First Semester (3)
The days of the first week flew by in a whirlwind.
Even though the classes first-years took were pretty much all the same, I kept crossing paths with Choi Geon-woo and Kim Tae-yang more than anyone else.
I had two classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and both of them were shared with Choi Geon-woo and Kim Tae-yang.
It really feels like the universe is pushing us to meet.
I'd registered for classes back when I didn't even know them, so how come those two kept showing up in every lecture… Especially when I saw Kim Tae-yang hassling me, I wanted to curse the heavens.
"Hey, Park A-yeong! You ignoring me or what?"
No matter how he tried to approach me, pick fights, and annoy me, Geon-woo oppa would always step in and shut it down.
"Tae-yang, cut it out already. A-yeong said she doesn't like it."
Every time, that intense body scent would hit my nose. Whether there were people around or not, it got me excited and left me flustered.
God… it's getting harder and harder to hold back…
It had only been a few days since I'd left his arms, but my body was screaming for a man. If I didn't satisfy this urge soon, something dangerous was going to happen.
I endured those few days in that precarious tension, and then Friday arrived.
At 10:20 a.m., I headed to the lecture hall for the required course Academic English Writing that the entire SSC Group 1 was taking.
A few days of commuting had made campus life somewhat familiar, but today I was unusually nervous. Since I hadn't attended orientation, there weren't many familiar faces, and some I was seeing for the first time.
I carefully opened the classroom door, and more than ten pairs of eyes snapped toward me. Most were sturdy guys, but two girls caught my attention.
"A-yeong, right? Sit over here."
Among the girls, a cheerful-looking one with brown-dyed hair waved me over.
I glanced at Choi Geon-woo, then sat next to the girls.
"First time seeing you today? I'm Min-ji. Lee Min-ji. This is Kim Ji-su."
"Hi, A-yeong. Let's get along."
"Y-yeah. Nice to meet you."
As I sat there fidgeting, Min-ji started chattering away again.
"Aren't the guys in our department seriously buff? Earlier I thought they all looked like gym trainers."
Ji-su nodded at Min-ji's words and added,
"Right. Especially…"
Kim Ji-su trailed off, looking somewhere. Following her gaze, I saw Kim Tae-yang snickering in the corner of the classroom.
"He's kinda sketchy. Don't you think so, A-yeong?"
I nodded in agreement. It was a little comforting to know that these two felt the same way I did.
While chatting with them, I glanced back slightly, and Geon-woo oppa met my eyes and gave a light wave. When I waved back a little, Lee Min-ji's eyes narrowed slyly.
"What, you already got a guy you're close with even though you skipped OT? What's that about~"
"No, it's nothing like that…"
That was when it happened.
A creak sounded. Kim Tae-yang, who'd been snickering in the corner, had somehow come up to the seat in front of us and was looking down at us at an angle.
"What are you girls chatting about that's so fun? Without including me, huh."
Min-ji's expression hardened instantly. Ji-su also averted her gaze and hunched her shoulders.
"We weren't talking about anything special. Class is about to start, so why don't you go back to your seat?"
Min-ji snapped, but Kim Tae-yang lightly ignored her and turned his head toward me.
"Hey, hang out with me too, yeah? Acting so damn high and mighty."
In an instant, the classroom atmosphere turned icy. With a sneering laugh, his gaze openly fixed on my chest.
It was incredibly unpleasant. Maybe because I was so furious, I didn't catch that strange scent I'd felt before.
"Hey, Kim Tae-yang. Stop staring at her like that and just go."
Min-ji slightly blocked me and said irritably. Then Kim Tae-yang's eyes turned fierce for a moment. The guy glared at Min-ji with a crooked posture.
"Did I talk to you? Shut up, you ugly bitch, and stay out of it."
The classroom atmosphere grew more and more hostile. Just as Kim Tae-yang reached out to grab my wrist—
"Tae-yang. Aren't you embarrassed doing this in front of everyone?"
A familiar voice rang out. I turned my head and saw Choi Geon-woo standing up from his seat and walking this way.
Choi Geon-woo pushed Kim Tae-yang aside and stood in front of me. Instantly, a thick scent began to fill the air. I looked up at Choi Geon-woo's back.
No way…
"If you're gonna do something, do it privately, or at least read the room. Why are you ruining the mood, Tae-yang."
Before I could even think, Choi Geon-woo's low voice resonated.
"Ah, hyung, just stay out of—"
"You wanna keep going? Just go back to your seat. Class is about to start."
Kim Tae-yang furrowed his brows hard and twisted his lips, but he couldn't push any further.
