Philophobia || Do Kyungsoo

CHAPTER 05

As the clock ticked towards the end of the lecture, Professor stood tall at the front of the lecture hall, his voice commanding attention. "Alright, class, before you leave, I want to remind you about your economics project," he announced, his gaze scanning the room. "It's due next Monday, and I won't accept any submissions past the deadline."

A murmur of acknowledgment rippled through the students as they hastily packed their bags, some jotting down the reminder in their notebooks.

"And remember," Professor continued, his tone firm yet encouraging, "this project is a chance for you to showcase your understanding of the concepts we've covered this semester. Make sure to put your best effort into it. If you have any questions or need clarification, don't hesitate to reach out to me during office hours."

With that, he nodded to dismiss the class, watching as the students filed out of the room, each carrying the weight of impending deadlines in their minds.

As I gathered my books and notes, I couldn't help but notice Nara slumped over beside my desk, her expression a mix of exhaustion and frustration. "Ugh, I can't believe we have to deal with this project on top of everything else," she groaned, her voice laden with fatigue.

I chuckled and leaned closer, a playful smirk on my lips. "Oh, come on, Nara," I teased, nudging her gently. "Who needs sleep or a social life when we have economics projects to keep us company? It's the highlight of our semester, after all."

Nara shot me a mock glare before letting out a tired laugh. "Yeah, right. Remind me again why we signed up for this torture chamber disguised as a class?"

I shrugged, feigning innocence. "Because we're clowns for punishment, obviously. Or maybe we just enjoy tormenting ourselves with supply and demand curves."

She rolled her eyes, but a hint of amusement danced in them. "Right, because nothing screams fun like graphing out the market equilibrium at 2 a.m."

We shared a knowing grin, both fully aware of the absurdity of our situation. Sometimes, all you could do was laugh in the face of academic overload.

As we finally gathered our belongings and stepped out of the classroom, the weight of impending deadlines seemed to lift, if only for a moment. Nara and I fell into step together, the familiar rhythm of our banter easing the tension that had built up during the lecture.

"So, what's the plan for tonight?" Nara asked, her voice laced with anticipation. "Netflix and chill, or are we feeling adventurous?"

I chuckled, adjusting my backpack as we made our way towards the college gate. "Hmm, tough call. I was thinking a thrilling game of 'Avoiding Responsibilities' followed by a comical round of 'Snacking While Pretending to Study.' How does that sound?"

Nara laughed, shaking her head in mock disapproval. "Ah, the classics. Can't go wrong with those. But hey, if we're feeling ambitious, we could always attempt 'Attempting to Start the Project But Getting Distracted by Cat Videos'."

I grinned, liking the sound of that plan. "Now that's the kind of productivity I can get behind. Who needs economics when you have adorable kittens to watch?"

As we reached the college gate, the afternoon sunlight bathed us in warmth, a welcome respite from the confines of the classroom.

As Nara and I were about to descend the stairs, a familiar voice pierced through the chatter of students milling about. "Hey, wait up!" the voice called out, drawing our attention.

Turning, we spotted our class president, jogging towards us, a stack of files clutched tightly in his arms. His expression was a mix of determination and urgency as he closed the distance between us.