As Mark stepped through the doorframe, the inquisitive expressions of unfamiliar students greeted him. Uncomfortable with the new attention, Mark quickly searched for an empty seat. Eyes locked on target, Mark briskly made his way to the back of the room.
About halfway there, Mark realized there was a slumped figure, already occupying half of the table meant for two, head resting on top of their folded arms. He stopped and scanned the room once again for an empty seat, not wanting to make it awkward for the stranger or himself.
After failing to find another seat, Mark resumed his journey to the table in the back. He looked at the figure more closely this time. She had long brown hair that fell past her shoulders in small waves. Her eyes were closed, displaying her dark lashes that rested on top of her lash-line. Earbuds in her ear, she laid her head on the desk, resting.
“Pretty,” Mark thought.
...
Light, cautious taps on your shoulder caused you to jolt up from your resting position. Sensing a new presence, you turned your attention to your right, as you curiously removed your earbuds from your ear.
In front of you stood a decently tall, lean man with dark cropped hair, covered by a dark navy baseball cap. Fiddling with his backpack straps, he had an apologetic expression on his face. “Hey, sorry to bother you, but do you mind if I sit there?” pointing to the empty space next to you. “There aren’t any other available seats.”
Slightly flustered by the sudden request, your eyes widened. “No problem, I don’t mind,” you quickly replied. “Let me move my things real quick.”
After you removed your backpack from the chair, Mark dropped his bag over the edge of the table and sat down. “Thanks.”
“Hey, I’m Mark by the way,” he said quietly as he extended a hand toward you with a lopsided smile on his face.
Giving him a small smile in return, you gently shook his hand. “Hi Mark, I’m Y/n.”
Your introductions were cut short after the professor entered the lecture room and began introducing the himself, and the course topics.
As the lecture progressed, you noticed how fidgety your new seatmate was, twirling his pens between his fingers, or occasionally tapping his fingers on the desk to a light beat. You found his antics to be pretty charming.
Halfway through the lecture, the professor decided to hold a short break.
As you were writing down the last few points from the presentation, Mark turned to you. “So, what major are you in?”
“Biology.” you replied, as you fiddled with the pen in your hands.
“Really? What’s a bio major doing in a basic class like this?”
“I saved this class to take with a friend, but she bailed on me,” you said with a light laugh.
“Whaaat, how did that happen?”
“Her schedule got messed up, so she switched out last minute.”
Curious as to why he went silent, you turned to look at Mark.
With wide eyes, he said, “I think she’s the person who opened up a spot for me in this class.”
“Really? That’d be kind of funny,” you replied with a laugh.
“What? Noo I feel bad! You could have enjoyed this class with your friend.”
“It couldn’t be helped. Plus, I got to meet you,” you said with a smile.
Before he could reply, the professor resumed his lecture and started up his presentation once again.
...
Mark was glad the professor had stolen your attention from him after that exchange because Mark could feel his face and ears heat up.
“How could she say that so easily?” he thought.
It was hard for Mark to focus on taking notes because he was constantly fighting the urge to steal glances at his pretty seatmate.
Mark internally groaned as he held is face in his hands.
“Why am I acting like this?” he wondered. “It’s not like I haven’t dated anyone before.”
Mark did not like this feeling. Since the moment he opened his eyes this morning at 9am, he felt like something was off—like he was forgetting something...
“Mark, what’s up with your face?”
Snapping out of his thoughts, Mark looked up to see his friends staring at him curiously. “My bad, I just keep feeling like I’m forgetting something” Mark replied.
“Did you lock your door this morning?” asked Taeil.
“Yup.”
“Is it your brother’s birthday today?” asked Jungwoo.
“Nope.”
“You forgot to give me a kiss” Haechan said, pointing at his cheek teasingly.
“Shut up, Haechan.”
Mark’s friends snickered around him. With a lazy grin on his face, Mark decided to try and forget whatever was bothering him as he ate his lunch.
As the large group of boys were strolling down the street after eating, Taeyong turned to face the group.
“Oh yeah, how was registration for you guys?”
A chorus of good’s and fine’s were given as a reply.
Mark froze. His eyes widened as he made a sudden realization. “Oh. My. God.”
Haechan bursted out in laughter as he hit Johnny, tears forming in his eyes.
Half with sympathetic expressions and half laughing, Mark’s group of friends looked back at their poor friend. Sinking down to his knees, Mark groaned as he put his face in his hands.
“I can’t believe he forgot!” Haechan exclaimed as he clutched his torso in laughter.
Mark stood up with a grim expression. “Dude I needed to sign up for a required course too! It’s the last general ed class I have left,” Mark pouted.
