The Girl Next Door

09. First Time

We did live next to each other, it may be a good start if we start going home together every now and then. But it never occurred to me I could just casually ask her about it...

I never would've thought I'd actually ask her that.

I just know that when I knew it was her that came up to me, I felt secure. Somehow I could feel that she wasn't going to harm or me or anything like it. I wasn't scared of her, even if I didn't know her that well.

Maybe it's because of how bubbly she seems? "Hi, Joohyun. Did you get your things now?" Seulgi says as she happily waves at me outside. I nod to her.

"Oh, yes. Let's go." I say as I close the door to the classroom.

As we walk side by side together, our arms kept making small contact. It reminded me of what she did earlier... I was going to let go of her hand but she didn't let me. "Thank you again for earlier.. you saved me." I didn't mind though.

"It's no biggie, I'm just glad we're partners now." She smiles to me. I could feel how warm it was.

It was almost evening, and as we came out of the school premises I could see the clouds getting darker and the sky was gray. I look up confusingly and assume the worst. "It's not going to rain, is it?" I say as I open my bag, hoping to see my umbrella, but I only saw my notebooks and my folder of notes.

"I watched the news this morning, and they said it was going to rain at around this time." Seulgi casually says as she took out her umbrella. "You don't.. have an umbrella?" She looks at me, empty-handed.

"No."

"Oh, we can share." Seulgi holds out her umbrella in front of me. I could tell it was going to rain soon, and bless me, if I was going home alone I'd be drenched. We could feel the small raindrops tap in our clothes and on our skin, and as I look up at the sky again, it was going to rain heavily soon.

She opens her umbrella and came closer. "Here," Seulgi puts up her umbrella.

I slip my arm into hers, pulling her closer to me. She's really warm. "Do you mind?"

"N-no, not at all." She shakes her head fast.

By now, I'm not sure why but I'm comfortable with being close to her. It's like the feeling I get when I cuddle with Chubae. "You've been a lifesaver ever since I met you. I'm sorry I haven't done anything to repay you yet."

"No, please don't say that," She says as she fidgets. "I only did that because it's the right thing to do, you don't have to repay me." Seulgi chuckles and fixes her hair.

"I don't know... people have been good to me these days." I look down to my feet as I walk.

It was true. This week was a miracle for me because of how everyone was so understanding, the only thing I hate about would be that one guy that dragged me around. The red marks are gone, but it was frightening how tight his hand was. "That's because you've been good to them too."

I glance at her, surprised by her sudden remark. "I've been happy because of.. um, you since.. because.."

"Because?" I feel the rain getting heavier.

Seulgi looks away and chuckles to herself. "It's hard to explain, but trust me, you've been giving a lot of people happiness." She gives me one of those smiles she's always shown me. "That's why you deserve it!"

I chuckle. "Thank you, I'm glad to hear that." The storm in my head started to calm down as I received comforting words, I felt like I didn't give back to people well on how they were good to me, but what mattered is that I made them happy. That was one thing I should be proud of.