Just Like Now

The Real Worry

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After studying at a coffee spot for a few hours Sehun rode the bus back home. He spotted Namjoo sitting at the kitchen table the very moment he opened the door. At the stove was his mother busy with food preparation and in the living room the TV blared, a sign that his father was watching the evening news if he wasn't dozing off.

"Look who's back?" his mother greeted with a tease. "I wasn't sure my own son would be showing up for dinner. You've your head in your books way too much these days. Are you really my son?"

"Mom," Sehun muttered closing the door. The woman smugly grinned in turn. "I'll go put my books away then come down for dinner."

"Good idea, I don't want any books at the dinner table," his mother commented.

Rolling his eyes Sehun walked by and could hear Namjoo scooting her chair back to follow him up the stairs. On his way up he saw that his father was indeed snoring away.

"Where've you been?" Namjoo curiously wondered at his back.

"I was reading," Sehun replied setting his backpack down on the floor then turned to look at her. "By the way, you're eating here tonight?"

Namjoo shrugged at this. "I was curious if you were in or not. Why are you studying so hard these days?"

"Didn't I already tell you?"

"We still have a year left before we have to worry about that stuff," Namjoo reminded as if he didn't already know. "Why are you in such a hurry?" then she leaned up to shove her face into his, "Are you sick or something?"

Lashing his arm out he pushed her back. Namjoo literally stumbled back and knocked the back of her head into his door in the process. Clutching her head with both hands she groaned in pain.

"Are you ok?" he worried hurrying over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you that hard."

"Forget it," Namjoo pushed his hand away and straightened up. Rubbing her head she looked up at him, "I just wanted to come see if you were still alive since I haven't seen you the past few days. Since you're not dead yet, I'm going home."

Without giving him a chance to add to their conversation Namjoo turned around and dashed off. He could hear her heavy footsteps all the way downstairs to the front door where she called out a farewell to his parents.

Snorting with a smile he wondered, "What's wrong with her?"

§§§§§

It was good. It was all good. Namjoo breathed a sigh as she lay in bed that evening. A smile weaved itself onto her lips and she could only contain her emotions for a few seconds before rolling over onto her side giggling. Who could imagine that seeing Sehun for just a mere moment would have butterflies bursting through her entire being? So much glee poured through her she didn't know how to handle it. This was the very first time she'd felt like this.

It simply went on like that for days then weeks which transitioned into months. As Sehun poured his energy into studying and preparing for college exams Namjoo focused on playing hard and reading in the nights, because even as she tried she would always be average. By the end of the year Sehun began topping exams leaving all the students in awe and shock. Namjoo was particularly caught off guard. That was when she realized he was serious about getting into Seoul National University.

When the end of the year approached she reached the resolution that she would do better her junior year in order to catch up to Sehun. If he wanted to go to Seoul National University, she would go there with him too. By the middle of the year Namjoo only managed to improve her grade by a mere 5%, not any better than she used to be. During summer break Sehun announced that he would like to go to the College of Agriculture and Life Science. He would major in Biological Engineering. As their parents cheered for him Namjoo felt as if she'd done something wrong. She hadn't yet figured out what she wanted to do.