Crushing College

11

After spring break, I was back at Greendale, determined to have a new perspective on my college experience. I wouldn't let my affair with Kai ruin it.

In fact, when I started my dinner shift one night, I spotted him heading my way and I remembered how I was going to act differently towards him. I took my position behind the wells of water and adjusted my snap down shirt. A wave of confidence overcame me as I handed him a plate of sloppy joes.

"Hi, Kai," I said, indifferently.

"Hi. How was your spring break?" he asked, taking the plate with a smile.

"Fine," I continued, trying to act...what's that word that means you don't care?

"Did you hear from the Korean adoption agency?" His tone was polite and friendly. 

"No, not yet."

"Oh...I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Aloof! That's the word.

There I was being civil towards him and that was all I could promise as he slid his tray past me. As I followed his movement I noticed the napkin dispenser was running low so I glanced at Tae. I caught him looking anything but pleased at Kai. When Tae turned his eyes to me, I whipped my head away so fast I hurt my neck.

A week later, I had a run in with Kai in the cafeteria again but before I could greet him, Tae interrupted me.

"A-O!" he singsonged loudly, coming from behind me. I took a step back to give him room as I barely missed stepping on his feet. "You're getting better at this, Jennie," he said, flashing his teeth with big smile.

I giggled and made a goofy face. Then I realized Kai had still been standing there waiting for his plate of vegetable lasagna. When I gave it to him, he seemed annoyed that he had no choice but to keep the line moving.

Tae nudging my elbow brought my focus back on him. "This new K-drama came out. It's a rom com and it reminded me of you. Wanna watch the first episode tonight?"

"Oh, I don't know..." I started, playing coy, handing a plate to Lisa who was in charge of the side dishes "...I have homework."

"Come on," he pleaded cutely. "I have snacks."

"Well, why didn't you say so?" I chuckled. The way Tae and I had been acting recently, like the friends we were in the beginning of the school year, made the neurotransmitters in my cells send out euphoric feelings throughout the neuron in my brain. Whoa...I guess I have learned something from biology class. 

Cut to me and Tae in his room, seated on the twin bean bags, watching a K-drama called "Business Proposal" later that night and having a good time. Back to wearing spring dresses, I adjusted my gray plaid apron dress so it wouldn't ride up my thigh too much. That's when I caught Tae staring at my legs before darting back to the screen. Turning rosy, my mouth curved into a smile as I tried to concentrate on the show.

 A few times I myself couldn't help but stare at Tae instead of the TV, his handsome face and charm were so distracting. The intimacy of looking at him while he was looking at the screen because he was focused on the K-drama, drove me crazy.  Once he caught me looking at him and just smiled, perhaps deliberately allowing me to have this moment to myself. 

Throughout the show I asked him to pause so I could ask questions about the Korean language and mimic what I heard. Tae was kind enough to teach me and translate.

"I think you'll like the OST song of this series. We can use that as your first lesson," he suggested, talking out a notebook and pen.

I watched curiously as he scribbled some Korean characters on the paper. "Wua!" I exclaimed, imitating the actors on TV. "That's so cool that you can write Korean. I should learn that first."