First Study Date
Saturday morning for exam studying. On any other weekend, she would've slept in lazily, but Baek Isul's room was bustling from early dawn.
"Haa..." Standing in front of the mirror, Isul let out a deep sigh that seemed to cave the ground beneath her. Her gaze fell on the bed, cluttered with clothes piled so high there was no room to step—a stark contrast to her usually neat personality.
What the hell should I even wear? She held up a light, airy pale yellow dress to the mirror, then grimaced and tossed it onto the bed with a flick.
"Hah... I'm insane. Like this is a date or something? It's just studying for exams, why a dress?" She muttered to herself like a scolding, but her flushed earlobes showed no sign of cooling down.
Yesterday, on the way home from school. Swept up in the moment under the umbrella, she'd thrown out the promise in a huff. The excuse was purely for finals prep, so she'd planned to just throw on comfy track pants or a hoodie like always. But...
It's our first time alone together on a weekend. What if I show up too casual and he sees me and gets disappointed? Isul spun around and started rummaging through her closet again.
"Right. He's dressing more properly these days too. If I'm the only one slacking on my outfit, that's rude. Yeah, exactly." She nodded, feeding herself a perfectly plausible excuse.
After much deliberation, she picked a shirt that fell gracefully along her lines without looking too done-up, paired it with light blue jeans, and stood before the mirror.
"This should give off the vibe like I just casually stepped out from home." She fussed with her outfit from every angle, then sat at her vanity and even dotted on light makeup she never usually bothered with.
Staring at her reflection—more vibrant and subtly flushed than usual—Isul shook her head vigorously.
"Ugh, seriously... why am I going this far..." In the end, she left her wrecked room as-is, grabbed her bag in a rush, and headed to the living room.
"Mom! Heading to the library!" She yelled while jamming her feet into her shoes crookedly, bolting out the front door before her mother's reply even finished.
But moments later.
Beep- ring! The door lock chimed, and Isul burst back in less than a minute after leaving.
"Mom, wait!" Brushing past her puzzled mother, she slammed her bedroom door shut with a thud.
"...Feels like I didn't do enough. Maybe layer something on top? Or a spritz of perfume..." And so, her tearful outing prep dragged on for another thirty minutes before it truly wrapped up.
The promised time crept toward 1 p.m. Hard to believe the terrifying downpour from yesterday—the Saturday sky was spotless blue and crystal clear.
The wide city plaza buzzed with weekend crowds, but Nam Siu's attention was glued to the black screen of his phone.
Did I overdo it...? Isul's probably coming casual and comfy. He kept checking his reflection and outfit on the screen, swallowing dryly.
The lens technique he'd learned from Seo Juwon after dozens of insults. And the results of binge-watching YouTube men's summer coords all night in bed. He looked tall, neat—no trace of the hesitant, sneaky Nam Siu from months ago.
But a changed exterior didn't mean his insides had caught up.
Still, it's our first time alone outside school with Isul...! Siu rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants and swallowed again, nerves buzzing.
"Nam Siu."
A voice pierced the plaza's clamor straight into his ears. Siu jolted and whipped around.
"Whoa, you're here?" His mouth fell open unwittingly.
Expecting baggy hoodie or tracksuit, his assumptions shattered. A white short-sleeve shirt hugging her figure beautifully, light jeans making her long legs look endless. Under her glossy black bob swaying in the summer sun, her lips gleamed unusually vibrant, stealing his gaze instantly.
She approached with clipped steps, face nonchalant like it was no big deal, stopping right in front of him.
"What. You got here early." She scanned him up and down, then spoke flatly.
"Let's go. I know a good cafe around here for studying." Isul turned sharply and led the way. Her bob swung, flashing her pale white neck past Siu's eyes.
She didn't seem overly dressed up, but definitely not casual throw-on either. Siu's mood lifted; he hurried to catch up beside her.
Ding-a-ling— The spot Isul led him to was a spacious two-story cafe off the main drag: cool AC, calm vibes.
They naturally claimed a corner window seat on the second floor, facing each other.
"What do you want? I'll grab it."
"Nah. I suggested it, so I'm buying. You're getting iced tea anyway, right?" As Siu reached for his wallet, Isul snatched her card decisively and headed downstairs.
A while later, she returned balancing two large coffees, plunking a thick workbook on the table with a thud as she sat.
"Okay, no distractions. Real studying only. Ask if you're stuck."
Her words screamed strict study mode, but the air between their open books felt miles from a library's scholarly hush.
Scratch, scratch. Only the mechanical pencil tips rolling over paper circled the table.
Siu fixed his eyes on the math workbook, but nothing sank in. The cool AC breeze brushing from across kept teasing, laced with Isul's faint scent tickling his nose. And every time she leaned forward, her slender neckline peeked from her white collar, scrambling his nerves.
