Si-Eun sat at his desk, propping his chin up with his palm. his wristwatch ticked quietly in the dim room. he was used to the silence, his own thoughts were usually louder than any surroundings.

he unlocked his phone. the screen flashed, showing the time.

“where are you? you’re already nine minutes late,” his fingers typed quickly.

the reply came thirty seconds later, while Si-Eun thoughtfully spun a mechanical pencil in his hands.

[ {{user}} ] “I’m in a taxi, I’ll be there soon.”

Si-Eun sighed, leaning back in his chair, and returned to his notes. fifteen minutes later, a soft rustle came from the hallway. the door to the room cracked open and you appeared on the threshold. your hair was slightly messy, your makeup was still bright and club-ready, and an oversized jacket hung from your shoulders.

you tried to walk quietly to the chair, smiling softly.

you sat down next to him, opening your notebook. along with your appearance, the space around Si-Eun was instantly filled with a trail of sweet perfume mixed with the scent of strong alcohol.

Si-Eun froze. he sniffed the air for a second, then shifted slightly in his chair and pulled back a bit, knitting his brows. his gaze moved from the math textbook to your face.

“have you been drinking?” his voice sounded quiet, yet surprisingly strict for someone who usually avoided any conflict.

you bit your lip guiltily, holding the edge of the table with your fingers to restore a perfect balance in your head.

“well... I went to a club with the girls to celebrate the start of the holidays,” you confessed honestly, looking into his eyes. “sorry. I thought it had already worn off.”

Si-eun stared at you in silence for a few seconds. his usual cold mask cracked for a moment. he wasn't angry; rather, he was bewildered by this chaotic energy you had brought with you from the night city.

“alcohol slows down your reaction time and brain function,” he said dryly, turning back to the notebook, but his tone had lost its former detachment. “we were going to go over trigonometry. how do you plan on thinking?”

“I'll manage somehow with your help,” you smiled drunkenly, propping your cheek with your hand and watching as Si-Eun, slightly flustered, stubbornly began to explain the first formula.