Chaeyoung has a type. 

 

She likes cute girls. Sort of clumsy, maybe even ditzy, but definitely cute. 

 

She crushed on Sana all through high school and dated her for a year and a half in college before Sana graduated and they fell apart. It’s fine; she’s over it, but really. Chaeyoung’s sure. She has a type. 

 

That’s why when Myoui Mina, dance major and objectively gorgeous upperclassmen, asks her out on Friday, Chaeyoung is flattered, but she says no. 

 

Because sure, Myoui is really, really beautiful. Her eyes sparkle when she talks, she’s elegant in everything she does, and sometimes when she walks across campus it feels like the world has stopped. 

 

But Chaeyoung doesn’t know if she’d describe the beautiful put-together junior as cute, and she certainly wouldn’t label her as clumsy. So she’s just not Chaeyoung’s type. 

 

She tries to tell Mina that. “Sorry, I’m just not interested,” she says apologetically with bright red cheeks. 

 

Mina doesn’t react as Chaeyoung thought she might. 

 

“Wrong answer,” the older girl says with a smirk. 

 

Then she whips around and stalks off into the distance, leaving Chaeyoung with her jaw dropped open in confusion. 

 

When she goes back to her dorm and tells Dahyun, after waiting out a solid five minutes of laughter, Chaeyoung has a realization. 

 

“Oh my god, Dahyun she’s going to kill me.”

 

“Chaeyoung… what?”

 

“That has to be it, why else would she say ‘Wrong Answer’ then smirk at me and power walk away? She’s going to murder me for saying no.”

 

“Chaeyoung how are you this stupid?”

 

“Hey!”

 

Dahyun doesn’t believe her, but Chaeyoung texts Tzuyu as a backup because she’s too young to die yet. 

 

[2 chaengz]: tzuyu

[2 chaengz]: if i go missing in the next 48 hours

[2 chaengz]: or if you find my dead body

[2 chaengz]: it was myoui mina

 

[bread fiend]: chaeyoung you’re an idiot

 

Chaeyoung groans. Why do none of her friends take her seriously? 

 

That night she has a nightmare. 

 

She’s sitting at a tarot card table. There’s a hooded figure in front of her and a spooky voice asks her to pick three cards.

 

When she flips over her chosen cards, all three of them have photos of Mina on them. Chaeyoung looks up in horror, only to see the hooded figure reveal themself to be Mina as well. 

 

She wakes up screaming in bed. 

 

Dahyun is woefully unconcerned and tells her to keep her wet dreams to herself. 

 

The next day Chaeyoung leaves her dorm room slowly, peeking outside to make sure Myoui Mina is nowhere in sight before creeping down the hallway. 

 

As soon as she walks outside she’s attacked by the sight of Myoui Mina wearing what looks like a black robe that cuts off at her thighs and nothing else. Chaeyoung forgets to breathe for a hot second. 

 

Then two people appear out of nowhere and rip the robe off of Mina, revealing a deep cut dress underneath. 

 

Chaeyoung trips over the steps and faceplants onto the grass. She’s groaning and patting her nose to check it’s not broken when she feels a soft hand on her cheek. 

 

“Are you okay Chaeyoung?”

 

Chaeyoung slowly looks up from the ground to see a scantily dressed Myoui Mina. In particular, the pale thighs she had admired from afar are eye-level now that she’s on the ground and Mina is crouching and… 

 

“Oh my god Chaeyoung, your nose is bleeding!”

 

Chaeyoung sort of wants to die. 

 

“I’m fine!” She shouts as she whips up and retreats back to her dorm. This is a sign that she’s not meant to go to class today, she’s sure of it. 

 

Back in their room, Dahyun is in hysterics because apparently she witnessed all of it from their window, recorded it, and sent it to Tzuyu. That explains the 20 messages on Chaeyoung’s phone that all consist of variations of laughter and “you gay loser”.

 

“You see, she’s trying to kill me,” Chaeyoung says sulkily as she shoves tissues up her nose to stop the bleeding. 

 

“Yeah, by being too hot? Why are you even complaining you’re super gay,” Dahyun laughs. 

