The Web Slinger.

210224

synopsis // oh ophelia, she's been
on his mind like a drug

She's just a girl. Just an XX chromosome, who happens to be insanely funny, sarcastic, intelligent, and pretty. Had she not been a girl Jeongguk practically grew up with, he would have seen her as insane competition. He hasn't really spoken to her much since the conversation at the cafeteria, asides from exchanging a few greetings here and there. It's not awkward to the visible eye, but Jeongguk knows that she is confused as to why he is so stand-offish lately.

Her and her Siamese cats stand in the music room, definitely in the arts' campus, when Jeongguk walks by the room. He recognizes the piano chords of Ophelia playing just as he passes the doorway. As a double take, he leans back into the room, recognizing the three girls peering over the school piano. Kit is sandwiched between them, and he recognized those stupid glasses she wears all the time.

It's not stupid stupid. It's a cute stupid.

And by his luck, she glances straight to the doorway, locking in on him. Her eyes brighten, which only makes the situation worse, considering Jeongguk really does not want to be in there. Then she waves him over.

"Jeon! Hey."

"Hi," he responds dryly, slowly sliding inside. He recognizes the pianist, Dahyun is her name, and she also nods at him when he nears.

"Hey Jeongguk!"

"Hello..." He repeats. "I was actually just heading to class. Recognized the song." Then he glances at Dahyun with a small grin. "Not surprised it was you playing though."

"Kitty requested it." She responds triumphantly. Turning to face him, Kit pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Going to class? I can walk with you."

Kitanna follows after him before he can manage out another word, her hand snaking through the top loop of his bag, a common habit on her part. "You've been avoiding me Jeongguk."

"I have not." He clarifies. "I just have this huge portfolio check-in due soon." That part's true. When he isn't swinging through the streets, Jeongguk has his head swamped with ways to diversify his art portfolio. His professor has laid out some basic guidelines to follow by, but they're so vague he has no clue where to go with it.

She seems to buy the excuse. "Well, if you're free, the Science department is having their annual talent show. Maybe the event will spark some spontaneous bursts of creativity."

"Are you helping plan it?" Jeongguk has always wanted to go watch. This is the one event where the students from the science school can enter a talent show showcasing their artistic abilities. The winner wins a grand prize, sometimes it's money. Kitanna Jung shakes her head.

"No, Katie and Hyebi wanted to enter it, apparently the prize is a 100 dollar gift-card to Starbucks...so I'm entering it with them."

He hums in surprise. "Oh wow. What're you guys doing?"

"Probably covering Russian Roulette or something." She responds. "Katie suggested Fire."

"You guys should do Russian Roulette." He nudges her shoulder with his. "I like that song. It's cute."

"Yeah see! That was my point too, glad you agree." When they turn down the hall, the brunette speaks again. "Is your arm better now?"

He sniffs. "I guess." Not really, it still hurts when he uses it for anything, but Jeongguk has gotten so accustomed to the concept of injuries and pain, that it doesn't hinder him from doing his work. Truth be told, saving Kit from whatever burning debris that had fallen from the thirteenth floor had only made it that much worse, but she doesn't need to know he injured himself more.

"Can I sign it?"

"Sign it? Like the gauze?"

"Yeah." She pulls out a marker. "I was wondering when you were going to ask, but you never did. I just assumed you forgot or didn't even think about it."

He nods. "I didn't."

"Thought so." They pause in the middle of the empty hall, he holds out his right arm. Kit is particularly slow with signing her name, for once she's pretty gentle with the way she treats his arm, probably more cautious than she needs to be. He wants to laugh at how careful she's being, it's not like his arm is going to snap.

Her name is huge on his arm. Purple too, with a heart replacing the dots of her i. Jeongguk smiles at her signature briefly before sticking it back into his pockets. It's not like he didn't not think about her, but now that her name is written so obviously on his arm, it'll be that much harder to not think about her when he needs that peace of mind.