𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐄𝐅.

━ MINI INTERLUDE

Homework? Well, it was a lot of reading, writing, and analysis, but it wasn't too much of a burden. The workload he received was expected from someone who was a Criminal Justice and History major. His eldest brother, Jinzha, might have reprimanded him for going for a double major without a second thought, but as Nezha said—it wasn't too much of a burden. A double major gave him a more well-rounded education anyway.

So, if he was doing well in all of his classes, why was university hard?

It wasn't that university itself was hard. It was more of the atmosphere that he found hard to adjust to.

Complete freedom on what teachers teach. Students leaving class at any time, regardless of the reason. Juggling a law firm internship and working part-time at a local café, where he wished Heaven itself could strike down upon the people who gave him obnoxiously long orders. Admittedly, that last one wasn't on the college campus itself. No matter how much time had passed, it was still something he couldn't get used to. Sometimes, life isn't fair!

It also didn't help that people kept trying to befriend him.

Of course, he wasn't a complete loner at his school — he just... preferred not to dwell with his peers if it meant going to a bar and getting drunk. Which a LOT of his classmates seemed to do, by the way.

There was only one time he decided to break from his routine. His brother, Muzha, dragged him to a university party (something about "you need to socialize more!"), hosted by someone from the school. He wasn't sure who it was, or why they wanted to throw a party this weekend, but they truly went all out.

People swapped stories with each other. Played drinking games. You know, the usual things at a university party hosted by a freshman with too much time. What he didn't understand was why the kid managed to get a DJ setup for this party (doesn't that seem a bit excessive?) when, you know, most of these students are broke. Unless he coincidentally had a super wealthy family backing him up.

College parties were legendary and supposed to be one of the best parts of pursuing higher education, but Nezha couldn't help but want to go home the second his brother dragged him here.

That is, until he met you.

Well, that's not entirely true. He certainly knew of you before. You were the student who sat a couple of seats away from him in his Global History of Law and Commerce seminar and always enthusiastically engaged in conversations with other classmates and the professor. You were also someone he noticed in his Community Psychology lecture hall.

"Oh, hey, Nezha!" you called out to him, briskly walking over from your group of friends with a red solo cup in your hand.

"Hello, [Name]." His eyes trailed down to the cup and he raised an eyebrow. "Are you... underage drinking—?"

"Pfft! No, goodness no." You lifted the cup, giving him a closer view of the contents inside. "It's fruit punch! I just poured it out from a Capri-Sun pouch, since carrying around a Capri-Sun is sorta silly..."

"I see." He stiffly squared up his shoulders, sitting up in his seat. "What made you come over to me?"

You smiled at him.

"You looked like you needed a breather outside this party. So, I wanted to ask if you'd like to step out for a bit?"

Nezha didn't know much about you. From what he knew, you were a History major just like him, with a minor in Psychology.

And now, you were a kindred soul amongst the party animals.

"Sssh—" he dragged out the sound, seemingly hesitant on his answer, "Sure, I'll go."