 

“I’m only human!” Chaeyoung protests. “Besides, she’s not my type!”

 

“Please, Myoui Mina is everyone’s type.”

 

“Not mine! I like cute girls!”

 

Chaeyoung angrily texts Tzuyu back something along the lines of “I ing hate you” and “see if I ever hang out with you again traitor” before pulling out her laptop and looking up her bio class office hours. 

 

She’s going to need help on the homework since she couldn’t go to lecture today because Mina was out to kill her. Chaeyoung shows up to office hours ten minutes later than she would have liked because she took the long way there in order to avoid any further attempts on her life. 

 

She writes her name down on the queue on the chalkboard at the front of the room then looks around for a seat when she sees her. 

 

It’s Myoui Mina. Her hair is tied back, she’s wearing a white oxford that has the top two buttons undone, and she looks positively sinful. 

 

Chaeyoung gulps, then quickly takes a seat on the opposite side of the room. 

 

It doesn’t look like Mina’s noticed her. The older girl looks spaced out as she absentmindedly places her hand on her neck. 

 

Chaeyoung’s not trying to watch every single thing Mina does, but it’s not like there’s much else to do while she waits. 

 

Then it all goes to when Mina ing drags her hand down her neck as she sets her gaze directly on Chaeyoung and smirks. Chaeyoung doesn’t realize she’s stopped breathing until the TA sits next to her and pats her arm and asks her if she’s okay because she’s turned fire hydrant red. 

 

Myoui Mina has the gall to just waltz out of the room while Chaeyoung is left shaken and trying to pull herself together enough to ask the TA her questions on the homework. 

 

[2 chaengz]: tzuyu

[2 chaengz]: she’s attacking my academic life

[2 chaengz]: send help

[2 chaengz]: i might fail bio

 

[bread fiend]: if you fail it’s because you’re stupid

 

[2 chaengz]: WHY CAN’T YOU JUST SUPPORT ME FOR ONCE IN YOUR TALL LIFE 

 

Chaeyoung trudges home two hours later. Her head is spinning as she tries to calculate the minimum grade she needs on the next test in order to pass this class. 

 

“Changed your mind yet?” a voice asks. When she looks up it’s Satan herself, Myoui Mina. 

 

“You!” Chaeyoung shouts as she jumps back. She’s not scared, per se, just surprised. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Me?” Myoui says in an innocent voice as she points at herself and tilts her head. “I’m walking back from dance practice.”

 

Chaeyoung groans and buries her face in her hands as she takes in the older girls crop top and leggings. 

 

How does Myoui Mina have abs on top of everything else? How many outfit changes is she going to have in one day? When will God take mercy on Chaeyoung? 

 

“Go on one date with me, Chaeyoung.” Mina says. She sounds confident, and she’s suddenly a lot closer to Chaeyoung than the younger girl remembers. Mina’s hand brushes Chaeyoung’s arm and Chaeyoung finds her eyes are drawn to the older girl’s lips. 

 

Then she snaps out of it and jumps back. 

 

“I already told you! I’m sorry but I’m just not interested.”

 

“Why not?”

 

Chaeyoung groans again. “It’s just…” She can’t think of a good way to phrase this. “I have a type!” 

 

“What’s your type?” Mina asks. Now her voice is sweet and she’s looking at Chaeyoung with big eyes. 

 

Chaeyoung averts her eyes to her hands and mutters embarrassedly, “Like cute girls. Or something like that, I don’t know.”

 

“I’m not cute?”

 

Mina’s doing a damn good puss in boots impression with her shining eyes. Chaeyoung feels her heart stutter once, twice, before she coughs and steps back again.

 

Then she bows 90 degrees and shouts, “I’m sorry!” before sprinting back to her dorm. 

 

Dahyun is as unhelpful as ever, only laughing at Chaeyoung’s woes. 

 

“Dahyun I don’t understand it she was everywhere today it was like ing witchcraft or something!”

 

“Chaeyoung, why are you being ridiculous again? Why don’t you just give her a chance?”

 

“How many times do I have to say that she’s not my type?”

 

Dahyun sighs. “Okay normally I would believe you and agree that she’s being pushy and not taking your rejection seriously.” 

