In Between

Chapter 8

It was a sunny day with a bright and refreshing atmosphere, welcoming her as she walked across the campus towards her room. It was the 8th week, and time had passed quickly. She hadn't talked to him about their thesis project yet, partly because she wasn't used to talking to someone she didn't know well or wasn't close to, and also because she didn't know how to approach him. Suddenly, while walking, she saw him also walking around, and somehow she thought it was the right time to approach him. However, on the other hand, she hesitated, thinking twice about whether she should go. She felt like she had grown bothered whenever it was him they were talking about. This weird feeling had been born inside her since she saw him for the first time.

She had also almost lost her train of thought when Yna and Sira asked her if she had already talked to him about the thesis.

Should I approach him or not? she thought. "Go on now." But how could I do that? "Pfft, basically walk towards him and talk." Was it that easy? "Yeah, so go now before it's too late." But I didn't know how. "Just go!"

Vivian took a deep breath, cheering herself on, before taking steps towards him. Soon, she reached him hesitantly and felt nervous. Again, she inhaled and exhaled, then managed to greet him first.

"H-hi, y-you're Red, right?" she said, slightly stuttering, which made him look at her with a neutral expression, his hands tucked into his pockets.

*************

As he walked peacefully, he noticed a unknown lady approaching him, and he looked up to gaze at her. He recognized her and took in her features - her wavy short hair was fixed in a messy updo bun, her brown orbs eyes were framed with long lashes, and he noticed her slightly pointed nose and thick eyebrows. Her skin tone was a radiant white with a pearly complexion that looked soft. Who is this girl in front of me? he wondered.

Clearing his throat, he replied to her, raising one eyebrow in a 'what' gesture. She looked away before speaking again, her voice tense and stuttering.

"Ah, about our thesis project... um, can I ask your account?" Her expression was obviously strained.

"Okay, and what's your account?" he asked straightforwardly, catching her off guard.

"M-my account?" she repeated, surprised.

"Yes, I'll add you instead. So we can discuss the thesis," he said nonchalantly, his poker face giving away nothing. Vivian paused for a moment, unsure what was happening in this sudden exchange with him.

"Hey, are you giving it or not?" Red asked, looking at her with a confused expression while maintaining his usual composed posture.

Vivian snapped out of her thoughts as his words reached her ears. She looked away, realizing she had paused for a moment, and felt slightly embarrassed. What are you thinking, Vivian? she chided herself.

"Y-yes, um, here," she said nervously, her voice barely above a whisper as she hung her head down to hide the tension rising inside her.

"Alright, bye," he said once their conversation was done, and he walked away. Vivian stood there, her head still hung low, cursing herself for letting this strange feeling get to her. What's happening to me? she wondered.

**************

Red Pov.

Before having my last subject for the day, I decided to do some research in preparation for our thesis work. The unknown lady from earlier, who sat far across from me, had reminded me about it.

By the way, let me introduce myself first so you can get to know me and understand my role in this story. Let's start with the basics.

I'm Red, 21 years old. Originally lived here at Busan, but my family moved to Daegu, so I lived there with them before. But Now that I'm in college, I've decided to stay in Busan for good, on my own since this is where I truly belong, given my roots here. And since then, I've been studying at Stone Hurst since grade school.

I don't really have a single favorite thing because I excel in everything. My hobbies include painting, reading, and watching documentaries. Interestingly, despite my name being Red, my favorite colors are black and white. I'm into sports like football and basketball, and I also enjoy playing online games. However, studying is a bigger passion of mine, which isn't surprising given my IQ of 148.

I love classic music and visiting museums, as I'm particularly fond of paintings. I also enjoy spending time alone. And yeah that's all for now. Stay tuned to find out more about me and the developments that unfold. Again, I'm Red.

***********

Soon, Mr. Yan entered the room, standing in front and clearing his throat before speaking to greet the class.

"Good afternoon, class."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Yan," they replied in unison as they took their seats. Mr. Yan continued to discuss the thesis project.

