There’s a girl at her table.

 

Her table that she’s been sitting at almost everyday since second year. The one she’s slept on, cried on, banged her head on. The one she spent practically all of last semester living at because her research paper had to be perfect and going home wasted too much time.

 

Her table.

 

Who does this big eared bimbo think she is?

 

“Excuse me.”

 

Joohyun is more nice than she should be considering it’s her table that’s been intruded on, but being rude now will only hinder her chances of getting her territory back. First impressions are important.

 

The girl has the audacity to smile up at her.

 

“Yes?”

 

It’s kind of cute which naturally makes Joohyun hate her more.

 

“This is my table.” Joohyun tells her seriously and her smile is replaced with a look of confusion.

 

She furrows her brows together in what Joohyun can only describe as the most adorable expression to have ever graced a human being. Joohyun wants to wipe it right off.

 

“Your table?”

 

“Yes.” Joohyun nods. “And you’re sitting at it.”

 

The girl her head to the side, no longer adorable but entirely y with the way her eyes set themselves on Joohyun. Eyeliner has never looked so good.

 

“I didn’t know you owned public property.”

 

The nerve-

 

“I’ve been sitting here for three years now without anyone else bothering me. It’s my table.”

 

The girl gives her a crooked grin, cheek resting on her palm. She’s testing Joohyun’s patience. Clearly, Joohyun needs to work on her face.

 

“Well then,” she starts, smiling like she isn’t about to give Joohyun an aneurysm. “Since this is your table, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind sharing. Would you?”

 

Yes. Yes she would.

 

“Great! That’s so nice of you!”

 

Wait, what?

 

“I’m Seulgi.” the girl - Seulgi - says and Joohyun’s struck suddenly with the thought that she kind of looks like a bear.

 

Joohyun hates bears.

 

Defeated, Joohyun sets her stuff down and with all the bitterness she can muster, mumbles.

 

“Joohyun”

 

“Joohyun.” Seulgi tries and maybe it sounds nice coming out of . Or maybe it sounds completely butchered. Either, or. “Pretty.”

 

Joohyun doesn’t blush. She just puts her head down because philosophy is a lot more interesting.

 

Honestly.

 

-----

 

Seulgi is an ugly sleeper.

 

Joohyun is one part amused and twenty parts annoyed. How can someone go through all the trouble of stealing someone else’s table only to use it as a makeshift bed? Joohyun should start a petition to ban overzealous college students from holing up in the library. Nevermind, that was her not too long ago. She’s seen the error in her ways.

 

Joohyun thinks of a variety of different ways she can go about the situation (which includes the likes of using Seulgi’s face as her personal canvas or emptying the contents of her water bottle onto Seulgi’s head), but opts for the most simple method of just waking her up.

 

“Hey”

 

Seulgi doesn’t move.

 

“Hey”

 

A poke.

 

Maybe she’s dead?

 

“Seulgi-ssi”

 

Oh no.

 

What’s Joohyun supposed to do with a dead body? She’s not made for this kind of stuff. She’s not like Sooyoung who was spawned from satan himself. The craftiest Joohyun’s ever been was when she was in high school and she got out of a test by throwing up during gym.

 

It wasn’t even intentional.

 

“Seulgi!”

 

Like a bear coming out of hibernation, Seulgi slowly lifts her head, eyeing her surroundings confusedly before settling on Joohyun. She yawns unabashedly, stretching out like a cat as her joints all seem to crack at once.

 

Gross.

 

“Hi” she says drowsily, eyes still holding remnants of her slumber.

 

And maybe it’s a little cute. Maybe.

 

“You were sleeping.” Joohyun announces to which Seulgi responds with another yawn (at least she bothers with covering this time).

 

She hums then smiles widely. “I see. Thanks for waking me up!”

 

Joohyun wants to be angry because this wasn’t her intention at all (she was supposed to tell her off for being a nuisance!), but she really can’t.

 

“No problem.” she mumbles and returns to her notes.

 

Damn that cute bear.

 

--

 

Seulgi likes to crack her knuckles.

 

Joohyun wants to murder her for it.

 

The first time, Joohyun barely glances up. Sitting in the same spot for hours can be uncomfortable. No big deal.

 

The second time, Joohyun stares. There’s a method to Seulgi’s madness. Right hand first, each knuckle one by one, followed by the left. Then both at the same time. She adds her arms in as well, right first and then her left. The sound of each of her joints seemingly cracking into place enough to drive Joohyun into insanity, but she doesn’t say anything. Not yet.

