Take Our Time | Bbangsaz

Chapter 4

"I don't get it."

Hanni was contemplating jumping out the window of this dorm room to escape this nightmare. They were into the third session of their whole arrangement, and Hanni begged the universe to make Minji's ankle heal quicker. She was sitting in front of Minji atop her bed.

"What do you mean you don't get it?"

Minji looked at Hanni like she was crazy. "What do you mean the mitochondria isn't the powerhouse of the cell?!"

"Well, our professor was talking about it today. He said that prokaryotes use simplified biochemical oxidation-reduction reactions to generate cellular energy and do not require mitochondria. Therefore..."

Minji had a glazed look in her eye. "Yah! Why did you major in biology if you're going to act like this?!"

"Biology is boring."

"That didn't answer my question."

Minji mumbled something that Hanni couldn't hear too well. "I...biology...undergraduate...dinosaurs...master's."

"What?"

Minji tilted her head up and sighed. "I need to study biology so I can get an undergraduate degree and get a degree to study dinosaurs, and I need to get a masters in that, too."

"Dinosaurs, huh? You know what? I remember when we used to play when we were kids, you always wanted to play dinosaurs. You always talked about being some sort of orni-something."

"Ornithischians, for your information. They're the dinosaurs that have pelvic bones shaped like birds."
"Okay, nerd."

Minji side-eyed her and scoffed. "Last I recall, you joined that advanced biology class and would not stop talking about Punnett squares like they were fun."

"They are! Think of it! It's just biology multiplied by biology!"

"Nerd." Minji parroted.
Hanni laughed and shoved her shoulder. "I guess we've always been nerds, huh?"

Minji smiled at her fondly. "Yeah."

Hanni mirrored the same smile, and the two were lost in their bubble. But then it seemed Minji regained her senses and cleared her throat. She went back to her usual passive face. "Anyway, let's get back to it?"

"Have you eaten at all today?" No answer. "Minji! You know coach flips out when none of us have eaten anything."

"In my defence, trying to figure out whatever gibberish biology is has taken up my entire time to the point I haven't thought about food. Who cares, anyway?" Minji was starting to fidget.

"I care! Now, tell me what you want to eat." She jumped off the bed and reached for her phone to find a suitable takeout place.

"No." She was wringing her hands.

"Aw, c'mon. Don't be like that. I'll order us something. Just tell me what you want." Hanni was already putting her shoes back on.

"Hanni, just stop it." Minji sat up from her position on the bed. "Don't do whatever this is."

"What? What are you talking about?" Hanni furrowed her brows in confusion.

"This! You pretend to care!"

"Pretending? I care! That's why I agreed to take care of you. Do you think I'm doing this because of our coach? I'm hurt that you think that, Minji." Hanni was trying to be sincere.

"No! Don't say it like that. You're doing this because coach made you, and that's fine with me. You don't have to pretend."

"Except I'm not! Geez, Minji, is it that hard to believe I want to ensure your well-being?!"