College Daze

Timetable

"...I expect all of you to come prepared for our first tutorial class, which will take place next week. You should have read chapters 1 to 4 by then..."

Seeing that class was coming to an end, the former Student Council president started keeping her stationery in her pencil case.

Her mind felt so laden with new information; the learning curve was a steep one.

There was no meaning in highlighting anything on her printed and written notes, Yejin mused. If she had tried doing so, the entire page would be in yellow.

Keeping everything neatly in her bag, Yejin rose from her seat, smiling half-heartedly at some of the unfamiliar faces sitting along the same row in the lecture hall.

Now to find her way back to the dorm, before making dinner arrangements with Bin, Hyojin, May etc, depending on who was available.

The Yonsei university campus was numerous times the size of Spackman High; she could no longer remember the number of times she'd lost her way looking for the next class venue. Losing her way seemed to be part of her college experience.

Seeing another couple walking hand-in-hand in front of her got her thinking of her boyfriend.

It felt so weird not having Bin by her side.

Of course, Yejin knew she'd eventually get used to it, and make new friends of her own in business school, but that thought didn't make her feel any better at this juncture.

The first day of classes was already proving to be immensely stressful— there were so many readings, upcoming projects, lectures and tutorials.

All this, on top of whatever interest groups and clubs she might decide to subsequently join. Should she run for the Student Union?

Pilates club sounded fun as well. Speech and Drama club was another interesting one.

Okay, those can wait. She'd have to focus and start on some readings for her marketing module tonight.

Identifying the nearer exit in the direction of her dorm, Yejin made her way up the stairs, tapping a message to her boyfriend on her smartphone at the same time.

"Where are you?"

She tapped the button for 'send'.

Slipping through the door, indicating her gratitude to the guy holding the door open for others, Yejin checked her phone for a reply.

"Hey."

Leaning against the wall along the hallway, one hand raised in greeting while the other remained stuffed in his jeans pockets, was none other than Bin.

In a day filled with firsts and new faces, he was her only familiar sight.

"Bin!" She called out gratefully, unable to keep the bright smile off her face. "Why are you...?"

"You sent me your timetable, didn't you?" Patting her head affectionately, the basketball player extended his hand in her direction.

As it had always been since junior high school, she casually handed her bag to him.

"Speaking of which, you haven't sent me yours."

Retrieving a folder from his Nike backpack, the one which she had given to him last Christmas, Hyun Bin passed it to Yejin.

On the outside of the clear folder were two printed timetables, neatly taped side by side, so that it was easy for anyone to make comparisons.

Hers was a four-day week, whereas he had lessons on all five days.

That was when she noticed a pattern.

Engineering courses typically had more lessons than business courses because of lab modules, but all of Hyun Bin's lessons ended before hers.

"Bin...wait...did you spread your classes over five days and pack your schedule with 8am classes so you could end earlier?"

He smiled that usual lopsided smile of his, before walking ahead.

Walking faster to catch up with his long strides, Yejin teasingly asked, reaching up as she tried to rub her boyfriend's reddening ears.

"You did this so you can wait for me after class?"

"Someone has to ensure you don't lose your way, right?" He muttered, embarrassed as they drew more stares from people around them. "Come, let's go for dinner."

Chuckling to herself, the ever-playful business student let her boyfriend walk ahead.

She would make a point to wait for him to end lessons on her free day then.