Myungsoo sighed heavily as he walked through the aisles of the library.  For the third time this week he was here and, as an acting major, he believe that to be three times too many.  He was supposed to be with his friends at the ramen shop near campus, celebrating the completion of the school’s latest play.  And his stomach was not pleased to be in the bright, fluorescently lit room, instead of filling his belly.  But, when Soojin didn’t answer after three texts worry set in.

When he didn’t find her in her dorm with Charlie, her American roommate, he knew exactly where she was which brought him to the third level of the university’s library.  If she wasn’t there she was probably dead in a ditch somewhere.  Myungsoo almost laughed at that thought, Soojin probably hadn’t stepped off campus in weeks much less found a way to end up in a ditch.  Not to mention despite how spacey she was, she wouldn’t walk around alone, especially at night. 

Finally, he reached the back of mythology section and the last of the private desks.  And, as he expected, Soojin was there, a stack of books to her left and her laptop on in front of her.  “Soojin?”  He whispered and when she didn’t respond he was about to call her name louder but stopped as soon as he saw her face buried in her arms and her hood covering her head. 

Rolling his eyes, he knelt down next to her once he reached her side and shook her arm lightly.  “Soojin, wake up, you can’t stay here all night.”  To his surprise, she didn’t budge at all.  Even when he shook her harder, she didn’t move.  Myungsoo was in shock, how was it the girl who woke up with the slightest whisper dead asleep now?  With heavy sigh, he gently took the book that was out from under her and gathered the rest of the books in his arms, placing them on the return to shelf stand close by.  “What am I going to do with you Yun Soojin?”  He muttered to himself as he turned back to the girl, who hadn’t moved an inch.

After a moment of contemplation, he reached over her, ignoring the goose bumps that crawled up his arms, turned her laptop off and placed it in her bag.  “Soojin,” He shook her, “Soojin wake up.”  She stirred a little bit but refused to open her eyes, “Come on Soojin you can’t stay here all night.”  She mumbled a reply but in her dazed state, plus half her face still buried in her arms, Myungsoo had no idea what she was saying.  “In Korean please.”  A wry grin turned up his lips as she half-heartedly glared at him.

Nonetheless, she sat up a little more and spoke, tiredly, “I can’t feel my legs I don’t want to move, get me in the morning.” 

Like hell, he thought with a scoff and gently tried to move her arms to get her backpack on.  “You’ve been sitting here all day haven’t you?  When’s the last time you ate?”  She mumbled something in reply and Myungsoo took that as an indication she couldn’t remember.  “Probably when Charlie brought you food for lunch,” he grumbled darkly, remembering her mention it offhandedly as he left the dorm. 

“That was only a few hours ago.”  She grumbled and rested her head on the desk again. 

“Hey!” He grabbed both of her shoulders and pulled her away from the desk.  “It’s nine-thirty Soojin I don’t think nine hours is a few hours ago.  Come on, I’ll make you some ramen and you can go right back to sleep.”

With a sigh she stood, wobbling a little, and held out her pinky for Myungsoo to take, “Promise.”  He rolled his eyes but linked pinkies with her anyway.  “Good, now,” She grabbed the end of his hoodie and tugged lightly, “Lead the way Mr. Kim.  I am too tired to know my right from my left right now.”

“Don’t stretch my hoodie,” He grumbled and reached behind him to grab her hand instead.  It wasn’t as if that was anything out of the ordinary Myungsoo almost never trusted her directional ability, or that she wouldn’t wander off.  Especially when she was half-awake and complaining, that she couldn’t feel her legs. 

They managed to get halfway back to her dorm when Soojin’s pace started to slow and she stumbled over several small cracks.  Glancing over at her the corner of his lip turned up slightly, “Don’t tell me I have to carry you?”   

She raised a brow and yawned, “Are you offering?”

Without even thinking, he smirked and pulled her closer, “Nope.”  He walked faster ignoring her attempts to convince him that carrying her was the best idea ever.  She would get tired of convincing him eventually and if not they weren’t far from her dorm now.

“Come on,” She groaned unhappily as they neared her dorm room, “don’t you need to practice for all those cheesy dramas you’re going to be in?  I’m tired and if you don’t I’ll just sit on you when we get inside.”   

Scoffing, Myungsoo let her hand go and shoved her shoulder lightly, “You don’t weigh enough for that to be threatening.” 

Soojin narrowed her eyes and as soon as he turned around she jumped on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck, grinning in satisfaction when he made a strangled sound of protest.  “I’m threatening no matter what I weigh.”

Myungsoo stumbled forward but managed to catch himself after leaning against the wall, and grabbed her legs.  Once he could breathe again he coughed loudly.  “Are you crazy?!”  He knew that he should have expected that but he actually hoped that she was tired enough to not care.  Apparently she found her second wind.  “I thought you said you were tired,” He whined but started walking down the hall to her dorm regardless.  “What happened to I’m tired?  You’re obviously not tired enough to almost kill me.”

She giggled and rested her chin on his shoulder, wiggling a little just to annoy him.  “You’re right I’m not tired anymore cold air does that too a person.  You’re still going to cook for me right?”  She added, sounding hopeful. 

