Lee Ji Eun entered the lecture hall twenty minutes late, quietly sliding into her seat in the back, and attempting to unpack her things without drawing the attention of the-

“I see you’ve decided to join us, Miss Lee.” Professor Im turned around. “It’s nice to see you today,” he commented, checking her off the attendance list. Another tardy. “Try making this class your first, priority, Miss Lee.”

‘Yeah, how about after I pay my damn bills, genius.’ she thought. But on the outside, “Of course, sir.” she twiddled her pencil in between her fingers. her heart raced anxiously. she hated disappointing people. But it just seemed to happen so often. She didn’t know why the feeling wouldn’t go away. She should be used to it by now.

*****

After class she was walking to the quad, she had about an hour and a half break before the real grind began. First class of the day was AP English. She knew she needed to call Gina and ask for the notes. She sat down in the corner at the bottom of the quad. Down the stairs and into the corner next to the big bay window, looking out onto the lawn.

As she opened her book for Psychology, she happened to look out the window, and see...what was his name again? Min….ho? Min...Ki? Minkyung? She shook her head. Whatever. She’d somehow ask him again. She looked back at him.

He was t the hedge that lined the building outside. he came about the window, and looked up at her. she looked down, and waved sheepishly. he chewed on the toothpick hanging out his mouth and gave her a nod, going about his business.

She couldn’t help but steal a glance as he passed by. his slender muscular arms flexed every time he moved to cut another limb, and with every turn and bend, her heart raced. But Ji Eun shook her head. She couldn’t like him. He was the...janitor. Her friends would laugh until they pissed themselves. She looked back at her book. She needed to study.

*****

Minseok wiped the sweat from his brow. For fall, it was pretty hot. 85 and the sun beat down on him. he could feel sweat gathering at the top of his shirt, soaking through and staining it. ‘,’ he thought. ‘This was my good tank top too,’ he shook his head. ‘I can’t afford to keep staining my clothes, dammit.’ he knew none of his classmates cared about sweat stains, hell those types of clothes were considered ‘game’ clothes, ‘just-stay-at-home’ kind of clothes, but Minseok couldn’t afford to keep buying clothes, and stain remover was almost as expensive as detergent, for about 80% less product. It was bull.

He looked back. The girl he met yesterday looked bored, staring unblinkingly into her Psychology book. He wondered what she was studying for. But he didn’t have time to wonder. He still needed to get back and start cleaning the bathrooms. No doubt more piss on the floor. You’d think that grown men would know how to aim.

He looked back at her again. She was cute. She finally turned a page. He wondered what was up about her, but shook his head again. ‘I have too much to do to think about small like that,’ he thought to himself, picking up his tools and heading towards another building.

*****

Gina joined Ji Eun in Psychology, nudging her with her elbow. “Hey, there!” she smiled, and Ji Eun returned it, even if it was small.

“Aw, cheer up! Why don’t you just tell him its about work?” she asked.

“I don’t want to bother people with my personal life.” she said, leaning her face on her hand. She looked out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the janitor, whom she still could not recall the name of.

“Who are you looking for?” asked Gina, leaning over her shoulder. Ji Eun snapped out of her daze.

“Nobody! Nothing!” Eunji shook her head. “Just looking outside, y’know?” Gina rolled her eyes.

“Nah, you were looking for someone. I can tell.” Ji Eun blushed.

“Um...really? How can you tell?” she asked, not yet ready to confess.

“Well, I’ve done it enough that I can tell what ‘the look’ is, and you’ve got it bad.”

“What’s ‘the look’?” she asked.

“Lust.” said Gina, giving Ji Eun a sly look. Ji Eun flushed pink.

“Wh-what? No, that’s not-”

“Say no more,” said Gina, putting her hand to Ji Eun’s lips. “I can tell. So, who is it?” she asked, prodding her in the arm with her pen.

“No one,” she retorted coldly, turning away and putting her face in her hands. As class started, thoughts of him drifted to the back of her mind and got lost somewhere.

*****

Minseok stepped out of the shower, steam rising from behind the curtain in his small dorm room. Luckily, he was able to get one with a shower instead of having to use the communal bath house. ‘The perks of being a student and working at the school, I suppose; first dibs on the rooms with showers.’’ he thought, drying his hair and grabbing his cell phone. His friend Kris was trying to convince him to go to some frat party.

He rolled his eyes as he brushed his teeth. he had too much to do. One free night off because the teacher got sick, and he thinks he’s going to waste it on some party? As if. he set his phone down on the toilet tank.

‘You don’t get out often though, it might be fun,’ he thought. He shook those thoughts away. What was so fun about getting drunk and waking up the next morning with profanities written on your face? Despite the ‘fun’ Kris had said he’d had, it didn’t appeal to Minseok at all. He just wanted to sit back with a glass of Coke and a book, not having to deal with anyone or anything. His phone vibrated. he slid the screen and read the message.

‘Come on, it’ll be fun.’ Minseok rolled his eyes. Kris would harass him all night until the party was practically over with.

‘Whatever. Half an hour, then I’m going home.’ he texted, tossing his phone onto his bed as he walked into his room, throwing off his towel as he searched through his dresser for clothes. Maybe he could just get away with sitting in a corner and playing on his phone. ‘Yeah, let’s go with that.’

*****

Gina held Ji Eun’s face as she applied the lip gloss. “Hold still, or you’ll look like a cheap hooker.” she took some tissue and dabbed around . “There. That wasn’t too bad.” she said. “No! You’ll mess it up,” she pulled Ji Eun’s chin down in an attempt to keep her lips apart.

