prior to enrollment, byeol university requires all students to download korea's first student hotline: "first base." created by alumna, the app allows freshmen to connect with both their class and older peers. matched with three students and an old...
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a box falls to the floor. a thick screen of dusk erupts, accompanied by a deep thud. haneul exhales. lifting her hand, she uses the back of it to wipe the sweat from her forehead. this is it. she's met with bare walls, bare beds, and desks that haven't been worked on in months. today is move-in day for byeol academy; specifically for andromeda hall. her new home for the next nine months.
she sits on the box and takes a look around. there's a lot to be done starting with dusting every surface and vacuuming each corner.
"up you go haneul! these floors aren't going to mop themselves!" haneul snorts, turning as her cousin walks in, two boxes and a pillow in his arms. "yeah," she begins, standing up. "that's because you're doing it~" haneul pats his shoulder and rolls her eyes. mark is laughing now, shaking his head.
"as if. i'll do the.." he swatches the shelf beside him, cringing, "..dusting."
haneul smiles, leaving him to begin unpacking the cleaning supplies. she can't help but drift off elsewhere. all of her belongings are stored in brown cardboard boxes, each labeled with a purple sharpie (courtesy of mark). everything she'd ever owned now sprawled in and out of her new room. she exhales shakily, suddenly overwhelmed.
mark stops, glancing over.
"you ok?" his voice is softer than before, concerned and curious. he approaches, haneul shaking her head and setting her hands on her hips. "yeah, yeah i mean-" she stops, biting at her bottom lip. "i'm fine, just..overwhelmed." she takes another look around, feeling less invited than before.
"hey.." mark rests a hand on her shoulder. "don't sweat it. i know this is a lot, but you'll adjust. i promise! plus, you meet your roommate today, right?" haneul smiles at the question. "yeah," she replies, "cha jiyeon. she moves in at five." she and the girl had exchanged socials a month or so ago, and got along well.
mark lifts his arm and glances at his watch. a smile plays onto his lips. "well then. we have four hours to tidy this place up," he said. haneul grins, the weight on her chest becoming lighter. she takes one last deep breath. "let's get to work then."
