The Final Blank and the Clingy Senior
Damn, you're not moving, so... what the hell was this again? I reread the last problem, but the answer just wouldn't come to me. I knew it was in my memory somewhere, but my hand wouldn't budge over the answer sheet. It was asking what FOMO stood for and what it meant. Right as the glum-faced TA strode into the lecture hall, I'd glanced at that printout one last time and seen something similar. If it had been multiple choice, I could've guessed from the options, but university exams are all short-answer. Everything else was filled in densely enough. It wasn't super satisfying for the time I'd put in, but it at least showed I'd studied—a solid B-level sheet.
I rolled the pen around on my hand, but still no answer. I glanced up at the clock on the front blackboard: about ten minutes left. If I could just wrack my brain harder for those ten minutes—Argh, seriously! Just as I was sinking deeper into thought, a grumpy twinge leaked from my lower belly. I dropped the mechanical pencil right there. With my focus shattered, the scraps of knowledge I'd held onto flushed away like toilet water. For real. If it weren't for my damn period, I'd have filled this blank too! No point dwelling on it anymore; the answer wasn't coming. I gathered my exam paper and answer sheet, stood up, and headed to the front to turn it in with my stuff.
"Good work."
The TA who took it gave a slight smile and a greeting. He'd looked like he was chewing shit the whole exam, but now that it was paid work... I knew exactly what that smile meant, so his "good work" didn't exactly lift my spirits. I gave a small nod and casually turned to scan the room. Almost no one left keeping their seats. Seoeun, Chaewon, and Dayeon must've already bounced. No one to say bye to anyway, so I slipped quietly out. And with that, my first semester was finally toast.
"Yuwon! Did you get that last problem?"
Before I could even savor my freedom, a cute little thing trotted up from the end of the hallway and hit me with a question out of nowhere. Chaewon. I shook my head lightly. That last one—the one I'd left blank.
"You?"
"Couldn't get it either. Didn't even ring a bell."
"Wait, I think it's on the summary printout."
I swung my bag around to the front, pulled out the condensed notes. FOMO, Fear of Missing Out. Fear of losing opportunities, the dread of missing out on investment or buying chances. Ah, finally—Professor's deep voice explaining it all came back to me. Just then, Seoeun and Dayeon emerged side by side from the bathroom at the hall's end. Seoeun's face was stiff—probably unhappy with her answers. Dayeon, though, was all sunshine.
"Seo Dayeon, looks like you aced it?"
"Nah, bombed it."
Her voice was so bright and innocent that Seoeun shook her head beside her. Guess Seoeun's grim look wasn't just from tanking the exam.
"Anyway, it's over! Summer break! The beach!"
Dayeon threw her hands up with total glee. Right on cue, the lecture hall door slid open, and the TA who'd smiled at me earlier glared at us four.
"You lot, there are still people taking the exam. Go chatter outside."
"S-sorry!"
Seoeun and Dayeon bowed quick and scurried off. I gently grabbed Chaewon's arm as she followed, whispering in her ear.
"Chaewon, I'm gonna hit the bathroom real quick."
"Oh, yeah. Hey, Yuwon, you're good today, right?"
"Yeah, last day and all. Thanks for worrying."
~ Truth be told, unlike Dayeon yelling her head off in the hall, we four weren't heading straight to the beach. The pension her dad hooked up was mid-August—over a month and a half away. And she was already this hyped. Can't rein her in.
In the stall, I shook my head faintly while peeling the bloodied pad from my panties. Anyway, one thing was sure: liberation. The long—or short?—first semester was done, and my period too. The flow had definitely lightened. A panty liner should do it now. Looked like the last day, but my lower belly still felt off—might drag into tomorrow. I rolled up the pad, tossed it in the trash, and grabbed a thin liner from my pouch instead of a thick one, sticking it to the crotch. This routine was second nature now. At first, I could barely look at a used pad. Now I checked it straight-on to gauge my condition. And I didn't let on about my period around others anymore. Though sharp ones like these girls could tell anyway.
