Remember My Name

3 - The Happy Hormones

A fort of books on top of the table hid Yejin from the library goers. She buried her face on the 800-pager microbiology textbook in front of her, trying to digest the words that seemed alien to her vocabulary.

She tried to memorize the different terms she just read, but failed miserably. Yejin was in a verge of crying due to frustration when a bunch of bananas was laid in front of her.

She looked up and she saw Bin with the biggest grin on his face. Yejin laughed at the randomness and craziness of what just happened. Why did Bin gave her a bunch of bananas and how did he sneak this inside the library?

As if answering her unspoken question, Bin sat beside her and said, "Did you know that studying without breaks might be counterproductive and there's a higher chance you won't exactly remember what you're studying?"

"Gee, thanks." Yejin said sarcastically.

"You need to relax your brain, Yejin-ah." Bin said, grabbing a banana in front of her, "since we have two exams for tomorrow, practical exam for our suturing skills and a written exam for microbiology, Here's what we're gonna do: every time you feel that your brain isn't retaining any information from that book, we'll practice suturing using this banana; and since you already know the techniques by heart, you won't get too stressed, Yejin-ah." Bin took his suture kit out of his bag and smiled at her, relieving all her worries and frustrations.

Although, she wasn't sure if its his words or his smile that was the reason of her consolation. Maybe it's both.

Bin began suturing the banana in front of him, and Yejin followed with her own. Her nerves were somehow calmed, all thanks to Bin.

Bin finished first, and he grabbed another banana. Yejin thought that he'll practice another suture, but he instead peeled the banana and took a bite. He offered her some, to which she happily obliged. "Did you know," Bin said, still chewing the sweet fruit, "bananas contain tryptophan— a type of protein that your body converts into serotonin, making you relaxed after eating one." Bin offered the banana he's holding once again, and Yejin took a big bite this time, still focused on her suturing.

A few moments later, Yejin showed the perfectly sutured banana to Bin, looking like a little girl showing a drawing of a house to her mom.

"Whoah, Yejin-ah, your sutures are perfect. If our professor didn't give you a perfect score tomorrow, I am going to tell him to get his eyes checked" Bin said, cheering her up and making her smile again.

"Yours are nicer!"

"Then let's just call it a tie," Bin winked at her and motioned to move her face closer to him, as if he has something to whisper to her.

When she moved her face towards him, Bin stole a kiss from her lips.

"Ya!" Yejin protested, but laughing anyway, "the librarian might see us!"

"I'll just tell her that I'm helping you study," He explained while he fiddled through the books in the table, "kissing releases endorphins and oxytocin that can help you relax and study better!"

Yejin nodded her head as if agreeing to what Bin is saying. Suddenly, Yejin moved towards him again and kissed him on the lips. Yejin laughed as Bin was totally caught offguard.

"What? We need more oxytocin!"

—

A loud ringing woke Bin up. Coupled with the strong vibrations of the phone against his right butt cheek, he failed to ignore the call.