 

“Right?” Chaeyoung nods eagerly. 

 

“But!” Dahyun continues as Chaeyoung groans.  “But, you’re clearly hella into her!”

 

“I am not!”

 

“Chaeyoung you just spent the past hour having a gay panic attack over how she touched her own neck. It wasn’t even her touching your neck, she literally just touched her own goddamn neck.”

 

“It wasn’t just touching! She caressed her own neck. It was ual! And then she smirked right at me! It was an attack!”

 

“CHAEYOUNG DO YOU HEAR YOURSELF”

 

“SHE’S NOT MY TYPE”

 

 So maybe Chaeyoung thinks that Mina’s like hot. Objectively, anyway. But she’s definitely not cute. For sure. 

 

When she wakes up at the crack of dawn the next day for track practice, Chaeyoung’s mind is made up. As soon as she secures her backpack with the chest strap, she sprints out of her dorm at top speed. 

 

Mina can’t catch her if she just sprints to track practice. 

 

Of course things don’t go as plan. 

 

Namely because Myoui Mina is sitting on the bleachers with her earphones in and the wind is blowing and softly tousling her hair and she looks sort of angelic. 

 

Chaeyoung groans but just starts warming up with the rest of the team. 

 

It’s not like she’s actively trying to fixate on Mina’s gaze on her all of practice but more that she can’t ignore it. Like when she’s practicing baton passes with her 4x4 and the coach makes them practice right in front of the bleachers even though Chaeyoung specifically asked if they could go to the far side of the track. 

 

Mina never takes her eyes off of Chaeyoung once. Chaeyoung thinks she might even see Mina snap photos? It’s distracting!

 

Then they take a water break and Chaeyoung’s drinking water when her gaze falls on Mina and the older girl’s eyes are actually twinkling. Like diamonds in the sky twinkling, shining, eyes. And she’s looking directly at Chaeyoung and smiling. 

 

It’s not Chaeyoung’s fault that she begins choking on her water and has to get the Heimlich from Hani. 

 

When Chaeyoung trudges back to her room that night she’s tired. She’s ready to flop onto her bed with her laptop and binge some baking shows. 

 

The first thing she sees when she walks into the room is Dahyun squeezing her into a pair of tight shorts. Chaeyoung quickly looks to the shoe rack and notes with growing horror that Dahyun’s ho-heels are off the rack. She runs over to the fridge and sees the handle is missing. A quick search reveals that it’s sitting on Dahyun’s desk next to a line of shot glasses. Her worst fear is confirmed. 

 

“No!” She screams before bolting out the door. 

 

“Chaeyoung stop fighting it!” she hears Dahyun yelling behind her. 

 

Chaeyoung’s heart is pounding as she makes the tactical decision to take the stairs over the elevator. She can faintly hear Dahyun still yelling behind her. She stampedes down to the first floor and bursts out the entrance of the dorm, only to bowl over an innocent passerby. 

 

They’re both groaning from the impact. Chaeyoung’s pretty sure she has a new bruise on her head but she hurries to her feet and reaches out a hand to help up the other girl when she has the heart-stopping realization that she’s knocked over none other than Myoui Mina. 

 

To no surprise, Mina has managed to fall in the most beautiful way. Her hair is just the slightest bit messy, and she’s wearing a skirt that has ridden up revealing her long legs. 

 

Chaeyoung’s other hand flies to her nose to make sure nothing starts bleeding again as she helps the other girl up. 

 

“Sorry about that!”

 

 Mina’s laughs and brushes it off. “It’s fine. Where are you going in such a hurry?”

 

Just as Chaeyoung remembers the reason she was running in the first place, she feels an iron arm wrap around her waist. 

 

“We’re going out tonight and there’s nothing you can do to stop this,” Tzuyu deadpans as she easily lifts Chaeyoung into a fireman’s grip over her shoulder. 

 

“NO!” Chaeyoung shouts as she tries to wiggle out of the giant’s grip. 

 

“There’s no point in struggling. Anyways, aren’t you embarrassed?”

 

Chaeyoung stops her whining as she remembers that Mina is still standing there. The older girl is laughing again. 