Myungsoo wanted to say no, that he had a party to go to, that she should just cook it herself and then sleep more because those bags under her eyes were ridiculous.  Instead, he replied, “Of course.  You can’t do it yourself miss ‘let me make the pot explode’.”  He didn’t even know why he thought he would say no, he was never able to say no to her.

Huffing indignantly, she bit at his hair, missing when he moved his head away.  “That was one time!  And I wasn’t paying attention!  When I pay attention my cooking is better than yours.” 

Scoffing he let her down and motioned for her to open the door.  “You never pay attention to anything expect your novel.”  He hoped that he didn’t sound too bitter.     

Soojin smiled secretively and pushed him inside once the door was open.  “Whatever, just make food you dork I’m going to change.” 

He swiped at her once while she was walking away to her room before shuffling over to the kitchen to make ramen as promised.  As he started to gather the ingredients he  noticed a note on the door left by Charlie. 

            Going to meet up with the boys and Rina at club Void.  If you’re not a total bum when Myungsoo drags you out of the library you can join us.  And tell Myungsoo to come, it’s his celebration too after all and Dongwoo is already pouty he left.

                        Charlie

Laughing softly, Myungsoo took the note of the refrigerator and tossed it in the trash giving it no more thought.  He did not intend to leave until Soojin at least ate something.  Every time she went on one of these writing binges she could barely take care of herself and he was constantly worried about her.  He’d never mention that however, she’d either bite his head off or run away not knowing what to say.  She was worse with words than he was half the time and dealt with it worse than he did. 

Just when he was about to finish up the ramen she shuffled in wearing her favorite white hoodie with bunny ears, and a pair of blue basketball shorts she stole from Hoya in freshman year.  “If I beat you in rock paper scissors will you stay and watch bad TV with me for a while?”  Myungsoo knew exactly what that meant; I don’t know where Charlie is and I really don’t want to be alone right now so can you stay until I fall asleep? 

He shrugged, turned the stove off and placed the lid over the pot as he replied, “What if we find something good to watch?”

He saw her shrug out of the corner of his eye and she held out her fist waiting for the ‘match’, “You’re stuck with me either way.”

Shrugging nonchalantly, he carried the pot to the table in the living room and smiled a little with Soojin stamped her foot in frustration from him ignoring her.  Before she could complain as she marched into the room, he held his fist out and smiled, “Ready?”  She blinked in surprise twice before a grin crossed her face and she held out her fist as well.  Myungsoo lost, of course, and casually handed the chopsticks to her along with the pot lid, knowing she would complain without it. 

They ate in a comfortable silence with Myungsoo reaching out to play with one of the ears on her hoodie every now and again when he noticed a dark look in her eyes.  She’d never admit it but being alone with Myungsoo, even when they weren’t talking were the times she felt most comfortable.  And after eating there really was nothing good on TV and the pair resorted to looking through the DVD collection until they decided on I Robot.

Shortly after the opening credits Soojin’s phone rang.  In surprise she glanced over at Myungsoo who shrugged and turned his attention back to the television.  He had an idea of who it was and his suspicions were confirmed when Soojin answered. 

“Hello?”  She paused a looked over at Myungsoo again, “Yeah he’s with me…Club Void?”  She bit her lip anxiously as Charlie spoke, “That’s tonight?  Oh…okay I’ll ask him and I’ll let you know.”  After a quick goodbye she hung up and the couch towards Myungsoo, poking his shoulder hard.  “Why didn’t you tell me that your party was tonight?  What in the world are you doing here?”

He didn’t answer her for a minute, a little annoyed that she couldn’t figure out why he would rather be here than with his friends.  Of course he would enjoy going to the club with the guys especially if they managed to trick Woohyun into getting drunk, hilarity would ensue.  But the sad look in Soojin’s eyes from the first day he met her would stop him every time.  To him, sometimes, spending time with her was a little more important than clubbing with the guys.  He would never admit it out loud.  When she shook his shoulder he shrugged and reached into her pocket and grabbed her phone texting Charlie quickly that he wouldn’t be coming. 

Satisfied he put her phone back in her hoodie pocket, “I’m watching I Robot,” He finally responded. 

Soojin stuttered incoherently before taking out her phone and looking at the message he sent.  “But you need to go out and celebrate and dance with some pretty girl or something!”  She protested, shaking his arm lightly.  A part of her felt a little smug knowing he wanted to spend time with her even though a nagging part of her brain told her it was out of pity. 

“You talk too much,” He automatically responded and faked a loud yawn before leaning over and resting his head on her lap, almost smiling at the way she automatically started playing with the sleeve on his shirt. 

“But…but your party.”

“It’s not my party and I’m sleepy.”  He closed his eyes and scooted a little closer happy that he could be this comfortable with her.  Myungsoo knew he won when she started to play with his hair.  Opening one eye he saw her attention back on the movie and grinned.  He knew she got other offers from guys, but he was the one that got to lay his head on her lap at the end of the day.  And as she continued to lightly run her fingers through his hair he really did start to drift off to sleep with a soft smile on his face, completely unaware of the smile on Soojin’s.