After the room had been tidied up completely, Seungho slowly stepped out onto the corridor, and to his confusion Jieun was nowhere to be found. He went back into the room for 2 minutes and stepped out again, the second attempt just in time to see Jieun slowly wheeling back from his right, where the toilets were. In her hands held a wad of tissue, and her eyes were puffy and red, as if she had spent countless minutes crying.

Seungho’s eyes softened at the sight of Jieun, and he quickly ran up to her and took the handles of her wheelchair, “I’ll help you, if that’s alright, Miss Jieun”.

Jieun slowly looked up at his face, full of concern and worry. “Thank you.”

Seungho nodded and slowly led her into their room, closing the door with his foot. He wheeled her into the middle of the room and sat himself down into his own bed. An awkward silence filled the room as neither of them had anything to say.

As Jieun calmed down from the chaotic order her brain had been in, she looked around at her surroundings.  She had her front view from the window that showed the Swimming pool down below, and her back was facing the door she had just came in from. To Jieun’s right, a bunk bed stood, perfect for roommates. The covers were of a sky blue and Jieun had no problem with that; it was her favourite colour and her own bed had the same coloured covers. Two closets for clothes stood next to it. When she turned her head the other way, to her left, there was the door for the bathroom, and next to that a desk which also had a chair.   

A knock on the door shook each of them out of their thoughts. Seungho stood up and walked to the door. When he opened, the woman that had introduced them together stood, carrying 2 boxes in one hand which looked too heavy for her, and Jieun’s suitcase in the other. Seungho quickly took it while thanking her and closed the door. He turned and walked back, laying the suitcase beside Jieun and putting the two boxes on the desk and unraveling it.

Seungho looked up from his work, and turned to face Jieun.

“Well…Since I’m your roommate and you don’t know the campus yet, I’ll be having the same classes as you and helping you with anything you need. Just come and ask me”

Jieun nodded as Seungho took out the textbooks and placed them in a neat pile on the desk, and sat on the chair behind it.

The silence returned again. Jieun pretended to be looking out the window at the students in the swimming pool as Seungho stared at his feet.

Seungho was the one who broke the silence as he looked up at Jieun and asked, “What name do I call you?”

“Just Jieun. No need for formalities. Can I call you Seungho?” She asked him.

“Sure” Seungho nodded. “Are you older or younger?”

“I’m 19 this year”.

“Oh.” A realization hit Seungho. “I’m 20 so I’m older then. Well I guess you should call me o-“ He stopped his sentence before he could finish it. “Nevermind...”

Jieun cocked her head sideways in curiosity. “What is it?”

“Nothing. Just ignore that” The tip of Seungho’s ears turned pink as he turned away and mentally cursed himself and his stupidity. What was he thinking? They’d only met, and already asking her to call him oppa.

But it would be nice…

Once again he pushed the thought away. They weren’t even close!

“Oh right.” Jieun opened the suitcase beside her and started rummaging for something. Finally she got out a small box and held it out for Seungho. “For you”.

“What’s this?” Seungho’s eye widened as he took the box from her hands. It was neatly wrapped in silver wrapping and a small bow in the middle.

“Since I was going to have a roommate, I decided to buy a gift” Jieun spoke as Seungho unwrapped the present and opened it. “I didn’t know what my roommate would like, but I’m glad I bought a red one, and not a pink one.” Inside was a red scarf folded neatly and Seungho gasped softly. He took it out and smiled at Jieun.

“Thanks. I’m happy even if it wasn’t really meant for me” He chuckled.

Jieun smiled. “No problem”.

The clock tower inside the school struck twelve and a loud tune was played. Seungho spoke, “Are you hungry? Since we’re dorm students, we’re allowed to meals during the holidays. The Dining hall is just to the left of the dorm”.

“Not reall-“ Jieun started but was interrupted by a loud whale rising from her stomach. She blushed with embarrassment when Seungho snorted in amusement and began to laugh, turning the other way and tried to hold it in. When he turned around, a grin still remained. Jieun blushed red again and cursed her stomach. Why did it have to tell her now of all times?

“I guess I’ll take you there then?” Jieun smiled shyly, still embarrassed, and Seungho took her down using the elevator, and outside the dorm building. Then he led her by the concrete path into the Dining Hall, where he took her to the counters to choose her food.

As Seungho was pointing out each thing to the Jieun that was only used to English cuisine, stares were gradually directed at them. Or rather it was only Jieun, the girl subjected to a wheelchair. Both of them could sense the silence that filled the air, especially Jieun.

Taking a quick glance behind her and meeting the stares, her thoughts were confirmed. She sighed for the fourth time. When was this going to stop? Looking at her as if she was some kind of rare animal the students only encountered once in their lives, an animal so unlike them, who were perfect in every way. It wasn’t her fault she had been an invalid since birth. It wasn’t her choice.

Seungho frowned as he heard Jieun sigh. The frown deepened when a group of girls walked by, gasps and whispers coming from them the moment Jieun came into view. Seungho could hear their words clearly, and no doubt Jieun could hear it just as well.

They filled their plates quickly and Seungho looked around. Not seeing any of his dorm friends arrive yet, He took Jieun to an empty table, clearing away a chair for Jieun and parking her in.

As Seungho was about to sit down, he hear a loud yell from behind him. When both Jieun and Seungho turned around, they saw 3 guys approaching them.

Seungho grinned as he looked at the three. A loud entrance as usual. He turned to Jieun who was unsure of what was happening, and why the 3 guys were approaching them. When the three  were within earshot, he spoke to Jieun.

“Meet my best friends, Junhyung, Yoseob and Joon.”