 

Chaeyoung turns beet red. “Please let me down,” she whispers to Tzuyu. 

 

“Are you going to behave?”

 

Chaeyoung scrunches her face and calls Tzuyu a million names in her head. “Yes.”

 

Chaeyoung occupies herself with dusting herself off and trying to put together the shreds of her dignity. 

 

“Are you guys going out tonight?” Mina asks. 

 

“I guess so,” Chaeyoung grumbles. 

 

“Maybe I’ll see you guys.” Mina says with a smile. 

 

Chaeyoung looks up, surprised. “Really?”

 

“Yeah, maybe.” Mina grins before turning around to leave. “Keep an eye out for me?”

 

Chaeyoung nods and lifts a hand to wave at the older girl as she walks away. “Yeah! I will!”

 

It’s long after Mina has walked away when Chaeyoung finally responds to the numerous blows Tzuyu has dealt to her ribs with her elbow. “What?”

 

Tzuyu is smirking. “Really? ‘Yeah, I will!’” she imitates. 

 

Chaeyoung scowls and begins walking back to the dorm. 

 

“Chaeyoung you’re so lame,” Tzuyu laughs. 

 

“I legitimately from the bottom of my heart despise you.” Chaeyoung growls. 

 

By the time Tzuyu and Chaeyoung get back up to the room, Dahyun is wearing her full ensemble and doing her makeup in the mirror. 

 

Chaeyoung sighs and sits on her bed as Tzuyu begins rifling through her closet. “Remind me why I can’t just choose my own clothes again?”

 

“Because last time we let you dress yourself you showed up to a party in sweatpants?” Tzuyu responds as she starts throwing articles of clothing Chaeyoung’s way. 

 

“Don’t forget the time she came to a risky business party in an actual button-down and pants!” Dahyun adds. “With the shirt tucked in!”

 

“Oh god,” Tzuyu groans. “I almost forgot about that! And Suho asked her if she was coming straight from an interview!”

 

Dahyun cackles at the memory and Chaeyoung sighs again. “Okay I get it, Jesus.”

 

Tzuyu emerges from Chaeyoung’s closet with various shirts in hand. “Put on that skirt I threw at you and then we’re going to try all of these tops.”

 

“What? Why?” Chaeyoung whines. “Can’t I just wear the skirt and that top and just go with it?”

 

“No.” Tzuyu insists. “We have to see what looks best.”

 

“But they’re all going to look similar!”

 

“Chaeyoung just do what the woman says!” Dahyun orders as she starts curling her eyelashes. 

 

“I hate you guys,” Chaeyoung grumbles as she begins changing. 

 

It takes what feels like a century to try on all the outfits, only for Tzuyu to declare that all of Chaeyoung’s clothes and so Chaeyoung ends up borrowing one of Dahyun’s tops. 

 

Chaeyoung’s standing in the completed outfit as Tzuyu and Dahyun stare at her with crossed arms and pursed lips. 

 

“Yes, this is it.” Tzuyu declares after a moment. She and Dahyun high-five. “We did it! Chaeng you look hot.”

 

Chaeyoung rolls her eyes. “Great. Can we start drinking now?”

 

“Look who’s eager to drink now?” Dahyun teases. 

 

Chaeyoung ignores her and starts pouring the shots out. “Where are we going anyways?”

 

“Probably Bambam’s frat?”

 

Chaeyoung groans. “Really? I hate going there, it's so intimidating how everyone’s really good at dancing.”

 

The three clink their glasses together and knock the shots back. “It’ll be fun! Momo told me she’s going too.” Tzuyu says as she reaches for the chaser with a grimace. 

 

“Yeah but Momo’s a dance god obviously she’ll fit right in.”

 

Dahyun shrugs and pours more shots. “It’s fine! Once you’re drunk you turn into a dance god too.” 

 

Tzuyu scoffs at that but pats Chaeyoung on the back. “It’ll be fun!”

 

Chaeyoung looks skeptically into her shot glass. “Fine.”

 

By the time they get to the party Chaeyoung is well on her way to being drunk. Her previous hesitance is gone and she’s having fun. They’re dancing with Momo near the center of the floor and Dahyun’s challenging herself to flap her wings to the beat of the music when Chaeyoung sees her. 

