The chatter of the student group spreads like a wave over the aquarium’s gleaming tiles. Dozens of teenagers in identical uniforms move back and forth—some pressed against the glass of the massive tanks, others flipping through brochures with feigned concentration just to avoid paying attention to the guide.
Seulgi, for her part, is… there.
More or less.
Between the excitement of the trip and the absurd number of people crowding around each exhibit, she lost track of her group a while ago. In her defense, aquariums have way too many paths branching off in all directions and—oh, look, a stingray.
Seulgi steps closer to the glass with childlike fascination, completely forgetting that she should be looking for her classmates. The stingrays glide through the water with fluid movements, as if they were part of the ocean itself, carrying an effortless elegance that she finds impossible to ignore.
"Seulgi, what are you doing?" A friend's voice sounds from behind her, and when she turns her head, she sees her classmate watching her with crossed arms. "Come on, we're going to the glass tunnel area."
"Oh... yeah, right."
But five minutes later, she’s lost them again.
It’s not intentional. Really. Seulgi tries to follow the right path, but somehow, she always ends up in different hallways, distracted by colorful fish, interesting facts about sharks, and, in general, anything that isn’t the group of students she’s supposed to be with.
By the time she finally realizes she’s completely alone in the middle of a jellyfish exhibit, it’s already too late to try and find her way back.
"Great," she mutters, hands in her pockets, glancing around as if the sea creatures might have an answer for her.
And that’s when, as she turns on her heels, trying to remember which way she came from, she collides with someone.
It’s not a hard impact, but enough to make her stumble.
“Ah, sorry,” she says automatically, then looks up.
And freezes.
Standing in front of her, with the bluish glow of the tank reflecting off her skin and slightly tousled black hair, is a girl she’s never seen before.
Or at least, she thinks she hasn’t.
Because there’s something about her expression—the way she looks at her with a mix of curiosity and calm—that feels strangely familiar.
“It’s okay,” the girl replies in a quiet voice, and Seulgi blinks, unable to do anything else for a moment.
Oh.
Oh, no.
Why does it suddenly feel like someone just dumped a bucket of cold water on her? Why does her stomach twist in a weird way, like the stingrays she saw earlier are now swimming inside it?
The girl tilts her head, and Seulgi realizes she’s still staring at her. Like she’s waiting for something.
And that’s when she notices—she’s still standing way too close.
Too close.
She abruptly steps back, clearing her throat awkwardly.
“Uh… you…” She tries to say something, but her brain decides to completely shut down. “Are you lost too?”
The girl blinks, then lets out a soft laugh.
“No. But it looks like you are.”
Seulgi opens her mouth to protest, but… well. She can’t exactly argue with that.
“Maybe a little.”
The other girl smiles, as if she finds that more amusing than she should, and Seulgi feels an uncomfortable warmth creeping up her neck.
“You shouldn’t wander too far from your group,” the girl says. “This aquarium has more paths than it seems.”
“I know,” Seulgi sighs. “My sense of direction is about as good as a goldfish’s.”
The girl blinks, and for a moment, Seulgi wonders if that was a terrible joke. But then, the girl smiles, and it’s the kind of smile that makes something in her chest tighten in a way she doesn’t know how to explain.
“Did you know goldfish have better memory than people think?”
Seulgi tilts her head.
“Really?”
“Yeah. They can actually remember things for up to five months.”
Seulgi pauses, pretending to think about it.
“Well, in that case… my sense of direction is worse than a goldfish’s.”
This time, the girl laughs more sincerely, and Seulgi doesn’t quite understand why it feels like she just won something.
“If you want, I can help you find the exit,” the girl says after a moment, in a casual tone that doesn’t quite match the way her eyes linger on her.
Seulgi doesn’t know if it’s the aquarium’s lighting or if the other girl is blushing a little.
She also doesn’t understand why her own heart is beating so fast.
