Su Ki felt that same resentment he felt for Soo Chan every time he saw Yeorin. 'Just another low life trying to be what he's not.' Ever since Soo Chan departed, Su Ki harbored strong negative feelings towards students on scholarship and people of lower class.
Soo Chan had been the only person from a different social class that Su Ki had ever connected with, and his departure left a void in Su Ki's life. Experiencing a meaningful friendship with Soo Chan had given Su Ki a glimpse of a world beyond his own, but the fallout between them had a profound impact on Su Ki. His resentment and bias towards others deepened, turning him into a more cynical and judgmental version of himself.
As he stood in the hallway, watching Yeorin and Seol-A walk away hand in hand, Su Ki's eyes narrowed. The fluorescent lights above flickered, casting an eerie glow on the scene. The whispers and stares of their classmates surrounded them, but Yeorin acted oblivious, his eyes fixed on Seol-A with an intensity that made Su Ki's gut twist.
Su Ki felt a presence, he looked down and saw the shadow of a person closing in on him. "What's it, Hana?" Su Ki asked, his voice low and even, as Park Hana poked him in the back.
"How do you do that every time?" Hana asked, her voice laced with curiosity. "Do what? Being able to guess who's behind me?" Su Ki asked.(Park Hana - the girl the Su Ki had approached during their first day of orientation, along with the Top Tier Boys).
Su Ki smiled without facing Hana, his lips stretching into a full grin. "It's nothing, I'm just observing." He folded his arms across his chest, his eyes never leaving Yeorin's retreating back.
Hana looked at him deeply, her eyes searching for something. "What is going on in your head, Su Ki? It's very unlike you to fold your hands or put them in your pockets, and besides, you've been standing here for quite some time now."
Su Ki's smile faltered for a moment before he regained his composure. "It's nothing, Hana. Just enjoying the view."
Hana raised an eyebrow but said nothing, her gaze drifting to Yeorin and Seol-A, who were now laughing together like they were the only ones in the world. "Seems Seol-A got the cute kid in her Econs class that everyone has been rambling about."
"Who?" Su Ki asked, "Mun Yeorin?"
Hana nodded her head in affirmation, the hot afternoon sun casting a lightening glow throughout the hallway, "is that his name? I've been admiring him but I didn't even know his name. He's a cute guy tho, I'm just sorry for Ri Ta."
Su Ki suddenly felt a pang of annoyance run within his veins as Seol-A talked about Yeorin. "What do you mean by 'you're sorry for Ri Ta' though?"
"Mtch," Hana sucked in her teeth, "don't act like you don't know Ri Ta's into him. She didn't try much to hide it actually. She even kissed him In the library once, in the presence of everyone."
Su Ki only became more frustrated, but he kept his calm, "ha ha ha.." he laughed hard, "wait, do you really think Ri Ta would like someone like him? Come on..." He said and continued laughing as he walked across the hallway.
Su Ki's words left Hana thinking what he was trying to imply, was Ri Ta simply playing with him? Does she have any ulterior motives?
Meanwhile, Yeorin and Seol-A strolled hand in hand, acting like they were oblivious to the whispers and stares surrounding them. Ri Ta watched from afar, her eyes narrowing as she observed their carefree interaction. "Seol-A has really grown up, she's got some nerves now." Ri Ta snickered to herself.
Seol-A looked down at how her hands were tangled with Yeorin's, feeling a flutter in her chest. "I told myself I'd not like him...just calm down, Jin Seol-A," she said to herself, placing her other hand on her chest.
"Seol-A, Jin Seol-A," Yeorin called out, his voice low and gentle.
Seol-A looked up, lost in thought, and felt Yeorin's touch on her shoulders, making her snap out of her trance. "Dangsin-eun joh-eungayo (what are you thinking)?" Yeorin questioned, his eyes crinkled at the corners.
Seol-A looked into his eyes, feeling a jolt of electricity run through her body. He was at an awkwardly close distance, and she could hear his breathing - a soft, gentle humming sound. "Yeah, I am, sorry..." Seol-A smiled, feeling her cheeks heat up.
After leaving Hana, Su Ki decided to visit the place he hated most in every learning environment - The Library. Su Ki always thought of it as a place of profound knowledge and also a place of boredom. 'Just sitting in a place, opposite someone you probably don't like, is quite frustrating.' he always said. Today was different for Su Ki, whatever made him enter the library had power over him, or was it a "whoever"? And not a "whatever"?
As he pushed open the doors, the musty smell of old books hit him like a punch to the gut. "Gosh... I still hate this place," he lamented. He scanned the room, his eyes adjusting to the dim lighting, and spotted Bora sitting with On Dam and Jo Jo. Su Ki's heart skipped a beat as he watched Bora laugh, her eyes sparkling like diamonds in the dim light.
Su Ki had sighted Bora witnessing all the commotion between Seol-A, Ri Ta and Yeorin, and he had followed her from a distance when she left. And that led to the library.
"Bora, look there," Jo Jo said, pointing at Su Ki.
Bora looked up, her eyes locking onto Su Ki's, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Su Ki felt his face heat up, and he quickly looked away, pretending to be interested in a nearby bookshelf.
"Did Su Ki change or are my eyes aching me?" On Dam said, "because the Su Ki I know, he doesn't come to the library to read," she jested.
Jo Jo looked at Bora's face, trying to understand what she was thinking at the moment. "You know he's here because of you, right?" Jo Jo hinted.
Bora smiled, "don't be silly, JJ. He isn't," Bora said and turned back to the girls, her eyes saying a thousand inaudible words.
Su Ki, who pretended to be reading, couldn't concentrate. His eyes kept drifting back to Bora, watching her laugh and smile with her friends. He felt a pang in his chest, a mix of emotions he couldn't quite decipher.
