Junsu didn’t show up for Chemistry and Genetics, and really I didn’t blame him. In fact I would have been surprised if he had shown up for class. He was...so emotional these last few days. Such a stark difference from how he usually was. I looked back down at the latest Genetics problem set. How did the central dogma of genetics go again? DNA makes RNA makes proteins? That makes absolutely no sense!

I heard the door to our dormitory open and Yoo-Jin’s dreamy voice greeted me a good afternoon. “Jinnie, you’re here! Don’t you have, like, a nerd session with Junsu-oppa today?”

I wave a hand at her direction to dismiss the issue. I didn’t need Lee Yoo-Jin reminding me that had said study session commenced, I probably wouldn’t be having this much trouble with my problem set. So how does the genetic code work again? And to which direction does cDNA code? 5’-3’ or 3’-5’? Is cDNA complementary to RNA or was it to mRNA...tRNA...no wait, DNA? I crumpled the paper I had been been writing my answers on and violently threw it across the room. This was hopeless. Biological figures made absolutely no sense to me. Couldn’t they use line graphs instead?

“Well I saw him on his way to the library. I even congratulated him on his wonderful debut...”

I stopped listening as soon as I heard the word library. I called the deal off so surely he’s wasn’t on his way there to come for our now defunct study session, was he?

Because apparently I am more of a fool than I had previously thought I was, I found myself walking down the familiar pathway towards the library. It was already past seven in the evening, but something, just something inside me was telling me to just get to the damn second floor of the library because Kim Junsu would be there. I plead insanity. Mental instability induced by one Kim Junsu and the emotional roller coaster ride he was putting me through.

I walked into the nearly empty library, gingerly making my way up the stairs and towards our table- well, somehow we had made claims to it and no one seemed to occupy it but us...he was here. Kim Junsu was at our table, Genetics book laid open in front of him, scribbling in his chicken scratch penmanship the answers to our problem set, answers that seemed to flow seamlessly and effortlessly from that brilliantly mad brain of his. His concentration and focus seemed to be only on the papers in front of him. Was that why he still hadn’t looked up? Didn’t he notice me here? He always noticed when someone came in...He was bent over his work, eyes focused intently at every line of ink his pen makes.

In the far and dark recesses of my mind, the corners I paid no heed to, Kim Junsu looked rather...striking at first glance. His hair always seemed to be perfectly tousled on his head, a slight fringe on his face. His eyes were always drawing, always deep in musings- sharp eyes that complemented his sharp features. I suppose you could say he was attractive, if you like that sort of thing. He shifted somewhat, his navy shirt straining across his chest and arms. Yoo-Jin’s high-pitched voice invaded my head, the familiarly annoying voice squealing about Kim Junsu’s perfectly muscular chest and arms. I shook Yoo-Jin’s choice of words out of my head and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other.

There was something just downright wrong with me. Why was I here again? Why was I about to approach Kim Junsu? Sure, he could be charming if he attempted to, he was engaging to converse with if you take away his holier-than-thou sense of self, and he was even a gentleman give or take the few times I actually let him open a door for me, but beyond that, beyond the fact that he liked to use pens instead of pencils, what else do I really know about him?

I cleared my throat, something I would have to think about later if it was to get Junsu’s attention, or to take mine away from him. He looked up, almost dramatically, eyebrows arched mouth slightly agape. He looked almost peaceful, beautiful even,without that permanent smirk on his face.

“Sung-Jin.”

Kim Junsu was a mystery, I’ll give him that. Right now his voice was soft and husky, not at all like the way he sang that...that song, much different from his usual lazy drawl. “Junsu.” I simply stated.

“You’re here.”

“I am.”

I took the seat opposite him, still unable to read the atmosphere. I opened my mouth to talk, but another girl’s voice interrupted me.

“Omo, Oppa, Jin came.” Sunny slid in the seat next to Junsu. I hadn’t noticed that there were two sets of homework on the table. Since when were Junsu and Sunny this close? Had they always been so familiar with each other? Somehow it felt like my heart was sinking down to my feet. So Junsu wasn’t waiting for me after all. He wasn’t here for our study session.

“Did you get the amino acids transcribed by the cDNA sample given? I couldn’t match which protein it was? I got F-G-G-G-A.” Sunny chirped leaning against Junsu’s arm, peering at his papers. “Omo! where did you get Tryptophan? Why is serotonin your final answer?”

Junsu chuckled softly as he reached over to inspect Sunny’s worksheet, “The question never asked for a protein, it said substance produced by the body whose precursor is the dominant amino acid coded by the given DNA base sequences. Sunny, you messed up your 5’ to 3’s. Remember your Central Dogma, DNA makes RNA which makes proteins...”

Junsu leaned over to Sunny’s side of the table as if they weren’t sitting close enough as it were. His voice was soft and gentle as he taught her the correct sequencing of genes. I knew I should have been listening as well, but there was this buzzing in my ear that didn’t seem to go away.

Sunny started clapping to herself and grinning ear to ear, “Aish, that’s so silly of me how could I forget cDNA is complementary to the RNA strand to be translated?” then she turned to me, “Jin, did you get yours done? We’re moving on to the second problem, you can join us if you want.”

Reluctantly, I pulled out my own worksheet and tried to follow Junsu’s explanations on how operon systems regulate metabolic functions. Once again I was confused. If Junsu hated Chemistry so much, how was it that he was so competent in Biochemistry?

I found myself following Junsu and Sunny after our library session. Junsu was walking Sunny home, and Sunny had insisted that I walk with them for the incontestable reason that Sunny’s building was right across from mine.

I lagged behind somewhat. It felt very awkward to be seeing Kim Junsu act like an actual person, especially after our little incident earlier today. As soon as we headed out to the street, Junsu pulled Sunny by her shoulder bag to switch places with him so he walked between her and the the street, and to this Sunny would respond by clinging on to his bag strap as they walked. It was...somehow...disconcerting in a sense.

By the small snippets of conversation I picked up, one could infer that they were close friends. Now, whether Sunny was along Nichkhun’s level, I wasn’t quite sure yet.

“So, I’ve been getting hate mail,” Sunny quipped as we turned another corner.

Junsu didn’t answer her, which was more like the Junsu I knew, but Sunny continued on with her story.

“And I gasp, it’s because I sit next to you in class, could you believe that?”

“Should I thank you for putting up with this?” Junsu replied in a manner much more familiar to me.

Sunny laughed, “No! Besides, I think you’ve started rubbing off on me, I’ve stopped caring.”

I watched Junsu’s back...I don’t think I’ve ever noticed how broad it was before. “You? Not care? Lee Sungyu not care, bah, blasphemy.”

We, well, they walked up to Sunny’s dorm building and Junsu walked with her right up to the main door. I stayed by the sidewalk and watched as Sunny spread her arms to give Junsu a hug. Junsu was avoiding it, stepping back a bit, but Sunny caught hold of him, and they ended up in a rather awkward half-hug.

Junsu waited until Sunny was inside before walking back to where I was. “Hey,” he said as soon as he was within hearing range.

“Hi.” I said back.

“We need to talk.”

Junsu’s voice was calm this time, calm and not at all angry or agitated. He sounded almost apologetic, so I nodded at him, taking a few steps towards my building and sitting on the porch steps.

Junsu took a seat next to me. “Mr. H₂O’s girlfriend...she’s the one I wrote the song for.”