“Yes, please,” she replies, trying to sound normal. “Before they end up finding me floating in one of the tanks.”
The girl smiles again, and there’s something about that expression that gets stuck in her chest.
She walks beside her, guiding her through the hallways with enviable ease. Seulgi can’t help but glance at her from time to time, noticing details she shouldn’t be noticing.
Like the way her hair falls over her shoulders. Or how her eyelashes cast soft shadows on her face. Or how, every time their hands accidentally brush, she feels a tiny spark she doesn’t know how to interpret.
And then, as they walk together, surrounded by the blue lights of the tanks that wrap them in a silent, separate world, Seulgi realizes something.
She doesn’t know who this girl is. She doesn’t know why her presence affects her so much, or why everything feels so different from any other casual interaction.
But what she does know is that, for some reason, she doesn’t want this moment to end.
Not yet.
She might not even realize she’s stopped walking until the other girl turns to look at her with curiosity.
“Is something wrong?”
Seulgi looks at her, and for the first time in a long while, she has no words.
She only knows that her heart is pounding, that her skin feels strangely warm, and that, for some reason, this doesn’t feel like the end of something—it feels like the beginning.
And even though she still doesn’t understand what all of this means…
She knows she wants to see her again.
Seulgi stands there, lips slightly parted, staring at the girl in front of her. She has no words, no excuse ready to offer. She’s just there, surrounded by the distant murmur of other students and the stillness that seems to wrap around them both.
The air feels different, heavier, as if everything in the aquarium has stopped moving just to make space for this moment.
There’s something almost mystical about the way the blue light from the water tanks stains the walls and floor, creating reflections that seem to dance gently across the glass, while the fish glide with a natural calm that contrasts sharply with the chaos in her own heart.
Finally, Seulgi swallows with difficulty, her gaze shifting from the girl to the tanks and then back to her eyes. An inexplicable feeling washes over her—something between shyness and a need she doesn’t know how to process, something that tells her she doesn’t want this moment to end.
“Actually…” She begins, but her voice wavers slightly. “I’m not so sure I want to leave just yet.”
The girl raises an eyebrow, watching her, and Seulgi feels the heat rush to her face.
“You don’t?” The girl asks, surprised but amused. “Why? We’re almost at the exit, we should…”
“No, no.” Seulgi interrupts, a bit hurriedly, her fingers fidgeting with the drawstring of her backpack as her mind searches for the right words.
She doesn’t want to sound foolish, but it’s the truth. And she can’t shake the feeling that if she leaves now, she’ll also be leaving behind something valuable. Something she doesn’t know how to name, but that makes her feel somehow whole.
“I…“ She swallows, feeling clumsy, but it doesn’t matter. “I’d like to stay a little longer and watch the fish.”
The girl blinks slowly, a small smile forming on her lips, as if Seulgi’s answer is somehow endearing.
“Really?” She asks, a light laugh slipping into her tone. “If you had said you wanted to see the sharks, I would’ve understood. But fish…? Is there something in particular you like about them?”
Seulgi feels more at ease with the curiosity in the girl’s voice. It’s a silent invitation to talk, to share a moment without rush. It feels… nice.
“It’s just that…” Seulgi pauses, looking at the massive tank in front of them, where the fish swim peacefully, unaware of the world outside. “I like the way they move. It’s like everything is simpler in the water. Like they have this natural calm that I don’t understand… but I wish I did.”
The girl watches her in silence for a couple of seconds, an almost thoughtful expression on her face.
“Did you know that some fish have incredible memory? Like angelfish—they can recognize their surroundings perfectly and remember complex routes through the reef.”
Seulgi smiles softly at the information, but she feels like the conversation has taken a deeper turn than she expected. Something about the way the girl speaks makes it feel like they’re sharing more than just facts about the ocean.
“And you?” Seulgi asks, without thinking too much about it. “What do you like about fish?”
The girl takes a second to answer, watching the tank for a moment before turning back to her. Her gaze is soft, but it feels… open.
