Not even a week after returning to Seoul, we’re back to school to attend classes. The rowdy noises and symmetrical buildings of the city still seem unfamiliar to me. My own bed feels strange, and the instant food looks foreign.

          The moment I enter the class, the others are forming a circle in the middle, talking about their own experiences in the village.

          “I feel like I had three mothers!” Shin Jihoon, a hilarious guy who went with three girls from Class C, says with both hands on his head. “At first they seem very elegant and soft-spoken, but two days after we arrived I didn’t even know who they were. I was scolded at least three times a day!”

          “At least there are girls.” Jeon Dohwan mutters. His group consists of entirely boys.

          “I hate to say this, but same-gendered group . Totally not talking about mine.” Kim Hajin rolls her eyes. Rumors spread that her all-girls group didn’t get along very well.

          “How about groups with pairs? Hey, Kim Jinho! You went with your girlfriend, right?” someone calls out. Jinho’s eyes shake, and he smiles shyly. The others cheer, and start to .

          “Nana, you were in the same group, right? Did he just date for a month?” Shin Jihoon asks.

          I laugh slowly and shrug. “They’re making singles jealous for sure.”

          “The other one is a guy from Class A, isn’t it? Did you possibly start dating him as well? Couple-couple group?”

          “Ey.” I fold my arms on my chest as my classmates whistle. “Nothing like that.”

          “Look at Ham Dawon, her group went from four strangers to two couples now! That actually happened with a few groups as well. I’ve also heard of a pair who instead became mortal enemies though.”

          “Hm, in this case Nana is still vague.” Jinho chirps in and clears his throat. ‘Oooh’ sounds are heard, and I glare at Jinho, signaling at him to be quiet. Right after that the professor comes in, ending our post-back-to-the-city session.

          “Hey, Nana, we need to finish the group report. We’ll talk about this in the group chat.” Jinho says before he goes back to his seat. I nod, and think about our group chat that’s not really bringing in notifications after we left the village.

          That night, Jinho is arranging the schedule for the report, and we all agreed to meet up in two days. I’m looking at Sehun’s last speech bubble, a short ‘okay’ next to his profile photo. It’s still the bichon frise puppy. He must adore his pet so much.

          On the promised day, Jinho tells us to meet in a small discussion room inside our faculty’s library. I’m arriving right on time, and enter the room. I opened the door hastily and I hold it open halfway when I see Sehun with half of his upper body on the table, sleeping.

          I get more cautious with my movement, and close the door slowly. I hope I didn’t wake him up. I tiptoe to the nearest chair, and try to soundlessly sit.

          I can hear his soft breaths filling the room, and I silently fidget on my seat. What class did he have? Is he tired already in the afternoon?

          My phone rings, and I immediately pick it up because the noise consumes the room. It’s Jinho. “Hello?”

          “Nana, are you already in the library?”

          “Yeah, Sehun’s here too.”

          “Here’s the thing, Sichang sunbae asks me if he can use the room for his study group activity, he’s coming in fifteen minutes or so… I think of moving to the coffee shop next to the east gate, do you guys mind?”

          “Oh… We should move, then.” I glance at the sleeping Sehun, and exhale silently. We’ll be there soon.”

          I hang up, and swallow. “Sehun?”

          He doesn’t react at all. I call his name again, and he still sleeps soundly. I stand up from my seat and stand in front of him. “Sehun-ah.”

          Still no response. I shake my head, and place a hand on my waist. I carefully place another hand on his upper arm, and shake him. “Hey—”

          “HA!” Sehun suddenly rises from the chair, and I tremble so hard I unknowingly take a step back. My shoulder hits the coat hanger behind me, and Sehun looks stunned. “Oh no—”

          I close my eyes and sigh. “Aigoo.” I slap his arm, and he laughs. “Let’s go, the place changes.”

          “You’re okay, right? Does it hurt?”

          I set a sulking face and turn around. Sehun sings me a line of coos, and we walk together to the coffee shop.

          “What’s with Nana’s face? You guys just fought, didn’t you?” Jinho says after we arrive in the coffee shop.

          “We didn’t!” Sehun defends himself.

          “Tsk-tsk.” Yumi shakes her head. “Even in Seoul…”

          We start doing the report, and after some time, we decide to share the parts we need to do and collect it to me to be merged. “Aw, so no more group meetings after this?” Yumi says with a sentimental smile.

          “We can always meet up anytime! We should have a meal or drink together, don’t you think?” Jinho says cheerfully.

          Sehun and I nod. “Of course.” I smile. I meet Sehun’s eyes by accident, and I look away immediately. I shouldn’t be that nervous by now, right?

          We separate in front of the coffee shop, with Jinho and Sehun going back to school and Yumi pulls me to do some spontaneous shopping. “So! Any development with Sehun?”

