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As the two finally immersed themselves in their work, they sped through the first section they needed to complete. Suddenly, Jaemin got up from his chair. "Where's your bathroom?" he asked.
"Right when you leave my room, there's a bathroom to your right," she replied without lifting her head from her notebook.
He left her room without another word. "At least we can semi-tolerate each other," she mumbled to herself.
Just then, she heard a phone ringing and checked her own, seeing no notifications. "This idiot left his phone here," she muttered, getting up to grab it. "NingNing?" she read aloud.
"What are you doing with my phone?" Jaemin's voice came from the doorway, sharp and irritated.
"Someone named NingNing was calling you," she replied, holding it out to him.
He rushed toward her, snatching the phone from her hands. "I gotta go," he said, already moving toward the door.
"Seriously? You just got here!" she exclaimed, frustration spilling over.
"Yeah, well, this is more important," he shot back, not bothering to look at her.
Before she could respond, he was gone, leaving her standing there, a mix of irritation and disappointment swirling inside her. "Unbelievable," she muttered, sinking back into her chair, feeling the weight of their unfinished project hanging over her.
She stared at the door for a moment, still processing his abrupt exit. The frustration simmered inside her, but she knew she had to refocus on the project. With a sigh, she sank back into her chair and opened her notebook, trying to concentrate.
"Great, just great," she muttered to herself, flipping through her notes. She needed to push through, but the unfinished project loomed over her like a cloud. Every time she tried to concentrate, thoughts of Jaemin's attitude crept in.
"Why did I think working with him would be easy?" she wondered aloud, tapping her pen against the desk. She could feel the irritation building again, but she forced herself to breathe and get back to work.
After a few minutes, she picked up her laptop and began outlining their next steps. Just as she was getting into a rhythm, her phone buzzed again. It was a notification, but not a message. It was just a reminder about their project deadline, intensifying her sense of urgency.
With renewed determination, she dove back into her work, scribbling notes and trying to organize her thoughts. "If he thinks I'll let this slide, he's mistaken," she said to herself, feeling a mix of defiance and resolve.
Hours passed, and the sun began to set outside her window. She managed to make some progress, but it was hard not to feel the weight of Jaemin's absence. She just hoped he'd show up again ready to actually contribute.
