---Mina POV---

It was Saturday afternoon. I was just finished practicing for the recital. My body felt sore since I have been practicing hard. Today, I’ve been practicing since 6AM. Well, I was not complaining since this is what I love to do, I chose to come here to practice ballet more.

I sat down on the floor while wiping off sweats from my face with a towel. All of my friends who were practicing with me, one by one left the practice room, leaving me alone. I looked at my reflection on the mirror. She looks exhausted, I thought to myself.

Ballet used to be the only thing I came here for. Well, aside from the fact that I love Kpop and it’s easier to get merchandise or even to meet with the Kpop idols here than when I was in Japan. But still Kpop wasn’t the sole reason I came here, ballet was the real reason. Since, if I was telling my professor for a father that I want to move to Korea for Kpop-ing, he wasn’t even going to hear what I was gonna say next. So yeah, ballet was my reason.

I remember coming here alone, just my Mom dropping me off to my flat, tidying things up before she went back to Japan then I was left alone. Well, there’s my aunt, but still I didn’t want to live with her, I wanted to live alone, experienced being independent as a high schooler.

I thought I was going to end up lonely here since it’s a new country, I was not familiar with the language or the culture, I only knew some Korean phrase from the Kpop videos that I watched. Most of all, I was worried I would end up alone since my personality wasn’t that outgoing. I often just stayed silent when I go out with my friends, not that I was not enjoying that but I was just not that vocal as a person. I am used to keep things to myself.

...

But then, at the second day of school...

The first day of school was in a form of orientation and was  spent with sightseeing the school and just touring around the area, knowing where the bathroom is, the canteen, the practice room, etc. I was silent the whole time, just nodding when people smiled at me, some kids asked my name but I only asked them back their name and that’s it, no more convesrsation between us. At least I knew some of their name, I tried to console myself.

 And at the second day of school, here I was, already seated in class, waiting for the first class to officially started. I chose to sit in front of the teacher’s desk, in the front left corner of the room, beside the window. The front seat beside me was empty, meanwhile the seats in the back were full. I guess kids here doesn’t like to sit in the front, I thought to myself.

The teacher came, I was just putting my books and pencil case on the desk when something caught my eyes outside the window. I saw a girl was jumping off the school fence. A girl with long dark brunette with a bit of gray dyed hair flopped on the ground, failed to get her balance right when she jumped off the fence. I didn’t see her climbing but when she landed on her I giggled a little.

What a clumsy yet brave girl, I wonder what made her late and determined to climbed the fence. She might have positive and optimistic personality since she’s brave enough to risk her life like that.

That girl was rushing her feet to the building. After she came closer to the building, I just couldn’t see her anymore.

“...So here, since you are taking Dance as your major, teachers, trainers and your focus should be on how to dance better and be the best…” The teacher’s words suddenly cut by the loud sound of the sliding door.

A girl was panting, breathing out from her nose. Sweats running down her forehead to her temples to her cheeks. Her brunette hair was stuck to her face since she was sweating. That’s the jumping girl, I shouted in my brain.

“Excuse me, sir.” She fixed her posture and try to catch her breath. “This is Dance Class 1-3, isn’t it?”

“Yes. And, why are you late miss...?” The teacher step closer to the panting girl.

“Minatozaki. Minatozaki, Sana. I am from Japan.” She tidied up her messy uniform and hair. “I am new here and I missed the station. So I need to go back again. I am so sorry.”

“Well then, miss Minatozaki. Looks like there’s only one seat left there.” The teacher pointed to the seat beside me. “I know you’re not from around here but please dear, punctuality is not some joke. You need to be on time to go to school. Understand?”

“Understood, sir. Now may I be seated?” She slightly bowed.

“Yes, you may. And please someone give her tissue. Looks like miss Minatozaki needs it.”

That Minatozaki girl quickly reached the seat beside me. Our eyes met.

“Hi, I am Sana. I am from Japan.” She reached out her hand to me, asking for a handshake.

“Oh, hi I am Myoui Mina. I am from Japan too.” I took her handshake and smiled.

“Eiiii!” Her pupil widened. “Really? Where are you from!?” I can heard her nasal voice right then.

“I am from Kobe.”

“Eii, I am from Osaka!” She smiled. “I can’t believe I am able to find another fellow Japanese friend here! Why do you come here for?”

“Well, I was just searching for a school which has great program for Ballet and I found this school. And I wanted to be independent from my parents so I came here.”

“Sugoi! Me too!!!!” She’s getting too excited that her voice volume were louder.

“Miss Minatozaki!” The teacher finally called on her name. “What is it that you and Miss Myoui talking about? Is it more fun than what I am explaining in front of you?”

“No, sir. I am sorry.” Sana lowered her head.

“Now, please student! Pay attention to me! This is only your first class, you don’t want to get off on the wrong foot with me!” He glared at Sana.

...

By the lunch hour, I already knew few things about Sana. How and why she got here. Sana is from Osaka. Her parents were really supportive towards anything that she dreamed of. Her coming here was also her idea. She wanted to pursue her dream becoming a singer, but since she realize that singing is not her forte, she didn’t took Music/Vocal as her major. She said she wasn’t a great dancer either, she didn’t learn any ballet but she did manage to pass the audition somehow. And I need to admit that she has this tenacity inside her that could charmed people.

Sana’s personality basically was the opposite of me, Sana was more approachable, outgoing and extrovert. She smiled a lot more often and wider than me. Sana didn’t go to the first day of school because she tried to audition in one of the entertainment management here. That’s why I didn’t see her at all at the first day. And the reason behind why she was late the second day was because she accidentally slept on the train and got carried away to the last station. I was laughing at this story.

Sana lived in a flat with a roommate, while I lived alone. It turns out that we live kinda close to each other. We got excited at the thought of having a friend to go to school together, because Sana’s roommate actually didn’t go to this school.

My daily life became more colorful with Sana’s existence. Her clumsiness always brought laughs as well as her quirkiness that amazed me. She’s so 4D sometimes that I found it hard to understand her, Sana’s way of thinking is like beyond me, she has her own way of comprehending her surrounding. Maybe that’s one of the things that makes me stuck being friend with her. Not that I was complaining, I just felt having different personality with my bestfriend will help me. And actually it did, I became more open, more actively talking, taking opportunities, just becoming this whole new Mina after almost 2 years knowing her.

Sana is a loyal friend, She’s been there for me through the most difficult times in my life. When the bad rumor about me spreading, Sana was the one closest friend I got. She tried to block several of my friends ear from those rumors and even stood up for me when I got confronted by that sunbaenim gang. She even stayed at my place to keep me company every day after school when I finally broke down and didn’t want to go to school.

Why did Sana not help me in the last event in the canteen?

Well it was because Sana already got a warning letter from the school regarding her being absent from school for joining all kinds of audition. So I told her to back down and avoid the scene, that’s why Sana fleed the table when that sunbaenim started yelling at me.

Enough with the throwback, I need to practice more. I havent ace the middle part  

I was just thinking of playing the song again on the speaker when I feel someone was behind me.

“Do you miss me?” Her hands wrapped my waist as she cutely wriggled behind me.

“Chaengieeee~” I squealed in joy. Then I turned my body to her to hug her.

We had been busy this semester since in the end of every semester, we all need to prepare a performance for the school concert. Every major ought to prep