“So, Mr. Kim…” The dean looked down at the report in front of her, “This says that you were caught plagiarizing a ten page essay for Dr. Dong’s class. Is there anything that you want to say to defend yourself?”

Without making eye contact with the boy at the end, Bobby sighed, trying to think of any way to phrase the situation that wouldn’t make him look like a complete fool he was. But anyway he spun it, it all sounded bad. He had desperately tried to impress this guy at the library, yet here he was at a Student Academic Council hearing for plagiarism. “I didn’t manage my time well and ended up having to write the whole paper the day before. But I didn’t get very far and in the morning instead of explaining the situation and asking for an extension, my roommate plagiarized the rest of the essay and I still submitted it. I know it was wrong and I don’t have a better reason for why I listened to my roommate.”

The dean was a little shocked by the wholehearted honesty from this student. From the looks of it he was already beating himself up about this decision. “Thank you for your honesty Mr. Kim. Please wait outside for a moment while we deliberate, someone will call you back in a few moments.” 

Bobby got up, grabbed his backpack and shuffled out of the room. He had already concluded that he was a dead man walking, expulsion seemed inevitable. He dropped himself into one of the chairs outside the meeting room. Why don’t you just think more about the consequences of your actions? If you would just think about what you were doing for two seconds, maybe you wouldn’t be in this mess. Bobby thought to himself. 

“Honestly, he should get expelled like the other student.” One of the girls on the student panel spoke openly, she had been voting almost entirely for expulsions. 

“That’s a little harsh don’t you think?” Jinhwan chimed in. “We voted that the student before just get academic probation, don’t you think that’s enough?”

“If we’re always lenient with things like plagiarism then it will just happen more.” She said, matter of factly. 

“But this is the first instance and this student has no prior record of breaking the student agreement.” Another girl added. “I think that should warrant academic probation, not expulsion.” 

“We can’t always judge people based on their worst mistakes.” Jinhwan tried to keep his curiosity about this boy out of his decision making, tried to be fair. 

“Dean? What do you think?” A more senior student on the panel turned to the dean, waiting for her decision. 

“All in favor of academic probation please raise your hands now.” She paused and counted the hands. The decision was made. 

“You can come in now.” Jinhwan’s voice was suddenly so small, too quiet. Bobby looked up and just nodded, getting up to follow him into the meeting room. Jinhwan took his place back at the panel, Bobby sitting at the lone desk in front. 

“Mr. Kim, I have to say that I am very disappointed in this situation. From what I can see on your record, you’re a hardworking student with lots of potential. I hate seeing students throw away their futures because of little mistakes and poor choices.” The dean looked upset, not a good sign. “However, because this is your first infraction and you understand the gravity of your mistake, you will be put on academic probation for the duration of the semester. Once the semester is over we will re-evaluate and determine if continued supervision is required. Any further infractions while on academic probation will result in expulsion. Do you understand?” 

Though Bobby looked lost, dumbfounded, shellshocked, you name it, he mustered a response, thanking the dean and council profusely before walking out of that room a semi-free man. 

~~~~~~

Hanbin was half reading a textbook, half scrolling through Instagram when Bobby came home. Before his roommate could further ignore him, Hanbin shot up and started talking to Bobby. 

“Look, I know you’re mad at me and whatever but -” His sentence was cut off by a swift knee to the stomach.

“No. You aren’t making up any more excuses. You almost got my expelled. Thank God they just gave me academic probation for the rest of the semester or else you would really be dead right now.” Bobby’s expression held anger, disgust, and disappointment. 

“That’s great news! That you’re not expelled that is. Not the probation part…” Hanbin trailed off, shutting up when he saw the side eye Bobby was giving him. “Do you want to go out to celebrate?” He asked, tentatively. 

“Are you ing serious right now?” Bobby spun around faster than he thought physically possible. “I just told you that I’m on academic probation and you think I want to go out to ‘celebrate’??”

“I guess that’s a no?” Hanbin felt like a child being yelled at by a parent. Normally drinks and loud music were just the fix for a bad day, but it seemed that was no longer the case.

“You’re unbelievable sometimes. I’m going back out.” Bobby picked his backpack up from the ground and brushed past his roommate, slamming the door behind him.

“You know, I question why I even brought you back here.” June said, swinging his legs as he sat on Bobby’s desk.

“If you’re gonna ghost lecture me after I just got that bull from Bobby, you might as well just leave now.” Hanbin turned back to his phone, changing up the music that he had on. June just shook his head and poofed away. Hanbin pulled on a pair of sneakers and went looking for his roommate, checking their friends dorms first. He spotted Bobby across the street at a coffee shop, headphones on and his head in a textbook. Hanbin was about to cross and crash Bobby’s study sesh when he saw an all to familiar face walk into the little cafe. Bobby hadn’t noticed him yet, but after he ordered his chai latte he turned around and spotted him at a table. Jinhwan paused by the round table, tapping Bobby on the shoulder. He looked up and pulled his headphones down around his neck, giving Jinhwan a shy wave. Hanbin watched from across the street, watched as history repeated itself.