 

The third time, Joohyun snaps. Just as Seulgi’s in the middle of going through her left hand, Joohyun reaches over and slaps the offending limbs.

 

Seulgi looks up all wide eyed and innocent. Joohyun manages a glare.

 

“Stop that.”

 

For a moment, Seulgi seems like she’s going to retaliate. Joohyun is prepared to tie her down if she needs to, but with a shake of her head and a roll of her eyes, Seulgi answers cheekily.

 

“Alright, mom.”

 

Joohyun narrows her eyes while Seulgi just smiles easily, going back to her work without another word.

 

She doesn’t crack her knuckles again.

 

Joohyun won’t admit that she kind of misses it.

 

If only as an excuse to hit her again.

 

--

 

After three hours, Joohyun just wants to go to sleep and wake up in a couple of years. Anything so that she doesn’t have to think about the nature of humanity or the effects of globalization on politics ever again. Four years of college and you’d think she’d be used to the stress of final exams.

 

“Hey”

 

Joohyun ignores the voice. If she dies now she won’t have to take her finals. Or pay off her student loans. Sounds ideal if you ask her.

 

“Hey, Joohyun.”

 

Joohyun groans at the finger prodding at her arm. She swats at it blindly, burying her face deeper into her notebook.

 

“Unnie”

 

Unnie?

 

Joohyun lifts her head, eyeing Seulgi curiously.

 

“Unnie?”

 

Seulgi tilts her head. “You’re my unnie aren’t you? You said earlier you’ve been sitting here for the last three years so I thought…”

 

For the first time, Joohyun looks at Seulgi. Really looks at her (rather than just a discreet glance every time Joohyun thinks the other girl isn’t paying attention). Round face, monolids, cute nose, big ears. She does look kind of young.

 

“What year are you?” Joohyun asks and Seulgi beams.

 

“First!”

 

Dear god. Joohyun’s getting too old for this.

 

“I see.” Joohyun nods and pretends to focus on her book, the words of Karl Marx far from her mind.

 

“And you?”

 

If Joohyun ignores it, it doesn’t exist.

 

“Unnie…?”

 

Dammit.

 

Joohyun sighs and with gritted teeth mutters, “Fourth”

 

If possible, Seulgi’s smile seems to get wider. She’s going to blind someone with it one day, Joohyun swears.

 

“So you are my unnie.”

 

“Yeah, no need to remind me.” Joohyun mumbles, but Seulgi doesn’t seem to hear. Just keeps on beaming like some poster girl for dental work.

 

“What are you studying?” Seulgi asks just as Joohyun’s accepted her fate of being oldest (once again).

 

Joohyun drops her pen, also accepting that it’s time for a study break.

 

“Philosophy and political science.” she answers to which Seulgi nods her head.

 

“Interesting combination.”

 

“I’m a poly sci major, but I like philosophy.” Joohyun shrugs. “What about you?”

 

Joohyun follows Seulgi’s gaze to her book where she sees what looks like an array of colored pictures.

 

“Art history.” She responds, the page delicately. Joohyun tries not to notice how nice her hands are. “I like art, but I’m not that good at it so it was the next best thing.”

 

Joohyun nods in understanding. She once wanted to be a singer, but one failed audition after another crushed that dream early on. So political science it is. At least her dad approves.

 

“Good luck on your finals.” Seulgi says.

 

Why does she have to be nice? Now Joohyun can’t hate her for encroaching on her table.

 

“You too.” Joohyun smiles, genuine. And the sudden red that covers Seulgi’s cheeks delights Joohyun in a way she hasn’t felt in a while.

 

Damn.

 

What a cute bear.

 

--

 

Another hour later and Joohyun’s stomach grumbles.

 

Loudly.

 

Joohyun turns an embarrassing shade of red as Seulgi looks at her amusedly.

 

“Hungry?” she asks teasingly. Joohyun flushes further.

 

Seulgi stands then, stretching her arms towards the ceiling. Joohyun tries and fails to not look at the way her shirt rides up to reveal smooth skin. She looks down at Joohyun who isn’t quick enough in averting her eyes. Joohyun will be damned if she looks up at that teasing smirk.

 

“Let’s go eat.” Seulgi says, leaning against the table casually.

