Present | Yoksei University

 

"Sunbae-nim, when will the buses arrive?" The wide-eyed freshman inquired as she received her Orientation Program and ID.

 

Jung Eunji, in-charge of the registration for the Chemistry Department glanced at her wrist watch before answering, "They'll probably be here in half an hour. Why don't you go around and meet people first?"

"I'd love that!" The freshman exclaimed as she tucked her program and ID inside her backpack. "Thank you so much, sunbae-nim." She answered brightly, feeling elated to have addressed someone from the University as a sunbae.

 

"No problem." She replied with a warm smile.

 

The freshman waved and went off. Eunji sighed as she realized that it was the last name on her queue. She looked over her list again and crossed the name of the freshman who just left.

 

HAN HAEJOO

 

"AAAAHHH! SHE'S THE LAST ONE!" She exclaimed as she stretched her arms and leaned comfortably on the chair.

 

"Good job, Eunji-ah!" Chirped Seoji who was sitting on the other end of the long table set up at the entrance of the University's main building.

 

Today was the Freshman Orientation of Yoksei University. As part of their college lower council, she was tasked as one of the working committees for the orientation this year. She was in-charge of the registration for the Chemistry Department.

 

Alongside with her were other student representatives from the various departments. It had only been five days since the semester began but all of the Seniors in-charge of the orientation looked older than their ages.

 

The first week in the University was supposedly fun, light, and chill but so far not a single soul from the Orientation Committee was able to enjoy such. Right now, all Eunji could feel was her tired body and sleepy head. She couldn't wait to join her bed after all this chaos. Two more days and a dreadful night and everything would be back to normal.

 

Her thoughts were briefly interrupted as a throng of freshman passed by the table giggling and all giddy.

 

"Yah!" Choi Jiyeon who was sitting next to her nudged her elbow. "Look at how restless the kids are."

 

Eunji's gaze followed the group who now blended with the small crowd waiting for the buses to arrive. "They're probably just excited for this whole thing. Do you remember when we were freshman? You were excited to join the talent competition too." She teased.

 

Eunji had known Jiyeon since they were freshmen. They both enrolled in Chemistry but Jiyeon had a change of heart by second semester. She never really wanted to be a chemist. She wanted to study film making so she shifted. Although they were now in different departments, both somehow found time to keep in touch and stay close to each other.

 

In fact, it was Jiyeon who volunteered Eunji to join them being a part of her college Lower Council. Eunji hated responsibility but this would be a great opportunity to catch up with Jiyeon whom she missed over the break.

 

"HAHAHA!" Jiyeon laughed nervously as she recalled herself dancing over some Hallyu bop few years ago. "That was so long ago already. Anyway, I can't wait until they get all cramped up with requirements and s."

 

"Hey, let the kids be!" Oh Hankyeol from the Arts Department who was sitting on the farther left of the table answered laughing. "Let them realize the hell they got themselves into soon."

 

Everyone on the table started giggling. Few moments later, the registration committee started wrapping up. The Program Head just announced that the buses were soon to arrive. Making sure that everyone had registered already, one by one, they started cleaning up the registration table. All of them, except Jiyeon.

 

"Hey guys! I still have one freshie who has not registered yet." She announced after checking her list for the third time.

 

"Are you sure?" Hankyeol asked.

 

"Yup," Jiyeon blinked. "I've checked my list for the third time already." She glanced around nervously. "What should I do with him?"

 

"I think," Seoji who was gathering his things started speaking.

 

Jiyeon stared hopefully.

 

"I think you should wait for him Jiyeon-ah. Remember our mantra in the registration committee, "No child left behind."

 

The others repeated their motto for the day, "No child left behind."

 

And with that, they all started racing towards their respective department for the buses had just arrived. Only Eunji and Jiyeon were left on the registration table.

 

"Look at those rascals." Jiyeon uttered scornfully. She faced Eunji who was now getting ready to leave. "Eunji-ie.. My Eunji-ie." She sang as she huddled the sleeve of her shirt.

 

"What? My bus has just arrived." She said, holding her folders and envelopes on her chest.

 

"My stuff is still in the student office." She explained, her eyes jumping on the backpack of Eunji which was sitting on the empty table.

 

"So?

 

She smiled sweetly, the kind of aegyo some idols were fond of doing. "Can you... Wait here for the late freshman so I can gather my things? Hmmp Hmmp."

 

Eunji's eyes narrowed at her friend. Thinking that her aegyo was not doing her any good, Jiyeon tried harder...

 

"Pretty please?" This time she was pointing both of her index fingers together.

 

"YAH CHOI JIYEON! CUT THE NONSENSE." She yelled with disgust that sent Jiyeon into a loud outburst.

 

"HAHAHAHA! That was so cringey but Eunji-ah..."

 

Eunji dropped her folders. "Fine! I'll wait here. Go get your stuff."

 

Jiyeon squealed while squeezing her into a hug. "You're an angel, Eunji."

 

She shooed her away saying, "I know. Now go. Be sure to be quick."

 

"I will!" She answered with a salute and dashed her way to the Student Affairs Office.

 

Eunji had no choice but to sit again and wait for Jiyeon to comeback or for that damned freshman to arrive. Her eyes trailed the students who were starting to line up for the buses. She had to be inside her bus' department for the headcount. She tried to imagine Chair Goo scolding her for not being on time. The old man was very time conscious.

 

She winced at her imagination. She couldn't leave Jiyeon as well so come what may. She stared blankly at the midair when she heard someone calling her name.

 

"Eunji-ah. Jung Eunji!"

 

She turned to her left and saw Do Kyungsoo with some food supplies in a box.

 

"Oh, Kyungsoo-ah!" She was surprised to find him here. Do Kyungsoo was of the same year taking the same course as she. But he wasn't there as a representative of their Department. He was there as a part of the Head Committee who looked over the whole thing. He was part of the student council after all.

