“This paper will be done in pairs.” The professor in front of the white board said as she surveyed the classroom. Youngjae’s groan was drowned out by the sound of everyone else whispering as they tried to secure their friends as their partner.

                ‘Maybe if I ask she’ll let me do it on my own… like the last one.’ Youngjae rubbed his temples; his growing headache from lack of sleep was not helping his mood. Most people thought that being one of the top students came easy to Youngjae, but that wasn’t the case. Youngjae put in long hours trying to completely understand the material and studying it. It was one of the reasons why he had so few friends. Not because of lack of time, although that may have been part of it, but because he wouldn’t associate himself with anyone who wasn’t as hard-working as he was.

                “Settle down.” The teacher clapped her hands to gain back control of the room. “I’ve already assigned you all partners. I want more diversity in your projects and I feel you should try working with different people.”

                This time everyone in the room groaned and complained. Youngjae wanted to smack his head against the table. ‘Why… I swear to friggin god if she put me with someone who is going to be more of a hindrance than help I might just—‘

                “Youngjae Yoo?” Youngjae pulled himself out of his thoughts as the teacher called his name. He put his hand up in the air to show he was there. She nodded. “Yongguk Bang?”

                Youngjae was sure his face paled. ‘Please, no, not him.’

                “Great you are both here. You two are both partners.”

                “Professor!” A girl with red hair raised her hand. “How could you put the two smartest students together? That isn’t fair to the rest of us.”

                The professor smiled as she pushed her bangs behind her ear. “How is it not fair? Does their grade affect yours? Even if they were paired up with other people their partners would still have to do work. If anything this pairing makes things fairer for them.”

                Grumbles and mumbles filled the room as more names were called out. Youngjae wasn’t listening though since he was already thinking about how he would fit this new paper into his schedule. He didn’t even bother adding Yongguk into his calculations.

                ‘Smart…’ Youngjae scoffed quietly as he doodled on his notebook. ‘There is no way that wannabe gangster is smart… somehow he is cheating. He has to be.’

                The sounds of chairs scrapping against the floor, told Youngjae that everyone had been paired up and was trying to find their partners. Youngjae sighed as he stood, knowing exactly where his partner was and not because he looked for him constantly. Youngjae sat in the front row so he could take good notes but, Yongguk on the other hand always sat two rows back beside the window which he seemed to be staring out of every time Youngjae looked backwards, not that that was common, but still.

                “The topic is up to the both of you to decide but it must have scientific sources.”

                Youngjae caught Yongguk’s eye just as the other stood up, presumably to find him. Youngjae again wondered how Yongguk had managed to cheat his way up to a 4.0. With his baggy pants, basketball jersey under a black plain black zip-up hoodie, and a pair of headphones that seemed to be attached to his person, there was no way Yongguk looked like a candidate for valedictorian. There were rumors that Yongguk was in a gang, something Youngjae wouldn’t have doubted, not with his deep voice and fierce eyes that had people clearing paths in the hallway for him.

                “Class is done for the day so feel free to use this time to start research together or figure out when you both can meet up.”

                Youngjae rolled his eyes. ‘This isn’t our first time working with partners…seriously, we are college students now.’

                Youngjae ungraciously plopped down into the chair in front of Yongguk’s desk and started rummaging through his bag.

                “Hi uhhh, I’m Yongguk.”

                “I know. Otherwise I wouldn’t have sat down here.” Youngjae felt guilty over how harsh he had sounded but he couldn’t wait to get out of class and grab a coffee.

                “Oh… right.” Youngjae heard Yongguk chuckle nervously.

                Youngjae looked up at Yongguk curiously before using the boy’s desk. “This is my number—“

                “Number?” Yongguk’s voice cracked.

                Youngjae sighed before he finished writing his number and pushing the piece of paper closer to Yongguk. “Yes, my phone number. Just in case you actually want to help with the paper.”

                “…what?”

                Youngjae barely heard him as he headed towards the door. Once outside in the less noisy area his shoulder’s slumped, happy he could let his attention wander, not needing to concentrate on a lecture or what his classmates were saying. He pulled his glasses off and put them in his bag as he made his way to student hall. He frowned seeing his phone’s screen light up. Even more surprising was to see he had a text from an unknown number.

                Unknown:

                                Where did you go? We really need to work on this project together.

                                Are you not free now?

                ‘Yongguk?’ Youngjae slowed to a stop, only able to stare at his phone, not quite believing the thug had texted him so quickly nor that he actually wanted to work on the paper. ‘Does he really want to work together or is this an act so that I don’t report him for not working on the report? Am I the only one who has said something like that to him?’

                “Youngjae!”

                If the text had surprised Youngjae, seeing Yongguk jogging towards him almost made him drop his backpack in shock. “Yo—Yongguk?”

                “That’s me remember.” Yongguk was slightly panting when he arrived in front of Youngjae. “I’m glad I was able to catch up. Are you in a hurry to get somewhere?”

