✓LOVER BOY | hwang hyunjin

50. Nice To Meet You

Yeseul's somber moments mirrored the intricate connections within the brain's neural network, much like the delicate balance she was learning about in her neuroscience course, where even the subtlest shifts could shape the landscape of emotions and thoughts.

She sighed, letting go of the pen in her hold. She watched it roll across the length of the desk, taking a leap in faith of gravity. It mutely fell on the ground, the chattering students around drowning it's hit. She didn't bother picking it up.

The books in front of her were just words. Some ideas interlinked but it all went over her head. She had a softened pain in her chest. Yeseul held her breath.

She had blocked Hyunjin while bawling her eyes out in her cold lunch a week ago. Or was it two? She didn't count this time. A little strain on her thoughts, and she realised it was actually four weeks ago.

Jeongin also. And Soji. Everyone, except for her brother were blocked.

What hurt was that she knew he won't realise it. He was barely online. And Yeseul felt deeply worried because of how hard Hyunjin was working for God knows what. He kept it a secret, and now Yeseul's patience was running thin and perhaps it would forever be a secret.

A small poke on her arm woke her from her daydreaming. She looked up, seeing a brunette passing her a paper. "Attendance."

She took it, signing beside her name. Physical attendance in 2023 was stupid. She handed it to the person behind her without looking. Yeseul couldn't see herself sitting there for three hours listening to someone talk about neuroplasticity. She set her head in her arms, feeling her eyelids turn heavy. Perks of being a university student.

"The old T.A left. He's the new one apparently." Someone whispered. Yeseul didn't look up. She took a deeper dive to get some rest.

The professor fixed his mic, and greeted the class. Yeseul lazily took out a pencil from her pouch, jotting down terms that she needed to study later. By the end of class her page was a jumble of words written half heatedly. She didn't care, because they had a lunch break now.

Yeseul peripherally saw someone behind her picking up her pen. "Hey, you dropped this."

She took it, glancing back. Her heart was in her throat. The boy looked confused at her expressions. "Do we know each other?" He awkwardly smiled, fixing his beanie.

"Why the hell does he look so similar to him?"

The nameless person looked at the folder in Yeseul's hold. He read the name. "Yeseul." A soft lift in his gaze was evident. "Hey, I know you." He snapped his finger, grinning. "You paid me to write your essay last week."

Yeseul was tongue tied. "I- "

"My pleasure." Nameless guy sat back. Yeseul could still feel her thumping heart from the earlier surprise.

"What is your name?" She finally broke her silence.

"Yohan." He held out a hand. Yeseul stared at it for a moment. She almost forgot handshakes exist. She needed to socialise more. Yeseul took his hand, giving it a soft shake. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, likewise. Now I know one person in a class of hundred." Yeseul's lips turned up in a soft smile.

"Let's hang out more." Yohan picked his bag, waiting for a response. She could only nod.

The sun outside blurred the colours of earth in its brilliance. Yeseul stood still, contemplating between healthy eating and junk downing. Her phone dinged.

It was an email from the professor's office.

"... I wanted to discuss something important regarding your recent essay submission. It has come to my attention that you may have received assistance from another student in the class..."

"Great." Yeseul read further.

"... I am more than willing to provide guidance and support to help you improve your skills and understanding. Please visit my office at 4PM today."

Yeseul pushed the device at the bottom of her bag. She could worry about it after eating.