“Where are we?” Jessica looked around the room after putting her bag on a chair.

“This is the work station. The owner of this apartment is an alumna so she knew the common concerns of those staying at the dorm or boarding houses. She especially made such areas for students who couldn’t work inside their rooms due to certain reasons. The “dirty jobs” are usually done here. Science majors and architecture students are best friends with the work station.” Yuri explained while taking out the materials from her backpack.

Jessica nodded in understanding. The room was quite spacious with various tables and chairs.

After taking out the materials from her backpack, Yuri put on the gloves and handed another pair to Jessica.

“I ripped from the manual the flowchart for the procedure for this activity. You can read it for reference.” Yuri pointed at the sheets of paper lying on the table. Jessica took it and turned to read the first page.

 “Okay, so we’ll start by pithing the frog first.” Yuri took out the frog from the cellophane bag and held it in front of Jessica. The girl’s disgusted face didn’t go unnoticed by Yuri.

“You grasp the frog with your first two fingers. Your index finger on the nose, and middle finger under the jaw. You then flex the head forward then use your other hand to look for a groove at the nape. The pithing needle will then be inserted in the groove directing it forward to destroy the brain and reinserting it on the groove directing backward to destroy the spinal cord. You move the needle from side to side inside the groove to destroy the brain and spinal cord.” Yuri explained while executing the said steps. Jessica stayed quiet and listened attentively.

After a while the frog’s legs have become completely limp. Yuri then laid the frog on its back on the dissection tray.

“You pin the limbs on the tray.” Yuri motioned for Jessica to do the next step.

Jessica slowly made her way in front of the tray. With her eyebrows furrowed and lips in thin line she slowly held the upper limbs apart and pinned them. She was about the grab the frog’s hind legs when it suddenly twitched. “Aaaaggghhh!!!!!”

A dolphin-like squeak ringed Yuri’s ears. God! This girl is really something!

“It’s not dead or paralyzed or whatever yet!” Jessica was squirming while pointing at the helpless lying frog on the tray.

Yuri tried hard not to laugh at the sight in front of her. She knew if she’d laugh at the shorter girl her life would be doomed. So she calmly stepped beside the squirming girl and pulled the frog’s hind legs.

Much to Jessica’s surprise, there was no more twitching. She nudged Yuri’s arm to pull again the legs which Yuri did and got no response.

“It’s normal. It’s was just some local muscle twitching. You pin the hind legs now.” Yuri calmly stated.

Jessica frowned and looked intently at the frog. She then slowly touched again the frog’s hind legs using the needle to check if it would still move. When she got no response she proceeded on pinning them securely.

Yuri continued working on the frog by making a midline incision through the skin from between the hind legs to the throat. Lateral incision was then done along the clavicle and also along the left and right legs. The flaps of the skin were opened as far back as possible and pinned on the dissecting tray exposing the abdominal and chest muscles. She carefully lifted the abdominal muscles with a forceps and made a shallow cut through the muscles when she remembered something.

“Oh shoot! We don’t have Ringer’s solution.” Yuri groaned still holding the frog in place.

“What?” Jessica gave her a puzzled look.

“Ringer’s solution. We need it to keep the frog’s body moist and to keep the heart beating.”

“Oh. Where’s the Ringer’s solution then?”

“Taeng has it.”

“Where are they by the way?” Jessica looked around the empty tables around the room.

“Across the hallway I guess. Wing B. Taeng doesn’t like working here in Wing A. She always says she gets the creepy feels here.”

Jessica perked an eyebrow. “Really? Here?”

Yuri eyed the girl. Don’t tell me she’s afraid of such things? “I don’t know. Haven’t had the creepy feels whenever I work here. Why? Do you feel something?”

“Uhhh…N—no?”

Yuri nodded. She thought of scaring the brunette but then she thought again of her life. The girl is way scarier than the “creepy feels” that Taeyeon has been telling her about.

“I’ll call Tiff for the Ringer’s solution then we can proceed on working and leave after.” Jessica hastily removed her gloves and walked towards her bag to get her phone. When she fished out her phone a sigh escaped her lips. “Great. My phone is dead.”

“Use mine and try calling Taeng.” Yuri suggested while pointing at her bag with her lips. She was still holding the frog on the tray.

Jessica made her way to Yuri’s bag. “Where is it placed?”

“Uhh…try looking at the side pockets.” Yuri instructed.

Jessica did as she was told. She searched the bag for Yuri’s phone. “Nothing here.”

“The big and small pockets in front.”

“Still nothing.”

Yuri furrowed here brows trying to recall where she placed her phone.

“Oh. I think it’s in my jeans’ pocket.”

Jessica then walked towards Yuri who was still standing in front of the table and stopped beside her. She reached for the girl’s left pocket but found nothing. She then reached for the girl’s right pocket using the same left hand making her lean unto the taller girl. She was having difficulty reaching the phone because the girl’s lab gown was covering her hand making her unable to see the pocket. She then took a step behind Yuri and reached again on her right pocket using her right hand. Her right hand successfully made its way inside the girl’s front pocket.

Yuri was stunned at the sudden intrusion of her personal space. With their close proximity, she could clearly smell the girl’s lavender scent. What in the world are you thinking about this scary girl’s scent? Yuri immediately regained her composure. “Yah! Yah! That tickles!” She squirmed while the brunette’s hand was still on her pocket trying to get a hold of the phone.

“Stop moving! I can’t get your phone! My hand is stuck inside your pocket!” Jessica hissed and grabbed Yuri’s shoulder to stop moving.

