Days had never felt like an eternity to Sera until now, let alone a complete month. She would zone out everytime she glimpsed at her business card. Flipping its sides over and over, and examining the object in the most random upside-down manner repeatedly, she was eventually becoming convinced of herself going nuts. Like, why in the world was she so obsessed with checking out a mere card in every once in a while? She had better things to do and invest her time in. To be honest, she had a pile of assignments sitting right across her, appearing to be sticking out its imaginary tongue at her for the purpose of mocking her.

"He must've lost the card till now. Expecting him to actually look at it is just... plain stupidity." Sera elicited an exasperated sigh, chortling in a way that suggested that she was indeed disappointed in herself and her wild dreams.

Gaeul had been noticing every single long-drawn gasps originating from Sera, and obviously fretting over the very female's pathetic condition. A whole set of thirty days had passed and she was still finding it hard to concentrate on the subjects that she ought to give her attention to. A look of worry clouded Gaeul's face when she realized it was not something that she could have her control over, for it ultimately had to be Sera herself who would overcome her blues, and not someone else.

With concern dancing in her pupils, Gaeul did not really feel the need of taking in account Sera's all-of-a-sudden exchange of glances with her. Though when she did, her eyes bulged out of surprise with a hint of embarrassment in them.

So much for maintaining her so-called coolness.

The closer Sera reached to her, more profusely Gaeul started to sweat out of nervousness as a result. Abruptly looking away from the woman who had already rested her hands on her desk, Gaeul squeezed her face towards the center, uncertain of what might slip out of the former's tongue. However, when a spell of unanticipated silence instead replaced the expected, Gaeul wondered what really was in store for her.

And so, she decided to curse her life herself.

"I wasn't looking at you if you're thinki—" The carefree front with which Gaeul had a love-hate relationship, came down in shambles when she accidentally met with Sera's puppy eyes. She just could not resist those, she knew it in her heart, "Alright, fuck it. I'm concerned about you. What's wrong?"

"Why did you never ask me person-to-person if you were that worried about me?" Sera lifted one of her brows in amusement, particularly sure of receiving a sarcastic remark from Gaeul's side.

"Okay, I'll just revert to my stone-cold aura and forget that I was this close to turning all my hair white by worrying about you." She bobbed her head with pursed lips, causing Sera to laugh—as much as she remembered— for the first time in a while.

Gaeul stretched out her arms to grasp Sera's hands, pulling her around like a little kid before making her settle on a chair beside her. "Now tell me what's been troubling you." She mumbled, unintentionally prompting the other to relapse into her forever-stressed self.

"I—I still can't forget how I happened to behave that day... you know, I'm worried about how the directors must've perceived my actions since they got to know about it from a secondary source. It's the thought of my career that's tormenting me. I don't think I'll be able to survive in here for long..." Sera trailed off in hesitation, resuming to look directly into Gaeul's eyes as if she was positive about her understanding her apprehensions entirely.

"Is that why you've been making that long face for a whole damn month? Jeez, Sera, you think too much. Trust me, the directors know how good of a teacher you are... and they're knowledgeable enough not to misunderstand your situation of that day. You had a reason for what took place then... which I don't want to know until you feel comfortable enough sharing it with me. If anything happens, I've got your back. You're not alone, Sera." Gaeul smiled warmly, and Sera could say that her self-confidence had been restored successfully.

"Moreover," Sera was about to thank Gaeul, but before she could utter a word, the latter beat her to it, "the Sponsor's Fest is held every year, and the next year is just eleven months away, so cheer up!"

The truth had finally been addressed now. But the catch that followed it, unconsciously made Sera's smile droop. It had never been her reputation before the board of directors that she was seeking to improvise, it was the recreation of her little rendezvous with the person whom her heart ached for both ways, that she was awaiting.

"Am I really supposed to be happy about that?" Sera grumbled, the distaste in her voice sounding obvious enough.

"That was the best I could say to console you. You should feel gratified with what you're getting, peasant." Gaeul jeered at Sera, erupting yet another dose of laughter from her.

Amidst all those genuine giggles and contentment, Sera's phone vibrated with a beep. With tears-stricken eyes—certainly due to joy— she went on to glide her gaze over the notification that must have induced the ping, only to have her eyebrows get woven into one another once again. Gaeul had already left for her apartment to take a bit of rest, so Sera was for one more time all alone and by herself. Her face fell drastically, as she attempted to re-read the piece of information that had intruded into her phone.

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