Friday morning. She opened her eyes at precisely eight o’clock and proceeded to get dressed in her uniform that she laid out the night before. White blouse, navy skirt. Crew socks and a plain black barrette to hold back her bangs.

His alarm went off at precisely eight o’clock. Still half-asleep, he proceeded to pull on the uniform he left crumpled on the floor the night before. White shirt, navy slacks. As he pulled on his socks, his hair kept falling into his face. He grabbed a plain black barrette of his sister's to hold back his bangs.

In the bathroom, she washed her face and brushed her teeth. She wore some concealer and a touch of lip gloss. Downstairs her mother and father were already eating breakfast. She wasn't hungry, and besides there was an early-morning meeting for the photography club, so she took a slice of toast and a carton of banana milk and said goodbye to her parents. Her father wished her good luck on her math test as she left.

In the bathroom, he splashed water on his face and brushed his teeth. From downstairs his mother called that breakfast is ready. He wasn't hungry, and besides there was an early-morning meeting for the soccer team, so he took a slice of toast and a carton of banana milk and said goodbye to his family. His father wished him good luck on his math test as he left.

As she waited for the bus she found herself humming a song by Lee Hi that she'd been listening to recently. When the bus came she sat at the back, leaned her cheek on the cool glass of the window, and watched the world pass by.

As he walked to the bus stop he put in his earphones and sang along to Lee Hi’s Video. When the bus came he sat in the front, leaned his cheek on the cool glass of the window and closed his eyes. He snored lightly, but loud enough to earn a glare from the lady across the aisle.

At school she went to the photography club meeting in room 301A. After the bell rang, she went to her morning classes: history, then chemistry. She left two problems blank on her chemistry homework but turned it in anyways. At lunchtime she sat with her friends and ate what her mother has packed. Her friends chattered away about love, of all things; they asked her if she believed in fate. She said no. After that she took her math test, which was all right except for the last question. In PE she played dodgeball on the red team. They lost, after a close match.

The soccer team meeting was in room 301B. Afterwards he joked around with some friends and was late to history. Next he went chemistry. He forgot two problems on his homework but turned it in anyways. At lunchtime he sat with some friends and ate what his mother has packed. His friends chattered away about love; they asked him if he believed in fate. He said no. After that he took his math test, which was easy except for the last question. In PE he played dodgeball on the blue team. They won after a close match.

Her last class was English. By then she was tired, but she had her part-time job next at the bubble tea shop near school. Once there she tied her apron and got ready to serve the after-school crowd. She was carrying a full tray of orders to various tables when she tripped on her untied shoelace and crashed directly into someone.

He slept through English but afterward his friends wanted to go to the bubble tea shop near school. He decided to tag along. He was on his way to order at the register when he tripped on his untied shoelace and crashed directly into someone.

---

Bubble tea flew through the air as the girl and boy collided. “I'm so sorry!” they exclaimed at the same time. Blushing furiously, the girl grabbed some napkins and attempted to dab at the boy’s tea-stained shirt, which was hard to do as he kept bowing in frantic apology.

“It was my fault--”

“No, no, my shoelace--”

“Mine too--”

Eventually the mess got cleared, and the customers got new bubble tea, but after her shift ended the girl was fired for causing such a commotion during rush hour. Dejected, she hung up her apron and collected her last paycheck. But when she left the cafe, the boy was seated on the bench outside.

He jumped to his feet when she came out. “I'm really sorry,” he said, bowing deeply. “Were you fired because of me? I can explain to the owner--”

“There's no need,” she said quickly. “My shoelace was also untied. But thank you for your concern.”

She bowed politely and turned to go, but he grabbed her hand. “Wait,” he asked, “are you a student at my high school?”

“Yes, I'm a second-year,” she replied, slightly puzzled.

“So that's why I haven't seen you before,” he said. “I'm a first-year. My name is Baekhyun, by the way. What's yours?”

“Sooyoung.”

“Sooyoung,” Baekhyun repeated, smiling shyly. His eyes crinkled when he did so; Sooyoung found it extremely cute. “I'm very sorry about today. I really want to make it up to you. Could I...could I take you out to dinner tomorrow?”

“Um, sure.” Sooyoung could feel her face grow hot. She typed her number into his phone.

“Thanks,” said Baekhyun. He looked even more embarrassed than she felt. “I have to go meet my friends now, but I'll text you.”

Sooyoung said goodbye, and they parted ways. On the bus ride home, her heart wouldn't stop beating as she thought about Baekhyun. He was cute, no doubt. And--it was silly, but she had the strangest feeling that they were fated to meet. But that couldn't be. She didn't even believe in fate.