As he sat there, trying to make sense of his feelings, a voice echoed through the library, "Gosh! You're weird!" Su Ki's head snapped up, his eyes scanning the room to find the source of the voice.
A girl with bright pink hair and a nose ring was staring at him, her eyes narrowed. "I mean, who comes to the library to stare at someone? Don't be shy Su Ki, just go meet her." she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Su Ki felt his face heat up, 'Does she know me?' he muttered, and he quickly looked away, trying to play it cool. But he couldn't shake off the feeling that he had been caught doing something he shouldn't be doing.
Bora, who had been trying her to refuse the suggestions of On Dam and Jo Jo for she to go meet Su Ki was watching the exchange, between Su Ki and the girl with pink hair, got up from her seat and walked across the library over to Su Ki. Bora looked at her roommates and Su Ki could feel the uncomfortability within her.
"Hey, Su Ki, what brings you to the library?" she asked, her voice sweet and innocent.
Su Ki looked up at her, his heart racing. "Just needed a quiet place to study," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.
Bora raised an eyebrow. "In the library? You? Come on Su Ki, I know you too well - you hate the library."
Su Ki chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I needed a change of scenery. Or maybe, someone here made me want to change scenery."
Bora forced a smile at Su Ki's flirting and sat down next to him. "Well, I'm glad you did. We can study together."
Su Ki's felt a surge of explainable satisfaction as Bora sat down next to him, her leg touching his. He felt a spark of electricity run through his body, but he knew Bora wasn't feeling the same way - she wasn't as happy as he was.
"You know you don't really have to do this right?" Su Ki said, trying to sound matured as he fumbled with the pages of the textbook. You don't have to sit with with if you don't want to, it makes me feel like a creep."
Bora felt the genuine words of Su Ki and her heart sank deep. 'He sure knows how to get me under his claws', she mouthed to herself. She looked into his eyes as the sun dashed through the window, resting on Su Ki's face and the rest of the library. She stretched out her hand and held his, "I wanted to come, they might have cajoled me but I truly wanted to come - I didn't get to say thank you for being at the hospital with me when I was unconscious. I heard everything from my Mom."
Even though Su Ki knew that the relationship between he and Bora wasn't as strong as it used to, they still had a sort of undeniable connection with each other and Su Ki intends to use that to help make sparks fly again. Su Ki's smiled and nodded his head.
As they sat there, studying and chatting, Su Ki couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging. Maybe, just maybe, he had found the highlight of his day.
Unbeknownst to Su Ki, Yeorin and Seol-A were walking towards the library hand in hand after ending their last class for the day. Seol-A was laughing and joking about what happened a while back.
Ri Ta watched them from afar, her eyes narrowing. She didn't like the way Yeorin looked at Seol-A, with a softness in his eyes that she had never seen before.
"Seol-A.... Jin Seol-A," Ri Ta said to herself. "It's evident that Yeorin isn't into Seol-A but why does he always act like they're dating.... Could they be dating though? I don't think so. Does Yeorin think he can just waltz in here and steal everyone's hearts." She screamed.
Ri Ta's eyes flashed with anger, and she quickly looked away, trying to calm herself down. But she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was losing control, that Yeorin was slipping through her fingers.
As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over Jukheon University camps, Su Ki and Bora packed up their things and said their goodbyes.
"Thanks for studying with me, Bora," Su Ki said, feeling a sense of gratitude towards her.
Bora was on her way out when she bumped into Yeorin. She lost control and fell to the ground along with the textbooks in her hand. Quickly, Seol-A bent down and began to help Bora pick up her books, "Hyun Bora, are you alright? Are you hurt? It's my fault I was the one who pushed Yeorin."
Bora smiled at Seol-A, "it's not his fault, I actually was the one who bumped into him." Yeorin bent down, amidst the conversation between Bora and Seol-A. He remind as silent as night, helping gather Bora's books. They all rose to their feet and Su Ki saw the way Yeorin looked at Bora, it wasn't lustful but he had a lot of compassion in his eyes. And by the time Su Ki got a glimpse of Bora's eyes, he found her totally entranced.
Immediately, Su Ki felt a jolt of anger sprout within him and he charged at Yeorin, punching him in the face, without thinking of the repercussion it will have on his relationship with Bora."look at where you're going, low-life," Su Ki said squeezing Yeorin's cloth.
"Ya! Bang Su Ki!" As Ri Ta shouted at Su Ki, the library fell silent, with all eyes on the commotion. Su Ki's face twisted in anger, while Yeorin rubbed his sore jaw, his eyes flashing with surprise. Bora quickly intervened, placing a hand on Yeorin's arm. "Su Ki, stop. What are you doing?"
But Su Ki shook her off, his eyes blazing with fury. "You think you can just stroll into Jukheon and steal everyone's hearts? You're nothing but a lowlife, Yeorin." Su Ki blasted, after being restrained by other students who where in the library.
Ri Ta stepped forward, amidst the tensed air, "Yeorin, are you alright? Does it hurt?" She looked at Bora, "get your hands off him, you're the cause of this, everything you touch you try to destroy," she said, her eyes flashing with anger.
Bora looked at Ri Ta, shame mixed around her tear-filled eyes. "It...was just a mistake, I didn't knowingly bump into him."
Ri Ta chuckled mockingly, "yet, you still found a way to hurt him. Aren't you just a bringer of bad luck."
Bora looked Ri Ta, unable to understand why Ri Ta had grown so much resentment towards her in just a little while. "I don't have anything to say to you Ri Ta, I don't have time for your troubles, okay." Bora asserted, walking out of the library, trying her best no to tear down in the midst of the crowd.