 

Mina’s just across from Chaeyoung. She’s dancing and she’s mesmerizing. 

 

Drunk Chaeyoung is also honest Chaeyoung. And Mina looks gorgeous. Chaeyoung hesitates for about a second before slowly making her way over. 

 

“Hey!” she shouts over the music. 

 

Mina gives her a slow onceover, lingering on Chaeyoung’s exposed arms before meeting Chaeyoung’s eyes with a deep smirk. “Hey.”

 

“You look nice!” Chaeyoung stammers out as she tries not to look at the cutout in Mina’s crop top. 

 

“You too,” Mina says as she trails a hand over Chaeyoung’s arms. 

 

Chaeyoung’s not actively trying to flex, but maybe she flexes just a little. Mina raises an eyebrow. 

 

“Do you want to get another drink?”

 

Chaeyoung nods dumbly as Mina laces their fingers together and leads the way to the bar. 

 

Mina takes whatever mystery mixed juice Jackson’s brewing in the back while Chaeyoung opts for some water. She looks behind her into the crowd and grimaces at the thought of re-entering the horde. 

 

Mina chuckles and pulls gently on Chaeyoung’s arm. “Wanna go sit down?”

 

Obviously Chaeyoung gives a resounding yes, following the older girl upstairs. 

 

“Are we allowed up here?” Chaeyoung wonders as the sounds of the party die down. “It’s fine,” Mina shrugs. “Bambam said I could go to his room if I got tired.”

 

The older girl leads Chaeyoung up to a room on the third floor and carefully pushes the door open. “Here,” Mina says, sitting on the couch and patting the spot next to her. 

 

Chaeyoung sits down with a sigh, kicking her legs up onto the table. 

 

“I hate parties,” she says with a groan. Mina chuckles and leans back. “Me too.”

 

“Why’d you come today then?” Chaeyoung asks, turning to look at the older girl. 

 

Mina blushes and takes a sip of her drink. “I guess because I saw that you were planning on going out.”

 

Chaeyoung nods dumbly. “Oh,” is all she can manage as she gulps down more water and hopes like hell that her face isn’t too red. 

 

Silence sits for a moment before Mina changes the subject. “How is track practice going?”

 

Chaeyoung makes a confused noise. “Okay, I guess? What do you mean?”

 

“You guys have regionals soon right?” Mina asks cautiously. 

 

“Oh yeah,” Chaeyoung laughs. “Well they’re not technically regionals, they’re preliminaries. But yeah, practice is going well. Our time right now already qualifies us for prelims but we have one more meet this season so coach wants us to really push it.”

 

Mina nods as she takes another sip of her drink. “And you do the 4x4 and the 100, right?”

 

“Yep!” Chaeyoung smiles. “Did you do track in high school or something? I saw you at practice the other day.”

 

Chaeyoung feels her ears start to heat up as she remembers how good Mina looked on the bleachers that day and she internally berates herself for bringing that day up at all. Luckily Mina looks similarly embarrassed as she looks down into her drink. “I guess I just enjoy watching, I didn’t run in high school or anything.”

 

“And you?” Chaeyoung asks abruptly. “What do you do? I mean track pretty much takes up most of my free time so I can’t do much else but what about you?”

 

Mina pushes her hair back behind her ear. “I dance, but I guess that’s not much since it’s what I’m majoring in anyways.”

 

Chaeyoung shakes her head. “No way, that’s amazing! I mean I'm awful at dancing, Tzuyu once recorded this video of me trying to break dance and now she uses it to blackmail me to buy her boba.”

 

Mina laughs. “I’d love to see that video.”

 

“No!” Chaeyoung groans. “It must never see the light of day.”

 

“Please?” Mina asks, looking up at Chaeyoung. 

 

Chaeyoung feels her heart skip a beat. Mina’s eyes are doing the shining thing again, but she doesn’t look as confident as she has these past couple days around Chaeyoung, she looks nervous. 

 

Mina quickly looks down at her hands in embarrassment but Chaeyoung can feel a blush rising in her cheeks. Mina is cute. 

