"I just can't believe her!" Wendy exclaims as we exit the lecture hall, away from the class she's dreading by now. "We're just in our first day of class and she is giving us four chapters to read."

I simply shrug and tell her, "Say hello to college life."

Yup! This is reality. I knew what I was getting into when I entered this university. I never expected this to be all fun. To be honest, I have actually been expecting 10% fun and 90% hard work from this. Wendy, though, has different things in mind. She has envisioned making more than a handful of friends, meeting guys and finding love. Happy, positive and excited Wendy. I sometimes hope I can be like her though - just a little less pressured and just living the moment. 

"Don't get me wrong," she tells me. "I actually know I have to work hard to get this college degree. But hey, we're young!" She throws her hands on the air, earning a few glances in our direction. She takes it a cue to lower her voice down. "We're supposed to be having more fun than homework."

I can't help but laugh at her. She reminds me of sunshine and rainbows. Now she's complaining about a little rain. 

"I'm actually quite excited, you know." I tell her honestly. "I like reading about philosophy, especially the ancient ones. I mean, that's where everything is from. Every knowledge we have right now - all the breakthrough research, politics, religion, even the greatest stories - they're all built from ideas of those philosophers."

She stops walking and stares at me. "Nerd," she says. "But then, you really have to teach me a bit of your nerdy tendencies for me to pass that subject."

"Well then, this nerd right here," I point to myself, "is now heading to the library to get a copy of that good old book that will make us pass the subject. And I guess you have to do that too."

We go straight to the library and I laugh the whole time, seeing Wendy walk through the halls like she is dragging herself. She murmurs complains from time to time, which I find more entertaining than annoying. 

We go straight to the Social Science and Philosophy section of the gigantic library. On the way, I hear a few students remark that it is the boring and dusty aisle, followed by a proud "I'm not alone," comment from my friend.

Quickly finding a copy of the book we need, she immediately grabs it and heads to the librarian's counter to borrow it.

"Hey, don't you want to look for another book for a second reference?"

She looks at me like I'm speaking another language. 

"I mean, I don't think everything is in that single book," I explain.

"No," she now responds. "I am not even sure I can finish reading this one." She waves the book in the air. "Plus, I am now starving."

"Um... okay..." 

Before I can respond, her phone loudly rings from the pocket of her jeans. It's so loud that a few students nearby look at her sternly as she disturbs them from their deep reading. 

"Sorry," Wendy mumbles then turns to me, "I have to take this outside." She storms out, leaving me with time to search for another good book.

I turn to the next aisle, which happens to still shelf another array of philosophy books. I love this place!

At the far end, I see someone familiar, sitting on the floor as he leans on a bookshelf. He pulls himself up to a standing position once he spots me looking at me, then waves his hand.

"Hello," he says, walking nearer to where I was. 

It's him.

The guy who bumped into me a while ago.

I have been looking at him walk towards me and when he stops right in front of me - near enough for me to see him clearly, at least - I realize I haven't replied to his hello.

"Hi," I say with a smile. 

"Yes, I was the one who bumped into you a while ago," he confirms, as if reading my thoughts.

And I don't know what to say.

"If you're studing Plato's philosophy, this library actually has a copy of his very own The Republic. It will bug your mind for a while, but it will definately help you ace graded recitations." He turns a bit to his right and points to a line of hard-bound books. "But those introductory textbooks are great reads, as well. Concise, but very informational."

I stand on my spot, stunned. He sounds smart, I can say. And he does not sound like he's bragging at all. 

"Um, thanks." I say. "For you to know what book I'm reading, I figured me and my friend were having a loud conversation a while ago."

He smiles. I tell myself that his smile is not cute - just an ordinary smile like everyone else's - but the uncontrollable smile I make tells me otherwise. 

"Not really," he says. "I heard a bit from your conversation, but I figured a while ago through the lecture hall you entered. That was Professor Kim's Hell Room of Philosophy."

I laugh. "Hell Room of Philosophy?" 

Nodding, he grabs a blue hard-bound book from the shelf he was pointing to a while ago and places it on top of the book I was holding by my arm. "I took Intro to Philosophy last year, and it was brutal. By the middle of the semester, half of the class dropped it."

"Really?" Now, that gave me nerves. One of the terms for my schoalrship was a regular load without dropping any class. 

"I did not say that to scare you," he taps the book he just gave me. "That book, it helped me a lot."

I read the title, Introduction to Research and Application of Philosophy: A Student's Guide and realize that it's published by the university itself.

"Professor Kim expects his students to go beyond the facts. He will ask you not just about what the philosophers say, but also how their ideas can be used in practical and timely events - like recent news, modern laws, or even what you ate from breakfast, what you did during the weekends... Or falling in love." He explains, and I try mentally taking note. 

"Thanks," I tell him. "I'll definately keep that in mind."

"No problem," he shrugs.

"Soojung, I was--" Wendy comes back, catching our attention. 

She stops dead in her tracks, with eyes wide open as she stares at him. Oh, I don't even know his name yet.

"Kim Jongin," Wendy says with stunned eyes.

Is that his name? So he was the perfect guy Wendy was talking about earlier?

"Hi," he responds. And I'm sure I see Wendy melt.

"You're friends with Kim Jongin?" She asks me.

How do I answer that? No, I'm not friends with him? Or yes, we're friends and he just helped me find a book?

"Soojung?" My name rolls in his lips before I can give my friend a response. "That's your name, right?"

I simply nod.

"We haven't formally introduced ourselves yet." He extends a hand to my direction. "I'm Kim Jongin. It's nice to meet you."

I take his hand. "And I'm..." I clear my throat, because it suddenly feels dry. "I'm Soojung. Jung Soojung."

"And she's also happy to meet you," Wendy remarks, looking at me teasingly. Her hands then move to the clasp hands of mine and Jongin's. I swear I can see hearts in her eyes.

I let go. "And this is my friend, Wendy."

"It's great to finally meet the famous Kim Jongin. But I'm happier that you and my friend here," Wendy pats my shoulder, "have met."

One thing about me is that I have sworn to be single at least until I get a good job. From what I know of romance, it's just one big distraction. And I heard it makes people stupid. When Wendy knew about this, she scoffed and told me I was going to eat my own words and fall in love with someone in college. Someone who would prove that I am "guilty of wrong ideas on love", so she says.

Now, standing in front of Kim Jongin, Wendy gives me the look saying, "You're gonna eat your words."

She wrong.
 

I hope she's wrong.