The passengers around us started chiming in.
"Let it go, let it go. It's not that big a deal." An older man waved his hand dismissively.
"Honey, don't push it too far. They already apologized." The woman who'd been taking their side earlier had softened her tone.
"Exactly. Live and let live. The kid's got an exam tomorrow." The man across the aisle joined in.
"Come on, young lady. That's enough. Don't ruin someone's future over this."
One after another.
But not a single one of them mentioned the part where she'd demanded I get on my knees and apologize.
I glanced at the girl. Her head was down, shoulders trembling, fingers clenched tight around the hem of her boyfriend's jacket.
A wave of exhaustion washed over me.
Forget it. They were young. There was no point in dragging this out.
"It's fine." I tucked my ticket away and turned to the attendant. "Drop it."
The attendant nodded, visibly relieved. "Alright then, everyone settle down. Let's not disturb the other passengers."
The girl pulled the boy back into their seats without lifting her head.
They didn't bother me for the rest of the trip.
The next morning at seven, I was buying a bagel from a stand outside the exam venue.
"Well, well! Look who it is."
That voice.
I looked up.
The couple from the train was standing right behind me. The girl looked me up and down. "What are you doing here?"
I said nothing and took my bagel.
She stepped closer, her voice climbing. "I'm talking to you. Are you following us?"
"Me?"
"You tried to seduce my boyfriend on the train yesterday and failed, so now you've tracked us all the way to the exam site?" Her voice kept rising. "Are you out of your mind?"
"I didn't."
"You didn't?" The girl let out a cold laugh. "Then tell me, what are you doing at an exam venue? Don't even try to say you're here to take the test. Who do you think you're fooling?"
The boy frowned, impatience bleeding through his voice. "Lady, I made myself perfectly clear yesterday. I have a girlfriend. What's the point of stalking us?"
People nearby were starting to stare.
I took a deep breath. I absolutely could not tell them I was an examiner.
If I did, today's interview wouldn't be able to proceed normally.
"I'm here to take the exam," I said.
The girl blinked. Then she laughed, loud and sharp.
"You? Taking the exam?" She clapped a hand over her mouth and turned to the boy. "Babe, did you hear that? She says she's here for the exam!"
The boy laughed too.
"Come on, lady," he said. "Do you even know what exam this is? It's the civil service interview. Did you even pass the written test?"
"That's none of your business," I said flatly.
The girl looked at me with open contempt.
"I don't think you're here for any exam. You're here fishing for a man with a government salary, aren't you? Throw on a blazer and try to sneak into the venue, all so you can land yourself some guy with a secure paycheck?"
She stepped closer, eyes raking over me from head to toe.
"Let me tell you something. I've seen plenty of women like you, trying to latch onto a man with a stable career. Take a good look in the mirror first."
The boy wrapped an arm around his girlfriend and shook his head with a smile. "Forget it, babe. Don't waste your breath on her. I'm heading in."
"Go ahead." The girl kissed him on the cheek. "I'll wait for you right here. We'll celebrate when you come out."
The boy walked toward the exam hall entrance. After a couple of steps, he turned back and shot me one last mocking look.
The girl stood there, watching me.
"Take my advice and give it up." She flicked her hair over her shoulder. "My boyfriend is about to become a civil servant. A woman like you can't even get past the front door."
I didn't wait for her to finish. I turned and walked toward the exam hall entrance.
"Where do you think you're going?" she called after me. "You're actually going in? Like they'd even let you through?"
I didn't look back. A security guard stepped in front of me. "Badge, please."
I pulled my credentials from my bag and handed them over.
He glanced down, then straightened up. "Go right in."
I walked into the examination building.
Behind me, the girl's voice carried over.
"She's actually here to take the exam?"
I didn't look back.
The interview started shortly after.
The room was so quiet you could hear the hum of the air conditioning.
And I was today's lead interviewer.
"Candidate number one, please enter."
A staff member opened the door, and a young woman with a ponytail walked in, her voice trembling before she even spoke.
I listened to her answers and made notes on the scoring sheet.
Then came number two, number three, number four.
Each one more nervous than the last, but at least they all managed to finish their responses.
"Candidate number five, please enter."
The staff member stepped out to bring him in.
The door swung open. It was the boy from the train.
He lifted his head and looked toward the panel.
Our eyes met.
The smile froze on his face. The admission badge slipped from his fingers and hit the floor with a sharp clap.
"What are you doing here?"
His voice came out thin, unmoored. His lips were shaking.
"Candidate number five." My voice was perfectly even. "Please introduce yourself."
"I... I..." He opened his mouth, eyes locked on me. "Why are you sitting there?"