 

“I can’t show you that video, but I can show you something else?” Chaeyoung says lightly. “If you’d like?”

 

When Mina nods eagerly, Chaeyoung gently slides over and holds her phone out. 

 

Chaeyoung pulls up an old video of Momo trying to teach Chaeyoung some simple choreo for the acting class they took together her freshman year. “Promise you won’t laugh too much? I’m really not good at dancing.”

 

Mina looks Chaeyoung straight in the eye as she smiles. “Promise.”

 

Chaeyoung’s reminded by how close they are now that they’re hunched over her phone together, and gives a quick nod before turning her head to focus on the video. She finds herself unable to keep her attention on the video as she hears Mina softly laughing right next to her, even slightly shoving the younger girl at the particularly funny parts. 

 

It reminds Chaeyoung of the last time she was this close to a girl who wasn’t Tzuyu or Dahyun, and it makes Chaeyoung scared. Because her palms are really sweaty and Mina looks beautiful from the side and Chaeyoung’s starting to remember that this perfect girl somehow likes her. 

 

When the video ends Chaeyoung sees Mina’s eyes drift down to Chaeyoung’s lips and Chaeyoung jumps off of the couch. “I uh, have to go back now. I think Dahyun drank too much and she needs help getting back.”

 

It’s a blatant lie. But Mina lets her go with a smile, her eyes the only place that betrays a bit of sadness. 

 

“I’ll see you around?” Mina asks hesitantly. 

 

Chaeyoung manages a nod before shooting out of the door. “Sure!”

 

Tzuyu and Dahyun are understanding when she finds them downstairs and asks to go back. It’s late and they’re both tired. Thankfully they don’t ask her where she went, and if they see the nervous look in her eye they don’t ask about it. 

 

Chaeyoung wakes up hungover. She allows herself five minutes to remember everything that happened last night, including her time with Mina. Then she brushes thoughts of the older girl out of her mind and looks at her phone. 

 

She’s late for class and her head is aching. When she looks at Dahyun’s bed, it’s clear the other girl left for class without having the decency to wake Chaeyoung as well. She’s still grumbling about it to herself in class when she gets a text from Tzuyu. 

 

[bread fiend]: hey i bought us tickets to go see Momo’s dance thing tonight

[bread fiend]: meet me at my dorm at 8

 

[2 chaengz]: you didn’t even ask me if i’m free! 

[2 chaengz]: what if i’m busy?

 

[bread fiend]: i know your schedule and it’s not like you ever leave your room anyways

 

[2 chaengz]: you’re too obsessed with me!

 

Chaeyoung is outside Tzuyu’s dorm at 8:10. They’re almost late because Tzuyu insists on bringing a massive duffle bag with her, which, really, Chaeyoung doesn’t want to know why. 

 

When Tzuyu starts giggling, Chaeyoung knows she’s in trouble. 

 

“Chaeng,” Tzuyu whispers while poking Chaeyoung’s cheek. 

 

“What?” she says irritably. 

 

“Chaeng guess what?”

 

“WHAT.”

 

“Chaeng guess who else is on Momo’s dance team?”

 

It takes Chaeyoung a second. Then it hits her. 

 

“TZUYU YOU TRAITOR!”

 

Tzuyu starts laughing uncontrollably. Chaeyoung tries her best to melt into her seat.

 

The lights dim and of course Myoui Mina takes the center with her stupid shining eyes and flexible body. Chaeyoung can’t stop herself from following Mina’s every move with her eyes. 

 

Not in a gay way. More like what’s the point in trying not to stare at Mina’s objectively beautiful self? Is there any point? Is it even possible?

 

Regardless, Chaeyoung doesn’t try that hard. 

 

Mina on stage is all elegance and beauty and taking Chaeyoung’s breath away. Mina looks simultaneously vulnerable and perfect. Chaeyoung pretends like she isn’t shaken. 

 

It’s a lie, of course. 

 

Chaeyoung privately thinks that maybe Myoui Mina is the most beautiful person she’s ever seen in her life. Objectively, that is. 

