Author's Note: Nyah. Not much of a plot development. But do keep this in mind. (; 
Expect another update very soon.

Anyway. Thanks for subscribing/commenting/reading. ♥.

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My eyes fluttered open and the warm sunshine filtering in from my bedroom window warmed my face. There was a growing pain on my back—I had fallen asleep against the wooden headboard of my twin bed. Lifting my head from that awkward position on my shoulder, my arms instinctively tightened around the pillow nestled on my lap.

Eh? I slid off the side of my mattress, scratching my head. Why is the bureau against the door? I put my weight against the wooden furniture to move it back to its original position, but it barely budged.

"Aish!" I jumped back when the perfume Changmin-oppa bought for me some time ago fell off and hit my foot. "Sorry, Oppa..." I muttered, looking down at the light purple bottle shaped like a heart. "At least the heart didn't brea—"

Oppa? Heart? Bureau against door? I rubbed my eyes, cringing as memories of last night assaulted my head.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Changmin moved and murmured in reply. "I'll protect you from everything—from everyone. Saranghae (I love you)."

Huh? I fell backwards on my rear, but my arm was being held in Oppa's grip. And it actually kind of hurt. Even Zayn doesn't say stuff like this, I bit my lip. Is he awake?

Wrenching my arm away and not even bothering to turn off the light, I stood up and ran back to my bedroom. I shut the door quietly, putting my weight against it. My chest was pounding as I sank to the floor.

Aish, I bit my lip, slowly inching my first line of defense away from the door. I strained my ears to hear Oppa moving in the living room. Is he still here?

Mustering the courage of a half-asleep seventeen year old, I yanked the door open and stuck my head around the corner.

Hrm, I blew my cheeks out, taking light-footed steps to the center of the main room. No over-sized feet. I stepped onto the foyer, seeing only my pairs of shoes. Guess he left for class already.

I bustled back to my room, grabbing a Mamon sponge-cake off the counter as I rushed through the kitchen. But, I, uh.. I tripped over my own foot in front of the dining table. A pad of white notes with Changmin's penmanship scrawled all over the first piece of paper caught my eye as I crammed the rest of my breakfast into my mouth.

Three things—aside from Taemin's plans—stood out as my eyes skimmed the scrap of paper.

1. That whole first line.

Well, sue me, but it sounds like Changmin got laid.. by.. uh.. ANYWAY.

2. That ♡ ..

It just looks so weird and out of character.

3. His salutatory 'love'.

Maybe I'm just paranoid, but this seems a lot like subliminal messaging! I crumpled up the note and chucked it into the trash, squealing with disdain. I ran past the oven, realizing it was 9:32 and I skidded to the bathroom to start my shower.

Fluffy towel. Fluffy towel! I scratched my head in frustration as I ran in circles, -, in the bathroom. Where are you, my fluffy towel?

I ran out and into my room to reach for my bathing towel draped over the foot of my bed. I tripped over the corner of my desk as I skittered back to my steaming shower.

♪ Hold you in my arms / I just wanted to hold you in my arms / My life / You electrify my life / Let's conspire to re-ignite ♪

FUUUU—! I stopped, half-way into the tub. My feet moved on their own accord as I stumbled out and ran to find my phone.

"Yo-yobosaeyo (hello)?!" I shrieked into the receiver as my wet feet slid across the wooden floor.

"Sonny-ah?" Someone familiar answered. "Are you getting ready? I'm nearing your place."

"Yeah." I huffed. "Actually..." I stopped mid-thought, realizing how I was talking to.

"Actually...?" Changmin waited. I could hear him exhale. Eep! "Yah! Don't tell me you're still in be! We've got class in half an hour!"

"Yeah! Yeah! I know! Don't worry about it, Oppa. And I got your note but—" I reminded myself to breathe. "I actually have to pick up groceries, I'll see you at school." I said, walking back to the washroom. The steam of the shower was making the mirror and glass fog up.

