The freshmen orientation was mostly uneventful. It was just a tour to their own departments, the staff showing the new students the facilities, and introducing the teachers that make up the faculty in each field. 

Hayeon and Taekwoon separated almost immediately after waving Mr. Jung goodbye. Their dormitories may be next to each other but they're still two large buildings, separating the males and females. 

They went to their respective rooms to unload the last of what they brought. Hayeon remembered to take two bags of cookies so she can give Taekwoon one for snacks. She exited the building and found Taekwoon waiting for her, also with a little bag in his hand. It was the same bag Taekwoon uses to put Hayeon's lunchbox in.

They gave each other a reassuring pat after handing each other's respective snack and lunch and separated to go to the Drama and Dance Department.

~*~

Taekwoon went over the script again in his head. He didn't bother to bring out his physical copy, having had memorized everything in it a few days after he received it.

His classmates were holding a similar copy of what he has in his bag, giving a last minute read before the teacher comes.

It was indicated in the mail that this script will be acted out as a form of assessment test to classify the students into sections. There's the Advanced Class and the Regular Class and of course, all of them are aiming for the former.

Like the rest, Taekwoon had given his full effort for it. He can remember hours in the studio teaching and practicing scenes with Hayeon. She had improved so much, to the point where she can act on stage if need be. In exchange, Hayeon had taught him the routine for the male counterpart of the dance that will be used for the Dance Department's assessment exam. He admits, their practices had been very enjoyable ever since they started touching up each other's field, learning new things everyday, being exhausted and laughing about it over Hayeon's snacks.

A guy in a smart casual white button down entered then, smiling at the greenhorns and promptly giving instructions for the assessment.

~*~

Their instructor came in wearing black tights and her hair pulled into a neat ponytail. The entire class was in an almost similar state. They were here to dance and will most definitely sweat, afterall.

Almost everyone has earbuds on, no doubt giving a last listen to the piece they will be dancing for the test. Hayeon has the music in her mp3 player as well, but instead of going through another listen, she opted to internalize the emotion of the song. One thing Taekwoon had influenced in her dance is understanding the message of the piece, displaying the emotion in each movement, making her entire body a medium to tell an entire script.

Baby Don't Cry. The story of the Little Mermaid, told through the eyes of the prince instead of the mermaid. It was such a heart wrenching piece and Hayeon was amazed at Taekwoon's display when they managed to run through the entire dance. He got swept away by the song once, grabbing Hayeon's hand tighter as he brought it to his chest, urging Hayeon - no, his lover - to drive the knife to his heart, he had also gripped her hair in desperation, both of which he had apologized for afterwards, as neither of thise were in the routine.

She found herself tearing up by the end of their practice and Taekwoon didn't laugh. Taekwoon never laughs about stuff like this. He just smiled at Hayeon and gave her shoulder a few pats, waiting for her to calm down before they danced for another round or two, or more, as was the case when two practice idiots are left on their own.

She had asked him for a favor one day. It was just, she couldn't get the image of Taekwoon's eyes, so pleading and full of despair. She had asked to play the Prince, so she can channel such emotions into her dance, which of course would automatically make Taekwoon the mermaid. She didn't expect he'll agree without question, but he did. Hayeon made sure to sit him down for fondue the afternoon after.

Her little internalization was disturbed by their teacher clapping twice to catch their attention then going straight to announcing the pairings for the test.

Hayeon got paired with a guy named Lee Minhyuk. He has a friendly appearance and a warm easy smile. He was almost the same height as Hayeon, maybe taller by just a couple of centimeters than her. She was already thinking of the adjustments she'll make, having became used to Taekwoon's towering height as her practice partner, when the teacher clapped again for one more announcement.

"We'll play the music twice so you can run through it with your partner."

The class got on the starting position almost immediately when the next instructions followed.

"Girls will be the Prince and the guys will be the mermaid. That is all."

Everyone froze in shock while Hayeon broke into an excited smile.

~*~

The teachers had smiled at his performance with his partner by the name of Jung Eunji. The surprise twist for the test caught almost everyone off guard. Just ten minutes before they have to act on stage with their assigned scene, the teacher had announced that the male and female roles would be acted out by the opposite gender. It shocked Taekwoon at first but eased into the idea quickly enough. He taught Hayeon most of the lines and had guided her through most of it to be able to practice the scenes with him so he found almost no trouble adjusting to the role. The only problem, if there is any, is the huge difference in height between him and Eunji, add to that the fact that he's the "female" in their scene.

It was also lucky of him to get a partner that also knew how to act out the "male" role. 

The teacher gave them a few claps and a very satisfied smile before telling them that both of them will be put in the Advanced Class for their performance. Taekwoon had faced his partner and almost gave her a pat on the shoulder, just like what Hayeon and he always do to each other, but stopped himself just in time to change it into a handshake. She took it gladly and thanked him as well.

As soon as he was back to the main room where they are supposed to wait for further announcement after the test, he took out his phone and found a single message from Hayeon. Call me when you're done.