 

When the performance ends, Tzuyu drags her to the dressing rooms. It’s under the pretense of congratulating Momo but Chaeyoung can tell from Tzuyu’s nonstop smirk that she has another reason to be doing all this. 

 

Chaeyoung tries not to linger on the fact that one of her closest friends is probably betraying her and dragging her to abject embarrassment. 

 

As soon as they’re let into the dressing room, Momo launches herself across the room with a welcoming screech of “Chaeyoungie!” and “Tzuyu!”

 

Tzuyu then whips out a whole bouquet out of the duffle bag she had insisted on bringing and presents it to Momo. 

 

Typical Momo is delighted, and she quickly falls into another long embrace with the gangly girl. 

 

Tzuyu, from Momo’s arms, tilts her head back and starts winking at Chaeyoung while gesturing at the duffle bag. 

 

Stupid, trusting, Chaeyoung reaches into the duffle bag to pull out an even bigger and more extravagant bouquet. Confused, she reaches into the flowers to pull out a tag and reads aloud, “For the cutest girl on campus, Myoui Mina?” 

 

“For me?” 

 

Chaeyoung spins around in her shock, effectively bowling over the ballerina with the massive bundle of flowers. As a decent human being, Chaeyoung drops the flowers and immediately kneels down to make sure Mina’s okay. 

 

“Oh god sorry are you okay?”

 

Mina’s brow is a little scrunched and she looks dazed, likely because she just got smacked by fifty carnations. 

 

It’s only because Chaeyoung remembers how last semester Hani got a concussion from tripping over her own feet that she immediately grasps Mina’s head with both hands and stares at the older girl’s pupils. 

 

“Do you feel dizzy at all?”

 

Mina if anything, looks even more dazed. And her cheeks are getting hot? 

 

“Mina, do you hear what I’m saying?” Chaeyoung says as she moves one hand to dancer’s forehead. Do people get fevers from concussions? 

 

When Mina still doesn’t respond Chaeyoung starts feeling worried. She quickly turns to Tzuyu and Momo, “Hey I think I hit Mina pretty hard, what do I do?”

 

Tzuyu responds immediately, “You need to take her to medical.”

 

“What?” Chaeyoung asks, shocked. “Wait but I just smacked her with some flowers shouldn’t she be mostly okay?”

 

“Chaeyoung look at her,” Momo says, pointing. 

 

Mina is now sitting up, but bright red, and she looks even dazed than before. 

 

Chaeyoung groans and tries shaking Mina one more time. “Mina? Can you at least say something?”

 

Before the older girl can even respond, Momo jumps in again. “Oh my god Chaeng, that’s a concussion if I’ve ever seen one you guys need to get going right now.”

 

Tzuyu promptly walks over and bends Chaeyoung over while Momo starts helping Mina onto the sprinter’s back. 

 

“Chaeng you have to run, I don’t know if Mina’s going to make it,” Tzuyu says sternly. 

 

“What?” 

 

“RUN CHAEYOUNG”

 

So Chaeyoung ends up half-sprinting out of the theater and outside with Mina on her back. 

 

Here’s the thing: Chaeyoung’s on track sure, but it’s not like track means you’re regularly running with an additional 100 plus pounds on your back. So naturally Chaeyoung’s energy starts flagging halfway to medical. 

 

Seeing a bench, Chaeyoung immediately sets the older girl down and places a hand on Mina’s cheek to assess her pupils again. 

 

“Mina?”

 

Mina is still a bit red, but she looks less dazed than before. 

 

“Mina how do you feel?”

 

The older girl leans her face into Chaeyoung’s hand before reaching and grabbing Chaeyoung’s other hand. 

 

“Chaeyoung I’m sorry,” Mina starts. “I don’t have a concussion.”

 

“Oh that’s good?” Chaeyoung says, a little confused. “Do you feel okay though?”

 

It’s strange to see that for once Mina can’t meet her gaze. She keeps playing with Chaeyoung’s fingers and it doesn’t look like she realizes she’s even doing it. Mina looks nervous. 

 

It’s cute. It’s actually adorable, the more Chaeyoung thinks about it. 

 

“Chaeyoung do you really not like me at all?” 