“What I like the most is how comfortable they are with the idea of just being who they are. No one asks anything more of them. They simply exist—swimming, living. Without overcomplicating things.” She pauses, then smiles with a gentleness that makes Seulgi feel a little nervous. “I think that’s something beautiful.”
The words fall over Seulgi like they’re touching something deep inside her. The way the girl speaks holds something enigmatic, as if every word is filled with an understanding Seulgi isn’t sure if she should explore.
Something inside her, something that tastes like curiosity and something more she can’t define, sparks to life.
“Yeah… that sounds…” Seulgi whispers, not quite sure what to say. “It’s like they know something we don’t.”
The girl nods slowly, her gaze now more at ease. And then there’s silence—but it’s not awkward. It’s a shared silence, filled with something Seulgi can’t quite identify, but that feels warm.
They keep walking slowly, unhurried, beside the glass that separates the world from the deep sea. The fish continue swimming, lost in their underwater routine, unconcerned with time or whatever happens on the surface.
“You know,” the girl suddenly says. “I was thinking… if you feel like a fish just swimming around, not knowing where to go, you can always take a step back and let the water carry you for a while. Sometimes, you don’t need to always know where you’re headed.”
Seulgi looks at her, surprised by how simple yet precise the metaphor is. The girl’s smile curves on her lips, and for a moment, everything seems to stop.
“Do you feel it too?” she asks, though she isn’t sure if she’s talking about the ocean, the fish, or something she doesn’t quite understand yet.
The girl shrugs, but her gaze turns softer, more knowing.
“Aren’t you ever afraid of realizing that the only thing you have around you is water? But still… you keep going. You keep swimming.”
Seulgi stops, feeling the connection in the air between them, even though it’s subtle, invisible—like a current deep in the ocean.
For a moment, Seulgi doesn’t need words. She doesn’t need to know exactly what this all means. She only needs to know that here, standing in front of this girl, everything seems a little clearer.
"Yes," she answers, not thinking too much. "Sometimes, it’s the only thing we can do. Swim."
They both smile. The silence now feels like an embrace, warm and comforting.
The feeling that envelops her has nothing to do with the sun or the water, yet it feels just as immense. As if she’s floating, suspended in a place where time and gravity don’t matter.
But Seulgi says nothing. She doesn’t know how to put this strange yet comforting sensation into words, so she simply lets the moment settle in her chest.
The girl in front of her watches her with curiosity, her head slightly tilted as if waiting for something more. She doesn’t seem uncomfortable, but rather expectant.
Seulgi, who suddenly feels a small whirlwind in her stomach, clears her throat and averts her gaze to the illuminated tanks around them.
"So..." she begins, taking a second to regain her composure. "Should we keep watching the fish?"
The girl blinks, then smiles with a softness that makes Seulgi’s stomach twist a little more.
"Didn’t you want to find the exit?" she asks, though her tone isn’t rushed.
Seulgi shrugs, trying to appear casual.
"I mean, we’ve come this far. And..." She gestures toward one of the bigger tanks. "There’s still a lot I haven’t really seen."
The girl watches her for a moment longer, then sighs with a resigned but amused air.
"I guess I’m in no hurry."
And so, without needing to say more, they begin walking together through the hallways lit by the bluish lights of the aquariums.
Each step they take pulls them deeper into a different, almost unreal atmosphere. The aquarium is quieter now, with most of the students and visitors heading toward the exit, leaving them with a sense of intimacy that Seulgi can’t ignore.
They stop in front of a massive tank, where a school of brightly colored fish glide gracefully through the water. Their bodies shine under the artificial light, moving in unison in a perfect choreography.
Seulgi watches in silence, fascinated.
"Look at that..." she whispers without realizing it.
The girl next to her follows her gaze and nods slowly.
"It’s hypnotic, right?"
"Yeah..." Seulgi blinks, unable to take her eyes off the spectacle in front of her. "How do they do it? How can they move all together without getting tangled?"
