Exams weeks have never been anyone’s favorite, and Nayeon was no exception. Between work and studying she barely had any time for laundry or friends, let alone for herself. Being a senior in college had its perk of course, but the expectations were at their highest, and even though she was exhausted Nayeon couldn’t let herself fall behind this far into the semester. Her eyes were drooping as she tried to focus on the scattered pages lying around their living room floor. Her roommates, Sana and Mina, were sat cross legged across from her looking over their own textbooks. Nayeon couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Sana so focused, the bubbly girl usually getting distracted by the slightest thing, now surrounded by papers and highlighters of every color. How long had they been studying for? She swore the sun was still up when they started, but now it seemed there was no light coming through from their living room curtains. Just as Nayeon was about to suggest taking a break, Sana’s stomach rumbled, breaking the eerie silence that had enveloped the three girls.

 

“Hungry?” Mina asked her, turning over a page and scribbling onto it before closing the textbook shut with a loud thud.

 

“Yeah I guess so. What time is it?” Shuffling could be heard, followed by the sound of Sana’s phone being unlocked and- “Oh my god! We missed supper!” Throwing Mina her legendary pout and puppy dog eyes, she continued, “Minari, can you make us something?” But before Mina could answer, Nayeon stretched out her arms above her head, causing them to crack, and Mina felt obligated to comment on how old she must be getting.

 

“It’s a good thing you’re graduating soon. If you stayed another semester you might end up walking around campus with a walker.”

 

“And then instead of just being a senior, she’d be a senior citizen!”

 

Feeling proud of themselves, the two Japanese girls high fived and burst into laughter. Nayeon would never get used to the amount of teasing that came from these two on a daily basis. Although she preferred it over the days where Mina would lock herself in her room and Sana would mope around the apartment complaining of boredom while Nayeon tried to study. Sana always felt lost without being glued to Mina’s side, and although Mina needed her own space, sometimes she missed her overly clingy girlfriend, but she’d never admit it out loud.

 

When their laughter finally died down, Nayeon shot them both an offended look, “I was going to offer getting us something to eat, but now I’m not so sure I want to.”

 

And that’s all it took for Sana to jump to her feet and fly into Nayeon’s lap, peppering her face with soft kisses and muttering apologies in between, “Oh unnie please? We’re sorry, we were just joking. You wouldn’t let us starve would you?”

 

Nayeon only swatted her away, looking to Mina as a call for help, but the youngest girl smirked and shrugged as if to say “there’s nothing I can do”.

 

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You can get off now, Sana. I’ll go to the store and get us something to eat.” This seemed to be enough for Sana. She slid off of Nayeon and walked back over to her girlfriend, who was now standing in the door to their shared bedroom.

 

“Thank you, Nayeonnie. You’re the best!” The oldest girl’s mood lifted a bit at the thumbs up she received just then, choosing to ignore the nickname that came with it.

 

“I thought I was the best?” Mina asked with her hand on her hip and a slightly raised eyebrow to emphasize her annoyance.

 

“You were, but you’ve been replaced by someone who’s willing to feed us.”

 

A huff escaped Mina’s lips, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “You traitor, can you really be won over that easily?”

 

Sana pushed Mina into their room, voice lowering to say, “Oh I can think of a lot of ways you can win me back” before closing their door.

 

Nayeon didn’t get a chance to ask them what they’d like to eat, because within three seconds she heard a loud thud against the door, followed by a moan- probably Sana, she thought- and made a bee line for the front door, only stopping to grab her wallet and shoes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The street was deserted and barely illuminated save for the moonlight that reflected on a few windows of other apartments. Had she been thinking clearly, Nayeon would have brought a jacket. The convenience stores near their apartment building had closed hours ago, and while she was fine with walking a few extra blocks, she had not accounted for the weather to be so chilly. Upon finally reaching the only open store, she chuckled at her reflection against the glass windows. She resembled the stereotype of a tired college student. Sweatpants, oversized t-shirt, untied shoelaces, and messy hair that she’d been too busy to comb through yet today. It was true though; she was a tired college student, too tired to care about her appearance or the judgement of others as she opened the door and made her way inside.

 

Nayeon paid no attention to the cashier as she walked towards the instant ramen aisle, stopping only to pick up 3 cups she knew her roommates would agree on, but then decided to get an extra 2 cups for the pair back home who would be famished by the time they were done tearing up their bedroom. She grimaced as she pictured them and hoped they’d at least be done by the time she got back. She walked slowly to the front of the store and made a mental note to take the long way home.

 

Upon reaching the counter, Nayeon immediately regretted not having put at least a bit more effort into her current appearance. In front of her stood what Nayeon could only describe as a living goddess. She placed the cups on the counter and ran her hands through her hair in an attempt to comb through any knots she had forgotten to brush out. She scanned the cashier from head to waist-she couldn’t see any lower, courtesy of the counter- and only looked up when a voice broke her out of her reverie. “That’ll be 5.97$, please.”

 

Nayeon never considered herself to be religious, but she now believed she had met an actual angel. Her voice was soft and sweet, and Nayeon felt her knees weaken at the sound of it. After what she was sure felt like ages, Nayeon found the strength to pull out the change from her wallet and hand it over to the other girl, and only then did she notice the name tag clipped to her uniform.

 

“Tzuyu.” Nayeon tested out the name on her tongue.

 

“Huh?” Tzuyu asked, her eyes wide and breathing hitched since the girl in front of her had touched her hand while handing her the money.

 

Nayeon quickly pulled away, only to point at the girl’s chest, “Your tag, I was just reading it. I’ve never heard that name before, I found it interesting."

 

Not sure whether to be flattered or insulted Tzuyu replied in her best monotone voice, “Oh, yeah not many people around here have the same name.”

 

“Did you just move here? Where are you from?” Nayeon hadn’t meant to sound like she was interrogating the other girl, but she felt the need to try and elongate their conversation. Something about Tzuyu was pulling Nayeon in, and she didn’t want to miss an opportunity to talk to such a pretty girl.

 

“Uh, no I’ve lived here a few years actually. I moved here from Taiwan. 4.03$ is your change, would you like a receipt?” She stated as she handed Nayeon the change from the register.

 

Their hands brushed again, and Nayeon felt anxiety building up in her at the thought of having to leave Tzuyu so soon. “No that’s alright. So, um, what made you decide to move here?”

 

Tzuyu watched the raven haired girl carelessly shove the coins into her wallet, but didn’t make a move to grab the bag that still sat atop the counter separating them. Normally the Taiwanese girl would glare at anyone who tried to make conversation with her, as she preferred to keep herself, but something about this certain stranger intrigued her. Tzuyu shrugged and decided to entertain her question, “I graduated early and got offered a scholarship in Seoul.”

 

“Did you move here alone? Or did you come here with your family?”

 

“I only moved here with my dog.”

 

“Oh, that must have been rough. Moving to a city where you don’t know anyone...”

 

Tzuyu shrugged once again, she wasn’t used to these kinds of conversations, or really any conversations from anyone other than her roommates. “I guess so. I made a couple friends not far after the start of school though.”

 

Nayeon felt more and more self-conscious at time went on, becoming increasingly self-aware of her appearance, and nervous about what the other girl must think of her. However, she was too caught up in her sudden attraction towards the brunette to consider running out of the store.

 

“What school are you attending?”

 

Before Tzuyu could answer, the door of the store flew open, and with it entered two very disheveled looking girls.

 

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