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"I don't understand how I'm meant to start." Haechan mumbled into his hands, ignoring how Mark, his best friend, snorts at him.
He enjoys majoring in economics. Notably, he excels well-enough that he's considering doing a minor in accounting. The fifth assignment in their second academic year is producing a report on the political economy, something about development, world trade, regulation — yep, Haechan zoned out towards the end of the class. Mark is no help, of course, as he majors in music performance. "Ask ChatGPT."
"Look, I may not study, but I'll never use ChatGPT." Haechan scoffed at Mark. Mark only laughed, because it's true. He doesn't even think he sees Haechan spend maximum four hours studying for a final, often too relaxed and going through a brick of flashcards ten minutes before an exam starts. And yet, Haechan does extremely well luckily with minimal effort.
"Ah, I don't know. And I hate how silent the library is." Mark opted for a change of scene for the school year in finding a new place to study. Him and Haechan often occupy his music room to study, and reminded Haechan this year he needs to maintain high grades in order to minor in accounting. Haechan grumbled and rolled his eyes at his best friend's suggestion, simply because he could not stand the deafening atmosphere of silence the library carries. It's too formal, too quiet to concentrate, Haechan complained to his best friend. Haechan looks around for anything that could help him start the report. He could get a library book in the business section, but it bores him.
"Maybe you could go around and ask if anyone's an econ major,"
"Hm," Haechan hummed. "That would have been easier, you just want me to suffer,"
"You should have thought of it first," Mark bickered and Haechan bites his tongue to prevent a remark back.
He squints to see someone familiar. The bag has a Hello Kitty keychain charm and on the desk, he sees a familiar pink calculator decorated with heart and cherry stickers. And then he sees you. Your white headphones have pink bow stickers on. You're busy calculating, writing, skimming through the textbooks when making your organised flashcards with mini calligraphy titles depending on the topic. Of course, Lee Donghyuck knows who you are. A goody-two-shoes, who remains the most humble and brightest student since you started. Your presence is distinct, but maybe not to everyone. You keep to yourself, spend your free time studying in the library and on occasion you accompany your roommate Karina to frat parties she drags you to while you babysit her.
You sit across him in the lecture room and Haechan doesn't know why he's so immersed in your studying material because he knows how you decorate everything. Maybe it's because you sit directly across him, and he can see you clearly. He doesn't hear much about you: you're quiet, reserved and engulf yourself in studying. He remembered when you walked in, first new academic year in college and stayed in the same seat ever since because you sit by yourself.
"Stop staring, creep." Mark whispered, cutting Haechan's thoughts off, "Who are you even staring at?" Mark turned around to find the person Haechan was eyeing at, and it looked like nobody was interested in him. Usually, there'd be a few winks or two given by other girls directly pointed to Haechan's way.
"No.. No one," Haechan coughed. "I mean.. I found someone in my class, so I'll go to ask them—"
"Just go, Hyuck, you're distracting me," Haechan chuckled and stood up, dragging his things towards your direction. When he sees Mark's screen, he rolls his eyes. "Spider-Man on Roblox? Thought you had homework to get done,"
"In ten minutes." Haechan laughed before scurrying off to find you. He breathes in and out. Honestly, he wants to laugh at how different you both are. You, maintaining high grades and sticking to yourself and studying, accompanied with seemingly your favourite colour of pink and Hello Kitty accessories, whilst he revved the engine of his motorcycle, enjoyed parties, black denim skinny jeans, chelsea boots and a black leather jacket.
"Uh, hi," Haechan exhaled, tapping your shoulder.
"Karina, I'm busy—" You turned around, one headphone hanging on your ear and the other falling down onto your neck and shoulders.
Your jaw almost drops at the sight of Lee Donghyuck. He smells like strong cologne with a hint of cigarettes. In short, you would never in a million years associate with a boy like him.
Firstly, he wears a black leather jacket. It's already an immediate red flag for you, despite Karina disagreeing. Secondly, Lee Donghyuck is popular and the campus' typical bad boy resident. He's the secretary of the Nu Chi Tau fraternity, and you have no idea how Karina dragged you to one of their first parties after forming again last year. You'd never step foot in a Nu Chi Tau frat party ever again, surrounded by sweaty bodies and the smell of lingering alcohol and cigarettes in the air. Thirdly, Lee Donghyuck owns a fucking motorcycle. That's an extreme threatening life-risk already. You hear how girls around swoon when he takes off his helmet to reveal his honey skin. It happens everyday because when you walk to the business building fifteen minutes early before your class, he does his weird motorcycle routine that gets the girls cheering and somehow he's always five minutes late. Fourth, you hear rumours everyday of how he is in bed. Can he not keep it in his pants?
Thus, it's clear you would never breathe in the same direction with a boy like him.
There's sirens going off in your head mentally because the biggest red flag in the entire world has approached you. He's become a whole warning, that everything is preventing you from saying any words to him.
You may take the same major, but you have nothing in common. No friends in common, no interests in common, no societies in common.