The girl smiles and crosses her arms.
"It’s instinct. They move in harmony to protect themselves. There’s always one that detects danger, and the rest follow the flow without hesitation."
Seulgi glances at her sideways, intrigued.
"You know a lot about fish."
"I like them," she admits naturally. "They’re more interesting than people think."
Seulgi stays silent for a moment, processing that answer. She likes the way she says it, without pretense or embarrassment.
The girl suddenly turns to her with a more playful expression.
"Although, I have to ask..." She pauses dramatically. "Do you have a favorite fish?"
Seulgi blinks, caught off guard.
"Huh?"
"Your favorite fish. You must have one, right?"
Seulgi thinks for a moment, looking at the tank as if she could find the answer among the creatures swimming gracefully inside.
"I’m not sure..." she murmurs. "I like clownfish because they’re the only ones I really know well, but I guess that’s kind of basic."
The girl lets out a light laugh.
"There’s nothing wrong with liking clownfish. They’re cute."
"Yeah, but..." Seulgi purses her lips, reflecting. "I feel like I should pick something more mysterious. Something that makes people think: Wow, Seulgi really knows her fish."
The girl laughs again, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Like a stonefish?"
Seulgi wrinkles her nose.
"A stonefish?"
"Yeah. They’re venomous, they camouflage perfectly with the rocks, and basically no one notices them until it’s too late."
Seulgi looks at her with wide eyes.
"That sounds terrifying."
The girl shrugs.
"I think they’re cool."
"Better stick with the clownfish."
The two burst into laughter, and Seulgi feels the conversation flowing with an ease she hadn’t expected. There’s something comfortable about the other person’s presence, something that makes her feel less lost than she did at the beginning.
They continue moving forward, stopping at different tanks, exchanging comments about the strangest fish they see. Seulgi realizes that, despite entering this place feeling disoriented, now she walks with a strange lightness, as if everything has fallen into place.
"You know?" the girl says suddenly, a small smile on her lips. "I think you’re right. Sometimes, it’s good to stay a little longer and watch the fish."
Seulgi feels an unexpected warmth in her chest at those words.
"Yeah," she murmurs, with her own smile. "Sometimes, it’s the best thing you can do."
The phrase hangs between them, suspended in the air like the bubbles floating toward the surface of the water in the nearest tank. Seulgi isn’t sure why she said it, but she doesn’t feel the need to explain it either.
Some things are just understood without the need for more words.
The other girl doesn’t respond immediately. Instead, she keeps staring at the reflection of the blue lights on the floor, with an expression that seems as lost in thought as it is calm.
There’s something about her that feels familiar, even though Seulgi knows she’s never seen her before.
Maybe it’s the way she slightly tilts her head when she’s focused. Or the way she’s in no hurry to fill the silences.
Seulgi isn’t sure how much time has passed since they started walking together, but now they’re in one of the biggest rooms in the aquarium, right in front of a glass tunnel that surrounds them with water in all directions. Above, the shadows of manta rays and sharks glide with ethereal movements, casting dancing shapes on the walls and floor.
Seulgi stops, fascinated.
"Wow..." she whispers again without realizing it.
"Is this your first time in an aquarium?" the other asks with a small smile, as if Seulgi’s reaction amuses her.
"No, but..." Seulgi turns toward her. "How can something so simple feel so... big?"
Her gaze returns to the water, where a school of silver fish turns in a perfectly synchronized motion. It’s hypnotic. As if the entire ocean were contained in this small space, but without losing its vastness.
"Because it’s another world," the girl responds softly.
Seulgi glances at her sideways.
"Another world?"
"Yeah. One that we can never truly belong to, not completely. But we can spy a little, if we stay still and watch long enough."
Seulgi thinks about that for a moment. She likes the idea.
"And what if I want to belong?" she asks suddenly, not thinking too much about it.