Out of the stall, I washed my hands at the sink. Spritzed some perfume on my wrists I'd brought just in case of any whiff, then slipped out. Exams done, but I planned to chill at home today. Light lunch with the girls, then back to my studio, hot pack on my belly, binge the webtoons and novels I'd backloged. They knew my deal, so we set afterparty for the weekend, not today.
As I walked the hall toward the building exit—
"Yuwon! Hey, Song Yuwon!"
The familiar name from the stairs halted me. I turned: a second-year senior whose face rang a vague bell from passing. Name... uh, drawing a blank. Kinda remembered chatting briefly at the festival cafe. But why call me out of nowhere? I bowed lightly to the approaching senior.
"Hi, sunbae. Something up?"
My greeting made his eyes narrow a bit before he masked it with a smile.
"Yuwon, why so formal?"
"This feels more comfy for me."
Was he angling for "oppa"? Fine with "unnie," but oppa? Hell no! Wait, more importantly—you think I even know your name?
"Alright, whatever. Anyway, you know about the end-of-semester party tonight?"
"Yeah, saw it in the department chat."
"You're coming, right?"
Me? The party? Why? It wasn't official like the start-of-semester one—no obligation. Half the friends were skipping, half going. I stared blankly to convey that, but he just waited expectantly. I sighed quietly enough he couldn't hear and schooled my face.
"Exams just wrapped, so I'm kinda wiped."
Planning lunch then straight home with the girls anyway!
"But first one—rest up and swing by?"
"Sorry, barely slept during exam week. Beat."
"C'mon, everyone's beat from exams. Don't be like that."
Seriously, why? We barely talked before. His clingy vibe and that heavy, sticky gaze were grinding my gears. Already off with my condition—tolerance low. Staring at that dumb mug flirty-like, my explosion meter was twitching at the redline. Screw it, just blast him.
"Sunbae, I'm on my per—"
"Whoa, what? Weird combo. What's up with you two?"
A sweet, tickly voice cut off my period confession. Then familiar perfume wafted up beside me.
"H-Harin."
"Harin unnie!"
Harin sunbae gently tugged my arm. Normally I'd freak at the soft squish on my arm and shove her off, but I let it slide, yielding my spot beside me. I wasn't the only one thrown by her sudden entrance.
"Oh, end-of-semester party tonight. Asking if Yuwon could make it."
Asking my ass—more like glued to me begging to go together! Harin met my eyes slyly at his words.
"Yuwon, resting up today?"
Her head tilting up to meet my gaze made my heart thump. Nearly blurted I'd go if she called.
"Y-yeah... didn't sleep well last night."
"Mm... yeah, you look beat. Head home and crash."
"W-wait, Harin. Freshmen should come if—"
"Min Doyoung, quit bugging the junior girls and handle the guys properly. Women's side isn't even your lane."
Her tone sharpened a notch; I stared at Harin beside me. Didn't know she had this edge under the usual round softness....
"What? Got more to say?"
"N-no. See you next semester, Yuwon."
Tail tucked, he vanished down the stairs—total one-eighty from before.
"Thanks, sunbae. Kinda awkward."
"No biggie. Felt shady, so I tailed you. Bingo."
She grinned, pulling my arm tighter into her chest. My slim arm trapped in that soft warmth had no escape.
"Doyoung's not a total jerk. Y'know... hehe, you get it, right Yuwon?"
"Ah, yup."
"Anyway, home chilling today?"
"Yeah, overdid it with first-exam jitters."
"Gotcha. Rest up then. Remember what unnie said? Treat's on me. Thinking about it!"
Harin left with that, grabbing the guy's nape and heading up to the second floor. Harin sunbae... so tiny and cute, hard to see her as "sunbae." But today? Total unnie material. Gotta call her that for real from now on!