 

Mina asks while avoiding Chaeyoung’s gaze. Her voice is quiet and there’s a blush rising in her cheeks. 

 

“What?” Chaeyoung stutters out, flustered. Her instinct is to pull away but Mina clutches her hand tightly and she doesn’t have the heart to pull away. 

 

“I mean, I know you said before that I wasn’t your type but Dahyun and Tzuyu kept insisting that you thought I was cute so I—”

 

“Wait hold on. Dahyun and Tzuyu told you what?” Chaeyoung asks, suddenly betrayed. 

 

“That you thought I was cute?” Mina says, finally meeting Chaeyoung’s gaze again. 

 

Chaeyoung stands up abruptly and slaps her hands to her face, groaning. “Oh god those traitors.”

 

She’s in the middle of sending a vicious text to their group chat when she notices Mina standing and starting to walk away. “Wait, Mina, where are you going?”

 

Mina pauses, then slowly turns around. Her arms are wrapped around herself and she looks cold. Chaeyoung suddenly remembers that it’s fall and it’s chilly at night, which is why she’s wearing a heavy jacket over her sweater. “Sorry for these past couple days, Chaeyoung. I won’t bother you again.”

 

“What?” Chaeyoung can’t help but exclaim. “What are you talking about?”

 

“Chaeyoung,” Mina sighs and now she sounds a bit hurt and it makes Chaeyoung wince because Mina shouldn’t sound like that ever. 

 

“Chaeyoung clearly you don’t like me and you don’t think I’m cute, sorry I kept bothering you—”

 

“Mina hold on!” Chaeyoung jumps in. She takes a deep breath. 

 

“Sorry, I’m a complete idiot. Can you just hold on for a second?”

 

Chaeyoung takes another deep breath. She shrugs her jacket off and slings it around the ballerina’s shivering shoulders. 

 

She can do this, right? How hard could it be? 

 

“Mina, you’re cute. I’m sorry I’ve been an idiot in denial. I’ve been a complete to you and I don’t really have any excuse other than the fact that I was scared. I think you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen in my entire life and I think that scared me.”

 

She chances a glance up at the older girl, but Mina’s looking down at her feet and Chaeyoung can’t gage what she’s thinking. 

 

“It’s been crazy, I feel like I never really saw you before but all of a sudden you were everywhere. Like everywhere I turned, I only saw you. Did you know that sometimes your eyes actually shine, like starlight and diamonds? And you do this thing where you fan yourself when you’re embarrassed? I think it’s cute. I think you’re cute, Mina.” Chaeyoung confesses as she turns redder and redder. 

 

Mina doesn’t say anything but her ears are flushed and Chaeyoung takes it as a good sign. 

 

“I guess I’m not super good at this but what I’m trying to say is, I think I like you, Mina. Is that okay?” Chaeyoung reaches out to grasp the older girl’s hand hesitantly, looking up at her face. 

 

When Mina finally meets Chaeyoung’s gaze, her eyes are shining. “Yes,” Mina laughs. 

 

Chaeyoung grins and squeezes Mina’s hand. “Good. I didn’t tell you but your only choices were yes or yes.”

 

Mina shakes her head with a smile before placing a soft hand on Chaeyoung’s cheek. “I’m going to kiss you now, Chaeyoung.”

 

Chaeyoung’s eyes spring open in surprise. She tries to speak but nothing comes up so instead she just nods her head silently. 

 

Mina rolls her eyes, and leans in. 

 

It’s soft and warm and sort of wonderful and Chaeyoung can’t help but lean up on her toes to prolong the kiss. 

 

“Wow,” she says dumbly. 

 

Mina laughs. 

 

“I have to ask, though,” Chaeyoung smiles. “How did you show up everywhere? I swear everywhere I went you were there.”

 

Mina smirks. “Magic.”

 

Chaeyoung groans. “You’re not gonna tell me?”

 

“Maybe one day,” Mina smiles down at her as she takes her hand. 

 

The two start walking towards Chaeyoung’s dorm. Chaeyoung is animatedly talking about how much she loved Mina’s dancing. 

 

She doesn’t notice how Mina’s eyes glow silver once, twice, before turning back to normal.