"Ah, fuck…"
The guy spat out a curse, grabbed his bag, and left the classroom. Only then did the hostile atmosphere slowly ease. Ji-su and Min-ji let out the sighs of relief they'd been holding.
"Everyone okay? That bastard crossed the line a bit."
Choi Geon-woo turned around and looked down at us as he asked. The cold demeanor he'd used to suppress Kim Tae-yang was gone, replaced by a friendly smile.
"Yes… thank you."
"I tried talking to him nicely, but he still doesn't get it. If anything happens, contact me."
He lightly patted my shoulder as if to reassure me. The moment his large, firm palm touched me, a strangely sweet scent wafted up.
Ah…
That reliable hand that had protected me, and this scent—somehow, my lower belly tingled sharply.
"Alright, everyone take your seats. Let's start class."
Just then, the front door opened and the professor entered. Choi Geon-woo gave me a light nod of greeting and returned to his seat.
I sat in my chair and tried to calm my pounding heart.
Before I knew it, the roughly one-hour class was over. Once the professor left the classroom, the heavy atmosphere that had been lingering finally dispersed.
"Wow, today really drained me. All sorts of crazy stuff happening."
Min-ji clicked her tongue as she packed her bag. Ji-su nodded as if exhausted too.
"It's lunchtime—are you guys going to eat?"
At my question, Min-ji and Ji-su waved their hands.
"Nah, our places are close to school so we can get home quick. We're just gonna eat at home. No afternoon classes today either."
"Yeah. A-yeong, have a good weekend and see you next week."
The two left light goodbyes and exited the classroom first.
Before long, the surroundings had emptied out. The male students also scattered in groups.
My roommate Hui-yeong had said she had a lunch appointment with her department classmates today. I wondered what to do for lunch.
Maybe just grab something quick at the convenience store and head back.
Just as I stood up and slung my bag over my shoulder—
"A-yeong."
A familiar low voice came from behind. When I turned my head, Choi Geon-woo was approaching me.
"Your friends all left?"
"Ah… yes. They said their homes are nearby so they left right away."
"I was about to go for lunch—wanna come with? I got a recommendation for a really good place nearby."
He asked with a smile. At that suggestion, I lightly nodded.
Se-yeong was in class, and Hui-yeong had her appointment. Normally I'd just eat alone, but eating with someone else would be better.
I followed Choi Geon-woo. The two of us soon entered a ramen shop near the school’s main gate.
As soon as we stepped inside, a rich broth aroma hit us. Being a popular spot, the interior was fairly packed with students.
"The ramen here is really good. A-yeong, what do you want?"
"I'll have the tonkotsu ramen."
After we sat at a table and ordered, he scooped some pickled vegetables from the corner onto a plate and poured water, placing it in front of me.
Once he finished setting things up, he looked at me and started sharing his thoughts on the earlier class.
"Don't worry about what happened earlier."
"Yes. Still, I didn't expect him to do that in front of everyone…"
"I'll talk to him properly."
He reassured me with an easygoing smile. Soon he started talking about things that had happened this week. Chatting with him, the tension that had been wound tight throughout class gradually loosened.
Escaping the sight of that ugly Kim Tae-yang, it felt like I was returning to ordinary daily life.
A little later, steaming ramen arrived. I stirred the broth and tasted it first with a spoon.
As my stomach settled, hunger kicked in. After that, the two of us focused silently on eating lunch. While eating his ramen for a while, Choi Geon-woo suddenly asked as if remembering something.
"Oh, right. A-yeong. Did you check the text I sent on Monday? After you replied, I sent one more."
"A text?"
I stopped my chopsticks and looked at him. I remembered exchanging short messages with oppa on Monday, but I tried to recall if another text had come after that.
"Yeah. I asked if you were free this Friday evening. To grab a meal together."
"Ah… just a sec."
I hurriedly pulled out my phone. As soon as I turned on the screen, dozens of group chats and notifications were piled up. Scrolling down, sure enough, there was a message from Choi Geon-woo on Monday.
"Ah, I'm sorry. The text got buried under other ones, so I didn't even know it came."
"Nah, that can happen. No need to apologize."
Oppa smiled as if it were no big deal and took a sip of the broth.
"So, it's tonight already—are you free? I thought you might feel awkward coming alone, so I contacted Se-yeong and Hui-yeong separately, and they said they're coming too."
"Ah, really? Then, well… I should go too."
At my answer, he showed a good-natured smile.
Whether it was thanks to the warm ramen broth, or thanks to Choi Geon-woo being considerate of me…
As I swallowed a mouthful of the warm broth, my body that had been stiff with tension all morning felt a little looser.
With my mind that had been chaotic from the sudden argument calming a bit, I finished the remaining ramen with a more relaxed heart.