Partners
Chapter Two
Partners
By Tuesday morning, Yoon Ha-eun had almost forgotten about Han Seo-jun.
Almost.
She was sitting in the library with her best friend, Choi Min-ji, trying to finish an assignment before their next lecture.
“You look distracted,” Min-ji said.
“I’m not.”
“You’ve been staring at the same sentence for five minutes.”
Ha-eun looked down at her book.
She had, in fact, been staring at the same sentence.
“I’m tired.”
Min-ji narrowed her eyes.
“Is this about the guy from yesterday?”
Ha-eun immediately looked up.
“What guy?”
“The handsome one you nearly drowned in coffee.”
“I did not drown him.”
“You poured an entire iced coffee on him.”
“It was an accident.”
“An attractive accident?”
Ha-eun rolled her eyes.
“I don't care if he’s attractive.”
Min-ji smiled.
“I didn't say he was.”
Ha-eun opened her mouth, then closed it.
Before she could respond, the university announcement system came on.
“Students enrolled in Professor Kim's Media and Communication class are reminded that project groups will be announced today.”
Ha-eun's stomach sank.
She had completely forgotten about the semester project.
“Please don't let me get someone annoying,” she whispered.
Min-ji laughed.
“That's probably exactly what you'll get.”
They arrived at class a few minutes later.
Professor Kim stood at the front with a sheet of paper in his hand.
“This semester, you will be working in pairs,” he announced. “Your final grade will depend heavily on this project, so choose your partners wisely.”
A nervous murmur spread through the room.
Ha-eun immediately turned to Min-ji.
“We're partners.”
Min-ji gave her an apologetic smile.
“Actually…”
“What?”
“I already promised someone else.”
Ha-eun stared at her.
“You betrayed me.”
“I’m sorry!”
Professor Kim began reading the names.
“Park Ji-ho and Lee Soo-min.”
Two students smiled at each other.
“Kim Tae-hyun and Choi Min-ji.”
Min-ji gave Ha-eun an awkward wave.
Ha-eun glared at her.
Then Professor Kim looked at the next line.
“Yoon Ha-eun…”
Ha-eun held her breath.
“…and Han Seo-jun.”
The room seemed to go silent.
Ha-eun slowly turned her head.
Seo-jun was sitting several seats away.
He looked just as surprised.
“No,” Ha-eun whispered.
Professor Kim continued talking.
But Ha-eun wasn't listening anymore.
Seo-jun stood and walked toward her.
He stopped beside her desk.
“Looks like we're partners.”
Ha-eun looked at him.
“This is a mistake.”
“Probably.”
“You don't seem very upset.”
“I’m not.”
“Why?”
He shrugged.
“Because I don't have a choice.”
Ha-eun frowned.
That answer annoyed her more than it should have.
Professor Kim clapped his hands.
“You have six weeks. Your project must focus on how social media influences modern relationships and communication.”
Ha-eun immediately began writing notes.
Seo-jun sat beside her.
“What are you doing?”
“Planning.”
“We just received the topic.”
“Exactly. That's why I'm planning.”
He leaned back.
“You're taking this very seriously.”
“It’s worth forty percent of our grade.”
“I know.”
“Then act like it.”
He looked at her.
“I am.”
“You're not even holding a pen.”
“I don't need one.”
Ha-eun stared at him.
“You are unbelievably annoying.”
“And you're very impatient.”
“I am not.”
“You've been arguing with me since you sat down.”
“Because you keep giving me reasons to.”
A small smile appeared on his face.
It disappeared almost immediately.
Ha-eun noticed it anyway.
For the first time, she wondered if there was more to him than the cold attitude.
She quickly pushed the thought away.
No.
She wasn't interested.
Not even a little.
After class, they agreed to meet at the library that afternoon.
Ha-eun arrived first.
Ten minutes passed.
Then twenty.
Then thirty.
She checked her phone.
No message.
“Of course,” she muttered.
Just as she packed her things, a chair moved across from her.
Seo-jun sat down.
“You're late.”
“I know.”
“By thirty minutes.”
“I know that too.”
Ha-eun folded her arms.
“Why are you here?”
“To work.”
“You could have said you were going to be late.”
He placed a notebook on the table.
“I forgot.”
She stared at him.
“You forgot?”
“Yes.”
She sighed.
“Fine. Let's just start.”
For the next hour, they worked.
Surprisingly, they worked well together.
Ha-eun handled the research.
Seo-jun organized the presentation.
Whenever she suggested an idea, he improved it.
Whenever he suggested something unrealistic, she brought him back to reality.
They argued constantly.
But somehow, the project began to take shape.
Then Ha-eun noticed something.
A photograph slipped from Seo-jun's notebook.
She reached for it before it fell to the floor.
But the moment she touched it, Seo-jun's expression changed.
“Don't.”
His voice was suddenly serious.
Ha-eun froze.
She handed it back.
“Sorry.”
He took the photograph and carefully placed it inside his notebook.
She didn't ask who was in it.
But she couldn't stop wondering.
For the first time, she saw something behind his confident expression.
Something sad.
Something he clearly didn't want anyone to see.
Ha-eun looked away.
Maybe Han Seo-jun wasn't as simple as she thought.
And perhaps that was going to be a problem.
Because the more she learned about him, the harder it was becoming to hate him.
