"So it's safe to conclude that the worst damage to the ozone layer is over the South Pole," Mr.Kim told his college class the next afternoon.

He placed in front of the classroom wearing his standard tweed jacket, crisp blue shirt, and striped tie. Eunji sat in the front row, taking notes. She wore black boots, bright green strectch pants, and a wild paisley print blouse, not tucked in.

Her full red hair was clipped in six different places at once. But one piece flopped over her eyes, hiding them. It allowed her to peek sideways without being seen. She glanced back to her ledt and got a fix on the supercute guy in the second row. The one who was her new lab partner. His name was Sunggyu.

He looks just like a Sunggyu. Eunji decided. Strong. Muscular. Great hair. Confident voice.

She loved the way his gray athletic jersey made him look like a hunk and his tortoiseshell glassed made him look supersmart at the same time. He must be a grad student, she decided. He had to be, since he was a little older than most of the other people in the class. Or maybe he took time off from college, just the way she had.

Sunggyu had asked for her phone number right before class. If he calls me, I'll find out, she thought.

"Excuse me, Professor," Sunggyu said, interrupting. "Again?" Professor Kim said. He sounded frustrated.

No wonder, Eunji thought. It was the fifth time Sunggyu had interrupted Professor Kim that day. But why shouldn't he, if he had something imporrtant to say?

"If I may," Sunggu said. "I recently read a piece in Time Magazine," Sunggyu began, "which contradicts your entire argument."

Professor Kim didn't flinch.

"You know, Sunggyu," Mr.Kim answered, "I pretty much lost faith in Time Magazine when they put down one of my favorite movies, The Nutty Professor."

Everyone else in the class laughed.

"Now, an ozone dent has also appeared over the northern part of the globe," Professor Kim went on.

But Sunggyu interrupted him again. "Excuse me, Professor," he said, not waiting for a go-ahead, "but a lot of people think that global warming is just something the media is making up. That there isn't much truth to it."

He is so smart, Eunji thought, staring at Sunggyu. And so totally confident sounding. She wished she had the nerve to argue with the professors that way.

"Really?" Professor Kim shot back. "Well, to anyone who thinks that the ozone problem isn't real, I recommend a very good sunscreen!"

Okay, that was funny, Eunji decided/ But why did Professor Kim have to make fun of everything Sunggyu said?

"Professor," Eunji called out, "you still haven't answered Sunggyu's point. Which I think is a good one."

"Thank you," Sunggyu said, shooting Eunji a fabulous eyesmile.

Those eyes! Eunji thought.

"My pleasure," she said in her most admiring tone of voice. Mr.Kim cleared his throat at the front of the class. "I'd be happy to address that point," he said. He sounded totally in charge and sure of himself.

"The lastest satellite photos show that the ozone damage is far worse than anyone thought. And you can find those photos in the Journal of Earth Science, which, by the way, loved The Nutty Professor!"

Everyone around Eunji laughed at the professor's joke.

Professor Kim glanced at his watched. "All right, class is over," he announced. "So get out of here. We'll continue this next time."

The students shuffled out of the room. But Eunji took her time, as usual. She liked to hang back, just in case Professor Kim had something he wanted to tell her about baby-sitting for the girls. And, as usual, he did.

"Oh, Eunji, I'll be home a little early this afternoon," Mr.Kim said. "Seohyun's starting her history project today, and I want to get a peek at this Oh Sehun."

Eunji nodded. "I don't blame you," she agreed. "After hearing about him for a whole month, I'm kind of curious myself. Hey, that was a great lecture today, by the way."

"Apparently Sunggyu didn't think so," Professor Kim complained.

"He gets on your nerves, doesn't he?" Eunji asked.

Mr.Kim sighed. "Every term somebody always does. At first this year I thought it was going to be you, but today Sunggyu pulled ahead."

"Thanks, I guess!" Eunji mumbled. "Well, I think Sunggyu's kind of cute."

Mr.Kim rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding me? You like him?"

"I guess so." Eunji nodded. "I mean, I gave him my phone number."

"Mr.Kim shrugged. "Well, in that case, I have nothing further to say."

Eunji wrapped her arms around her books and headed for the door.

"Except, Eunji.... how did you manage to end up with Sunggyu as a lab partner, anyway?" Mr.Kim called after her.

How? Eunji thought. Oh, just a little trick I learned from your daughter.....Yesterday, Eunji paid Sunggyu's first lab partner to switch with her! "How? Oh, that's for me to know, and you to wonder about!" Eunji replied with a laugh and a twinkle in her eyes.

Then she hurried out the door before Mr.Kim could quiz her more.

Yeah, Eunji thought. Thanks to Seohyun, Sunggyu and I will be working together for months and months!