You want to flee and leave him confused, fight or flight, but you compose yourself.
"Uhm, hello?" You squeaked. "Sorry, you must.. be mistaken.. I'm not—"
"Y/N Y/L/N," Haechan coughed and your brows raised. "You're the person I was exactly looking for." Haechan laughs.
He glances at your phone, presumably you're on a study break, and he catches the familiar graphic of Roblox. You're playing Dress to Impress, and the theme is favourite aesthetic. Your character is half-ready, though you're practically dazzled in baby pink, which seems to be your brand. He notes to tell Mark if he can find your username on Dress to Impress servers.
"Are you uh, busy?" Haechan gestured towards your textbooks, notebooks, folders, open laptop and iPad, calculator and flashcards out. He notices that you're reading ahead of the syllabus, and he knows it. You read and study ahead no matter what, and it's how you stay on top of the class without looking confused like he does in the class when he sees something he doesn't understand.
"Not really," You murmured, "I was just studying ahead,"
"May I sit?" You nodded, nervous clearly due to his presence. "I was wondering if you could um, help me with assignment five. I honestly have no idea where to begin, and it's stressing me out."
His friends must have bet on him to talk to you, you thought. You curse and think you should have said you were actually busy, because he would get the idea you don't want to talk to him.
"Oh, sure.. I submitted it two weeks ago, but I can go through the process and forming the argument,"
"That would be great, honestly, thank you. Are you okay to go through it now?"
"Y-Yeah," You stuttered, your hands suddenly clammy and realise your things are occupying the desk. "Sorry, I'll just move my—"
Both of your hands lightly touch, and Haechan has no idea why he feels.. weird.
Nerves are building in his stomach. It's like there's butterflies forming and he could practically feel a firework go off in his head. Your touch feels electric, and he feels his cheeks heat up. You avoid his eyes, and when he looks up, he sees the blush appearing on your cheeks. "Sorry,"
"Sorry.." You repeated, clearing your throat, "Should we get started on—"
"You're cute."
"Sorry?"
What the fuck, Lee Donghyuck? Haechan thought, feeling a punch in his stomach. Panic rises in his veins as he curses his entire name in his head, wondering why the fuck he said that. Though when he turns to read your reaction, you're placing a hair behind your ear. "I mean, you.. you are cute, and.. your things like, all your Hello Kitty stickers, pink being your colour, it's... cute and.." Lee Donghyuck has never ever stuttered in his entire life, as he feels a lost for words for the first time.
"Oh," You press your lips together, not knowing what to feel. "T-Thank you?"
The devil on your left shoulder is telling you to abort because he had bad intentions. The angel on your right shoulder is telling you to blush because he's complimenting you.
"I'm sorry, you just uh.. I'm getting nervous,"
Lee Donghyuck? Nervous? He scoffs at himself.
You giggled softly, and oh my god — Lee Donghyuck is willing to absolutely risk it all for you. "You can't be nervous with someone like me, Haechan." The way you say his name too — softly, delicate, angelic..
"Well, you do."
"We should..." You pointed at the studying material placed on the table, "Get back to studying?"
"Oh. Yeah, of course," Haechan gulped. "I.. I didn't mean to make anything.. awkward, sorry,"
You shook your head, "Um, don't worry about it."
He thinks that all the sparks and butterflies bullshit is exaggerated. Overrated. There's no way people can feel that way when they see the someone they were longing for. There's no way people believe love at first sight is real.
He doesn't know though, why he feels this way. And he knows it's because of you.
His heart is beating when you place your phone away, his fingers practically shaking when he gets an empty Google docs page open and when you ask if he's ready.
It takes you fifteen minutes maximum to explain the basics of a report and how you make sure yours is up to the highest grade standard, and Haechan is absolutely listening. His ears perk up when you shyly apologise for forgetting what to say or mispronouncing a word, and he doesn't realise how much he loves your voice amidst the silence.
"Haechan?"
You caught him zoning out and you tapped lightly on his shoulder.
"Yes?"
"Are you okay?" You pointed at your laptop, asking if he understood how the introduction for the report went.
"You're interesting."
"I don't think we should..." You swallow, tense at his words.
"I want to get to know you," He said lowly, placing his chin on his palm. "Is that okay?"
Why does he seem so infatuated by you?
You? Out of all people?
You were one hundred percent playing with fire. "I'm sure there's other people—"
"Well, I have my eyes on you right now, sunshine, and no one else." You swore your heart stopped at the nickname. His knee moved to tap yours teasingly, and there was a glorious smirk curving upon his beautiful, soft lips. "Cherry's your favourite, hm?" He winked, referring to the cherry stickers scattered amongst your school supplies. Your breath hitched, shocked at his words because it's all true.
"We—uh.." Consequences are running through your mind.
"You're playing hard to get."
You huffed. "Are you here to study or not?" You manage to bite back, though your lips are still parted from the confidence in his sudden words.
"Mm, yeah," Haechan laughed, "Before we study economics, I'll study you first, sunshine. So, tell me about yourself."
"You won't give up, will you?"