 

He stopped in front of her and placed the box on the table. He looked tired too just like the rest of them but he sure had this gorgeous face that bought energy to Eunji. What a blessing in disguise to be waiting here.

 

"Aren't the buses leaving already? Why are you still here?"

 

She tucked some hairstrands behind her ear, "I'm waiting for Jiyeon to get her stuff and... a freshman from her Department has not registered yet."

 

"A freshman has not registered yet?" He sounded surprised, his eyes rounding in disbelief. "Isn't that odd?"

 

"I know, right? Freshmen are always excited for orientations." She agreed. "Except may be for this one." She finished, tapping the folder where the name of that damned son was written. "How about you? Aren't you supposed to be on the venue now?"

 

"Oh yeah, I had to see the food supplies so I stayed behind." He said, glancing back to the box he was holding. "In fact, I should get going now since the first bus was waiting for me already. I'll see you there, Eunji-ah?"

 

"Oh you should go then. Work hard, Kyungsoo-ah."

 

"You too."

 

Eunji maintained a straight face until Kyungsoo had gone down the stairs. When he was no longer in the vicinity she started smiling like it would rip her face. God knows she had been head over heels to this classmate since the first day she sat beside him on one of the lectures in their Biochemistry class.

 

Aside from being very good looking, he was also nice, smart and a generous person. He was well-mannered and responsible too. He was everything Eunji wanted and the same everything that Eunji would never have. But never did it matter to her. Him stopping by to notice her on this busy day was already a blessing. She whispered a silent thanksgiving prayer.

 

She must have been too engrossed with the whole Kyungsoo encounter that she didn't notice the person who was standing in front of her.

 

"Excuse me," A manly voice called her out of her reverie and automatically led her back to her senses.

 

She acted cool like a sunbae that she should be. Without glancing up to face the new comer, she sat up straight and pretended to read her folder. "Yes?" She said pretending to be preoccupied.

 

"Is this the registration for the Film Department?"

 

Film Department? She wandered.

 

"Oh!" She uttered and quickly reached for the folder left by Jiyeon. "Yes, yes." She said opening the folder to look up at the name of the person. "You must be..." Just like how he came late, his name was also on the last page. Eunji's fingers traced the printed letters of the new comer's name.

 

"I'm Chanyeol," he introduced himself as though he was reading the same thing Eunji was looking at. "Park Chanyeol..."

 

The name brought back memories she had long forgotten.

 

But like an impulse, she glanced up to meet his gaze. Her heart beat crazily against her chest as she sat looking up at this man. He was tall like a giant. Light purple hair were sneaking out of the black cap over his head. He didn't look anything like the Chanyeol she had known but his yoda ears won't lie.

 

This was Park Chanyeol. His name said it all.

 

---

 

So it had her wondering how on earth, after all these years, Chanyeol would have to same power over her?

 

She looked down on her folder, eyes blinking wide-eyed. "Umh.. Ugh.." She clicked her tongue suddenly unsure of what to do. Was it really him? She wanted to check again but staring at him for too long would be rude.

 

"So, you may sign here..." She said pointing at Chanyeol's name on the list.

 

"Here?" He pointed too.

 

Their fingers touch and Eunji bolted away.

 

"Oh, are you okay?" The guy asked.

 

"Yeah, yeah." Eunji answered, still not looking up.

 

When he finished signing the form, she handed him his materials. "Here's your program and ID." She managed to say. "The bus is leaving soon, you must get on board."

 

He stayed still for a while and Eunji could not be sure where he was looking at.

 

"Well, thank you..." He paused as if waiting for her to say her name.

 

Her name which he used to utter countlessly before. How could he forget? Did he not even recognize her?

 

At that point, the buses started honking for the last call to board.

 

"They're waiting." Eunji muttered. "You must go."

 

"Yes. Thank you, sunbae-nim." He said and bowed slightly before turning his back on her. Eunji's gaze followed him as he moved to where the buses were.

 

---

 

"ARE YOU SURE IT WAS CHANYEOL?!" Sohye screamed over the phone's receiver that made Eunji detach the phone from her ear.

 

Im Sohye was a classmate from high school and Eunji's closest confidant. She was studying at Hankook University taking a business course. Sohye knew practically the whole thing between Chanyeol and Eunji in high school so the latter had no one else to share this "Chanyeol-Comes-Back-To-Life" episode but to Sohye.

 

"It was his name on the list and he looked just exactly like him." She narrated. Her eyes darted to the windows of the room she will be staying at with the other committee members in the recreational venue they rented for the orientation. She recalled Chanyeol's face from the encounter earlier. She shook her head violently and reprimanded herself for thinking about how good looking he actually was while standing right there.

 

"Then why on earth would he not recognize you?" Sohye asked. "Hello? Aren't you like THE Jung Eunji of his life?"

 

"I don't know." She managed to say.

 

"He's probably not just wearing his glasses or contacts. Have you forgotten about his poor eyesight?" Sohye consoled.

 

"Oh, right." Eunji agreed. "But what if he's still mad about me leaving?"

 

"He pestered me for a month to tell your whereabouts. Your mother did not tell him anything too so he kept on coming back at me I was so afraid people would start rumours about us." Sohye laughed at the memory.

 

"I don't know, Sohye. I don't feel so good about this." Eunji confessed.

 

"Well, things did not go exactly well between you two before and even after you left. And you both had a hard time about it... So if the Universe decides for you to be together now, should you just... Play along? Go with the flow?"

 

Eunji was not sure about Sohye's words but she conceded. She soon bade good bye to attend to her duties. Right, it was in the past already. He must have forgotten about it too. Eunji convinced herself and sighed.