The Humanity Formula

Crushes, Coffee, and Concerts

Piano Boy hasn't looked up, I don't think he's even noticed he's not the only student in the office anymore.

"Why didn't Hanbin come with you?" NamTae asks as he slowly nods, scribbling something down on a notepad. He attaches the note to my test and sets it aside on his desk. I watch him carefully, not sure what to say.

"He had class." I lie lamely.

"I trust you and everything looks good, so I'll fix the grade." I thank him and he gives me a tiny smile. "It's alright if I keep the test to show the professor what I changed, right?"

I nod, watching as he gets up to go to the mailroom in the back. When I turn back and get ready to go I notice that the guy has taken his headphones off. He's smirking, as if he'd just witnessed something hilarious.

"Wow, that was amazing." He remarks, setting his work onto the TA's desk. "You already had such a high grade but you still wanted it changed."

"Why are you here?" I ask defensively, feeling embarrassed that he had heard everything.

"I'm taking Nam's Psych 101." He shrugs, moving toward the door and holding it for me with his ridiculously long arm. "It's required for performance majors."

"And you heard everything?" I ask anxiously, walking past him into the hallway. It still bothers me he used almost the exact words Hanbin had. Most students didn't even pass the test but I got an A.

Why was I being greedy?

"Yeah." He pops a single earbud into his ear which makes me angry for some reason. I guess it's not worth listening to me without background music in his ear. I'm not worth all of his attention. "Don't be embarrassed, though. You have to be like that, right? Your major is probably pretty competitive, you're all fighting each other for the top."

"Don't say it like that." I grumble, gripping painfully tight onto my backpack straps. "What are your classes even like? Playing a few songs and getting a shiny star sticker when you do a good job? I never understood why our university even has a music program... It's not like it's a real major."

His jaw tenses at my words and I regret them instantly as he turns his narrowed eyes at me.

"You're taking everything too seriously." He warns me in a deep voice, a vein pulsing in his long neck. "Good grades and a boring career aren't all there is in life."

"Maybe not to you." I squeak, not sure why I can't stop myself from fighting with him. Just because he's content being poor and playing some instrument doesn't mean I have to apologize for working hard. He's different when he's not smiling. I never noticed how masculine his face is. "Good luck at your little concert, I'm definitely not going to be there to give you a gold star.

"You're friends with Kim Hanbin, right?" He changes the subject suddenly. He turns around and notices I've slowed down behind him. His hand plucks out the single earbud and lets the wire loop lazily around his neck.

His face has relaxed and isn't that shade of red rage it had been before.

"Yeah." I step toward him, my body still wound tight like a coil ready to explode. "We're friends."

He nods, a small smile forming where an angry frown had been before. I wet my lips.

"I still want you to go to the concert, Hayi." He awkwardly reaches out to touch my shoulder. My skin tingles. "Bring Hanbin with you, too."

He moves his hand and it feels like my arm has been chopped off.

"I still don't know your name." I complain suddenly and he whips around with a laugh.