 

Joohyun raises a brow. “Seriously?”

 

“Why not? You’re obviously hungry.”

 

She is hungry, but the idea of eating with Seulgi is daunting in more ways than one.

 

“What about our stuff?”

 

Seulgi laughs and, ugh, even that is cute.

 

“It’ll be fine. No one comes to this corner of the library anyways.” she smirks at Joohyun again, challenging. “You sure you’re a fourth year?”

 

Joohyun huffs, but stands regardless. And it’s then, at full height, that Joohyun almost loses her cool completely.

 

Seulgi is taller than her.

 

Quite noticeably as well.

 

Insoles be damned. It’s like Sooyoung all over again.

 

“Wow, you’re pretty short unnie.” Seulgi laughs. Joohyun could kill her with her glare if she wanted to, but Seulgi’s already walking away. “Dont worry,” she says, smiling at Joohyun from over her shoulder. “It’s cute.”

 

Joohyun tries not to blush.

 

She fails.

 

--

 

Like Sooyoung in more ways than her ability to look down at Joohyun naturally, Seulgi announces she has a chicken craving. Joohyun practically loses her appetite at the mere thought of it, but luck is on her side and the local chicken and pizza place nearby is already closed.

 

After a rousing game of muk-jji-ppa* in which Seulgi claims Joohyun is cheating twice (how that’s even possible is beyond her), they decide on a small noodle shop down the street.

 

Joohyun is so hungry she can practically feel the broth sliding down her stomach, but where Joohyun takes her time in eating, Seulgi has zero inhibitions and downs her food faster than Joohyun can finish half.

 

“Someone’s hungry.” Joohyun comments lightly.

 

Seulgi smiles sheepishly.

 

“I haven’t eaten all day.” she admits.

 

Joohyun frowns. “You should take better care of yourself. You’re only a first year.”

 

Not that Joohyun’s anyone to talk. Her first year was spent consistently procrastinating and cramming the night before. Good times.

 

Seulgi smiles. “Okay, but you’re going to have to keep reminding me, unnie.”

 

Joohyun doesn’t even want to think about what that’s implying and focuses on her food.

 

Seulgi’s gaze never seem to leave her the entire meal.

 

Joohyun doesn’t want to think about what that means either.

 

--

 

At the comfort of her table, Joohyun allows her mind to wander.

 

In front of her, Seulgi is concentrating on her work. No sleeping or knuckle cracking going on whatsoever.

 

She’s pretty, Joohyun thinks. Almost like she’s glowing. Or maybe that’s just the effect of her overly positive attitude. Joohyun doesn’t know.

 

But she does know that Seulgi has somehow gone from annoyingly cute bear to incredibly attractive idiot in the span of six hours. Nevermind the fact that she weasled her way to Joohyun’s table.

 

Joohyun almost kind of likes sharing with her.

 

“Well,” Seulgi starts, shutting her book with a thud. “I think I’m done for today.”

 

Oh.

 

Joohyun’s not disappointed. Not really.

 

“Ah, I see.” Joohyun nods, looking down at her own book. She still has two more chapters to cover. “Good luck again.”

 

“Thanks” Seulgi’s already got all of her stuff packed into her backpack, but she lingers at the edge of the table. Her body seems ridiculously long from this angle. Joohyun only kind of stares at her legs for more than is appropriate.

 

Seulgi readjusts the straps of her backpack and on impulse Joohyun blurts, “You can study here again.”

 

Seulgi raises a brow, crooked grin in place.

 

Joohyun continues, “I- I mean- if you want to that is. It’s not really my table- or well, it kind of is, but you can use too. If you want.”

 

Why is she so bad at talking? She really should have taken a public speaking class when she had the chance.

 

Seulgi laughs as Joohyun flushes. She shouldn’t have said anything.

 

“Okay.”

 

Okay?

 

What does that even mean?

 

Joohyun looks up at her and immediately warms at the way Seulgi is looking back. Her eyes are so nice. Joohyun could stare at them forever.

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow then, unnie.” Seulgi says and when Joohyun nods shyly, ducks her head to bid goodbye.

 

Tomorrow.

 

Joohyun tries not to be excited.

 

She fails.

 

 

--

*muk-jji-ppa is a variant of rock-paper-scissors where the one who wins says their next move and changes their hand, the goal is to get your opponent to make the same hand as you