The Study of Love - FINAL [#BOOMGOESNAOMI birthday fic]
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FRIDAY / INTRO TO ANTHROPOLOGY (14:30-16:30)
What was so great about University life again?
Taemin finds himself wondering about this once again on the day of the debate, grimacing when his Professor reads his name off some card and proclaiming that he would be the representative for the Male Division. “Make me proud, kid,” is what Professor Park tells him once he got up on stage, his eyebrows shooting upward at the too-heavy pat on the back his teacher leaves him with before stepping down himself.
As if it weren’t horrible enough that he had to endure the awkwardness of talking about ‘The Trials of Love’ with his male classmates, Taemin now had to present in class too.
Awesome, he thinks drolly, rubbing his eyes, just fucking awes-
“Choi Jinri will represent the Female Division.” Professor Park announces, clapping his hands along with the female students whooping support. The girl-Jinri-locks eyes with him as she makes her way to the podium, her cheeks pink as she smiles at him. It’s enough to push his anxiety into overdrive, dissolving into frantic panic as his heart thudded against his chest.
I can’t do this. I can’t talk about Love with the girl I actually do-“You may begin.”
“Ladies’ first,” Taemin says immediately, shooting Jinri a look that he hopes didn’t look so desperately worried. Jinri blinks at him in surprise, nodding seconds later and missing his fists clench at his sides as she looked over her notes. Her voice is clear as she begins,
“The problem with the world today is we have become split into two types of people when it comes to love: We are either those who express the text in excess or those who express it in subtext. Neither of which are right for the kind of communication a healthy love needs. In the former, the words ‘I love you’ have been-in our opinion-losing its credibility. We see and hear the words thrown about easily in the media. Whether it is in books, songs or films-the words ‘I love you’ ring in our ears so often it loses its own magic. You could say that you love someone and then on the next day not mean it. Today, there are people who use the words simply just that… words to say to fill awkward, silent moments when it is not meant or necessary.”
“In the latter, however, love is expected to be understood without prompt. Actions are held precedent and while a lot of us girls agreed that sometimes this is the best, we also agreed that actions without words can also be oftentimes misunderstood. People are bound to assume when the intentions are vague. A lot of us had shared experiences where they had thought one thing and yet it had meant another to the person involved. We agreed that it is too easy to blur the lines between acts of kindness with acts of romantic love.” Jinri pauses for a moment, stealing a look at Taemin. Her cheeks still rosy pink as she wonders if he even realizes what she truly means. “It’s too easy to assume that the boy walking a girl to her next class might mean something more. The girl could easily imagine it as something romantic, when in fact it could only just be an act of chivalry in the boy’s part. We’re not saying that it’s anyone’s fault if the assumptions are wrong but it is human nature to wonder.”
Taemin’s breath slows as Jinri lifts her eyes towards him, trapping him in her gaze as she finishes her piece:
“So really, what we’re trying to say is that-whichever type of person in love you are, the trial of love is simply the lack of communication. Words do not mean much action and vice versa. Love needs to be reaffirmed and cared for. It should be brave, unsolicited and true. It isn’t meant to be taken lightly. You must not only act on it but spe-”
“But what if it needs time?” Taemin asks abruptly, halting Jinri midway through a word. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to interrupt but while everything you just said makes sense, I wonder if you-the female division-had thought about time.”
Jinri’s brow crinkles in confusion and when she tilts her head to him, Taemin feels his anxiety start to fade. “I don’t understand what you mean…”
“That fact is you girls are right. Society today has taken the idea of love to extremes. You are either the person who loves so much and too much or the person who loves too little or not at all. It’s a very fine line now, if you think about it. With so much going on in the world, it’s difficult to decipher whether the love is true when a partner says it aloud or not.” He takes a big breath for pause, unwilling to let his eyes stray from Jinri’s as he continues, “We are bound by the rules our culture has developed over centuries. We might change a little here and there but ultimately we go back to square one. But the thing is… once you have found the love you are looking for; it doesn’t mean that everything becomes easy. You could walk a girl to her next class, smile at her, carry her books and then watch her walk away. You could tell that girl you love her and be willing to show her but it wouldn’t be matter if you are afraid to admit it to yourself out loud…”
“Until now, for example.” Taemin shrugs and Jinri’s eyes widen in surprise. The rosy hue on her cheeks darkens further and it takes everything in him not to step down the podium and go to her.
“Knowing yourself and the right time is just as important in love as communication.” He feels his lips lift a little as he finishes, turning to face the whole class. It looked like he was right to trust his sunbae’s judgment. Intro to Anthropology is the fucking best class ever.
“It might take awhile and you might get tired of wondering, but it’ll happen when it’s right. That’s how all the great love stories work.”
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“So today was interesting for Intro to Anthropology, huh?”
She knew she could do better than that but at the moment she was still a little lost for words. It might actually take her awhile before her neurons kicked back in.
Across the linoleum table Taemin shoots her a smile, his hands wrapped around his cup of coffee in a way that reminded her of a mama bear protecting her young. The imagery made her giggle and when he catches her eye with that sparkling gaze of his, she just knows that she is done for.
“We’re not at all good at this,” Jinri tells him, smile soft and accommodating. “I mean, all of the staring and subtext from earlier was…”
“Pretty crucial, if you ask me.” Taemin says, smiling wider in return. Lifting one hand off from his cup and palm up, he edges it closer to hers and waits…
…not for very long as Jinri moves her warm hand onto his, palm to palm, and squeezes.
“So… Soojung, Sehun and Jongin are going to watch Godzilla tonight. Jongin managed to wear Soojung down and she says it’s mandatory that I be there. Wanna go watch with them? I’ll buy you popcorn.”
“Nah,” Taemin shakes his head, watching as their fingers lace and lock together. He looks up then just as she does and grins, “How about dinner and ice-skating? My treat.”
Jinri laughs. “I thought you’d never ask.”
PDF FILE
5/29/2014
11:59PM
Intro to Anthropology - Nikka (Taemin/Sulli)
Philosophy 101 - Lynde (Sehun/Sulli)
English Literature 101 - Shida (Sehun/Taemin/Kai)
Advanced Trigonometry - Hannah (Sehun/Krystal + Kai/Krystal)
Economics 102 - Jasmine (Sulli/Krystal)
Chemistry - Aqsa (Sehun/Krystal/Kai)
Study Hall/Break 1 - Kimmy (Taemin/Krystal)
Study Hall/Break 2 - Michelle (Changmin/Yoona, side story)
to come...
Anatomy and Physiology - Yuri (Kai/Sulli)
Interim by Hanna
Everything else that’s extra by Nikka
A NOTE FROM NIKKA
I am so proud of all of you on this. :)
Can't wait to edit in Yuri's parts.
My other half's very busy but we all know her parts are going to be the best.
Enjoy everyone!