With that, the group slowly started to make their way down the street once again, laughing among themselves as Mark miserably lagged behind.
Doyoung slowed to Mark’s pace and put his arm over Marks slumped shoulders in efforts to comfort him. “What was the required course you needed to register for?” he asked.
“Hbs01.”
Doyoung’s eyes widened. “Wait, I think my brother might be the TA for that course this year!”
“Gong-myung hyung?!”
“Yeah,” Doyoung chuckled. “I’ll ask him later if there’s anything he can do.”
“Holy shit, you’re the best Doyoung.”
Doyoung smirked.
“I know.”
10:47pm
Mark was deep in worrying thoughts as he lay in bed, arms crossed underneath his head when he heard his phone’s ringtone.
“Call from Gong-hyung”
Quickly, Mark answered.
“So someone asked me to benevolently grant you my help?”
"Hyungg, please help mee,” Mark pleaded.
"You just had to miss registration for a class that fills up like hbs01 didn’t you?”
Mark groaned. “Don’t make me feel even worse.”
“The class is packed to the max right now. But I’ll let you know if anyone drops in the first few days.”
"Yes!” Mark pumped his fist in the air, “You’re the best! I love you!”
"Shut the hell up.”
Grinning to himself, Mark set his phone down after ending the call. Sighing, he hoped to himself that he would be able to take this class.
You woke up to the sound of your phone ringing. Groaning, you rolled to the edge of your bed and grabbed your vibrating phone off the nightstand.
Groggily opening your eyes, you squinted at the bright screen.
“Call from Yeon”
“What the hell,” you tiredly grumbled. You glanced at the time:
“7:57”
You shut your eyes in annoyance.
“Class isn’t until 9,” you thought.
With your eyes still closed, you answered the phone. “What do you want Yeon.”
“Geez, you sound awful.”
“What do you want?” you repeated.
“Uhm... you see... we kinda have a problem.”
“Bro what. do. you. want.”
“I’m not taking hbs01 with you anymore,” Yeon said quietly.
Your voice softened, “What? Why not?”.
“Admin fucked up my schedule, so my classes got switched up!”
“Fuck...” you said as you slowly sat up.
“I know,” Yeona replied. “This sucks!”
“It’s not your fault, Yeon,” you sighed. “I guess we can go one year without a class together.”
“Yeah, I’m bummed! But, you’ll be fine without me, right y/n? You’re a big girl now,” Yeona cooed, “have a great day at school! I love y– ”
You hung up the phone and tossed it to your side with a huff. You laid back down again with your eyes closed for a couple minutes before standing up to get ready for school.
8:38am
Thanks to Yeona’s call, you found your way to the lecture hall very early. Still, to your surprise, the room was already full. As you stepped through the door, you noticed the unique dual seating arrangements and the many different faces seated; mingling and chatting with one another, all the students seemed like they had been able to find a seat next to a familiar face. None of the said faces were recognizable to you though; you came to the conclusion that this class was full of underclassman.
“Goddamn overachievers,” you mumbled under your breath, “always gotta be super early and take all the seats”.
Scanning the room, you spotted one empty table towards the back. As you made your way to the table, you were bitterly thinking of how Yeona would’ve been able to be your seat partner if she hadn’t ditched you. With a sigh, you put your bag on the empty seat next to you and sat down.
8:40am
Mark frowned as he tossed and turned in his bed to the sound of his phone’s ringtone. Annoyed, he grabbed it and put the caller on speaker as he sprawled out on his mattress, stretching.
“MARK LEE GET THE HELL UP”
Alarmed, Mark opened his eyes and sat up to look at the caller ID.
“Gong-hyung?”
“I SIGNED YOU UP FOR HBS01 BECAUSE SOME KID DROPPED. GET YOUR ASS TO CLASS RIGHT NOW.”
“Oh shit.” Mark scrambled to stand up and ran to his bathroom to brush his teeth.
Gong-myung shouted directions through the phone as Mark threw some clothes on.
“Got it! Thanks again hyung!”
After ending the chaotic call, Mark grabbed an apple on his way out of his apartment. Running down to his apartment bike rack, Mark quickly unlocked his bike and rode down the street to the university campus. Gong-myung’s instructions rang repeatedly in his head like a chant:
“NORTHSIDE CAMPUS. BUILDING E. ROOM NUMBER 127.”
After making his stop at the uni bike rack, Mark ran to find his class. Hunched over catching his breath, Mark stood in front of a door that read, “Building E, Rm. 127″. Mark glanced at his wristwatch for the time,
“8:55am”
Proudly smiling to himself, Mark opened the lecture hall door.