Only a couple of rings after and Hayeon picked up, "Oh my god! You wouldn't believe this but I had to dance as the Prince!" she exclaimed immediately.

"We did the same." he answered back amused. He can imagine Hayeon bouncing at the balls of her feet, her face animated.

"It was great! I enjoyed it so much and my partner -- oh damn! I'm so lucky to get someone who didn't land on their when they did that spin from a standing position to sitting on the floor!"

Taekwoon can remember that move, too. Hayeon had spent an entire day trying to master that without tripping on her feet as well.

"I got lucky with my partner, too. She actually knew how to act out the male part." he told her, his voice rising just a tad bit, getting swept away by Hayeon's excitement.

"Are you guys done? Let's have lunch!" she said after.

"In a few minutes, meet you at the cafeteria."

"Okay. Bye."

~*~

"Oh, going to grab lunch, too?"

Taekwoon looked behind him and found Eunji just a few steps away. He merely nodded as an answer.

"You don't talk much, do you?" she continued. It seems like she isn't deterred by Taekwoon's passive way of responding.

"Sorry. Am I bothering you?" she said next.

"Not really."

It wasn't like he's being a jerk, it was just the way he is. He isn't very comfortable being around new people and even if he is, only a few can handle him.

At least Eunji seemed to understand he wasn't being intentionally rude.

They both entered and while Eunji went to the counter, Taekwoon went straight to the tables.

"Aren't you going to order?" 

Taekwoon shook his head, bowed as a goodbye and continued on. He spotted Hayeon quickly enough, sitting next in a table with a guy with brown hair and a girl with blonde.

"Here! You owe me tomorrow's lunch." she announced, pushing a tray at Taekwoon's direction. As he expected, she had bought his lunch as well. It's just another thing they had grown used to. Whenever Taekwoon can't bring their lunch, anyone who gets to the cafeteria first will get the other's food as well.

"Ooh! You didn't tell us it was your boyfriend that was coming." the girl next to Hayeon teased. In which, both of them just stared dumbfounded. "Wait. He isn't?"

Hayeon and Taekwoon stared at each other, knitting their eyebrows, and at the same time making a digusted face at each other.

The blonde girl laughed while the guy smiled, hiding it behind his hand, "Sorry. Ignore the comment then. I'm Hyoyeon."

"Minhyuk." the guy piped in.

"This is Taekwoon. He's from the Drama Department." Hayeon introduced.

"Oh! An actor! So you guys are friends?" she asked, directing the question at Hayeon who went back to her food.

"Yeah. We're from the same school." she answered. "Taek! Minhyuk is the partner I was telling you about." she added. She swatted Taekwoon's chopsticks away from her plate, catching him red handed from stealing her food, "Chopsticks off!"

Minhyuk smiled when he was mentioned, "She gripped my hair, too." he added casually.

"I already apologized for it!" she whined. 

"Hayeon." Taekwoon called, bringing her attention back to him. Hayeon gave him a look, eyebrows raised then realized what Taekwoon was asking of her.

"Ah. Here. I put coffee instead of water in this brownie mix." She pulled out a neatly wrapped slice from her bag which Taekwoon accepted gladly.

"How is it?" she asked, looking at Taekwoon's face for answers.

He didn't give a verbal response, but he offered a quarter of the remaining brownie to Hayeon which she naturally ate from his offered hand. 

"This is sweet enough, it will be unhealthy if I make it any sweeter than this." she answered.

It was amusing, for Hyoyeon and Minhyuk. It may look like Hayeon was having a conversation alone but within their distance, it was obvious that Taekwoon is answering her in his own way.

"I didn't lessen the sugar. The coffee made it taste less sweeter than usual." she added. 

He pouted then, the first open emotion he showed since he appeared on their table. 

"No. Pouting won't make me the cause of your diabetes." 

"Are they sure they aren't dating?" Minhyuk whispered to Hyoyeon, still observing the pair.

"Beats me." Hyoyeon answered, whispering as well.

"What time?" Taekwoon asked. He had given up when Hayeon seemed unaffected when he begged. The brownies were good, the coffee gave it a new flavor but as she said, it lessened the sweetness.

"I think class will finish at 5. I'm planning to stay for maybe until 7 at least for extra practice." Hayeon replied.

"I'll pick you up. Or do you need a partner?"

"Nope. Solo."

"Okay. Later."

With that, Taekwoon left while the three of them also made their way back to their own department.

"What did he mean by partner?" Minhyuk asked. It struck him as odd since Taekwoon, as Hayeon introduced, is an actor.

"Practice partner." she smiled, "He's the one who made that hair grip part."

"So he dances?!" Hyoyeon followed.

"Nah. Just when we're practicing together. When he needs a female lead or when I need a male partner." She went in ahead, leaving Hyoyeon and Minhyuk standing dumbly next to the door.

"That pair gives me a headache." Hyoyeon groaned, massaging her forehead as she entered.

Minhyuk laughed amused, "Tell me about it."