Familiar Faces
445 Words
By the time the lecture ended, Ayan felt like she could finally breathe.
The tension she hadn’t even realized she was holding slowly eased as students began packing up. Chairs scraped lightly against the floor, and the classroom dissolved into soft chatter.
Ayan leaned back slightly in her seat, exhaling.
At least I made it.
Her fingers brushed her bag—and for a brief moment, her mind drifted back to the morning.
The black G-Wagon.
The old man.
The way he had looked at her.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
Why did that feel so strange?
She shook her head and pushed the thought away. It wasn’t important right now.
As she lifted her gaze, she spotted a familiar face.
A small smile formed.
“Babe!”
Across the room, Areum looked up. The moment she saw Ayan, her expression brightened, and she walked over quickly.
“Why are you late today?” Areum asked.
Ayan sighed, standing up and adjusting her bag. “I overslept. I almost didn’t make it.”
They walked out together.
“On my way,” Ayan continued, “someone stopped me for directions. I thought I was going to miss the lecture completely.”
Areum laughed. “But you didn’t. That’s what matters.”
She adjusted her bag. “Let’s go. No more classes today. Mr. Kim said he’ll reschedule.”
Ayan groaned softly. “I don’t think I’ll attend it. He enjoys rescheduling too much.”
“Exactly,” Areum said, laughing.
They stepped into the corridor. The campus felt lighter, more alive.
Not far away, freshers walked past—laughing, taking pictures, full of energy.
Ayan slowed slightly.
“Look at them…” she murmured.
Areum followed her gaze. “Freshers.”
“Last year feels like yesterday,” Ayan said quietly.
There was a pause.
“So happy,” she added softly. “Like nothing could go wrong.”
Areum smiled. “Have you forgotten how we even became friends?”
Ayan laughed. “How could I forget?”
“I was rushing like crazy,” she said. “My bag tore, and everything fell out.”
She looked at Areum.
“And you helped me pick everything up, even though you didn’t know me.”
Areum shrugged. “If it were me, I believe someone would’ve helped.”
Ayan smiled.
Simple. Kind. Real.
That was Areum.
As they walked, Ayan’s fingers brushed her bag again.
The card.
Her smile faded slightly.
For a moment, the noise around her softened.
The old man’s voice echoed faintly in her mind—
You won’t call.
Ayan tightened her grip slightly.
Something about that moment still didn’t feel ordinary.
- Writer