          I heave a deep breath. “What are you expecting, really…”

          “Some of my classmates are progressing rapidly with their groupmates!” she excitedly exclaims as we enter a makeup store.

          “We aren’t like that.” I shake my head.

          “Oh, come on, you guys are already so comfortable doing skinship! I was really happy seeing you sleeping leaning on Sehun’s shoulder that time!”

          I almost drop a nail polish case I’m holding. “You saw it?”

          Yumi grins. My mouth parts a bit, trying to say something. “That time—I was—we were—”

          “Sssh.” Yumi stops me. “Stop being in denial. You can tell me everything.”

          My head suddenly feels light. “Oh dear.”

*

          The following week, our report is finished, and I guess it really marks the end of the group’s official tasks. There’s been nothing in the group chat, and I only exchange small interactions with Yumi and Sehun outside of class. I don’t even talk much with Jinho nowadays.

          Time passes, and the weather starts getting hotter, replacing the chilly spring. One sunny afternoon, a class just ended and the professor gave us a task to watch and make a review from a 2,5-hour colossal movie that’s being screened in the cinema. Not many are fans of this task, and collective groans are heard as we exit the class.

          I’m slowly walking along the corridor, thinking about my assignments. I'd rather watch the movie today so I can finish the review soon and have a free weekend. I take out my phone, thinking of who to contact. I'm having my eyes glued to the phone while walking, and I bumped into someone's body. "Oh no I'm sor—"

          "Watch where you're walking." the familiar gruff voice makes me lift my head, and Sehun looks at me with a flat face. He's alone, wearing plain grey t-shirt and backpack slung on one shoulder. "Where did you come from?"

          "I... Professor Ye's class."

          "Did he also give you that movie task?"

          "Oh, your class too?"

          "Yeah." Sehun adjusts his backpack strap. "When are you going to watch the movie?"

          "Um... I'm not sure, as soon as possible." I shrug. Something passes by my head, and I either want to bury it deep or speak it out. “Do you have any classes left for today? Do you want to see the movie now?"

          My jaw tightens. Did I—really just say that? Sehun looks at me with an unreadable expression, and he glances at his phone once. “Well…”

          “I mean—we can go with Yumi and Jinho too. I’ll call them.” I blurt out anything else quickly. I attempt to call Jinho but he doesn’t answer, and I call Yumi but she says she’s going to watch the movie with her classmates tomorrow.

          I’m clutching my phone after that, trying to arrange my words. “Apparently they can’t. Um—well, we have a week, no need to watch it immediately, right—”

          “No, I’m good with today. You’re right, the sooner the better.” Sehun says. “So where are we going to watch it?”

          I try to keep being calm as we walk to the nearest cinema. Why am I being so uneasy? I almost spent a month walking next to him for hours, this should be a piece of cake.

          We buy the tickets, and the cinema staff looks at us earnestly. “We just started our summer special packages, would you want the couple set? It’s a sofa and it comes with popcorn and two drinks. You’ll save seven thousand won compared to regular seats and snack combo.”

          Sehun and I look at each other, and before I could say anything, Sehun turns back to the staff. “Yes, please.”

          I’m burying my nails on my bag strap, and Sehun looks relaxed as we wait for the snacks. “It’s so much cheaper, isn’t it?”

          I awkwardly smile and nod. We enter the theater, and I look at the couple sofa and inaudibly sigh. It’s a weird first time, to use this kind of seat.

          The movie is making me sleepy, and I’m mostly leaning to one side of the sofa during the duration. Sehun puts the popcorn box near my chin, and I turn to see him. “You’re not eating?”

          I lazily take a handful and eat it slowly. Not long after Sehun gives me the popcorn box again, and I slowly shake my head. “No, thanks.”

          “Wait, look here.”

          I face him, and he looks at my lips. He flicks something on my face with his fingers, and I freeze on my seat. The screen just happens to be so bright right now, and I can look at him very clearly.

          “Okay, it’s gone.”

          It goes dark again in a flash, and I can feel my heartbeat on my throat.

          The movie ends, and Sehun does stretches as we head to the exit. “Man, that was a long movie.”

          “I know, right.” I respond slowly.

          Sehun faces me as we get to the lobby. “Then, I’ll get going first. I have something to do.”

          “Oh—okay. Bye, thanks.”

          He gives me a small smile, and leaves the place. After he disappears from my sight, I try to find something to sit on.

          I find an empty seat next to the promotional poster of the movie we just watched, and I blink. Did I even concentrate on the movie? What am I going to write on my review?

          I settle down, and straighten my legs. Thoughts are whirling inside my head, and I look at the carpet beneath my shoes.

          I think this is serious.

          I think I like him.

          I cover my face with my hands, and grunt to myself. Yumi will tease me a lot about this.