"Oh." I heard him say in this dragged-out kind of way like when you know someone's lying. I bit my lip, hoping he'd drop it. "Well, okay. See you. Just don't forget about later."

"Later?" I echoed, voice rising in slight panic as I put my foot behind the shower curtain. "What's happening later? I didn't know we made plans!"

"We didn't." Changmin laughed. "Taemin's picking you up after school. Wait around the front..." He trailed off, and the sound of running water dominated the line. "... so you might wanna hurry up and shower already."

"Oppa!" I laughed nervously, practically hearing him and his stupid merong! thinger. "I'll see you later!"

"Ryu Sonny-sshi!" Someone called across the fountain in the courtyard.

I turned around, looking up from under the bill of my mesh cap to see one of my classmate jog to my side. "Annyeong, Minah-unnie!"

"Annyeong!" Kang Minah greeted me, slightly out of breath. "Guidance counselor Ito Saiya—" One of the school's top vocalists began in her beautiful soprano voice. But when I saw Changmin around the fountain on the other side of the yard, I yanked my Sunbae in the shade of a statue. "—looking for you." she completed, giving me a strange look. "She said she wants to see you before you leave for the day."

"Uh. Yeah, okay. Thanks." I breathed a sigh of relief, not really paying attention to what Minah was saying. Changmin didn't see me. That's the fifth time I've seen him all day, and I've been avoiding him like the plague. I imagine you know why. "Sorry about that." I said, turning my cap backwards to look up at my Unnie.

"It's okay." She gave me a bright smile as she followed my gaze to find Changmin's retreating figure behind Building B.

I gave her a quick hug and walked off before she could say anything. My feet scrambled up the stone steps to the main building, and I stalked straight passed my Japanese guidance counselor's office.

"Ara?" I heard her voice echo down the corridor. "Ryu Sonny-san?"

"Nehhhh!" I slurred, swiveling back to her doorway as I took off my hat. "You wanted to see me, Ito Saiya-sshi?"

"Yeah." Saiya's young glowing face was rather chilling as she gestured for me to take a seat. "Your transcripts have arrived and been finalized. The board reviewed your résumé and it has been agreed that you can participate in Kyunghee's Two Year Master's Program."

"Oh." I blinked, remembering the application I had sent along with my registration papers before the start of this school year months before. "That's great."

"Isn't it?" Her brown eyes twinkled. "Unfortunately, some of your credits aren't accepted in our institution—"

Crap, my growing smile hardened.

"—as you graduated from a different school system in the States. But you can compensate for those missing credits by partaking in extra classes and/or a formal display of your talent that is worth of a masters in piano performance. Judging by the written recommendations that came with your résumé," she continued, flipping through papers on her desk. "You seem capable of doing either-or, and that's exactly what we need to discuss."

"Well," I fidgeted under my counselor's eyes. "When you say a formal display of my talent, do you mean—"

"Performances." She answered before I could finish.

"Performances?" I gulped, emphasizing the plural S.

"Performances." She smiled at my nervousness. "School sanctioned or sponsored performances."

"Uh... well, If I wanted to do this instead of taking extra classes..." I trailed off, twiddling my fingers.

"Well, let's say you take this option, and mind you, I'm not looking for a concrete answer just yet," Saiya took her glasses off and placed them delicately on her table-top. "There are five pieces you need to perform. Two of which must be classical, either orchestral or solo. Another two must be modern pieces, and one must be of your own composition. You have the liberty of doing whatever you want, as there are no limitations as to how one expresses themselves, but it is necessary that you learn and perform flawlessly these five pieces for a formal audience."

"Ah..." I looked down at my shoes. "That.. seems like a better alternative than adding classes to my schedule."

"Well, in your case, I suppose it is." Saiya continued, cleaning her nails. "You can get back to my about this by Wednesday—no need to decide anything just yet."

"Oh, okay." I nodded, getting up to leave. "In case I do take this option, with whom should I speak to about performance dates?"

"We'll talk about that when you give me your final decision in three days." She smiled teasingly, ushering me out of her office. "Now get out! You sleazy first year! Most kids leave right after their morning classes on Sundays!"

