Solving equations had always been Shui's favorite part in lectures (at least, he doesn't get sleepy). But ever since he stopped seeing Nabi here in the campus or at the bus stop, he just couldn't help but get distracted during classes. The loud slap he heard the other night had gotten to his imaginations that maybe it was the reason why Nabi stopped coming to lectures. Well, all of those were just speculations. Maybe, Nabi was attending her classes. They just failed to cross paths at each other.

His phone buzzed as he was finalizing his answers. Finally, she replied, Shui thought. He should finish this quiz first before looking at her reply. It took him forty-five minutes to finish when usually, he could finish it in twenty. He spent the other twenty-five minutes getting his mind together.

His phone kept buzzing so he opened it as he handed his paper forward with his right hand.

               Maekju-ssi: She's a Biological Science major. (15:03)

               Maekju-ssi: Why are you asking? (15:03)

               Maekju-ssi: Heol... You're finally interested in someone. (15:04)

               Maekju-ssi: Congrats! (15:04)

Maekju works part-time at the University Administration. Assigned to inform Shui anything about the scholarship, they occasionally send messages to each other when they would be in the mood for soju or chicken and beer.

               Shui: Don't be jealous. I'll message you when I'm in the mood for bear. (15:08)

               Maekju-ssi: Call. Don't eat bears. (15:08)

               Shui: Oh. Noted. (15:09)

               Shui: Where is her class this 4 pm?  (15:09)

               Maekju-ssi: How should I know? (15:11)

               Shui: Admin records? (15:11)

               Maekju-ssi: Ahh... Wait (15:11)

               Maekju: Bio lab from 3-5 (15:13)

"Don't forget that next week is the deadline for your workbook," Mechanics Professor Han informed as he packed his things from his table. "Tomorrow, I won't be around because I have to attend a convention. So, use this two-hour class to answer the problem sets. I hope you didn't forget that there are a hundred items to solve.

"Future engineers! Let's not be lazy!" He slammed his right fist on his table.

               Maekju-ssi: I have to go back to work. Crazy Witch is staring at me

"Yes, Sir!" everyone answered in unison as Prof. Han started heading to the door.

"S-Sunbae!" His one-year junior, Kim Woomin, sat beside him, stopping him from packing his things.

"What?" Shui asked, thinking that maybe he would ask about the workbook.

"Ch-Chungeol-sunbae--"

"Oi! Shui!" Park Chungseol yelled by the door, calling his attention. "We're going drinking at Sunghee's. I'm treating!" He stretched his hand, holding his wallet up high.

Lee Nambin snatched it, grinning mischievously. After opening it, he oohed and dabbed Chungseol in the left side of his stomach. They teased each other while fighting for the wallet. When the cocky Chungseol finally got hold of his wallet, he gave Nambin one last blow.

He turned to Shui and shouted, "Let's go!"

"Nah," Shui declined as he packed his books up since the class just ended. "I have to meet someone."

"Eee... Who could that be? New chick?" Chungseol put his hand inside the pockets of his pants and leaned on the door jamb.

"S-Sunbae! Sh-Shui-sunbae! You should come with us!"

"You could tell her to come with us!" Nambin teased.

"She doesn't drink." He dashed out of the lecture room, using the other door. Sometimes, he just found it so convenient to lie.

"Ya! Shui! Ya!" Chungseol yelled but Shui didn't even look back.

He rushed to the nearby College of Natural Sciences building just beside the Engineering building where his last lecture was. He had no idea where the Biology laboratory was. It was his first time visiting the Natural Sciences area so he had no idea where to go to. There's also the possibility that it could be in the other buildings in the same area or the other area a bit far from here.

When the automated door opened as soon as it detected him lurking nearby and the students hanging out in the lobby started noticing him, Shui had no choice but to enter. What he did was indeed suspicious and he knew that.

"Sunbae! Shui-sunbae!" Shui's eyes wandered among the crowd of people, searching for the owner of that hoarse voice.

"Sunbae!" Someone punched him from behind and when he turned back to find out who dared to punch him, he just sighed.

"Why are you here?" Shui didn't even notice that asked that.

"Aren't you happy to see me? Your hoobae, Gonghwan-ie, passed the university entrance exams!" He grinned annoyingly as he moved his head side to side.

"Congrats," Shui slightly shook his head before turning his back at him. His feet started moving forward.

"Ah! Sunbae! Why are you treating me like this?!" Gonghwan caught up with him.

Kim Gongwan never failed to annoy Shui. Even before in high school, a look of discomfort always displayed in his face whenever Gongwan was around. Even though he was such a nice kid and he liked Shui so much (as a friend), he always overreacted to a lot of things and his energy was on another level that Shui's already tired body couldn't even catch up. One of the reasons that Shui was ecstatic when he got admitted into this university was that Gongwan couldn't possibly pass the admission tests.

Three years of peace were now all gone. Shui regretted coming here. But then a thought crossed his mind. Maybe he knows Nabi!

He stopped walking and asked, "Do you know Yoon Nabi?"

"Yoon Nabi?" Gongwan stopped walking as well. "We're in the same year but different majors."

"Did she come to class today?" Gongwan shook his head, making Shui sigh.

"She's been absent for two days now. Why? What's wrong? Did something happen?

Without even answering any of Gongwan's question, Shui dashed out of the building when he remembered another place where he can look for her. The clinic where he brought Nabi in wasn't far from here. All the buildings seemed to drift by as he sped up his running. Time was running up. He has to go to work soon.

He stopped running as soon as he reached the Student Center. The building was packed with students. He didn't even stop and say hi to the familiar faces that he saw.

"Why did you even pick a fight with them?" He heard a woman's voice, raised in anger when he was almost near the clinic door. It was the same voice as the nurse the other day.

"You do know how small you are!" She added. Frustration was also apparent in her voice. "Tell me."

There was a long silence.

"Ah, I'm so frustrated!" Shui could imagine that nurse rolling her eyes. Too stunned to move, Shui was glued to the floor, a few steps away from the door.

"If I didn't come to get you, would you even call your mother? Your father? Or would you even spend the night in there? Wah, I can't believe it."

"Please don't tell them." This voice was different compared to the previous one. Her voice was cold and soft. It sounded so much like Nabi's. Shui straightened his crouched shoulders.

"I won't if you tell me why you punched him first? Are you going around fighting people? Is that why you come in here all bruised? Is that why you kept fainting? Wow. What a nice life!"

"Ahjumma," the girl who seemed like Nabi spoke, her voice full of provocation. "Working with my mother before doesn't give you the right to nag at me. I called you because the police had your business card. That's the only option I had. Stop. Acting. Special."

Shui heard footsteps coming closer to the door. Before he could even move, his eyes met her wide open eyes, eyebrows raised.

Yoon Nabi. 

//

This chapter is dedicated to @ESHurricane 

Thank you so much for the amazing review!

Rie