7 (Baekhyun)

Chapter 1

Time always seems to move especially slowly on Fridays. Maybe it's because our subconscious is anticipating the arrival of the weekend, making an hour of organic chemistry seem like a decade. As the professor droned on and on about conjugated systems and pericyclic reactions, I half-heartedly took down some lecture notes while struggling to keep my eyes open and focused on the power point presentation displayed at the front of the class.

A buzzing in my pocket pulls me out of the trance I'm in. I retrieve my phone from my pocket to see a new message notification from my best friend Jenny.

[Jenny]

I hope you got your dancing shoes on because we're going out tonight. Not taking no for an answer.

Slouching down in my seat, I tuck my hands under the table to discreetly text back without catching the professor's attention.

[Mia]

Sorry to disappoint you but I actually have my work shoes on today.

Not a minute later, I felt another vibration.

[Jenny]

As your best friend and roommate, I know for a fact that you're done with work by 7 and the night doesn't even start until 9 so you don't have an excuse!

Rolling my eyes, I knew that there is no point in trying to argue with Jenny. The word 'No' did not exist in her vocabulary. Deciding not to reply to her text, I shove my phone back in my jeans pocket and direct my focus to the front of the class.

The professor might as well have been spewing out gibberish with the amount of information I actually was able to retain in that class. I decide to let go of my obvious incompetence in the organic chemistry area and instead focus on my work shift that was starting in 5 minutes. I quickly slip out my clothes and put on my work uniform that consisted of black slacks and a white button down shirt. I tie my apron around my waist and prepare for the 7 hour shift at The Garden Café.

"That was the longest shift of my life!" I sigh dejectedly as I throw myself on the living room couch. It was now 7:30 at night and the exhaustion was already trying to lull me to sleep.

"Slow night?" Asked Jenny. She sat at the couch adjacent to the one I was currently occupying, watching TV and eating ice cream straight of the carton.

I met Jenny 5 years ago when I moved to Korea after my dad was transferred here for work. Adjusting to the language change wasn't too bad since my dad taught me the language at a young age. My grandpa married my grandma who is Korean when my dad was 2 years old after his maternal mother passed way. He moved to Korea at a young age and grew up there and so was fluent at the language. Even though I was born and raised in the US, my dad made sure I was well accustomed to the language he learned growing up. Now my parents live 20 minutes from my grandmother and grandfather's house while I go to college about an hour away, pursuing a degree in Biomechanics.

When I first started going to school, Jenny was very quick to befriend me, along with her best friend Lucky. It didn't take long for us to become close, and now we all attend the same college and live together in a small yet cozy apartment.

"Very, I barely made anything today." I reply as I stifle a yawn threatening to escape. I prop my feet up on the coffee table to relief some of the pain in my feet caused by hours of taking orders.

"Hence why you should go out tonight with me and Lucky!" she exclaims like it's the most brilliant idea she ever came up with.

"Yes, I should celebrate making no money off of tips by spending more money I don't have by going out. Makes perfect sense!" I sarcastically remark making Jenny roll her eyes.