The post went up at 1:12 a.m.
Woo Seul-Gi saw it while doom scrolling under her blanket, half asleep and too tired to brace herself for the hit.
“Transfer student Woo Seul-Gi was reported missing as a kid. Anyone know what the hell happened?”
She stared at the screen while comments multiplied like bacteria.
“She disappeared for months.” “Look at her old photos. Same busted uniform every year.” “That’s shady as fuck.” “She gives off weird vibes.” “Maybe her parents ditched her.” “That uniform is ugly as hell.”
Someone zoomed in on the faded collar from an old school photo.
“Bro that thing looks ancient.” “Poverty-core queen.” “Stop 😭” “No seriously what’s wrong with her”
Her chest tightened, but she didn’t cry.
She locked her phone and stared into the dark.
She hadn’t told anyone.
Not about the beach. Not about the uniform. Not about learning, very young, that waiting for someone to come back could be pointless.
By morning, the rumor had metastasized into full-blown hallway entertainment at Friendly Rivalry High.
Phones angled. Whispers crackling.
“That’s the missing girl.”
“She looks normal.”
“That’s what makes it creepy.”
“Dude don’t say creepy, that’s messed up.”
Seul-Gi slid into her classroom seat, keeping her head down.
She had been assigned the desk beside Yoo Jae-I.
Which meant the room buzzed before the bell even rang.
“Oh my god.”
“Are you serious?”
“She gets to sit next to Jae-I?”
“That’s not fair.”
“I’ve been trying to get that seat for a year.”
Someone leaned over her desk.
“Hey.”
Seul-Gi looked up.
A girl with glossy hair and aggressive lip gloss smiled too brightly.
“Can we switch seats?”
Seul-Gi blinked. “What?”
“I’ve always wanted to sit next to Jae-I,” the girl said, like it was obvious. “Like always. Please? I’ll owe you.”
Another voice chimed in behind her.
“Same. I’ll trade notes. I take perfect notes.”
“Dude, I’ll literally buy you lunch every day.”
“Switch with me. Please. I’m begging.”
Seul-Gi stared at them, stunned.
Behind the noise, she could feel eyes on her.
Yoo Jae-I hadn’t said a word yet. She sat beside her, posture perfect, gaze forward, as if the chaos orbiting her were background static.
“Come on,” someone whispered urgently. “You don’t even know how lucky you are.”
Another girl leaned in, lowering her voice.
“Also… you probably don’t want extra attention right now.”
Seul-Gi caught the meaning instantly.
Rumors. Missing girl. Uniform girl.
Trade the seat. Reduce the spotlight.
A boy from the next row added, “Honestly, people would kill for that seat. Don’t waste it.”
Someone snorted. “Yeah, don’t hoard the Jae-I experience.”
A quiet voice near the back muttered, “This is so fucking pathetic.”
“Shut up,” someone hissed.
The glossy-haired girl clasped her hands. “Please. Just today?”
Seul-Gi exhaled slowly.
It would be easier.
Less staring. Less whispering directly into her orbit. Less feeling like she’d been dropped under a microscope.
She started gathering her things.
“Fine,” she said softly. “You can have it.”
The girl lit up like she’d won the lottery. “Oh my god, thank you.”
Chairs scraped. Bags shuffled. A ripple of excitement spread.
“I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Text me everything she says.”
“Don’t be weird.”
“I’m not weird, you’re weird.”
Seul-Gi moved to the newly vacated desk near the window. Further from the center. Further from the gravitational pull of Yoo Jae-I.
The noise followed her anyway.
“Did she give it up because of the rumor?”
“Maybe she didn’t want to sit next to the queen.”
“Or maybe Jae-I didn’t want her there.”
“Shut up, she can hear you.”
Seul-Gi stared at the desktop and pretended not to.
The chair beside her scraped.
She looked up.
Yoo Jae-I set her bag down and sat next to her.
The entire classroom went silent.
The girl who had taken Jae-I’s seat blinked. “Wait… what?”
Jae-I didn’t look at her.
Instead, she looked at Seul-Gi.