Don’t you think we are going too fast? chapter 28

I wondered what on earth Park Kangseop was thinking, throwing such a random question at Taeshin. Taeshin, also puzzled, turned to the podium, mumbling.

“If not for hypnosis, no one could trust you this much.”

That guy was off in his own world again. Ignoring Park Kangseop’s nonsense, I saw the professor walk in.

The professor greeted us briefly and started the orientation.

Listening to the explanation about the textbooks and the weekly schedule for the semester, I noticed Taeshin’s pheromones intensifying next to me.

Was he trying to get my attention?

When I looked, he was focused straight ahead.

The pheromones intensified throughout the lecture. It meant Taeshin wasn’t paying full attention to the professor.

His pheromones would rise and fall, depending on whether he glanced at me.

The situation was slightly amusing, knowing Taeshin had no idea. I chuckled quietly, and this time, our eyes met.

Why?

When I mouthed the question, Taeshin looked at me silently before saying ‘nothing’ and turning back to the professor.

If it’s nothing, why stare for so long?

Taeshin smiled while looking at the professor.

Other students were serious, so I wondered if the professor had said something funny, but it seemed unlikely.

He must’ve had a stray thought again.

Taeshin often smiled to himself silently.

When I felt overwhelmed while studying and wanted to run away, Taeshin, sitting opposite me, would sometimes laugh quietly.

He also laughed at inexplicable moments when I observed him secretly.

Despite his clueless and messiness in many areas, it was fortunate that Taeshin had a talent for studying.

He should always be grateful for his good looks and brains, though he missed out on social cues and common sense.

After three full hours, the professor wrapped up the class.

As he left, students who had been sitting rigidly at their narrow desks and chairs stretched their stiff bodies. I, too, stretched, grimacing at my cracking joints.

“Wow, I planned to explore the campus if we finished early.”

“But the explanations were clear, so studying shouldn’t be hard.”

“Which part?”

“Huh?”

I looked at Taeshin, puzzled at his claim that the lecture was easy, and took a step back. I had no idea what he found easy about it.

Waving goodbye to Park Kangseop, who left happily for the next class, I suspected it was one of those subjective statements typical of smart students.

We had an hour before the next lecture. While I insisted we should eat at the cafeteria, Jung Noeul and Go Cheolmin suggested going together. We headed to the cafeteria together.

I chose pork cutlet, which was surprisingly good for mass catering.

Jung Noeul enjoyed the set meal, and Go Cheolmin praised his stir-fried pork bowl.

Taeshin, who had the set meal, said it wasn’t bad but left half his rice.

“Are you leaving that? It’s good. Were you like this at orientation too? Do you have a small appetite, Lee Taeshin?”

“Yeah, Taeshin doesn’t eat much.”

When I went to the snack bar, I always ended up eating two servings by myself, while Taeshin barely managed to finish one.

Because of that, I often ate around 2.5 servings in total.

The biggest contributor to my chubby cheeks is Taeshin with his small appetite.

After filling our stomachs with school meals, we each grabbed a coffee and headed to our respective lecture halls.

The afternoon lecture, much like the one in the morning, started with an orientation and ended with some brief announcements.

In high school, even if the teacher left the room, we couldn’t leave the classroom, but here, the lecture ended in less than an hour with just a few words from the professor—how fascinating.

And even in that short time, I could feel Taeshin’s pheromones growing stronger.

* * *

The first week of the semester was mostly like this.

he lectures were generally about what we would be taught and learn throughout the semester, and the activities were mainly about adjusting to university life.

We elected our first-year representative, got invited to the business department and first-year group chats, and there was even a program called “Senior-Junior Love” where seniors were paired with freshmen to help them out.

Unlike in high school, where we only had to study and follow a set schedule, university life required a lot of active participation and self-management, making it quite hectic.

I had signed up for the “Senior-Junior Love” program, which was supposed to help with university life adaptation and academic support.

A senior sent me a cheerful text, telling me to ask if I had any questions.

After a few exchanges with this third-year senior, I picked up my well-cooked dak-galbi.

