꧁ Danielle's POV ꧂
"Try harder to decipher what this feeling means to you, Jihye," he tells me. I stare at the large picture of a solitary young woman.
Despite trying, the burning sensation of emptiness eludes me. I don't think there is a physical explanation for this feeling.
Professor Kim looks at me, incredulous. "What's wrong?" he asks.
I shrug and return to the picture, bowing my head to signal my disinterest in anything today. "Let me know when you're ready for my help, alright?"
Exhaling in relief, I rest my head on the table, already done with this class.
"Hey, Dani, did you complete your summary?" Hanni asks. I can't help but scoff.
She boasts, "I received an A-minus on mine."
That's great for her, but it's irrelevant to me. "No, why do you ask?" I muster up the energy to ask the question.
Today, I had no desire to speak. I got out of bed this morning, convinced I wouldn't need to say a single word to anyone. Yet here I am.
"Just wondering. You're overdue for the deadline. Must be tough." Hanni's smug look makes me want to yell out of sheer irritation.
"Thanks for the reminder," I retort, glaring away from her.
"I'll pretend I didn't see that." Hanni dismisses me and pushes her tall chair back, the faint screech it makes against the floor grating my nerves.
My leg starts to bounce nervously, and my gaze shifts repeatedly from Professor Kim to the clock on the wall.
"Do you have any plans for winter break?" Hanni turns towards me again. I don't answer.
Instead, I briefly meet her eyes before resting my head on the table.
"Come on, Dani. It would be best if you did something fun," she insists, nudging my shoulder.
"I don't want to do anything," Hanni sighs. "I'll probably just stay home. There's something special about that, isn't there? Now, can you please leave me alone?"
Professor Kim noticed my restless behavior and approached me again.
Can't he see I'm not in the mood? "Are you feeling alright?" he whispers.
"Sorry, Mr. Kim, had a rough night," I reply. His gaze is intense, making me increasingly uncomfortable.
My annoyance is growing. Why can't anyone give me five minutes of peace?
"Jihye, I'm slightly disappointed with your recent lack of progress. Stay after class. We need to talk." Great, it's just another weight to add to my shoulders.
Glancing to my right, I catch Hanni's taunting expression. "Nothing special, huh?" I roll my eyes and bury my face in my hands. The once silent classroom now bustles with noise.
Chairs screech against the marble floor, papers shuffle across desks, and a murmur of voices swell as the bell rings.
"Remember, there's a pop quiz tomorrow, so please study! And don't forget to submit your paintings for the contest," Mr. Kim calls out, struggling to be heard over the chaos.
He then fixes his gaze on me, waiting for the room to clear. I stand there, toying with my notebook, anticipating a lengthy wait.
"Finally," he exhales, softly shutting the door after Hanni, who casts a sympathetic glance my way.
"The reason I kept you here is..." He pauses. As he sinks into his office chair with a heavy sigh, I brace myself for another reason to hate this day.
"Professor Kim, I—"