The other looks at her with an arched eyebrow, as if her question caught her by surprise.
"You want to be a fish?"
Seulgi frowns.
"Not like that. But, I don’t know..." She moves her hand through the air, as if trying to catch a thought before it fades away. "There’s something in all of this that feels... free."
The girl tilts her head, thoughtful.
"It’s funny that you say that."
"Why?"
"Because, actually, fish are trapped."
Seulgi blinks.
"What?"
"Think about it." The other says, pointing at the tunnel around them. "They’re in their habitat, but within a limit. They can’t leave. They can’t decide where to go. They just swim in circles, over and over."
Seulgi looks at the water with a new perspective. She hadn’t thought about it that way before.
"Well..." She says, crossing her arms. "But if they don’t know anything else, maybe they don’t mind."
The girl smiles faintly.
"Maybe. Or maybe they do know. But they’ve decided it’s easier to swim with the current than against it."
Seulgi squints her eyes.
"That sounded very philosophical."
The other lets out a light laugh.
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah."
The girl just smiles, and for some reason, Seulgi feels a pang of something in her chest. Something she can’t quite identify.
She decides to ignore it.
They keep walking, sinking deeper into the silent atmosphere of the aquarium. Now it’s just the two of them and the muffled sound of water moving in the tanks.
At some point, the girl stops in front of a wall where there’s a small interactive pond. She crouches down by the edge and watches the water with curiosity.
“Here you can touch some of the species.” She comments.
Seulgi kneels next to her and looks. Inside the water, starfish and small crabs move slowly among the rocks.
“Have you tried it before?” Seulgi asks.
“Yeah. They’re rougher than you expect.”
“Rough?”
“Yeah. Put your hand in and you’ll see.”
Seulgi hesitates for a moment, but finally dips her hand carefully into the water. The sensation is colder than she expected, and when her fingers brush the surface of a starfish, she’s surprised by the texture.
“Oh, it’s strange…”
The other smiles.
“Told you.”
They stay like that for a while longer, carefully testing the contact with the sea creatures. It’s a different kind of tranquility, one Seulgi didn’t know she needed until now.
When they finally pull their hands out and dry them with some paper towels by the pond, the girl turns to her with a slightly more serious expression.
“You know, you haven’t told me your name.”
Seulgi blinks.
“Oh… right.”
Somehow, amidst all the conversation, the fish, and getting lost in this little world, she forgot she didn’t even know the name of the person she’s been spending so much time with.
She straightens up a little and extends her hand.
“I’m Seulgi.”
The girl looks at her for a second, then accepts the handshake with a calm smile.
“Jaeyi.”
Seulgi repeats the name in her head. She likes how it sounds.
Jaeyi.
It’s a simple name, no unnecessary embellishments, but there’s something about it that feels… right.
As if it fits the image of the girl in front of her, with her calm expression and the way she leaves pauses in the conversation, as if she knows it’s not necessary to fill them with words all the time.
Seulgi doesn’t say anything else, but in her head, she repeats the name a couple of more times.
Jaeyi. Jaeyi.
She likes it.
“Well, Seulgi.” Jaeyi says with a slight tilt of her head. “Are you still lost, or have you managed to orient yourself a bit?”
Seulgi looks around. The truth is, she has no idea where they are. At some point, they left behind the water tunnels and the larger tanks, and now they’re in a smaller section of the aquarium, with walls decorated with information about marine life and tanks with smaller creatures.
She doesn’t dare admit it out loud, but she’s definitely still lost.
Jaeyi seems to realize, because her mouth curves into a small smile.
“Is that a yes or a no?”
Seulgi sighs.
“It’s a let’s keep looking at fish for a while more.”
Jaeyi laughs softly and doesn’t argue.
They walk side by side down the hallway, stopping every now and then to look at some of the smaller tanks. There are seahorses floating almost unrealistically, moving slowly among the algae. There’s an octopus hiding among the rocks, its tentacles barely visible. And there’s a pufferfish that watches them with round, slightly suspicious eyes.
