DERANGER - SEULRENE

033

there is a tap on your arm. you stir, but keep your eyes close.

another tap gets you to finally open your eyes, only to gasp in shock at the sight of jihye's beaming face right in front of yours.

"wakey, wakey, sleepyheads..." she titters.

that's when you realise the position you are still in--your head leaning against seulgi's shoulder while you hug her arm to your chest.

you immediately part from your lover, waking her up in the process.

jihye chuckles at your reaction. "i woke up to pee and saw your bed empty." she turns away to look at the woods. "i went out to look for you and found you two getting all cuddly up here." she turns to look back. "did you two meet up here last night?"

both you and seulgi deny the allegation with a series of "no."

seulgi rubs her eyes. "i was, uh, relaxing here alone when--"

"i'm sorry if i worried you, unni." you pinch the bridge of your nose. "i, uh, couldn't sleep last night and found seulgi cosying alone here. we were talking and didn't realise we fell asleep."

seulgi stands to her feet, then helps you get up. "i didn't notice i fell asleep too. must be the weather."

"i figured." jihye nods. "it's really nice up here, isn't it?"

"it's marvellous. i'm delighted you invited me over, doc."

jihye smiles and points a thumb towards the door. "shall we go back to our rooms and get another shut-eye? it's only four am. call time today is seven am. we still have time."

you and seulgi glance at each other before you nod at your sister.

---

something tells you that you should be bothered.

another part of you says it's nothing--that you're overthinking.

you were only leaning on seulgi's shoulder as far as you can remember. that doesn't look suspicious. female friends do that all the time.

but you can't dismiss your anxiousness as you look at your sister while she's munching her breakfast.

is she suspecting you or not? how come she's not showing any signs of it?

and if she does, she would have talked to you about it. she's the type of person who confronts someone right then and there.

aish. you hate yourself for being that careless.

---

"are you alright?" seulgi asks you when it's her turn to sit in front of you.

this time, the activity is going around and getting to know more of everyone in the room within two minutes. seulgi's group are assigned to transfer seats since they are the younger ones.

"yeah. just a little worried about my sister," you say.

"did she say anything yet?"

you shake your head.

"okay... then..." she drums her fingers on the armchair. "if... if you're worried, i can leave, you know? i can tell your parents something came up."

"no. you don't have to do that. i want you here, okay? it's just another day to endure, anyway. we're going home tomorrow before lunch."

"okay." seulgi nods. "does that mean i can flirt with people around here?"

you glare at her.

"it's part of acting to influence your sister to think otherwise!" she whispers, arms waving in the air.