Within These Shadows || Park Chanyeol/Do Kyungsoo || Book 1

2

"So that's all on micro and macro sociology. I expect all of you to read chapter 1 from the book I recommended. That will give you a clearer idea on the topic. Class dismissed. Take care, everyone" Professor Kang Woo Bin's voice echoed throughout the classroom.

Jay's first course for that semester: Sociology. She stayed rooted to her seat while everyone else started leaving theirs. She pushed her reading glasses up on the top of her head and focused on the words written on the board. The words "Micro Sociology" kept ringing a bell inside her. It gave rise to many questions in her head that she wasn't sure if she could ask her professor just yet. She'd have to wait for a couple of more classes.

"Sunbae-nim? Sunbae-nim? Jayline sunbae-nim?" A sweet voice came from Jay's right, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Yes?" Jay asked, blinking a few times. She tried to focus on the girl's face, trying to recognize her.

"The class is over. Won't you go to your next class?" The owner of the sweet voice- a small girl, long dyed-brown hair, white and blue stripped tucked-in shirt, denim shorts, bag hung from her shoulders, notebook in hand- stared at her with round, pretty eyes.

"Yes," Jay still looked dazed from her thoughts as she replied. She knew the girl but found it hard to remember her name. She could pretend to know her and would probably get away with it too. But she didn't want to, and she was too embarrassed to ask for her name.

"It's me sunbae-nim; Jung Yang Mi. I'm majoring in Law, 2nd year." The girl replied, upon understanding that her senior had once again, forgotten her name. She was quite used to it by now.

"Oh! Right, Yang Mi. Sorry, I keep forgetting your name. This is like the umpteenth time I'm forgetting it. I'm really not proud of my memory," Jay rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly before standing up to put her stationeries and notebook back in her bag. She slung the bag on her shoulder, across her chest and started getting out of the seating row, followed by Yang Mi.

"It's okay, sunbae-nim." The girl smiled affectionately. "And you should really stop saying that about your memory. Anyone who knows you in this college, would give anything just to have a memory and intelligence like yours."

"Now why would you say that?" Jay laughed, the two of them walking out of the classroom.

"You're one of the top five students in this entire college with an unparalleled GPA. And you're the only one in your major." Yang Mi had switched to her "fangirl" mode, causing Jay to laugh even more. "Sunbae-nim, tell me your secret! Please!" She was now walking with her face turned towards Jay, hands clasped in a gesture of plea.

"Yah," Jay stopped walking and turned to face the younger girl. "Stop this 'tell me your secret' nagging. And don't plead to anyone like that." She snatched the young girl's notebook from her hands and smacked her clasped hands lightly, causing her to stand straight. "If you want an unparalleled GPA, you need to become a bad witch. One that can't set her foot inside the church and pops up whenever people talk or think about her. Can you do that?" Jay asked, looking dead serious.

"Ah sunbae-nim! Don't mess with me, please!" Yang Mi puffed her cheeks, stamping her feet on the ground.

"Aigoo, aren't you a cute little baby troll," Jay chuckled and pulled Yang Mi's cheeks before handing her the notebook back. "Just focus on one thing at a time. If you're studying, then just study. Don't take time-offs in between for useless things such as dates with your boyfriend, by telling yourself that you'll study later. Understood?" The young girl nodded her head really fast. "Okay then, I'm leaving. Take care!" Jay turned to walk towards her next class, waving her hand as a farewell to Yang Mi.

"How is she that cool? I love her style," Yang Mi mumbled to herself, her eyes fixed on the back of the fading figure of Jay. "Maybe I should start dressing up like her? Would oppa be okay with that? No! If I want to do it, I'll do it! No time to waste on useless things like oppa's opinion! My soul shall become one with Jayline unnie's! You can do it! Fighting, Jung Yang Mi!" She brought her fist down, nodded with motivation and turned to walk along the corridor to her right, leading to her next class.