The afternoon dragged on, with classes proceeding as usual—except for the looming math test that cast a shadow over the day.

When the papers were distributed, Karina immediately dove in, her focus sharp. Numbers and equations seemed to fall into place with ease, her pencil gliding across the paper. By the time she reached the last question, she felt confident she’d done well.

Giselle, however, wasn’t having the same experience. She stared at the more complex problems, her pencil hovering uncertainly before retreating to doodle in the margins. By the end of the hour, her frustration was written all over her face. As the bell rang, she slumped over her desk with a dramatic groan.

“Ugh, I hate math. If I could erase that subject from my life forever, I would,” she declared, stretching so far back that her chair creaked.

Karina chuckled softly, adjusting her bag strap. “It wasn’t that bad. I think I did okay.”

“Of course you did,” Giselle replied, her tone light but laced with mock bitterness. “You’re basically a walking brain. Meanwhile, I’m just hoping for a passing grade.”

The rest of the afternoon classes blurred together in a haze of lectures, note-taking, and group discussions. Karina was too preoccupied with the steady rhythm of assignments to dwell on anything else, including the scene with Ningning earlier. Her thoughts were consumed by keeping pace with the flow of work.

By the time the final bell rang, Giselle was already swinging her bag onto her shoulder, her expression bright with anticipation.

“Let’s head out together, yeah?” she said, grinning. “I need to unwind before evening study starts. Maybe grab a snack or something.”

Karina smiled but shook her head. “I think I’ll stay back for a bit. There’s some stuff I want to go over for tomorrow’s classes.”

Giselle groaned, throwing her hands up in mock exasperation. “Seriously? You just aced that math test and sat through hours of classes, and you still want to study? Don’t fry your brain, Jimin.”

Karina laughed lightly at the use of her given name. “I’ll be fine. I just need to review a few things.”

“Well, don’t overdo it,” Giselle said, waving her hand as she began walking down the hall. “See you later! And don’t forget to take a break!”

“Yeah, yeah, see you!” Karina called back, her voice tinged with amusement as she watched Giselle disappear down the corridor.

—

The library was hushed, its usual serenity amplified by the few students scattered around, bent over their books in focused silence. Karina entered, weaving through the rows of shelves to gather the titles she needed.

She found a secluded table near the window and set her belongings down. The fading afternoon sunlight spilled across her workspace as she arranged her textbooks and notebooks. With a quiet rustle of pages, she began.

A milk box sat nearby, her occasional sips from it providing a small but refreshing break. Her brow furrowed as she tackled challenging equations, her pencil tapping softly against the paper. But then her expression would brighten, satisfaction flashing across her face whenever she worked through a problem successfully.

Time slipped by unnoticed in the rhythmic quiet of the library. Karina adjusted her posture occasionally, stretching her legs or shifting in her seat, but her focus never wavered. It wasn’t until she glanced out the window that she noticed the sky had darkened.

The soft glow of street lamps illuminated the campus below, accompanied by the faint hum of activity in the distance. She checked her watch. It was nearly 6 p.m.—time to prepare for the evening session.

With practice efficiency, Karina packed her books into her backpack. She stood, stretching to shake off the stiffness from sitting too long, and slung the bag over her shoulder.

The hallway outside the library was dimly lit, the once-bustling school now subdued as the day wound to a close. Karina walked briskly, the faint echoes of her steps the only sound in the quiet corridor, ready to face the last stretch of the day.