Moving On With You, Jinjoo

17: Equal

Yena tosses around the bed, annoyed at the beam of light entering her eyelids. She turned to the side, opening her eyes to see Yujin at the drawing table–one Hyewon got her when she first moved in. Her soft groan caught the attention of the younger girl.

"What are you doing?" Yena questioned while sitting up and looking at the digital clock next to her bed. "It's 4 in the morning. Don't you have class?" She saw Yujin nod like it was the most normal thing to be awake before dawn. "Why are you up so early?"

"I had enough sleep."

Yena's eyebrows knitted. "Did you eat something wrong? There's something wrong with you. Dim the lights a little. I'm trying to sleep." She hid under the blanket, wrapping it around her head to block out sources of light.

Yujin twisted the knob of her lamp and went back to her assignment which consist of her sketching the layout of her individual project for the semester. She reaches over for a yellow wooden pencil, shoving the tip into the sharpener sitting next to the angled table. She gently turned the lever, making sure she wasn't too loud.

When the tip of the graphite was sharp enough, she leaned into the table and started adding the tiny details to the floor plan she was working on. Every corner, every line, and every word, she meticulously connects each part with the pencil.

Soon, her idea gets drawn out in black and white, coupled with rough sketches of the building she had in mind. One that doesn't exist but could in the future. That is what Yujin likes about architecture. She was able to see the possibilities of what could happen and someday, change the world.

To her, architecture was making her imagination come to life. The buildings in her head do more than provide shelter for people. They were places where memories are made, places that could live longer than humans do. And those places are made by people who have a vision. Very similar to art where an artist wishes to convey their message through masterpieces.

Long before Yujin knew it, the sun started to rise as the clock hit 6 in the morning.

—

"Make sure to sleep when you all get back. I'll see you guys tomorrow morning." The supervisor dismisses the med school students on the night shift.

In the dimly lit locker room, Minju's tired fingers delicately removed the lanyard from around her neck. Her movements were slow and deliberate as she peeled off her white coat, draping it in the cabinet.

A deep voice pierced the silence of the room, breaking Minju's concentration. "Heading home?" The words belonged to a tall figure next to her, a newcomer to the team—Lee Juyeon. Rumors had it that he had served in the military before embarking on his medical journey, making him a bit older than the rest.

Minju's lips remained sealed as she met his inquisitive gaze. With a polite nod, she retrieved her bag, closing the cabinet door behind her.

Juyeon's warm smile persisted despite her lack of response. "Do you need a ride home?" he offered, adjusting the strap of his sling bag. "Bus services don't operate this early."

"I'm fine," Minju replied curtly, her tone suggesting she preferred solitude.

Undeterred, Juyeon swiftly organized his belongings and caught up with her. As they walked side by side, he probed further, trying to unravel the enigma that was Minju. "Were you always like this? All quiet and never talk about things out of the hospital."

"Do I know you?"

"No, but I want to get to know you."

"Why?"