Chapter Text
“Can anyone name this structure? It’s a bit daunting at first, but definitely doable with everything you’ve learnt the past week,” the professor said as he projected the chemical structure up on the screen.
“Hmm,” you mumbled to yourself as you scribbled the structure down in your notes. “There’s 22 carbons in the backbone… docosane? But then there’s 6 double bonds… So it’ll be docosahexaene… I’ll probably have to worry about symmetry also,” you continued as you circled the functional groups. “Ah, a carboxylic acid, so it probably ends with -oic acid, hmm…”
You were one month into your first year in university, and one step closer to achieving your dream of joining the ranks of the researchers in the field of inorganic chemistry. The only thing standing in your way now was… organic chemistry. Unfortunately not your strongest area, but you were still determined to succeed in the course. After all, knowledge was still knowledge, and it would certainly come in useful later on.
“That’s docosahexaenoic acid, isn’t it,” a voice next to you loudly blurted out. You whip your head to the side to glare at the owner of the voice, furious that someone dared to not raise their hand first. Your eyes landed on what was probably the worst case of bedhead you had ever seen sitting right next to you —could he even brush his hair? The owner of the terrible hair looked incredibly bored, with his body slumped against the chair and his right cheek resting against his hand.
“That’s right, but that’s not the IUPAC name for it,” the professor said with a soft smile. You rolled your eyes at the young man who just nonchalantly shrugged at the lecturer’s response.
You raised your hand up, and when called, took another glance at your notes and loudly said, “(4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)-docosa-4,7,10,13,16,19-hexaenoic acid.”
Your instructor gave a small clap, nodding happily at the correct response that you had just supplied. “Impressive, you even got the symmetry right!”
You gave a sheepish grin and said a quick “thank you” before enthusiastically settling back into your seat for the rest of the class.
“IUPAC’s useless if you ask me, nothing to be happy about,” came an annoyed voice from your right as you started to pack your bag as the professor dismissed the class.
“Excuse me?” You retorted, leaning over the armrest of your seat in an effort to assert your dominance.
“No one’s going to write all that crap onto a label,” he sang out as he shrugged. “They’ll always write DHA, kitten.”
“Well first of all, don’t call me kitten. That’s gross. Secondly, you have to write it out in a journal if you want to publish,” you rebutted, narrowing your eyes at the black haired man who dared to go against you.
“Well, that’s what google’s for,” he said as he got up from his chair and slung his backpack behind him, peering down at you from above.
Why is this guy so god damn tall, you thought to yourself from your seat as you slowly started to rise up. Even standing at full height, you still had to raise your head up to meet his eyes. Stupid tall people.
“Just admit you’re bad at chemistry.”
“I’ll have you know I’m actually q-u-i-t-e good,” he replied with a wink, as a hand shot out from behind him and gave him a soft shake.
“Oi, Kuroo, we have to go, stop picking a fight with everyone!” Came a voice from behind. Rooster head’s eyes shot wide open as he slowly turned around to face the owner of the voice. A short man with blond hair stood behind him with his arms against his hips.
It looks like a mom yelling at her son, you thought to yourself, trying, though failing, to hold back a snicker.
“HEY!” The man who must be called Kuroo yelled out as he suddenly took a step forward towards you. “I’ll have you know that I’m actually really good at what counts and is important,” he said tilting his head to look straight down at you.
“Bring it, rooster head,” you shot back, leaning closer towards him with your hands firmly on your hips. “I’d like to see you try.”