Bluebird

One

The tip of the pencil breaks for a third time as Jimin tries to keep up with the professor's lecture. Strands of her light hair are slowly falling out of her hair clip and the words she scribbles across the whiteboard are becoming more unreadable by each second.

No one is quiet. The mixed group of students are sitting in a half circle, some on the floor and some on uncomfortable wooden chairs that creak at every small movement. Seokjin is texting frantically on Jimin's left and the music student on his other side is whispering something to a guy with colored blue hair. Professor Yun's face reddens more each time she's interrupted by hushed giggles or snarky comments.

Jimin raises his hand.

"Sorry," He starts, offering a half-hearted smile to (hopefully) not be the one who pushes the professor over the edge, "Why do we have to do Romeo and Juliet again? Isn't it fun with something more... modern?"

It's the last project of the semester. A group of third-year music students are joining Jimin and his classmates in setting up a play that is supposed to premiere the week before summer break. Usually, the theatre students are expected to set up the play by themselves but after a severe bullying incident reached the news on national television the previous year, the college decided to introduce multiple "Solidarity projects" and invest in a bunch of anti-bullying campaigns - one of them being to create more opportunities for students with different majors to work together.

Professor Yun's face is lacking any emotion as she looks at Jimin. There have been rumours that she was once a rising star, about to stand on the Broadway theatre stage and star in prestigious plays, but instead ended up right where she started after putting her career in the wrong people's hands. Jimin has no idea if it's actually true though - the professor might just hate her job.

"Like I said..." She deadpans, "These are the results of the poll I sent to all of you last week."

"Okay, can we alter it a bit?" Jimin tries, looking around at his fellow students, "Maybe make it be about two guys or something?"

Dohyun, one of Jimin's classmates, groans. He's sitting slumped in his chair, one arm slung over the backrest of the chair next to him and the other one resting on the table. The girl who's sitting in the chair perks up as most students turn their heads to look in their direction.

"I don't wanna do any gay shit."

Jimin purses his lips, not taking the bait. Dohyun always seems to spend more time trying to piss everyone off rather than focusing on actual assignments, and still he has managed to keep up with the rest of them. Additionally, from what Jimin has heard, Dohyun is supposedly one of the top students in their year.

"Woah, woah," Professor Yun holds her hands up, making a half-assed attempt at catching everyone's attention, "First of all, let's raise our hands if we wanna say something," She clears her throat, putting on a forced smile, "Second of all, no questions are stupid."

Dohyun raises his hand mockingly, and the professor pretends to be oblivious.

"Yes?"

"I don't want to do gay stuff." Dohyun repeats, slower than before to mimic the professor's condescending tone.

"Okay, thanks for that," She says, the smile still plastered on her face, "Anyone else wanna tell me what they don't want to do?"

One of the girls in Jimin's class raises her hand, apparently not catching on to the obvious sarcasm. Professor Yun turns her attention to the girl, her eyes telling every single thought she doesn't say out loud. If looks could kill, Jimin thinks.

"I need to be Juliet."

Jimin almost rolls his eyes.

"There won't be a Juliet." He says, finding some satisfaction in the way Eunji's face turns red in anger.