Chapter 6: Please stop it

[Channel is now OFF. Remaining time: 49 minutes 59 seconds…]

Getting ready didn’t take long.
As expected, the channel OFF time seemed to reset at midnight.
Anyway, I showered and changed my underwear…
But then I realized the stuff I ordered yesterday hadn’t arrived yet.

“Ugh, sh*t… What do I do?”

Should I layer shirts like yesterday?
That was uncomfortable, and besides, yesterday I only went to Daiso and the convenience store nearby.
Going to school like that feels like a matter of dignity.
But it’s not like a bra’s going to magically appear.

Time kept ticking.
I’d already used over 20 minutes, and with no idea what might happen today, wasting more was risky.
So, without drying my hair or fully dressing, I frantically rummaged through my drawers.
There it was—a small bandage.

“Stick this on?”

What am I even doing?
But letting things poke out while walking around would be worse, right?
So I closed my eyes and stuck it on.
Worried it might fall off, I added another on the other side.
It’s gonna hurt peeling these off… but no choice.

With that makeshift fix, I hurriedly threw on a sweatshirt.
Looking in the mirror, it kinda seemed noticeable, but also kinda fine…
I don’t know.
With 25 minutes already gone, I quickly turned the channel back on.

[Heated water to shower?]
[Took longer than yesterday. What were you doing?]
[Lol, this is still pretty fast, isn’t it?]

“Who said I’m waiting for you? Don’t you guys get ready?”

[Nah, no class today, sucks to be you.]
[Already on my way to work lol.]
[Gallery owner, no way, right?]

“What no way? I’m drying my hair.”

[Damn, can’t you dry it before turning it on?]
[Then she’d never get to the bathroom lol.]
[Isn’t the hairdryer sound kinda nice?]
[You need to get your ears checked, dude.]

Ignoring their noise, I grabbed another towel and dried my hair thoroughly.
I thought I’d given myself plenty of time.
But since it’s my first time going to school as a girl, time somehow got tight.
I hurriedly stuffed my textbooks into my bag.

[You don’t do makeup?]

“Makeup? I put on toner and lotion.”

[Toner and lotion are makeup? Crazy lol.]
[Felt like you wouldn’t bother lol.]
[Your face looks like you don’t need it anyway.]
[Better than overdoing it, you’re pretty enough.]

“Ugh, I’m busy, stop annoying me.”

No makeup stuff on my desk, so I probably didn’t wear any before.
Well, if I existed as a girl before this change, that is.

I grabbed my bag and opened my wardrobe one last time.
Still worried about my chest, I figured I’d need a jacket.
Sweatshirt, jeans, and… yesterday’s jacket would probably cause a fuss.
So I just pulled out my university jacket.

They might say a university jacket draws attention, but they’re wrong.
It’s only noticeable on the way to school. Once I’m there, it’s the perfect camouflage.

Sure, mostly freshmen wear them.
As you get older, people stick to winter coats or avoid school logos altogether.
But since it’s the start of the second semester, plenty of people wear them, so it’s no issue.

‘…Why does this feel looser?’

When I put on the jacket, it was too big.
Other clothes changed a bit, but did I buy this one oversized or something?

[What’s that? Too big, no?]
[Lol, how’s this a college student? Looks like a high schooler stealing her boyfriend’s jacket.]
[Where’d your hands go? Missing?]

“Psh, university jackets are supposed to be big.”

Changing now would be ridiculous.
I stretched my arms, and my fingers barely peeked out.
No time to hesitate—I’d be late otherwise.

“Huff… huff…”

I practically ran to the subway station, and I was out of breath in no time.
Did my stamina get worse?
No, it was always bad.

I barely made it onto the subway, sweat beading on my back, sticking to my clothes.
It’s gross. Not just my back—sweat’s pooling between my chest too.
I took off my backpack and held it.

[She’s trying so hard lol.]
[Why’s it so painful to watch her lol?]
[She’s just so pitiful for real.]

I thought I prepared early since I woke up at dawn and didn’t sleep.
But checking the time, I’d barely avoid being late.
Catching my breath, I started noticing a few glances.
Maybe it’s the jacket, maybe it’s my appearance, I don’t know.

‘No, most people don’t care.’

It’s just unfamiliar attention I didn’t get before.
Thinking that way calmed me a bit.

– The next station is Sinchon, Sinchon Station.

I squeezed through the crowd pouring out and made my way.
The school’s close to the station, but the campus itself is a nightmare.

