Home With You ⸺ y.jw

OO5.⠀ Campus Life

Yoorin had to admit—being on campus was a huge relief. As much as the situation with Jungwon was starting to settle, there was something refreshing about being surrounded by people who weren't involved in her strange living arrangement. The university was buzzing with students rushing between classes, laughing in groups, or lounging around the quad with coffee cups and textbooks in hand.

It was a bright morning, and Yoorin had just finished her literature class. She was strolling through the campus, enjoying the autumn air, when her phone buzzed. It was Sooyun.

Sooyun: How's living with your roommate? ;)

Yoorin sighed and rolled her eyes, typing a quick reply.

Yoorin: Stop teasing me. It's fine.
Kind of. We made some rules.

Sooyun: LOL rules? You two are
like an old married couple already!

Yoorin: NO, we're not!

Sooyun: Sure, sure. Anyway, come
meet me at the café. I want details.

Yoorin put her phone away, groaning. Sooyun would never let this go. She headed to the campus café, already mentally preparing herself for another round of teasing.

The café was busy, filled with students hunched over laptops or chatting between sips of coffee. Yoorin spotted Sooyun in the back corner, waving her over with a huge grin on her face.

"So," Sooyun said as soon as Yoorin sat down, "how's living with Mr. Perfect? Has he driven you crazy yet?"

Yoorin rolled her eyes again, though she couldn't stop a small smile from tugging at her lips. "He's not that perfect. And yes, he's annoying."

Sooyun leaned forward, eyes sparkling with excitement. "But he's cute, right?"

Yoorin felt her face heat up. She couldn't deny that part. Jungwon was cute. Too cute. But there was no way she was admitting that to Sooyun.

"That's not the point," Yoorin muttered, avoiding eye contact. "He's... responsible and calm and just—ugh, he acts like this whole thing is no big deal."

Sooyun snickered. "Sounds like he's got you figured out."

Yoorin shot her a glare. "I'm not that complicated."

"Oh, really?" Sooyun smirked. "Look, Yoorin, you have to admit, it's kind of a good situation. You could've ended up with some creepy weirdo, but instead, you get to live with a guy who's cute and nice. What's there to complain about?"

Yoorin opened her mouth to argue but stopped. Sooyun had a point. Jungwon wasn't awful, and they were starting to work things out. Still, living with a guy wasn't what she'd planned for her first year of college.

"I just want my own space," Yoorin said finally, sipping her iced coffee. "But... I guess it could be worse."

Sooyun grinned, looking entirely too pleased with herself. "I knew it. You're starting to warm up to him, aren't you?"

Yoorin groaned. "I'm not! We're just... learning how to deal with each other."

"Uh-huh," Sooyun said, clearly unconvinced. "Well, whatever happens, I'm here for all the drama. You know where to find me when things get interesting."

Yoorin rolled her eyes but smiled. "You're the worst."

"I try," Sooyun said with a wink, taking a sip of her coffee. "Anyway, I'm headed to my design class. Want to walk with me?"

Yoorin shook her head. "I've got some work to do at the library. Rain check?"

"Sure thing," Sooyun said, grabbing her bag. "Text me later, though. I want updates."

Yoorin waved her off, feeling a little lighter after their conversation. She made her way to the library, ready to focus on her assignments and forget about the weirdness of her living situation for a while.

✦

A couple of hours later, as Yoorin sat in a quiet corner of the library, her peace was interrupted by the sound of someone plopping down in the chair across from her. She looked up and groaned internally. Of course.

Jungwon grinned at her from across the table, his hair still a bit messy, and his backpack slung over one shoulder. "Fancy seeing you here."

Yoorin frowned. "Why are you sitting with me? There are like... a hundred other places to sit."

Jungwon shrugged, pulling out his laptop. "This is the best spot. Good lighting, quiet, and bonus—I know someone here."

Yoorin glared at him. "That's not a bonus."

He chuckled softly, clearly enjoying her irritation. "You know, for someone who made rules about not getting in each other's way, you're pretty bad at avoiding me."

"I'm not avoiding you," Yoorin snapped, her voice a little louder than intended. A couple of students nearby glanced over at them. She lowered her voice, leaning in. "I just don't want you here. Go sit somewhere else."

Jungwon smirked but didn't move. "I'm studying, same as you. It's not like I'm bothering you."

Yoorin huffed, turning back to her laptop. She wasn't going to argue with him in the middle of the library. "Fine. But don't talk to me."

Jungwon chuckled again, opening his laptop. "Deal."

For the next hour, they sat in silence, each focused on their own work. But no matter how hard she tried, Yoorin couldn't completely ignore him. His presence was... distracting. Not in a bad way, but not in a good way either. It was just there. She found herself glancing over at him every now and then, wondering why he always seemed so relaxed, even in the middle of all this chaos.

Eventually, Yoorin gave up on concentrating. She closed her laptop and stood up. "I'm going to get a coffee."

Jungwon didn't look up from his screen. "Get me one too?"

Yoorin hesitated, then rolled her eyes. "Fine."

As she walked to the café counter inside the library, she found herself thinking about how easily Jungwon had integrated himself into her life. It wasn't what she'd wanted, but it also wasn't... terrible. She just wasn't sure how to feel about that.

She grabbed the coffees and returned to the table, placing one in front of Jungwon. He looked up, smiling that annoyingly cute smile. "Thanks."

Yoorin sat down, trying to ignore the warmth spreading across her cheeks. "Don't get used to it."

Jungwon's grin widened. "Too late."