“So your first paper is due next week, and if you have any questions about it, feel free to drop by my office for some pointers. That will be all for today.”

The professor dismisses the class at exactly 9 am on Thursday morning and the classroom slowly starts to empty out of sleepy freshmen.  Biology 101 at 7:30 am is just inhumane and damn near impossible to survive awake, Yujin thinks. She tries to stifle a yawn before getting up from her chair to walk along with her roommate and two new friends. She and Hanbyul have been friends since they were high school freshmen, and now they’re embarking on their college freshmen year together, sharing a room at the university’s girls’ dorm.

In the two weeks since school has started they’ve also gotten to know Minseul, a nice and quiet girl who’s staying a few doors down from their room at the dorm. That morning, Yujin and Hanbyul had to quickly get dressed in whatever jeans-and-hoodie combination they could find after waking up late, before rushing to the campus coffee shop for a shot of espresso each and running like crazy to their classroom. On the other hand, Minseul seemed fully awake and totally prepared at the start of class, hair tied in a neat ponytail, a crisp striped button down under her cardigan paired with skinny jeans and squeaky clean purple Chucks. It isn’t hard to tell that Minseul is one of the smart ones in class, and she’s part of the university’s prestigious scholarship program to prove it.    

Through Minseul they’ve also gotten to know Dae In, who’s also in their class. Though she lives off campus, she managed to make it in time that morning, her still slightly damp and long dark hair in unruly waves over her shoulders, sundress billowing and the stack of bracelets on her wrists jingling and jangling as she ran into the classroom and hurried to take the seat Minseul saved for her at the front row, a bright (albeit breathless) smile on her face in greeting and thanks to her more prompt (and more responsible) friend. Like Yujin and Hanbyul, Minseul and Dae In have known each other since high school.

The four girls have become fast friends thanks to early morning Biology 101, and they also happen to have the four hours after that class free. As they trudge on the hallway along with other students, they start making plans for the next four hours.

“I need to go to the Admissions Office. One of the juniors in the staff can't work his shift and I need to take over what he’s doing,” Minseul tells them. If she’s dejected about giving up her free time at the last minute, she doesn’t show it.

“In that case, can I take a nap at your dorm, Min? I really, really need to get some sleep,” Dae In pleads. “Jongdae found this old school Counterstrike installer and we were playing all night.”

On their first meeting, Yujin was surprised to find out that Dae In was sharing an apartment with a guy, and wondered how she got her parents’ approval for that setup. Dae In seems to be completely cool about it though, and while Yujin’s never actually met Jongdae, he’s apparently been a friend of both Dae In and Minseul since high school, and seems to be a fairly decent guy from the snippets about him she picks up on from the two girls.

 Minseul sighs in default disapproval (“Like why would you stay up late to play some stupid video game when you have a super early morning class the next day?” her eyes seem to say), but nods her permission before heading out, promising to meet with them again at lunch.

“Kyungsoo says we can meet him at the coffee shop and maybe hang out until his next class,” Yujin tells Hanbyul after checking the messages on her phone.

“Yeah that’s cool, I need to ask about that job opening they have too.”

“Who’s Kyungsoo?” Dae In asks as they all walk out of the Science building. The sun is warm on their skin but a gust of cool wind accompanies it, signaling the coming of autumn.

“He’s my best friend, and we’ve all been friends since high school,” Yujin informs her. “He’s taking up Music.”

They continue to walk the stretch of the grounds from the Science building to the coffee shop talking about random things from the first two weeks of their freshman year.

“So should we go to that freshman party in town on Friday night?” Hanbyul asks the two girls. Yujin lights up at the news of the party, but before she could skip in excitement and start making plans, Dae In is giving them two small envelopes.

“Jongdae heard from a junior that the freshman welcome party is always a dud. And that there happens to be a real party that takes place on the same night.” She quickly ties her hair in an untidy bun while the two girls open the envelopes. “Thing is, it’s by invitation only. Luckily, Jongdae got some invites, and he gave me some.  So I’m taking you and Minseul with me!”

“Dae In,” Hanbyul says a little worriedly while she reads through the invitation. “Isn’t Sigma Alpha a fraternity?”

Yujin’s eyes widen in part excitement and part disbelief. “Oh my gosh, is this a frat party?”

Dae In beams at them. “Yes it is. And it’s the legendary one that starts off every school year. Not a lot of freshmen get to go, so those invites are pretty valuable. You guys are game right?”

“Yujin, Hanbyul.”

The girls’ conversation is interrupted by a deep voice calling out from behind them. They stop walking and look back to find a boy walking quickly to catch up to them. His soft dark bangs flop on his forehead because of his pace, and he has to push his large rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose to keep them from falling. When he finally catches up to them, the boy’s unusually wide eyes turn into half-moons under his spectacles and his plump lips form the shape of a heart as he smiles at them in greeting.

“Soo!” Yujin greets her best friend cheerfully. “How was class?”

“Okay, I guess,” he answers, voice deep and a little husky. “It’s really hard to start singing so early in the morning though. Warming up is a pain.” He notices the girl with his two friends and gives her a blank expression when he realizes they haven’t met.

“Oh Soo, this is Dae In, we’re in Biology together. Dae In, this is Kyungsoo, my best friend from high school,” Yujin interjects. Dae In smiles at him, casually tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as the wind gets stronger, and Kyungsoo  wonders if she feels cold in that sundress of hers on an early autumn morning.

“Hi,” he says in a deadpan kind of way. He doesn’t intend to sound so uninterested, but Kyungsoo is shy by default and awkward with introductions, especially when it comes to strange girls in sundresses with sunny dispositions.

After the brief introduction, Dae In turns her attention back to the girls. “I’m gonna go head to Minseul’s room. But I’ll try to catch up with you guys at lunch.” She looks at Yujin and Hanbyul sternly, but with excited eyes. “Think about Friday night, okay? I’ll see you later.” She winks at them before waving goodbye and heading for the dorms.  

The three high school friends start walking again, updating each other on their early morning classes. Once they reach the coffee shop, Kyungsoo heads to the counter to buy their drinks while the two girls find a table by the window.

“So this frat party. We’re going, right?” Yujin asks Hanbyul nonchalanty, trying to conceal her excitement. Meanwhile, Hanbyul seems neither thrilled nor particularly uninterested about the party, and gives her friend a non-committal shrug.

“I guess I’m game. Hey I’m just gonna inquire about the job opening at the cashier, can you watch my stuff for me?”

Hanbyul heads for the counter, leaving Yujin alone at the table. She opens the invitation again and tries her best to keep from squealing. She just got an invite to the first big party of the semester. It's only been two weeks, but freshman year's already getting exciting.