Yuri kept on squirming trying to get rid of the hand on her shoulder and on her pocket. After a while Jessica successfully fished out the phone from the girl’s pocket. Yuri let out a deep breath after seeing her phone in Jessica’s hands.

“Kwon, security code.” Jessica held the phone in front of Yuri.

Yuri fell silent and just stared at the shorter girl.

“Code, Kwon.” Jessica waved again the phone in front of Yuri.

Yuri stared at the ceiling while trying to match the letters of her security code with its corresponding number. “Uhh…7…5…”

“Just tell me the whole code. The words.” Jessica shot her a glare. Obviously displeased waiting for her to try to figure out the corresponding numbers.

Yuri hesitated for a while but then Jessica shot her another impatient glare while waving the phone in front of her. Aish. Bossy.

“Security code Kwon.” Jessica waved the phone again.

“Slap me.” Yuri blurted out.

Jessica stared at her for a moment. “What?”

“Th—the code. It’s S-L-A-P M-E. Sooyoung changed it last time. I forgot to change it again.” Yuri explained. She mentally cursed Sooyoung for changing her code into such thing.

Jessica stayed silent and keyed in the code. She heard Yuri talk some more explaining about the code but her attention was caught by something else. She was greeted by the welcome screen of a smiling Yuri and a pretty girl wearing a bright smile while hugging her. Yuri was doing a peace sign with her right hand while her left arm was on the shoulders of the smiling pretty girl. Jessica’s thoughts were interrupted when she heard the girl call her.

“Jung. Did you hear me?”

“H—huh?”

“I said look for ‘shorty Taeng’ on the contacts’ list.”

“Oh. Yeah. Right.” Jessica then looked for Taeyeon’s name on the list and called the girl.

“Hello? Taeyeon? This is Jessica. Are you with Tiff? Where are you?”

Yuri heard the brunette speak over the phone. She raised an eyebrow while listening to the girl talk. Jessica sounded friendly while talking. She could also see Jessica’s face relax while the girl kept on talking over the phone. Is she bipolar?

After ending the call Jessica turned to Yuri. “Taeyeon has the Ringer’s solution. I’ll go get it. She’ll meet me at the hallway. Be back.” Jessica then headed out of the room.

Yuri was left staring at the now closed door.

*

After Jessica returned with the Ringer’s solution, the two resumed working by following the procedure on the flowchart. They took photos of the specimen and took notes of the details specified on the procedure.

“Write down your email address. I’ll answer guide questions 1 and 2. You do 3 and 4. I’ll send you the photos later and answers to 1 and 2. Send me yours when you’re done.” Yuri handed Jessica a paper after they were done cleaning the table.

Jessica was also done cleaning the materials used and was stuffing her things back on her bag. After she has written down the information she handed back the paper to Yuri and the two then headed out of the room.

***

Jessica just got out from a long shower when she heard her laptop beep for a notification. After changing into comfortable clothes she sat on her study table and checked her laptop. She just received a new message.

9:34PM Kwon: Jung, check the attached files. I sent the photos and the answers to questions 1 & 2. When you’re done with 3 & 4 send it to me.  I’ll compile and print the final paper. I’m going to sleep now. Sooyoung is so noisy, ‘can’t concentrate. Will wake up later. Don’t forget to send the answers ‘kay? Thanks.

“Hey Tiff, did you borrow Taeyeon’s lab manual? Can I see the guide questions?” Jessica turned to her roommate who was working on her laptop.

“Yup. What numbers are you going to answer?” Tiffany turned to face her and pointed at the bed where the lab manual was lying.

“Kwon gave me 3 & 4.” Jessica stood up and walked towards the bed. After picking up the manual she stopped and turned to face Tiffany who was wearing an amused smile.

“What?” Jessica confusingly asked her best friend who started smiling all of a sudden.

“Check the guide questions.” Tiffany crossed her legs and removed her reading glasses. The smile never leaving her face.

Jessica did as she was told. She flipped on page after page until she reached where the guide questions were.

“That erted punk!” Jessica’s eyes widened and gritted her teeth.

Tiffany burst out laughing while clapping her hands like seal. “I am really starting to like her Jess.” She laughed again.

Jessica shot her best friend a glare. She groaned and slumped on the bed. She read again the guide questions and shook her head. “I can’t believe this.”

After Tiffany’s laughter finally died down, she then turned to face again her laptop. “You finally met your match Jess.” Tiffany was still smiling while resuming what she was doing earlier. This is going to be an interesting semester.

Jessica scoffed and stood up. She returned to her seat and started typing with heavy hands.

*

Yuri woke up around 4AM to continue the things she was still supposed to finish. She saw Sooyoung sleeping soundly on her bed with mouth slightly open and drooling. After stretching for a while and drinking water she made her way into her study table and her laptop. A smile escaped her lips as she opened her received messages.

10:20PM Jung: Yah! Why you punk! You made me answer 3 & 4 but you intentionally didn’t mention they have sub questions A to E!

10:37PM Jung: You tricked me you punk!

11:09PM Jung: I hope you never get to wake up!

11:30PM Jung: I will buy my own lab manual first thing tomorrow! Next time I get to decide which numbers I will be answering!

11:51PM Jung: I am not letting you get away with this Kwon!!!

12:03AM Jung: May you not wake up anymore!!!!

12:47AM Jung: SEE ATTACHED FILE FOR ANSWERS TO NUMBERS 3 AND 4: A, B, C, D AND E!!!!!!

Yuri wiped the tears that were forming on the corners of her eyes due to laughing. She could imagine Jessica’s annoyed face and piercing glare. She mentally patted her back for a job well done.

KWON: 1; JUNG: 0