“Senior-Junior Love?”

“Yeah. The senior said we should have a meal together soon.”

“Should I have signed up for that too?”

“Well, we’ll all greet each other at the general meeting anyway, so it’s no big deal.”

I was eating an early dinner with Taeshin at a dak-galbi restaurant after getting a text from Jung Noeul, who was eating with Go Cheolmin and Park Jonghoon, saying we should come if we could.

Go Cheolmin, who was interested in club activities and had been busy looking around, regretted missing the sign-up for the “Senior-Junior Love” program.

“I signed up because it didn’t seem like a loss, and I hope I get a decent senior.”

Jung Noeul, who signed up with me, wished as he dipped his dak-galbi in cheese. He had been enthusiastic about socializing lately and seemed to have already heard rumors about the seniors.

He whispered about which senior was strict and who had a terrible personality, emphasizing that we should avoid certain people.

Listening to Jung Noeul, who seemed to have the potential to be the department’s information source, I dipped my dak-galbi in cheese.

I cut off the stretchy cheese and put the dak-galbi in my mouth, but it tasted strangely off today.

Was the cheese spoiled?

Others seemed to be enjoying it. I rinsed my mouth with water and tried again, but the cheese still tasted off, so I ate the dak-galbi without it. It was delicious.

“Is this cheese okay?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

“It’s good.”

Jung Noeul nodded, and Park Jonghoon responded lightly.

“Why? Doesn’t it taste good?”

“Well, it doesn’t seem to suit my taste today.”

I shrugged to Taeshin, who asked worriedly, and moved the dak-galbi to my bowl without the cheese.

While chatting and eating, Go Cheolmin, who had been on his phone for a while, suddenly brought up an exciting topic.

“Hey, do you guys want to go on a blind date?”

“A blind date?”

“Out of the blue?”

“Yeah. Want to go?”

Jung Noeul and I perked up with interest, and Go Cheolmin nodded.

“A friend said their friends wanted to go on a blind date and asked if there were any volunteers.”

“Me!”

“Me too!”

Jung Noeul raised his hand and shouted, and I raised mine as well.

Just thinking about it, Go Cheolmin was practically serving us a chance on a silver platter.

I already felt eager and thought about asking my third brother to buy me clothes. Although nothing was decided yet, I felt excited.

Remembering my primary goal of dating since before entering university, I resolved to start dating through this blind date.

Maybe having a partner would help me not to be so conscious of Taeshin and his strong alpha pheromones.

Thud.

“Huh?”

Taeshin grabbed my wrist, which I had raised high, and brought it down.

Why?

He pointed with his eyes at the bowl beneath my elbow.

“You were about to knock it over.”

“Oh, thanks. I didn’t notice.”

I almost knocked over the dak-galbi bowl onto my clothes, so I lightly tapped it and urged Go Cheolmin.

At that moment, Jung Noeul nervously answered his phone and looked around at us before responding politely.

“Yes, we’ll be there soon.”

“What is it?”

“There’s a spontaneous meeting at the front gate’s Halmek with the business department. Do you want to go? Some seniors and a few classmates will be there.”

Jung Noeul, who already had broad connections, had often met seniors.

“Are you going?”

“They still tell interesting stories for now. What about you?”

“I’ll pass. The band club said I could come by today, so I have to go.”

Go Cheolmin declared he wouldn’t go, waving his phone, and Park Jonghoon also said he wasn’t in the mood for drinking today.

I thought it might be fun, so I decided to go.

When I said I would go, Taeshin naturally said he would go too.

Encouraging Jung Noeul, who worried about drinking after already eating dak-galbi, I reassured him not to underestimate his stomach and instead worried about Taeshin.

“Can you drink?”

“Just a glass or two?”

“If you can’t handle it, just mingle a bit and sneak out. And don’t drink too much. If you fall asleep, I can’t carry you.”

I emphasized to Taeshin, showing two fingers to indicate two cans of beer, just in case he wasn’t sure. Taeshin smiled and nodded.