Youngjae wondered why there were three finely decorated envelopes on his desk as he slid his messenger bag over his head. That girl named Eunji should have known that there were only two botany students.

Youngjae took note of the first envelope. His entire name had been scrawled onto the front with a black pen. The "Jae" in Youngjae had been darkened in extensively as if the person writing it had forgotten who the letter was addressed to. 

Youngjae dropped his bag onto the desk. It knocked aside a booklet and some sheets of paper. Groaning inwardly, Youngjae bent to retrieve it when he realized his invitation had fallen down, too. As he picked it up, he heard it crinkle. He flipped it over. A sheet of holographic paper had been attached to the back. The school’s biology emblem gazed up at him from its place at the center of the chemically treated paper. It shined brightest in the parts where the sun’s rays fiddled with its being.

Youngjae rolled his eyes. At this point, he expected the letter itself to have been imprinted with the emblem. He wouldn't put it past the biology majors to miss out on an opportunity to show off their connection to the most sought-after and supported division of the school.

Youngjae scanned the second envelope as he tucked the papers away into the top drawer. The name was obscured because unlike his, the envelope had been set out to show the holographic paper. On the other envelope, only the letter “m” could be seen peeking out from underneath the one above it.

Youngjae assumed that this one was Yugyeom’s invitation as he slid it out from underneath the other one. He caught sight of the name and immediately stopped to stare at the letters that embraced his vision. 

Jaebum's name had been neatly written—almost to the point of looking like it had been typed—across the front in thick, black lettering. In pulling the envelope up closer to his face, Youngjae noticed the faint outline of tiny hearts strewn across the m’s arches. A drawn-in strawberry dotted the left-hand corner.

Youngjae let his hand fall away from his face as he plopped down into the seat. He could not wrap his head around why Eunji had extended an invitation Jaebum's way. Did they know each other? Had they met before? Impossible. Jaebum would have told him if he went about outside. If he had met someone new. Right? Youngjae ran a hand through his hair as a long, drawn-out sigh poured through his lips. There was no reason to get involved and yet, he couldn’t help wanting to know. 

Youngjae pulled his phone out and with the swipe of a finger, opened up his texting app. He was just about to send Yugyeom a message inquiring about his whereabouts when the idea to check the letter crossed his mind. Setting his phone down onto the table, Youngjae pulled his invitation down into his lap. Shlickwent the paper as Youngjae tore a strip from the left-hand side. He slid the letter out—noting that he had accidentally ripped it—and turned to the first sentence with a growing mound of distrust.

Dear fellow student,

We invite you to attend our summer-time ski resort trip this coming July. If willing to attend, know that we will be gone for two days and one night. Departure is at 9 AM on July 2nd in front of Kang’s Library.

RSVP ASAP so that accommodations can be made for lodging and transportation.

For the sake of our safety and well-being on this school-sponsored trip, only certain items may be brought. Please see the list attached to the back of this sheet for further information.

Also, please limit yourselves to one suitcase and/or duffel bag per person. Thank you.

As always, gooooo students!

Sincerely, 

Eunji

Secretary of Treasure for NEPSHA

Youngjae perused through the list of items one could bring and sure enough, the list was better suited as a directive to the the kinds of items one should NOT bring. Items like cigarettes, firearms and matches rounded off the list.

Youngjae rolled his eyes. Who would be stupid enough to think matches would work in an area surrounded by snow-capped mountains? Besides, none of those stuck-up students would take the chance of smoking inside so why bother with the warning?

Youngjae sighed. Life couldn’t be getting any more difficult. It was people who made things harder for themselves.

He picked up his phone and texted Yugyeom.

Your invitation is here.

Yugyeom replied with a frowny face. Tell me what’s inside? Can’t pick up today. (I’m in the city.)

Youngjae had the sudden, nearly reflexive, thought to tell him he could pick it up the next time he comes to school but realized what a waste of time and energy that would be. He liked texting Yugyeom so to take the chance of potentially hurting his feelings was beyond him.

Says if we want to go to RSVP ASAP. July 2nd, day of departure. Two days, one night.

Wow. Sounds like fun. U going?

Youngjae bit into his bottom lip. He wasn’t going to go but he knew not to tell Yugyeom that before the deadline to RSVP had passed. Knowing his friend, Yugyeom would have him signed him up without having first asked.

Yeah. I am.

At least with this little white lie, Youngjae could keep himself from having to see Yugyeom's hurt face.

Awesome. Can’t wait.

Youngjae spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on his thesis. When the clock on his phone read 4:30 PM, he collected his things and headed back home. Yezi needed his help.

#

The hour of the concert arrived. Yezi stepped up to the curtain and peered over the edge. The auditorium was packed. She sniffed the air, noting that the janitor had done an amazing job of airing out the thick, musky smell of the polish she had used to shine the piano about an hour ago. She hoped to tell him when she got the chance.

A group of women burst into laughter from the second row of seats off to the side of the stage. Yezi turned her attention to the three seats she had specially reserved for her family. The only person missing was Jaebum.

She was just about to ask someone for the time when she overheard Minah—the school counselor—telling everyone that the show would begin promptly in seven minutes. That means both Jaebum and Youngjae—who had gone to the restroom earlier—had less than seven minutes to show up or she would tear them both apart.

Lowering her head, Yezi puckered her lips to take a deep breath in when someone sneezed behind her. She turned to see who it had been.

Jackson. He was still in his uniform, his hair slicked back with what was probably sweat because of the way his white sneakers were caked in mud and splotches of grass stains. He looked back at her with a crooked grin.

Yezi rolled her eyes. She brushed past him but he caught the sleeve of her black dress before she could walk away. Yezi looked back and forth between Jackson and his hand with squinted eyes. He pulled his hand away, his face beet red. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to do that. But, just hear me out, Yez.” His eyes darted down to his sneakers before snapping back up again. “I came to apologize. I’m sorry for the way I acted yesterday and for the things I said at school.”

Yezi’s face remained placid.

“I was stupid. I let my imagination run wild and in the end, I ended up hurting you. That was wrong. I was wrong.”

Youngjae, who had just rounded the corner, stopped short of taking another step when he heard Jackson’s voice up ahead. He looked up from having been fixing the cuff around his wrist. Jackson and Yezi stood facing one another. Youngjae