                Youngjae looked down at his watch and shook his head. “No, I still have an hour until my class. I was on my way to grab a coffee though since I didn’t sleep much last night.”

                “I know what you mean. Monday’s are the worst... umm, do you want to talk about possible topics now or are you too tired?”

                Youngjae frowned at how much it seemed Yongguk wanted to work on this paper. “As long as I have coffee I will be fine.”

                “Great.” Yongguk smiled a little and Youngjae’s eyes went wide. “What… is there something on my face?”

                “No.” Youngjae rapidly looked away, embarrassed he had been caught staring. He started walking not sure what to say.

                ‘He really doesn’t seem mean nor like a gangster when he smiles… did I misjudge him? Was I being unfair and paying too much heed to rumors?’

                Youngjae was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t see the Frisbee heading straight for him. It wasn’t even until after Yongguk had pulled him backwards by his backpack that he knew he was in danger.  He was going to complain and tell Yongguk off but the words stuck in his throat as he watched the Frisbee fly just centimeters in front of his precious nose.

                “Oh… thank you.” Youngjae said as his heartbeat picked up. Definitely because of the Frisbee and not because he was in against Yongguk’s chest with his arm around his chest.

                “It’s no problem. You should be more careful though.”

                Youngjae’s brows furrowed. ‘Is Yongguk coming down with a cold? Why did he sound funny? And earlier his voice cracked didn’t it?’

                Yongguk released Youngjae to go pick up the dangerous Frisbee. Youngjae watched in interest as he threw it back to the thankful guys in the quad.

                ‘He is much nicer than I thought… he didn’t have to rescue me or throw the Frisbee back. He also has nice hands--’

                “Are you okay?”

                “Huh? Oh! Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s keep going.” Youngjae walked forward again, heading towards the smell of coffee which was growing stronger.

                While Youngjae got in line for coffee, Yongguk went to find them a table to sit at. Youngjae’s eyes kept darting over to his research partner and he couldn’t help but wonder if Yongguk was really there to work or if he had manipulative alternative motives. The more he glanced over the longer his eyes would stay on Yongguk, noticing the way the other student’s head was bouncing as if to an invisible beat, the way his black hair shaped his face so well, and how well that basketball jersey really did look good on him.

                “Youngjae? I thought you had class right now.”

                Youngjae blinked and looked at the barista, his friend Jongup. “We got out early so that we could get started on our new group paper.”

                Jongup nodded as he pulled out a cup. “Working on your own again? Shall I put an extra espresso shot in?”

                “Yes to the extra shot, no to the alone. She paired me with Yongguk.”

                Jongup stopped writing down Youngjae’s order. “Yongguk Bang? The Yongguk Bang that you’ve had a crush on since—“

                “Where did you get this notion that I had a crush on him?!” Youngjae sputtered.

                Jongup shrugged and started making Youngjae’s drink while another worker took over the register. “Because you talk about him all the time. I just assumed you liked him.”

                Youngjae scoffed. “I do not like him. And I don’t talk about him constantly, I complain about him. There is a huge difference.”

                “Same thing.” Jongup shrugged again. “You notice him enough that he is always on your mind.”

                “Because he is an annoying piece of…” Youngjae stopped as he remembered how Yongguk saved him from injury earlier. “There is just something about him that irks me. How does he have a 4.0!?”

                Jongup laughed. “You really shouldn’t judge the way people dress Youngjae. Didn’t that get you in trouble with the last person you tried to date.”

                “I thought we agreed to never talk about him.” Youngjae rubbed his temples.

                “Yes well, the lesson to be learned there was that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Maybe Yongguk is your study session to remind you.” Jongup held Youngjae’s drink out to him. “Here, it is on me.”

                “Thanks…” Youngjae mumbled thinking about Jongup’s words. “You really have your smart sounding moments Jongup.”

                Youngjae turned around and looked at Yongguk. Their eyes caught before Yongguk quickly looked down at his laptop. Youngjae paused, thinking about if he should give Yongguk the benefit of the doubt or not.

                Youngjae sighed. ‘ it. One day isn’t going to kill me.’

                He looked back at Jongup, ready to make a request when he was met with another paper cup full of coffee, as if Jongup had read his mind.

                Youngjae frowned. “I don’t like him.”

                Jongup smiled. “Fine, whatever you say but he keeps looking over here so maybe he likes you.”

                “What?!”

                Jongup laughed. “Go have a good study session, Youngjae.”

                Youngjae stood there with two coffee’s in his hands as Jongup went back to work. He slowly turned around and again watched as Yongguk’s eyes fell away from him and onto his computer. Youngjae bit his lip feeling uncertain.

                ‘Please tell me he isn’t here just to hit on me… wait no stop! I said I was going to give him a chance to prove himself worthy of the perfect gpa he has.’

                “Here goes nothing. Please don’t let him turn out to be an .” Youngjae took a deep breath and began making his way over to his fidgeting research partner.