The moment Jin-woo opened his eyes that morning, he knew it was going to be a laundry day from hell.
Why? Because the laundry machines in the dorm were a legendary battlefield, a place where only the strongest—or the sneakiest—survived. Jin-woo had quickly learned that "finding an available washing machine" was the university's most difficult challenge, even harder than passing Calculus 2 or dodging RA Jihyun's wrath.
He groaned and rubbed his eyes, staring at the pile of dirty clothes in the corner of the room.
"Why do clothes multiply themselves overnight?" he muttered, holding up a sock with a suspicious hole in it.
Yuna, stretching as she got up from her bed on the top bunk, yawned and said, "You mean your clothes? You wear the same hoodie every day."
"Hey, it's called brand consistency," Jin-woo replied, tossing the sock back in the pile.
Yuna shook her head but gave a little smile. "If you want, I can help you do laundry. I'm going early today to avoid the crowds."
Jin-woo's ears perked up. "Early? Like, before sunrise?"
"Not that early. Like… seven a.m."
He looked horrified. "Seven a.m. is punishment, not a time to do laundry!"
She shrugged. "The machines are empty, and it's peaceful. No waiting, no fights."
Jin-woo folded his arms dramatically. "Fine. You're going to regret this."
Later that morning, Jin-woo stood outside the laundry room with his laundry basket, hoping against hope that he could grab a machine. He peeked through the frosted glass door and saw a few machines spinning quietly.
"Okay, step one: reconnaissance," he whispered.
He jotted down notes in his small notebook labeled "Laundry Ops." Observing the machines, he noticed a pattern: most students did laundry between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., creating a frenzy of washing and drying that resembled a zombie apocalypse more than a chore.
"Timing is everything," Jin-woo muttered. "I need to outsmart the herd."
At noon, the laundry room was packed.
The air smelled of detergent, fabric softener, and a hint of desperation.
A group of freshmen were arguing over a broken dryer. One guy was trying to hold a basketball-sized pile of wet clothes without dropping any. Another girl was perched on a bench, scrolling on her phone, clearly waiting for her turn.
Jin-woo scanned the scene.
No machines free.
No dryers free.
No hope.
But Jin-woo was not a man who gave up easily.
No.
He was a strategist.
He pulled out his phone and opened the Bluetooth settings.
"Step two: distraction," he said to himself.
With a few taps, Jin-woo linked his phone to a small portable speaker hidden behind the vending machine next to the laundry room entrance.
Then, he queued up a playlist.
First song: "Eye of the Tiger."
Second song: "You Can Do It!" (some motivational speech from a YouTube guru).
Third song: "Gangnam Style."
As the weird medley blasted, confused laundry warriors poked their heads out.
"What the—?"
"Is someone having a party in the laundry room?"
Jin-woo smiled to himself and slipped inside the door like a ninja.
Inside, he spotted the last available washing machine.
He quickly grabbed the detergent, dumped it in, and shoved in his clothes.
Mission accomplished.
Just as he was about to relax, a voice from behind said, "Jin-woo."
He turned and saw Yuna, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.
"You rigged the speaker?"
"It's strategic ambiance, noona."
She shook her head. "Only you would think of turning the laundry room into a K-pop rave."
Jin-woo winked. "Hey, whatever it takes to get those machines."
While waiting, Jin-woo and Yuna sat on the benches, chatting.
"I don't get it," Jin-woo said. "Why do people hate laundry so much?"
Yuna laughed. "It's boring, repetitive. Plus, everyone's fighting for the same machines. It feels like a competition."
Jin-woo nodded solemnly. "A competition where the prize is… clean clothes."
She smiled. "Exactly."
When the wash cycle ended, Jin-woo moved his clothes to the dryer, only to find two people waiting impatiently behind him.
"Speed it up, man!" one said.
Jin-woo held up his hands. "Chill! You want laundry and a show?"
Yuna rolled her eyes.
As the dryer whirred, Jin-woo pulled out snacks from his backpack.
"Laundry's better with food."
Yuna accepted a chip and said, "You're weird but somehow fun."
Then disaster struck.
Halfway through folding his clothes, Jin-woo noticed one sock was missing.
"Nooo!" he exclaimed.
Yuna laughed. "You lost a sock again?"
"Those socks are ninja-grade escape artists," Jin-woo said, looking under the benches.
Yuna sighed. "I think you just need to wash your socks more carefully."
"Or maybe the socks are planning a rebellion."
Despite the sock crisis, the day was a success.
They folded clothes, exchanged stories, and even made a game out of matching socks.
By the time they returned to their room, their laundry baskets were empty, their clothes fresh, and their friendship a little stronger.
That night, Jin-woo lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Noona?"
"Hmm?"
"If I ever open a laundry business, I'll make sure to have a sock tracking system."
Yuna laughed. "You and your schemes."
"Hey, even laundry can be an empire."
She smiled softly. "Just don't drag me into your sock wars."
"Too late."