“But it feels sticky,” she whined.

“Well it’s not chapstick, its to look good. Just don’t purse your lips or anything, you’ll mess it up.” she pulled out some eyeshadow and dabbed the brush in a light pink. “Now close your eyes and don’t be such a baby!”

After was all said and done, with much pruning and pulling and poking, Gina lifted a mirror so that Ji Eun could take a look at herself. “Well?” Gina prompted, wanting confirmation on her work.

“I look wonderful,” Eun Ji breathed, taken aback at what an improvement her face seemed with makeup up.

“Ah, there wasn’t much to improve on, honey. Now, come on, or we’ll be late!”

“Shouldn’t I change out of this?” she motioned to her clothes, of which she had worn both to work and school. Gina nodded, and threw some clothes on her

“Two minutes, GO!” Ji Eun quickly threw on the clothes, trying to be as careful as possible not to mess up Gina’s handiwork. Gina gave her a look over, turning her in a circle. “Good, let’s go!” she said, grabbing her hand and flying out the door.

*****

Kris and Minseok had arrived fifteen minutes after the party started. Minseok set the timer on his watch and went to find a corner to sit in. Kris rolled his eyes. His friend wasn’t even going to try to socialize. He never was one for parties, but he could at least try to seem like he was having a good time.

The party kept going, after another minute or two the dorm flooded with people, all drinking and laughing, being obnoxiously loud. Several girls who were already past wasted had come up to him, but he brushed them off. He looked at his watch again. Only five minutes had past. It was going to be a long night.

He watched as Kris walked up to several girls, they looked up at him with glazed eyes, hanging on his every word. Uninterested, Minseok turned to his phone and began playing Anipang. Something made him turn. There were two girls, and a boy in the far corner diagonally from him. The man had a firm grip on the brunette’s arm. ‘ing jackass,’ he checked his watch. Fifteen minutes. ‘I have enough time.’ he put his phone in his pocket, rolled up his sleeves, and walked over.

“Hey baby, how’s it goin?” he asked, wrapping his arm around Ji Eun. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with fear. He glared over at the man, who had now let go of her arm. “What the you think you’re doin, punk?” he asked, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and lifting him off his feet. “Who the hell gave you the right to grab a woman like that?” he asked.

“N-no one. I, I didn’t know she was yours-” Minseok socked him in the face, blood trickling out of the corner of the mans mouth, Minseok heard his tooth crack.

“It shouldn’t matter if she’s mine, you never put your hands on a woman. No means no, you douchebag. Now beat it, before I beat you.” he said, tossing him on the ground. The man crawled onto his knees, and ran to the door, knocking over a few people and spilling a drink or two on his way out.

Minseok turned to Ji Eun. “Are you okay?” he asked. Ji Eun nodded. “Come on,” he tried taking her hand, but she pulled away.

“It’s alright,” Gina put her hands up. “I knew something was going on, I’ll meet up with you back at our dorm, later chica!” she took out a small pad of paper and a pen from her jacket and wrote something down, ripping out the page and handing it to Minseok. “Curfew is at 11:30.” Bring her back on time, tiger.” she said, winking at Ji Eun before she shot off into the crowd.

Before she could protest, Minseok was leading her outside. “Where are you taking me?” she asked.

“To your dorm. I don’t need you getting hurt.” he said, his eyes fixated in the direction of their destination.

“FYI, I’m not your ‘baby,’ thanks but no thanks. I’m fine. “ she tried to wriggle out of his grasp but he kept a tight hold. She scoffed and turned around. “Hypocrite much? You’re gonna bust a guy in the jaw for doing this to me and then turn around and do it yourself?” she shook her head. “Wow. You’ve got some nerve.” he grimaced and pulled her closer.

“Look, baby,” he said in a rather condescending voice, “I ain’t doing this for fun. You could have been hurt tonight. I’m doing what a responsible man should, and taking you where you should be safe. You need to go home, and lock the door, not opening it for anyone, assuming your roommate has a key, okay?” Ji Eun pouted. He had a point, but that didn’t mean she wanted to be babied.

“Whatever.” she mumbled, letting him lead her back to her dorm. “Go out one night, and this happens.” she muttered.

“You’re telling me. This was my first night off for the first time in a long time, and I get a tooth in my knuckle and an ungrateful damsel in distress.” Ji Eun rolled her eyes.

“If I’m such a burden then why don’t you leave me alone?” she asked, glaring at him.

“Because I’m not done rescuing you yet.” she turned away, feeling blood rush to her cheeks. She couldn’t tell this time whether it was from anger or embarrassment. ‘Damsel in distress. Great. Can’t even go anywhere without causing trouble. Way to go, Ji Eun.’

*****

As they approached her dorm room, Minseok looked at his watch. It was 11:23. “You better get in there. You have seven minutes left.” she turned to him.

“I’m well aware of the curfew, thank you very much.”

“You’re pretty saucey for someone so quiet.” he said, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. “Are you a hellraiser when no one’s around, baby?” she glared at him.

“ off.” She turned to leave, but came back. “I’m not your baby, . My name is Ji Eun.” she turned to leave, but turned back around. Just as he braced for impact, she gave him a small kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for saving me, Turtle.”

“Turtle?” he asked, very confused.

“Turtles have a tough exterior, but are soft on the inside. Goodnight, my Turtle.” she showed her ID to the security guard and waved to him on her way in.

Coming out of his daze, he turned and huffed away. But not before turning around to shout,

“I’M NOT A TURTLE!”