Autumn Calculus

Ch.8.

Eun-ji entered the bustling cafeteria on Tuesday, a sense of dread bubbling in her stomach as she scanned the crowded tables. It was one of the busiest times of the day, and the line for food stretched far beyond what she could tolerate. She adjusted the strap of her heavy backpack and decided to wait for the chaos to die down, finding a spot near the windows where she could quietly observe the flow of students.

She was about to pull out her calculus notes when she spotted a familiar face—Min-seo, one of her classmates from biology, was waving her over. Min-seo was bubbly, always smiling, and someone Eun-ji hadn't had much of a chance to get to know. But something about the inviting expression made Eun-ji hesitate for only a second before walking over.

"Hey, Eun-ji! I saved you a seat!" Min-seo said cheerfully, gesturing to the empty chair beside her.

Eun-ji blinked in surprise. "Oh, um, thanks." She set her bag down and sat, a bit stiff and unsure how to navigate this unexpected social situation.

"No problem!" Min-seo grinned. "I see you in class all the time, but you're always so focused. I figured it was about time we had lunch together."

Eun-ji offered a tentative smile. "Yeah, I tend to get caught up in work..."

As they settled in, Eun-ji found herself actually enjoying Min-seo's light conversation about campus events, a recent movie night, and the challenges of balancing coursework with life. There was no pressure to be impressive or perfect—Min-seo seemed genuinely interested in simply getting to know her. It was a refreshing change from the academic world Eun-ji had been buried in for so long.

Halfway through lunch, Ji-hoon strolled into the cafeteria with his usual confident stride. He spotted them immediately and, with a grin, made his way over.

"Wow, Eun-ji, you're socializing!" Ji-hoon teased as he plopped down across from her without an invitation. "I thought you only had time for calculus."

Min-seo giggled, covering her mouth with one hand. "I guess we're special today, huh?"

Eun-ji shot Ji-hoon a narrow-eyed look, but she couldn't quite hide the smile tugging at her lips. "Don't get too excited. It's just lunch."

Ji-hoon raised his eyebrows in exaggerated surprise. "Lunch with friends. That's progress, Eun-ji!"

Min-seo beamed at the comment, clearly pleased to be considered part of a budding friendship. Eun-ji, feeling the warmth of their shared camaraderie, was about to retort when another voice interrupted.

"Hey, Ji-hoon!" A girl with short, stylish hair waved enthusiastically from a few tables away. It was Ha-rin, a mutual friend from Ji-hoon's art elective.

"Oh, perfect timing!" Ji-hoon said, waving Ha-rin over. "Guys, this is Ha-rin. She's an amazing artist, always sketching something cool between classes."

Ha-rin joined them, setting her sketchbook down on the table with a shy smile. "Hey, everyone. Sorry to crash, but Ji-hoon said you're cool company."

Eun-ji felt a little overwhelmed as the table filled up with laughter and chatter, but for the first time, it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. She listened, chimed in here and there, and found herself relaxing more with each passing minute.

Ha-rin, with her easygoing attitude, quickly clicked with Min-seo, and they started exchanging stories about the latest art gallery on campus. Ji-hoon kept drawing Eun-ji into the conversation, making light jokes and nudging her to share more about her own life outside of academics—though she didn't have much to offer besides her study routine and a few facts about calculus that only seemed to amuse him.

As lunch ended, Ji-hoon stood, stretching dramatically. "Alright, ladies, back to the grind. But what do you think about meeting up this Friday night? There's an open mic event downtown. It could be fun."

"Sounds amazing!" Min-seo said without hesitation.

Ha-rin nodded enthusiastically. "I'm in."

Eun-ji hesitated, feeling the weight of her pending assignments. She opened her mouth to decline, but Ji-hoon gave her a knowing look—a subtle reminder of their earlier conversations about balance and taking breaks.

"Come on, Eun-ji," he urged gently. "Just one night. You can bring your notes if you want, and I'll buy you coffee."

There was something in his tone that made it hard to say no, and she found herself nodding before she could think it through. "Alright... but only for a little while."

Ji-hoon's grin was triumphant, and Min-seo clapped her hands together in delight. "Yes! This is going to be so fun!"

Ha-rin gathered her sketchbook, flashing a warm smile at Eun-ji. "It'll be nice to hang out. We could all use a break."

They left the cafeteria together, and Eun-ji felt lighter than she had in a long time, surrounded by the friendly chatter of her classmates. As they walked across campus, Ji-hoon fell into step beside her, hands shoved into his pockets, a lazy smile on his face.

"You did great back there," he said quietly, so only she could hear. "It's nice seeing you open up."

Eun-ji glanced at him, a little embarrassed but also strangely proud. "It's... not as bad as I thought it would be."

Ji-hoon chuckled. "Told you so. Maybe you'll even start enjoying it."

She shook her head, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. "Don't push it."

They parted ways at the main building, and Eun-ji couldn't help but think about how different her week was turning out. She had expected nothing more than lectures and lonely study sessions, but somehow, a few unexpected friendships and a persistent upperclassman were slowly changing her carefully constructed world.

As she headed to her afternoon lecture, her phone buzzed with a message—Min-seo had created a group chat with Ji-hoon and Ha-rin, already planning out their Friday night. Eun-ji hesitated, then typed a quick reply, feeling a flutter of excitement that was entirely new.

The next few days passed in a blur of classes, notes, and moments of laughter stolen in between. Eun-ji found herself sitting with Min-seo and Ha-rin more often, chatting about everything from professors to upcoming events on campus. They were becoming an unexpected but welcome part of her routine, filling her days with more than just equations and textbooks.

By Friday, she was actually looking forward to their night out, even if it was just a brief detour from her studies. She had a feeling that, with this group, even a few hours away from her responsibilities might just be worth it.