"Now, I'm allowing you to meet with your groups for brainstorming. You may go now," he said, and the students began to form their groups. Vivian found herself sitting next to Red, with Yna and Sira completing their group of four. Mr. Yan added a reminder to the class.

"The topic you choose should be unique. While other thesis may cover similar ground, your findings should differ. Aim for new discoveries that evoke emotions and offer learnings that can connect with people. Understand?"

"Yes, Mr. Yan," they replied in unison.

"Alright, you may start now," he said, and the other groups began discussing their topics. However, their group fell into an awkward silence, with no one daring to break the ice. They glanced at each other uncomfortably, while Red stared off in one direction. The silence became increasingly awkward until Sira finally spoke up.

"So guys, how about we start with the basics?" she suggested, offering a thin smile.

"Yes, Vivian, do you have some ideas? You're good at working on theses, I'm sure you have some," Yna said, smiling at Vivian. Vivian was taken aback and felt a bit shy at Yna's words, which caused her to glance at Red, catching his gaze and making her feel even more self-conscious.

How can I behave like this when he's around? Is there something weird about me? Vivian thought to herself. "Stop being delusional and focus on your work!" she mentally chided.

"Okay then, let's start thinking of some unique topics to discuss. Anyone?" Vivian said, diverting her gaze from Red's direction to start the discussion.

"Hmm..." Yna and Sira murmured, adopting thoughtful expressions and gestures, placing their index fingers under their chins.

"Oh, I have it! I have it!" Yna exclaimed excitedly, capturing everyone's attention as she smiled, clearly pleased with her idea.

"We could explore the impact of music as a form of relaxation for people, and compare it to the struggles of homeless people on the streets who are neglected by their families. It's a unique topic that needs to be addressed."

"Well, that's good," Red finally chimed in, joining the discussion and agreeing with Yna's statement. Yna's cheeks flushed as she giggled, feeling a bit shy.

"Yeah, I agree too, but... could you think that it's a bit common?" Vivian said, standing her ground and making the others look at her. She felt uneasy, wondering if she'd said something wrong. Shucks, did I say something wrong? she thought.

"Then what about you? Do you have any ideas?" Red asked, looking at Vivian. She took a deep breath, gaining confidence to express her thoughts, knowing that thesis work was her expertise and she was used to it.

"Well, as Mr. Yan mentioned earlier, we should choose a unique topic that can appeal to people's emotions and bring about new discoveries that can connect with them. So, I think we should aim for something more unique beyond common topics."

"Like... how does love evolve in people? What happens inside them?" she said, looking at the group, and they fell silent for a moment, considering her suggestion.

The hell, Vivian! Do you think that's really a good idea? Hell, you're not exactly a relationship expert! Pabo!. Vivian's thought racing.

"So, you mean we're going to study love?" Red asked, gazing at Vivian with his usual serious expression, which made her feel a bit flustered due to his intense stare.

"Well, yeah, I guess. Note that it's more than just unique," Vivian replied, still conscious of his gaze.

"Are you a philosopher or something?" Red suddenly asked.

"I'm not, but that's just my idea," Vivian responded.

"Could it be too dramatic for us to waste our time on that?" Red questioned.

"How can you say that love is a waste?" Yna and Sira diverting their attention towards Red and Vivian rising debate about the topic they should choose.

Did he argue? I felt pissed somehow.

"It's simple. So, how can we pay attention to some usual things?" Red said straightforwardly.

"But then again, unique."

"How can it be unique? People commonly feel love."

"But some others did not. Some other did not know if it's love." Vivian said, deeply portraying something different with every single word, which made them look at her.

"You... do you love?" Vivian added, and their gazes met, falling into a deep moment. As Yna and Sira noticed them staring at each other intensely, they intended to intervene, causing Red and Vivian to look away from each other.

"Umm... guys, relax, it's only brainstorming, no need to be serious," Yna said, chuckling awkwardly.

"Yes, let's have a voting process for this to pick the topic fairly," Sira added, gifting them a thin smile.

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To be continued......