Morning arrived in Cambridge with the quiet dignity that only an old university town could possess. Pale sunlight stretched across the red brick courtyards, catching on the frost that clung faintly to iron railings and bare branches. Students crossed the pathways in hurried clusters, cups of coffee steaming in the cold air as they debated finance models, law readings, and political theories with the easy arrogance of people convinced they would one day run the world.
At Harvard University, ambition was a natural element of the atmosphere, like oxygen.
And Kang Daehyun suffocated in it.
A Late Morning
It was nearly ten-thirty when Daehyun finally woke up.
The curtains in his apartment had been left open the night before, and a cruel beam of sunlight landed directly across his face. He groaned loudly and rolled over, his large frame causing the mattress to dip dramatically beneath him.
Empty snack bags rustled as he moved.
An empty pizza box rested on the floor beside his bed.
Three energy drink cans lay tipped over on his desk.
His laptop screen was still glowing faintly, paused on the final frame of a late-night gaming session.
Daehyun squinted at the clock on the wall.
10:32 AM.
His brain processed that number slowly.
Then panic exploded through him.
"Ah—!"
He launched upright so suddenly the bed frame creaked ominously beneath his weight. His hair stuck out wildly in all directions, and his glasses were crooked on his nose.
His morning class had started at ten.
Which meant he was already thirty minutes late.
Again.
Daehyun groaned and rubbed his face with both hands.
"This is why I hate mornings…"
Technically he hated most things involving responsibility, but mornings were particularly offensive.
He staggered out of bed, his heavy footsteps echoing slightly in the small apartment his family maintained for him in Cambridge. The place was large by student standards but looked less like a residence and more like a convenience store explosion.
Cup ramen containers.
Snack wrappers.
Anime posters.
Gaming consoles.
His father would have fainted if he saw it.
Which was precisely why Daehyun never allowed him to visit.
The Walk of Shame
By the time Daehyun waddled across Harvard Yard, the campus was already fully awake.
Students hurried past him carrying textbooks and laptops, their conversations buzzing with intellectual excitement.
He clutched a paper bag from a nearby café.
Inside were two breakfast sandwiches.
And a large iced caramel latte.
Technically he had already missed breakfast.
But that had never stopped him before.
The walk to the business school building left him slightly out of breath. His size made even short distances feel like uphill climbs, and by the time he reached the lecture hall doors his cheeks were flushed from exertion.
He pushed them open quietly.
Too quietly.
Because the room was already silent.
And the professor stopped mid-sentence.
Every head turned.
Daehyun froze.
He had hoped to slip into the back unnoticed.
Instead he had just become the center of attention.
"…Mr. Kang."
The professor looked tired already.
"Yes, professor."
"You're late."
"Yes, professor."
"You're eating."
Daehyun glanced down at the sandwich halfway to his mouth.
"…yes, professor."
Several students snorted.
The professor sighed deeply.
"Sit down."
Daehyun shuffled toward the back row.
And then he noticed something unexpected.
Someone had already taken the seat beside his usual spot.
A Familiar Face
Han Sooah sat there with perfect posture, flipping calmly through a neatly organized notebook.
She looked up as Daehyun approached.
Recognition flickered across her eyes.
"Good morning."
Daehyun nearly dropped his sandwich.
"O-oh. Hi."
He squeezed awkwardly into the chair beside her, trying not to bump the desk too hard with his stomach.
His bag of food crinkled loudly.
Sooah glanced at it.
"You missed breakfast?"
"…I overslept."
"That happens often?"
"Almost every day."
She nodded thoughtfully.
"That explains a lot."
Daehyun wasn't sure if that was an insult.
But she didn't say it unkindly.
The Announcement
Halfway through the lecture, the professor set down his chalk.
"Before we continue, I'd like to remind everyone about the semester project."
A collective groan moved through the room.
Group projects at Harvard were infamous for their intensity.
The professor ignored the reaction.
"You will be working in pairs to develop a full strategic expansion model for a multinational corporation entering a new emerging market."
Several students straightened in their seats.
This was serious work.
The kind that could determine future internships.
Or job offers.
The professor continued.
"Your partners have already been assigned."
A screen lit up behind him, displaying a long list of names.
Daehyun stared at it nervously.
Please don't give me someone ambitious, he thought.
Please don't give me someone who actually cares about this.
His eyes scanned the list.
Then stopped.
Kang Daehyun — Han Sooah.
His stomach dropped.
Very slowly, he turned his head.
Sooah was already looking at him.
The Reaction
She studied his expression carefully.
"You look concerned."
Daehyun laughed nervously.
"Concerned is… one word for it."
"Is there a problem?"
"Yes."
He gestured helplessly toward the lecture notes on the board.
"I don't understand any of this."
She blinked.
"You're serious?"
"Very."
He held up his notebook.
Inside was a crude sketch of a cartoon character.
Sooah stared at it.
Then at him.
Then back at the notebook.
"You drew this during class?"
"…yes."
There was a long silence.
Then something surprising happened.
Instead of looking annoyed—
She started laughing.
Not loudly.
But enough that she had to cover her mouth.
Daehyun stared at her.
"You're not mad?"
"Mad?"
"Yes. I'm going to ruin the project."
She tilted her head slightly.
"I doubt that."
"Why?"
"Because I won't let you."
First Meeting
After class ended, Sooah gathered her books.
Daehyun lingered nervously beside his desk.
Most students had already left the room.
He expected her to simply walk away.
Instead she turned toward him.
"Do you have time this afternoon?"
He blinked.
"For what?"
"To begin the project."
"Oh."
He hesitated.
"…can we start tomorrow?"
She crossed her arms lightly.
"Why tomorrow?"
"…I have a raid tonight."
"A raid?"
"In my game."
Sooah stared at him.
"You're prioritizing a video game over a Harvard project."
"Yes."
She considered this carefully.
Then she said something unexpected.
"Fine."
Daehyun blinked again.
"Really?"
"Yes."
She slipped her notebook into her bag.
"But tomorrow you will show up prepared."
He nodded quickly.
"I can do that."
She gave him a small smile.
"I'm curious to see how someone like you got into this school."
Daehyun scratched the back of his head.
"…money."
Her smile widened.
"At least you're honest."
An Odd Beginning
They walked out of the building together.
The cold autumn wind rustled the trees lining the pathway.
Students crossed the courtyard in steady streams.
Sooah stopped near the steps.
"Tomorrow at four."
"Library?"
"Yes."
She paused.
Then glanced at the food bag still in Daehyun's hand.
"You know that sandwich has mayonnaise, bacon, and cheese."
"Yeah."
"That's a lot for breakfast."
"I skipped dinner."
Her expression softened slightly.
"Try not to skip meals."
Daehyun chuckled awkwardly.
"That's the one thing I never do."
She looked him over briefly.
"…I noticed."
There was no cruelty in the comment.
Just observation.
Then she turned and began walking across the courtyard.
Daehyun watched her disappear into the flow of students.
For a long moment he stood there quietly.
Then he finally took a bite of his sandwich.
"…She's weird."
But for reasons he couldn't explain—
He was already looking forward to tomorrow.