Number Neighbor

16

Home sweet home.

After over a month worth of travel BTS finally get to come back home.

Meanwhile I'm looking down the barrel of my finals before winter break.

To be fair, I've been revising for them since midterms, so I'm actually prepared for them. But... like everyone else I'm a nervous wreck about tomorrow's tests.

It's like all the teachers decided to gang up on the students, making them finish every test on one single day instead of during their usual class schedule.

'They planned this to organize cleaning afterwards, though.' My study buddy says as I gripe about the schedule to her. My cocked eyebrow and lips firmly wrapped around my straw in my boba drink encourages her to continue.

'I don't know how other countries do school, or maybe I mean other universities, but Woosang is comprehensive in its education. Much like public school, the before college years, students are expected to clean up the classrooms after major events like finals. If we weren't encouraged to find work-study situations off campus there'd also be clubs that we'd be expected to also join and participate in.' I nod considering her words.

My eyes widen as I understand her statement.

'We're going to be cleaning after the finals as well?!' I gasp out, the idea leaving me reeling. At her nod I groan and drop my head onto the table between us.

'To be fair to everyone we'll only clean up the last final's classroom. As we cycle through different finals tests, moving to the appropriate room for those subjects, others will move into the ones we leave to use them for their tests. The school actually only has a handful of classrooms opens during finals, packing the tests in tightly to keep the mess to a minimal space.' 

She flips through the school's website before finding what she is looking for.

'See, the map for the classrooms, the subjects for each room, and if you aren't sure when your final is, each room has the schedule of what test is when in that classroom posted outside by the door. Teachers aren't even allowed to linger and answer questions in the room or the hall outside. They have to go immediately to the teacher's office block to collate and start grading if they're dealing with papers, or start putting the required data into the system if it's a more hands on class.'

Looking over her shoulder I blink at all the minute details, the pinched written Hangul, and blink a few times to see if I can get the details to settle down and not wriggle around in front of my eyes.

'I feel _so_ out of my depth.' I say, sighing and sitting back in my chair.

'I get it. You're so new here your accent in Hangul still sounds baby-ish. I'm sure if I was in college where you're from it'd be the same for me.' She smiles warmly. 'I promise you'll be fine. We have the first two tests together, and you have those three classmates from the Hangul classes to work with to make sure you get to those tests in time as well.'

'I just hope my last test isn't a cooking class. I can clean a kitchen just fine, but can I do it to the level they expect here??' I wonder, fake crying into my boba.

****

Luck has it, my first test is a cooking class! Noodles is done before I can even finish my morning coffee. 

Then I have the accounting test, followed by my other two cooking classes, sauces then vegetables, finishing out my cooking classes tests just after the midday meal. Thank all that's good we get to pause for a brought midday meal!

My history class winds up being my last test, and by the time it starts it's already dark out.

****

I never knew I would be grateful for a history class before today.

Each of us who were in the class took a chore to clean the room, pulling out cleaning supplies from a locker that was ignored by everyone during the semester in the corner of the class. With well over twenty of us in the class we got the cleaning done in ten or so minutes, everyone pitching in, assisting when someone was struggling, or moving to help others when their chore was done.

The thank yous and bows to each other when we were all done was exhaustion-filled, but everyone smiled and cheered as we left.

I didn't pass any of the cooking rooms as we left, but looking back I could see lights still on in several rooms, near where I took my cooking tests earlier.

****

The next morning I dragged myself to where I plugged in my laptop. After logging in to see if any grades have been posted yet (nope) I go prep some coffee and grab a muffin from the quick baking session I did a couple of days before the finals.

I didn't have work this morning, the head chef at the restaurant being kind enough to give me the day off when he heard of my test schedule.

So the knock on my door is unexpected. Looking down, I examine my long pajamas, the robe, and the slipper socks on my feet... no spills or stains.

So I get up and answer the door.

I get a cup of hot caffeinated awesomeness shoved into my hand for opening the door, before I even get the chance to blink.

The three bodies before me, bowing and shout-whisper congratulations to me is not what I could've imagined would be behind my front door.

At my silence to their actions one looks up, noticed my rather disheveled state, and a squeaky laugh wheezes out from behind his face mask.

The nudge from the two next to him have them all finally stand up, and I step out of the way to let them in, my newly given coffee clutched tightly as the brain cells in my head finally start dancing, the recognition flitting across my face.

'Get in! Do you want to be recognized or something?!' I loudly whisper.

****

'We're so proud of you at the restaurant!' Jin says around the lip of his coffee.

'Yeah, right.' I roll my eyes. 'I fucked up the last batch of pie dough. Got a call about it from the pastry chef himself. Thankfully they could still use it, but studying seems to have turned my brains to mush just before the semester's end.' Breaking off a bit of the muffin in front of me I consider it, ruminating. 'Don't remember laminating the dough, but I'm not one to argue with the pastry chef.'

The blinks from the other three at my ending statement has me smile.

'Do you know your grades yet?' Asks Joon, reaching for another muffin. I think it's his third from the pile of crumbs in front of him.

Reaching for my laptop I open it and login again to the school's website.

'Nope, still nothing.' I show him.

'Thassokeyy.' Jimin mumbles around his bite of his muffin. 'Scores get put to the school for verification before they are posted.'

I blink at him, chewing slowly.

'Sorry.' He blushes. 'I used to be the teacher's assistant in my high school. I'd be in the office block as often as needed, and after tests I was a runner for coffee too often.' He leans back, draping himself over the chair like some kind of model.

I blink away the daze from his action.

'They do that in colleges too I think.' Seokjin adjoins. 'At least, the lag on grades seemed similar to my public school days.' Joon just nods, stuffing his cheeks full.

****

'So, how was the tour?' I ask, trying to find something to talk about.

The back and forth between the three of them, excited about one place or moment, then the laughter, arm waving, or even getting up momentarily to act out a dance move, is life giving in a way coffee can't seem to be today.

By the time the muffins are polished off, the coffee has had two or three refills each from my little pot, the conversation has wound down to a comfortable quiet.

The occasional humming of a song and the washing of dish ware fill out the time until lunch.

'Let's check to see if your grades are in yet, yeah?' Jin says as he dries his hands