Driving me crazy. Can't focus at all. Ten minutes into problem one, fiddling his pencil uselessly—
"You..."
Isul, quietly solving across from him, looked up abruptly.
"Wh-what?! Why? I wasn't looking at you!"
Like a thief caught red-handed, Siu straightened bolt upright. Isul propped her chin, poking at him with her pen tip.
"What, why so jumpy? Were you staring?"
She chuckled softly, then slid her workbook forward at his flustered babble.
"Explain this one. Can't get it even with the answers."
Siu calmed his racing heart at the sudden problem thrust in his face.
Right. Isul came to actually study hard for finals. Can't be slacking. Chastising himself, he cleared his throat, gripped his pen, and calmly walked through the solution.
About an hour passed with just pencil scratches and the occasional clink of ice in glasses between them.
Siu had settled his initial jitters, channeling long-lost focus into his problems.
"Hoo..."
Isul set her pen down first. She rolled her stiff neck side to side with a mini-stretch, slurping her half-melted iced Americano.
Then, chin-propped, she stared openly at Siu across from her.
Scratch, scratch. Smooth nose bridge without glasses. Serious eyes slightly downturned in concentration.
...Not bad at all. No wonder eyes keep landing on him lately. Isul mused inwardly. Especially sandwiched between Juwon and Geon, his charms stood out more. Innocent face matching his personality, slimmer build than most guys his age. The thought twisted her gut ever so slightly.
She waited ages for him to finish. Finally, as Siu solved the last one, set his pen down, and looked up to wet his throat— their eyes met. He froze.
"Wh-why? Something on my face?"
"You."
Her low voice dropped onto the quiet table.
"Wore lenses today. Glasses at school, though."
"Ah, lenses still feel off. Glasses are comfier there."
Siu fidgeted awkwardly around his eyes, then ventured shyly: "Glasses look better, right...?"
Classic insecure-Siu question on his looks. Isul eyed his anxious gaze a moment, then shrugged lightly.
"Hm... Nah. Told you before. Lenses suit you more."
Siu's blank face lit up in an instant. Her blunt praise felt like payback for wrestling lenses under Juwon's abuse.
"But."
Thud. Isul set her coffee down firmly, adding decisively:
"Wear glasses at school."
"Huh? Why?"
His wide-eyed fluster made her glance away to her workbook.
"Just do it. No backtalk."
"Uh... o-okay. Got it."
His instant nod and blindly trusting, soft eyes threw her off instead—reminding her of the puppy from childhood.
"Ahem... right. Enough chit-chat. Next page."
She fake-coughed, tapping the book. Ignoring Siu's beaming grin from that itchy feeling, they buried back in, pencils scratching away.
"Isul, gotta hit the bathroom."
Siu stood, but took ages returning—with a small plate in hand. A slice topped with a cute red strawberry on white cream.
"What's this?"
"Uh... you only had coffee, thought you might be hungry. Sugar low time too."
He scratched his head, sitting. Isul furrowed her brow, pouting.
"Don't like sweets much."
"Yeah, I know. You skip sugary stuff."
"Then why..."
"But strawberry milk's fine. Hates sticky sweet, but likes strawberries... Got syrup-free cake on purpose. Bad...?"
His eyes drooped pitifully; Isul's words caught in her throat.
"...No."
She speared a strawberry with her fork, popping it in.
"Not bad. Tasty."
Tart-sweet strawberry burst in her mouth, an undeniable soft smile blooming on her red lips.
Siu's mouth curved in relief at the sight.
As thick orange sunset draped the cafe window, they finally wrapped the long session and stood.
"Already 6. Dinner? My treat."
Siu's now-natural offer got a nod from Isul. They hit a quiet pasta spot nearby for dinner.
Even eating, chatter flowed: exam subjects, school tidbits. First alone-time awkwardness melted softly into the early summer night air.
Quiet alley with streetlights flickering on. Their shadows stretched side by side.
Not the tight umbrella like yesterday, but the odd tension and ticklish air lingered between them.
"Today..."
At her apartment complex entrance, Siu stopped, grinning shyly.
"Thanks. Studying together was great, dinner tasty..."
"Psh, I suggested it."
Isul fiddled her strap, tapping the ground with her toe.
A brief, reluctant silence brushed past.
"Alright... see you Monday at school!"
As Siu waved and turned—
"Nam Siu."
"Huh?"
She called him back. Under the streetlight, her eyes met his straight on.
"When do exams start again?"
"Wednesday after next, right?"
"One more weekend left then."
She tucked hair behind her ear, turning away.
"Next Saturday too. Study together or whatever."
She spun and walked to the entrance before his reply. Siu stared blankly at her back a beat, then couldn't hold back the bursting laugh—clenching his fist in silent cheer.
Finals looming next week? Nah—next Saturday felt insanely farther and sweeter.