~|| Levelling up my social status ||~

01

It was 6:30am, the sky was blue and Han Seo wasn't awake yet. Usually he would be, especially on the first day of the new term. He was now officially a second year at University and this time around, he had a plan.
Last year hadn't exactly gone how he had envisioned it. It was his first year and he didn't know anyone but despite his strange personality he had hoped to garner some popularity due to his looks. Unfortunately for him, that wasn't the case. Instead he had sunk straight to the bottom with only one friend to speak of. His young vision of a luxurious university life full of friends, parties and maybe even a girlfriend had become nothing more than a pipe dream.
Before he knew it, a whole year had gone by and he had by no means managed to level up his social status in the slightest. Which got him thinking - with the help of his one true friend Su Yeol - and was able to come up with the perfect plan hand crafted to help him become one of the most popular students this year.
The first step - arriving to school late. Only nerds arrived to school on time, him being too studious the previous year that he was on campus by six o'clock in order to get the lesson plan from a teacher that hadn't even arrived yet. He had crumped up his report card in defeat over his full attendance that put him in the spot of 'perfect student', well not anymore.
The sleeping Han Seo hadn't even set his alarm nor had he arranged any of his things the night before. He had calculated everything he didn't need to do in order to give off the 'couldn't give a fuck' attitude that all of the people with friends seemed to have. It wouldn't be easy leaving his past self behind, but for the sake of a memorable university life, he would gladly do so.

***

Han Seo ended up getting ready before seven. It was the latest he'd ever gotten up for class but still way to early to be considered a 'rebel'. Being late for the first time was kind of nerve wracking and he could no longer lay in bed comfortably. Instead, to waste time, he decided to have a long shower before moving onto the second part of his ingenious plan.
The second step - one that was also taken up by his generous friend Su Yeol - required his drab attempt at dressing himself. Despite how handsome he was, his dress sense made his face look nothing worthy of a youthful university's student. He emptied a bag full of new clothes onto his bed. Clothes that Su Yeol had picked for him with his money of course. He had left the buying in Su Yeol's hands simply because the man knew about fashion and could easily make Han Seo look like a run way star. Su Yeol would have been popular in university if he had bothered to dress the way he did outside of class, instead he only wore baggy clothes, with plain colours that made him look like a suspicious person on campus.

Han Seo picked up a small brochure that had fallen out of the bag, it seems Su Yeol had no faith in him what so ever as the brochure held information about how to fit different combinations of clothes for certain styles. He flicked through it and noted some he liked before rummaging through the clothes he had. He chose some tight fitting black suit pants with a short sleeved black and white striped shirt. For a jacket he had a choice between a denim jacket and a leather jacket, he chose the leather since it fit the colours for his outfit.
He had also bought a new bag - this one he chose himself, although the lady at the store did hint that it was the most popular one that was sold. It was black and red, with a picture of a lion on the side, it was some sort of brand but Han Seo knew nothing of brands despite having grown up in a relatively well-off household.
The time was now almost eight and class would start in thirty minutes. It normally takes him only five minutes to walk to the campus since he lived close by but today he decided he was going to take a detour before class. Han Seo checked himself out in the mirror and was surprised by how different he looked compared to when he would wear hooked and t-shirts. He wondered if anyone would recognise him.
As he left his apartment, he quickly called up Su Yeol who would probably still be in bed since he didn't have a class in the morning. After a few rings he picked up with a groggy voice.

"Hyung, are you already at class? Isn't it a bit too early considering our plan?" He asked. Han Seo laughed because he could tell that he had been gaming all night from how tired he seemed.

"I've just left mine, I was going to waste some time, any ideas?" He could hear him shuffle around before he yawned and answered, "Why don't you go get your hair done? It is the first day of the second year after all, make some good impressions on the newbies" he advised. Han Seo agreed and kicked off the wall he was leaning on and made his way towards the closest hair stylists.
***
Once he left the stylists he had become someone he didn't recognise. He'd never had this much volume to his hair before, and the waves that were added made him look like some kind of idol. The women at the shop were so impressed that they gave him a free touch up with some eye make up. Han Seo had found a new level of confidence within himself and felt for the first time that maybe he could talk to people and make some friends.
It had already turned nine o'clock by the time he made it onto campus. He didn't rush himself either, seeing a bunch of other students who were new loitering around and staring at him as he passed by made him feel strong. He walked up to a small vending machine near the first floor stairs and decided to buy an energy drink. He wasn't really a fan of them because they were sharp on his tongue but he bought one nonetheless. Taking a sip of it and realising it was as bad as he expected made it feel like this year was already going to plan. It was like the energy drink had agreed to help him become popular by tasting so nice. If that made any sense.
Han Seo made it to his class around 9:08, he only had his laptop with him but still knew a sure fire way of keeping up with classes without looking studious. Being the university's 'perfect student' for year one had its perks. That included having all the years topics in class at his fingertips. His plan was to hang out at Uni and study at home, since he already had everything he needed on his laptop. He'd maintain good grades whilst also working to level up his social status.

Han Seo made it to the door of his class, not having seen anyone in the corridors was unnerving him a bit and the anxiety of entering a full class of people during a lecture burrowed through the back of his mind.
"S'cuse me," Said a voice. Han Seo turned to see a girl. She was also a part of his class. She was short with long brown hair and always wore vests like she was some sort of librarian - he didn't recall he name though. "Excuse me? Mind letting me through I'm late" she asked again. Han Seo stuttered a 'sorry' and let her through. The girl whizzed the door open like t was nothing, apologised to the professor for being tardy and sat down.
Han Seo did the same but when he entered the door accidentally slammed behind him.
"Oops" he said aloud. The professor and the class stared at Han Seo and he stared between them with an apology to the professor, although he felt like he had to apologise more than once.
"And who are you? Are you new to this class?" Asked the professor. When he asked the whole room became rowdy with whispers and chuckles. Han Seo caught a few girls on the front row mumbling about him being 'handsome' and couldn't help smiling at the which caused them to giggle.
"Hi Sir, I'm Park Han Seo, Second Year in Computer Science" when he stated his name the entire room silenced before people turned to each other to ask questions. He doubted many remembered who he was and the ones that did gave him a look of disbelief.
"Ah yes, you were that one perfect student that got praise from the head last year," he recalled, although Han Seo hadn't met the professor before it seems his existence had been known to all of the lectures at the campus.
"I'm rather disappointed you're late on your first day, Mr Park" Han Seo bowed with an apology and went to his seat as he was told. He made his way up the steps towards an open seat, passing curious eyes on the way. There was an open seat near the back but the guy that was near there was the infamous Jae Hui - the only celebrity on campus who started his modelling career and singing career at only the age seventeen.
Han Seo passed up sitting next to the most popular guy on campus in fear of being chewed out if he accidentally woke him and instead sat next to the brown vest girl from earlier. She nodded to him in acceptance and handed him the sheet for the lecture.
"Thanks..." He hesitated, "Liu Na" she replied.
"That's a really pretty name" Han Seo was being genuine, her name was pretty.
"Thanks" she said and basically ignored him after that.
Despite Han Seo's urge to listen to the lecture, he knew that this was just a briefing for the course this year and so he decided to not unpack his bag and sleep on the desk instead. Although, every time he shuffled the tiniest bit the metal from his leather jacket clanked against the seat and sent glares from the pretty named girl next to him.