[Wow, that hill’s no joke lol.]
[Five minutes left, no time to rest!!]

“Haa…”

Are my legs shorter now?
I practically crawled up, half-dead.
I need to budget at least 10 more minutes to get to school.
Anyway, I made it to the lecture hall.
I bowed to the professor already at the podium and signaled with my eyes to the TA holding the attendance sheet.

“Alright, it’s 9 o’clock, let’s start.”

At the professor’s announcement, I hurriedly pulled out my textbook.
I’m a shut-in, but I focus pretty well in lectures.

Mostly because I hate reviewing at home, so I pay attention in class.

[They don’t take attendance? The TA knows everyone’s faces??]
[Managerial Accounting? Sounds painful just from the name;;]
[She’s in business? Doesn’t suit her at all.]
[Back in 50 minutes, can’t handle lectures.]
[You don’t even know college lectures are 75 minutes lol.]
[Yo, this is boring, say something.]
[Reply. Reply. Reply. Reply. Reply.]

Are these people insane??

[What’s your problem? I’m trying to focus on the lecture.]

I couldn’t take it and posted in the gallery, and the replies flooded in.

[Asked three times, no attendance?]
[It’s assigned seating, they know by your spot.]
[What lol, high school much?]
[Seoyeon classes are dead silent until the bell lol.]

“Here, we talk about depreciation…” ahem.

The professor’s cough made me quickly put my phone down.
Ugh… that wasn’t because of me, right?
Feeling guilty, I decided to ignore the chat and focus on the lecture.

After surviving first period, I had a break for second and third. I headed to the library’s laptop room.
Normally, I’d go to the department lounge, but for a shut-in like me, there aren’t many places to kill time.

[Your schedule’s trash;;]
[Why even take a first-period class?]

“That professor has good reviews. I’m gonna nap in the laptop room, so don’t talk to me.”

[?? The laptop room’s for sleeping?]
[You played ARAM at dawn, came to the library, and now you’re napping lol?]

I didn’t come to the laptop room for nothing.
Regular study rooms make me feel guilty for sleeping, but the laptop room’s more relaxed.

Whatever they say, I hadn’t slept since dawn and just sat through a tough lecture. Lying down, sleep came easily.
Hugging my backpack, I napped hard and woke up close to noon.
I stretched, yawned lazily, and quietly left the room.

“Haa…! Slept well.”

[Crazy lol, you sleep like a pro haha.]
[That lecture was super sleepy lol.]

“Really? That professor’s known for being good.”

His voice is a bit quiet, but he’s famous for hitting key points.

Accounting courses aren’t usually for second-semester freshmen.
They’re mostly for second or third years, but I signed up early.
Why? Because freshmen don’t take it.
Familiar faces make me uneasy, so I chose it.

[What now?]
[Not another lecture, right?]
[Half of us are planning to bail lol.]

“Nope. Going to eat now.”

I had plenty of time before fourth period.
I skipped dinner for snacks yesterday and missed breakfast today, so I headed to the M Building’s cafeteria.

Since I came early, there were plenty of seats.
Standing at the ticket machine, I quietly asked,

“What should I eat? Soba? Katsu?”

[Katsu for cafeteria food.]
[Why’s the food so expensive here?]
[This is cheap compared to some places.]
[I’ve been eating kalguksu with my boss for a week straight, damn.]

“Hmm, it’s not great value. But isn’t kalguksu tasty? You should eat it for a month.”

I jabbed playfully and ordered katsu.
Grabbing the food and sitting down, I reached for my chopsticks when—

“Yeseung, hi!”
“…??”

Out of nowhere, one of three girls greeted me.
Yuna. I recognized her face.
We were in the same group during orientation, and she was one of the few who paid attention to me for a while.

“What, Yuna, you’re friends with Yeseung?”
“We’re close! Right, Yeseung?”
“Uh…? Y-yeah…”

Nodding awkwardly, Yuna grinned triumphantly.
What’s going on?
I’d turned down group hangouts multiple times. Didn’t we implicitly agree she’d stop talking to me?

“Can we sit?”

No, don’t sit!!
I shook my head a million times in my mind, but I couldn’t say it out loud.
Naturally, the gallery exploded.

[This is a shut-in? This is a shut-in? This is a shut-in?]
[Lmao, she’s killing us twice.]
[I’m a shut-in, but people won’t leave me alone, what do I do?]
[Got confessed to 20+ times. Dated 7 times. Trait: Shut-in.]

Ugh… the world’s out to get me.