The sound of the alarm cut sharply through the quiet room.
Aran groaned softly, turning over as he reached blindly for his phone. After a few seconds of fumbling, he finally found it and silenced the noise.
For a moment, he just lay there, staring at the ceiling.
Then it hit him.
"…First day." He sat up immediately.
Today wasn't just any day it was his first day at school, Orientation. A mix of excitement and nervousness settled in his chest. Aran rubbed his face lightly, then got up and headed straight to the bathroom.
A few minutes later, he stepped out, hair slightly damp, feeling more awake. His gaze shifted to the other bed,Taehyun was still asleep Aran walked over and stood beside him.
"…Taehyun."No response, He sighed.
"Taehyun," he called again, nudging him lightly, Still nothing.
Aran shook his head, then grabbed his arm. "Wake up. We're going to be late." Taehyun groaned, eyes barely opening. "Five more minutes…"
"No," Aran said firmly, already pulling him up. "Get up."
"Aran…" Taehyun whined, half asleep as he was dragged off the bed. "You're too serious for this early in the morning…"
Despite himself, Aran let out a small laugh. "Bathroom. Now."
Not long after, both of them were dressed and ready.
The room felt more alive now like the beginning of something new. Taehyun stretched his arms lazily. "So… what's your course?" Aran adjusted his bag slightly. "Civil Engineering."
"Oh?" Taehyun's eyes lit up. "Nice. I'm in Chemical Engineering." Aran nodded. "That's good."
Taehyun grinned. "It means we're both suffering."
Aran blinked then let out a quiet laugh.
"But don't worry," Taehyun continued, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "We're all freshmen. We'll definitely share some courses together."
"That's… good," Aran said, though his voice held a hint of hesitation. Taehyun noticed immediately.
He tilted his head. "Hey… make sure you make friends today, okay?" Aran looked away slightly. "I'll try."
"Not try," Taehyun corrected, smiling. "You will."
Aran hesitated. New place, new people, new language, It didn't feel that simple. "I'm not really…" he started, then trailed off.
"Good at it?" Taehyun finished for him. Aran gave a small nod.
Taehyun stepped closer, his expression soft but confident. "Trust me. You'll make lots of friends."
There was something reassuring in his tone, Something warm.
Aran exhaled slowly. "…Okay."
Taehyun's smile widened. "That's the spirit."
The two of them stepped out of the dorm together, the morning air cool against their skin.
Students were already moving around campus, voices filling the space with energy and excitement.
Aran tightened his grip on his bag slightly. This was it.
His first real step into this new life....
The orientation hall was already buzzing when Aran and Taehyun walked in. Voices overlapped, laughter echoed, and the air carried a mix of excitement and nervous energy.
"Wow…" Taehyun muttered, looking around. "This is bigger than I expected." Aran nodded quietly, his eyes scanning the room. "Let's sit in front," Taehyun said, already pulling him along.
"In front?" Aran repeated, slightly unsure but he followed anyway. They found seats near the front row and settled down. Aran placed his bag on his lap, fingers gripping it lightly as he took everything in, this was real, he was really here.
A few minutes later, the noise in the hall shifted. A group of students walked in togetherconfident, composed.
There was something different about them.
"Sunbaes," Taehyun whispered. "Engineering faculty seniors."
Aran glanced up and froze among them was Minjae.
He looked just as calm as before, walking like he owned the space, eyes barely acknowledging anyone around him.
Aran's grip tightened instantly.
His expression shifted clear annoyance flashing across his face. That guy..As if sensing it, Minjae's gaze slid toward him.
Their eyes met, for a brief second, everything else faded.
Then...Minjae smirked, Small and Subtle but intentional.
Aran's brows furrowed immediately, his expression turning even colder. "Seriously…" he muttered under his breath.