“Look at it.” Seulgi murmurs, pointing. “It looks like it’s judging us.”
Jaeyi leans in slightly to get a better look.
“Maybe it is.”
“What?”
“Imagine you’re in its place. You’re swimming calmly in your home, and suddenly, a group of strange people surrounds you, pressing their faces against the glass, making weird noises.”
Seulgi looks at her with one eyebrow raised.
“I don’t know about you, but I don’t press my face against the glass.”
“Are you sure? Because a little while ago, you seemed pretty excited about the tunnel.”
Seulgi opens her mouth to protest, but stops.
“…Point for you.”
Jaeyi smiles, satisfied.
They continue walking until they reach a larger tank, where several jellyfish float like soft lights moving with the current. They’re hypnotic, with their almost transparent bodies and slow rhythm, as if they belong to a different time.
Jaeyi stops in front of the glass and watches them in silence.
“I’ve always liked them,” she says after a moment.
“The jellyfish?”
“Yeah. They’re strange, don’t you think? They don’t have a brain, heart, or bones. But they’ve existed for millions of years.”
Seulgi tilts her head, watching the elegant movements of the creatures.
“That sounds… sad.”
Jaeyi looks at her out of the corner of her eye.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Can you imagine existing without having thoughts? Without emotions? Just floating, letting the current take you.”
“It sounds peaceful.”
Seulgi chuckles softly.
“Yeah, but also a little lonely.”
Jaeyi doesn’t respond right away. Instead, she crosses her arms and keeps watching the water, as if really considering the idea.
“Maybe it is,” she says finally. “But maybe they don’t mind.”
Seulgi watches her.
“And you? Would it bother you?”
Jaeyi turns to look at her with an expression Seulgi can’t quite interpret.
“I don’t know. But if I ever turn into a jellyfish, I’ll let you know.”
Seulgi bursts into laughter, surprised by the response.
“Please do. I want to know if it’s as peaceful as you say.”
Jaeyi smiles, and there’s something in the way the blue light of the aquarium illuminates her face that makes Seulgi stop for a moment, looking at her. It’s a brief thought, barely a spark in her mind, but for some reason, she feels like this moment is important.
That she will remember it.
That, in some way, this will be etched in her memory in a way she doesn’t fully understand yet.
She doesn’t know how much time has passed when a distant sound interrupts the moment.
“Attention, visitors. The aquarium will close in thirty minutes. Please make your way to the exit.”
Seulgi blinks.
“Oh.”
Jaeyi turns to her with an arched eyebrow.
“Oh?”
“…I think I should find my group.”
Jaeyi watches her for a moment, then smiles.
“Good luck with that.”
Seulgi squints.
“That doesn’t sound encouraging.”
“Well, considering you got lost by yourself in an aquarium, maybe you should be a little worried.”
Seulgi pouts.
“That’s cruel.”
Jaeyi laughs.
“Don’t worry. I can walk you to the exit if you want.”
Seulgi looks at her for a moment. She doesn’t want to admit it, but the idea of parting ways with Jaeyi so soon feels... strange. As if this small world they’ve shared in the aquarium is too fragile and could vanish the moment they step out the door.
So, instead of responding immediately, she says:
“We can walk a little more before we leave.”
Jaeyi doesn’t seem surprised by the answer. She simply nods softly.
“Alright.”
And so, with time running against them and the aquarium about to close, Seulgi allows herself a few more minutes in this little corner of the world.
Seulgi doesn’t say it out loud, but she doesn’t want this moment to end.
It’s strange, because just a little while ago she was worried about getting lost, but now the idea of leaving the aquarium and returning to reality feels... disappointing. As if this small fragment of time with Jaeyi existed in a bubble apart, a space where there’s no rush or noise, only the blue reflection of the water and the feeling that here, everything is okay.
