm not someone who forgives easily."

Her voice sounded quieter than before.

"And I don't like excuses."

"I won't do it again."

Ara answered immediately.

"I promise."

She held up her pinky.

Seorin stared at the offered hand long enough for the wind to begin stinging the tips of her fingers.

Then she lightly pushed it away.

"I don't like physical contact."

"But I'm not just anyone."

Ara's voice was low, nearly swallowed by the wind.

"I'm your friend."

Seorin turned her face away too quickly.

The breeze swept the ends of her hair behind her ear.

"Besides..."

Ara's tone became lighter again.

"We had plenty of physical contact during camp."

Seorin's fingers stopped at the cuff of her sleeve.

"And that night—"

Seorin immediately looked away.

The tips of her ears reddened in the cold air.

Her shoulders still remembered the weight of Ara's arm that night. Her grip tightened instantly around the edge of her sleeve.

"I just got caught up in the moment."

The words came out too quickly.

Her fingers curled into a fist.

Ara laughed softly.

Seorin turned around so quickly that the tip of her shoe scraped against the ground.

"Han Seorin!"

Ara’s voice thinned in the wind behind her.

"We're really friends from now on!"

Seorin didn't turn around.

After several steps, the rhythm of her footsteps began to slow.

Without thinking, she slipped a hand into her skirt pocket.

Then froze.

Her fingertips brushed against something soft.

Small.

Furry.

Slowly, Seorin pulled it out.

The little bear head, still wearing its permanent scowl, rested in her palm, while the faint scent of vanilla still lingered at the cuff of her uniform sleeve.