Thud! The sudden sound broke the moment. A student had tripped and fallen right beside Aran's seat. "Ah...sorry!" the boy said quickly, scrambling slightly, Aran reacted instantly, standing up. "Are you okay?" Taehyun stood up too. "Careful!"
They both helped him up, steadying him.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," the boy said, a little embarrassed. "Thank you."
"No problem," Aran replied with a small smile.
"You can sit with us," Taehyun added casually. "There's space."
The boy blinked, then smiled gratefully. "Really? Thanks."
He sat down beside them. "I'm Jaekyung," he introduced. "Civil Engineering." Aran's eyes lit up slightly. "Really? Me too."
Jaekyung smiled. "That's great."
Taehyun suddenly groaned dramatically. "Wow… when will I find someone from Chemical Engineering like this?"
The three of them laughed.
For the first time since entering the hall, Aran felt a little lighter maybe making friends wouldn't be so hard after all.
A sharp sound echoed through the hall as the microphone came alive. "Good morning, everyone."
The room quieted almost instantly. At the front stood the student president, holding the mic confidently.
"My name is Kang Seungho, your student president. Welcome to your first year at this university." A round of applause followed. Aran listened quietly, his attention focused.
"There will be a welcome party for all freshmen this weekend," Seungho continued. The hall erupted into cheers.
Taehyun leaned toward Aran. "We're definitely going."
Aran gave a small, uncertain smile.
"There are also various activities you can join," Seungho added. "Sports teams, drama club, music, and more."
Students murmured excitedly among themselves.
Then..Seungho gestured toward the side.
"For those interested in football, our representative is Minjae."
Aran stiffened slightly. Minjae stepped forward, calm as ever.
The reaction was immediate. Whispers, excited voices.
Some girls nearby started giggling.
"He's the best player," one of them whispered.
"So handsome…"
Aran let out a quiet sigh, leaning back in his seat.
"What's so special…" he muttered.
Taehyun turned to him quickly. "Are you kidding? That's Minjae. We should join!"
Aran looked at him like he had just said something ridiculous.
"No."
"Why not?" Taehyun insisted. "Imagine being trained by him. And he's handsome too bonus!"
Aran shook his head. "I'd rather go back to the dorm and sleep." Taehyun gasped dramatically. "You're wasting your youth." Aran shrugged slightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. But deep down his mind drifted back to that smirk.
That look and for some reason… He couldn't ignore it.
The orientation slowly came to an end, the hall filling once again with chatter as students began to stand and move around. Aran stretched slightly as he got to his feet, adjusting the strap of his bag.
"That was… a lot," Taehyun said, letting out a breath.
Jaekyung nodded. "At least we know what to expect now."
Taehyun clapped his hands lightly. "Food first. I'm starving. Let's go to the cafeteria."
"I'm in," Jaekyung replied immediately.
Aran gave a small nod. "Okay."
As they stood up to leave, Aran casually glanced ahead and froze for a second. Minjae was already looking at him.
Aran's expression hardened instantly.
"…Tch." He hissed softly under his breath, breaking eye contact as quickly as possible. "Let's go," he muttered, already turning away. Taehyun and Jaekyung followed, unaware of the brief tension that had just passed.
Minjae didn't look away immediately.
"Wow…" A voice broke through.
"Looks like you've found someone interesting."
Minjae shifted his gaze slightly as someone stepped beside him. Jeha.
Arms crossed, a knowing smile on his face.
"He's cute, right?" Jeha added casually, glancing in the direction Aran had just left.
Minjae scoffed lightly. "Cute?" he repeated, unimpressed. "He's just a Thai brat." Jeha raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Hmm. If you say so."
Minjae didn't respond. His eyes flickered briefly toward the exit again just for a second then he looked away.
"Are you coming to practice?" Jeha asked, stretching his shoulders. "We've got a match coming up."
Minjae slipped his hands into his pockets, his expression returning to its usual calm indifference.
"Yeah," he replied shortly then he turned, walking in the opposite direction.