Jaeyi doesn’t say anything about it, but she doesn’t seem in a hurry either. Seulgi watches her calmly observe each tank, reading some of the informational signs with genuine interest, as if she actually wants to learn about the fish rather than just walking through the place.
On an impulse, Seulgi asks:
“If you could be a fish, which one would you be?”
Jaeyi blinks and looks at her, as if the question caught her by surprise. Then, she crosses her arms, thoughtful.
“I don’t know. Maybe a whale shark.”
“Oh, wow. Going big, huh?”
“Why not? They’re calm, they travel through the ocean without bothering anyone. They don’t have natural predators.”
Seulgi nods, impressed.
“That’s a really good choice.”
“And you?”
Seulgi puts a hand to her chin, pretending to think deeply.
“Maybe... a clownfish.”
Jaeyi raises an eyebrow.
“Because they’re small and clumsy?”
“Hey!”
Jaeyi smiles.
“It’s not my fault it’s true.”
Seulgi crosses her arms, pouting dramatically.
“I said it because they always live in groups. I wouldn’t want to be alone in the ocean.”
Jaeyi looks at her curiously, her smile softening a little.
“I understand.”
Seulgi is surprised by the response. By the way Jaeyi says it, as if she truly understands.
She diverts her gaze toward the tank in front of them, where a group of small colorful fish swim in sync.
“Besides,” she adds after a moment, “this way I could make fish jokes all the time.”
Jaeyi lets out a soft laugh.
“For example?”
“Well… do you know what the funniest fish is?”
Jaeyi looks at her with suspicion.
“I’m going to regret asking, aren’t I?”
Seulgi smiles with satisfaction.
“The clownfish!”
Jaeyi looks at her in silence.
“…”
—...
“I regret asking.”
Seulgi laughs, delighted with her own joke.
Jaeyi shakes her head, but there’s a smile on her lips.
They continue walking together, exploring the last corners of the aquarium before it closes. At some point, Jaeyi finds a small tank with angelfish, their silver bodies shimmering with the light from the tank. She stares at them silently, absorbed.
“They’re pretty,” Seulgi says, glancing at her sideways.
Jaeyi nods slowly.
“Yes. But I don’t think they’re as angelic as their name suggests.”
“Really?”
“Some can be territorial. They can become aggressive if they feel like someone is invading their space.”
Seulgi blinks, surprised.
“I didn’t expect that from them.”
“People aren’t always what they seem, either.”
The way she says it sounds strangely deep, but before Seulgi can ask more, Jaeyi steps away a little, observing the tank with a faint blush on her cheeks, as if she just said more than she intended.
Seulgi doesn’t press her. She just throws her a curious glance before refocusing on the fish.
“So, no angels in the ocean?”
Jaeyi smiles.
“Maybe only if you know where to look.”
Seulgi nods, as if that makes sense.
Time keeps moving, and although both of them know it, neither mentions the need to leave yet. It’s Jaeyi who finally breaks the silence with a light sigh.
“We should leave before they kick us out.”
Seulgi nods with a grimace.
“Yeah… I guess.”
Jaeyi smiles when she notices her expression.
“It’s not that bad. You can come back another day.”
“Yeah, but it wouldn’t be the same.”
Jaeyi looks at her with slight surprise. Seulgi realizes what she’s said and looks down, rubbing the tip of her shoe against the floor.
“I mean… I wouldn’t get lost again, so…”
Jaeyi watches her silently for a moment before smiling softly.
“I guess that’s true.”
Without another word, they start walking together toward the exit.
When they finally leave the aquarium and the fresh afternoon air surrounds them, Seulgi feels something inside her shift. As if, somehow, something has changed.
She doesn’t know what.
She doesn’t know how.
But when Jaeyi says goodbye with a slight nod and a “see you around,” Seulgi stands at the entrance of the aquarium for a moment longer, watching her walk away with the strange feeling that she’s found something important.
Something she maybe doesn’t fully understand yet.