The dorm cafeteria was crowded with freshmen.
"Wow... there are so many people."
Myeong Jaehyeon looked around in awe.
At every table, strangers who had just met were already laughing, chatting, and exchanging numbers.
'This is the college life I imagined.'
Meanwhile, standing beside him was Taesan, silently holding only a tray.
"What are you going to eat?"
"...Jeyuk."
"I guess I should get that too."
Instead of answering, Taesan took one step forward.
Even while they were in line, there was no conversation between them.
Myeong Jaehyeon kept looking for a chance to start talking.
"You're not from Seoul, are you?"
"...No."
"Oh, me neither! Where do you live?"
"Gwangju."
"I'm from Busan."
"..."
"Have you ever been to Busan?"
"...No."
"You should definitely go sometime. The sashimi is delicious, and the sea is beautiful—"
"Your food's getting cold."
"Ah... yeah."
Again, the conversation stopped.
'He's really quiet.'
The two sat across from each other and started eating.
Myeong Jaehyeon found the people around him more interesting than the food.
Laughter drifting in from all over.
Upperclassmen promoting clubs.
Freshmen taking photos together.
'I want to make friends soon too.'
Then it happened.
"Jaehyeon!"
Someone tapped his shoulder from behind.
"Huh?"
It was a classmate from the same department whom he'd briefly greeted at orientation.
"So you were here? We have a seat. Come eat with us."
"Ah..."
Myeong Jaehyeon sneaked a glance at Taesan beside him.
Taesan was eating in silence, not saying a word.
"Did you come with your roommate?"
"Yeah."
"Then tell him to come too."
Carefully, Myeong Jaehyeon opened his mouth.
"Taesan."
"...What."
"Want to eat with us?"
Taesan turned and glanced once at the classmates.
Then he said briefly,
"Go ahead first."
"Huh?"
"I'm done."
With his tray in hand, Taesan left the seat as he was.
Myeong Jaehyeon could only stare blankly at his back.
"Your roommate was handsome, though?"
"But he looks super cold."
"Maybe because he's in engineering?"
At his classmates' words, Myeong Jaehyeon gave an awkward laugh.
"He's just... kind of quiet."
"Kind of?"
"A lot."
Everyone burst out laughing.
"It's okay. Once you get used to him, you'll get close."
'Will I be able to?'
Dinner.
Back in the room, Myeong Jaehyeon pinched his nose.
"Whoa..."
The room was neat.
All the things he'd left scattered in the morning were completely put away.
His clothes were folded.
His books were neatly stacked to one side.
Even the charger cable was tied up neatly.
"What?"
Myeong Jaehyeon widened his eyes.
"You did this?"
Taesan, who'd been reading, looked up.
"There was nowhere to put my feet."
"...Without asking?"
"Before you lost your stuff."
Myeong Jaehyeon puffed out his lips.
"Should I thank you... or get mad."
"You don't have to do either."
"..."
That was annoyingly cheeky.
"I usually live like this."
"I know."
"Know what?"
"I could tell in five minutes."
In the end, Myeong Jaehyeon couldn't hold back his laughter.
"You're kind of harsh with your words, huh?"
"It's true."
"My friends say you're rude."
Taesan's hand paused for a moment.
"...After one day?"
"No, just from first impression."
A brief silence passed.
Taesan turned another page and said,
"I don't care."
His voice was flat and final.
Hearing that, Myeong Jaehyeon suddenly thought,
'It's not that he doesn't care... is he used to it?'
He didn't ask any further for no reason.
The next morning.
"Ah!"
Myeong Jaehyeon's scream echoed through the room.
"I'm late!"
He checked the clock: 15 minutes until class started.
He hurriedly washed his face, changed clothes, and rummaged through his bag.
"I definitely put my student ID here!"
Suitcase.
Desk.
Bed.
Under the pillow.
No matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find it.
"I'm done for..."
At that moment.
Thud.
Something was placed on the desk.
It was his student ID.
Myeong Jaehyeon looked up, shocked.
Taesan said calmly as he put on his bag,
"It was on the floor yesterday, so I put it in the first drawer."
"..."
"Check before you sleep from now on."
Taesan opened the door and left without another word.
Myeong Jaehyeon stared blankly down at his student ID, then let out a small laugh.
"...He really is a good person."
Taesan's voice came from outside the door.
"If you're not coming out, I'm locking the door."
"I'm going! I'm going!"
Myeong Jaehyeon grabbed his student ID and rushed out after Taesan.
A little cold.
A little blunt.
But somehow, he was a roommate who kept catching his attention.