"Neh!" I gave her a curt bow before wandering off to find Taemin. "Thank you!"

Extra classes? That seems like a waste of time and money. I put my mesh cap back on my head as I stepped out into the sunlight. It's too late in the semester for me to add any more classes anyway. And tha—

Two students, girls, pushed past me. Both apologized with half-bows, but continued on in hushed whispers until they went out of earshot.

"Park Jongki just texted me. Some kid just..."

I took a seat near the edge of the fountain, hoping Taemin would come by soon.

Well, I splashed my fingers in the cool water. I guess I can do the performance thingers. I pouted, realizing how frustrating classical music might be for me to do. I like listening to it, but I just can't play it right—it's not my favorite genre. Maybe I can squeeze myself with the school orchestra.

Rah! I'll have to learn a solo piece! My pout grew when it came to mind how hard it might be to get the orchestra to work with me for two pieces. Ugh. That's going to be hard. And for the modern ones... maybe I'll ask  Oppa for help with that—

A group of seven students scuffled along in front of me. The two guys leading the troop were heading in the same direction as the girls who went before them five minutes before.

"That kid must have a lot of nerve—challenging our Sunbae like that."

"Yeah, but from what Chorok told me, this kid's got talent."

"Maybe it's Lee Joon." A girl whispered in this not-so-quiet voice.

"What?" Another girl gasped. "Why would Joon be here?!" She argued, pulling on her friend's arm.

Then they went out of earshot. But my head turned to watch them stride in hurried steps of the general direction of the dancing quarters on campus. I'd never gone to that part of the school as I had no use for mirrored halls or ballet rooms.

"Performances it is." I said to myself quietly, glancing at my phone. Does Taemin even know that my last class ended at 1:45? It's already 2! UGH!
 I smacked myself when I realized I didn't have Taemin's number saved in my phone.

"Did someone tattle to the campus security?" Someone shouted in the crowd of college students stampeding across the courtyard to the dancing quarters.

"No! Why would they?" Someone replied in an equally loud voice. "No one's fighting!"

Fighting? My ears perked up, and I turned to see the students round the side of the main building.

"Some dude challenged Son Changhee in a dance battle!" One of the girls squealed distantly. "I know Changhee-oppa'll beat him!"

Who would challenge Changhee in a dance battle? He's got street cred. for being a b-boy anyway. And everyone knows he's a very talented and multi-faceted dancer—I mean, even I know about him and I'm not even part of the Dance College. I stood up to follow the growing crowd of people rushing to the dancing quarters. Unless the kid's not a student here.

... Wait. I broke into a run when the possibility of there being a dance battle and my dance-group-idol-y boyfriend being late to pick me up began to add up.

I rounded the corner of the administration's building to see a growing crowd on the side of one of the dance buildings ahead. Even from where I was, I could see a circular clearing in the middle where I recognized Changhee's red faux hawk on one side, but I couldn't see the other.

I don't know how, but when I reached the battle, I jumped over shoulders to see who was dancing to Justin Timberlake's Rock Your Body. But the crowd got too dense with outstretched hands holding cameras and people looking through bodily crevices to watch the battle.

I don’t mean no harm
Just wanna rock you, girl
We could move, but we
Let’s go, let’s give it a whirl

"I can't even see what's going on." I muttered, giving up on climbing the dude's shoulders standing in front of me.

"Tell me about it." Someone responded to me over the cheering. "Now I'm late, and I can't find my way out." That someone, a he, chuckled when I looked down from my perch on this random dude's back.

I bit my lip, and a feeling of terror washed over me when I realized there was no way to get to the floor without hitting people or getting hit trying to hit people.

"Just jump!" A pair of outstretched empty arms were extended in my general direction from the spot of the faceless person I was talking to.

I closed my eyes, prayed a bit, then took a leap of faith. The arms that held me held me tight until I could feel the pressure of the crowd wearing thin.

"You can open your eyes now." My hero chuckled.

My scrunched up eyes opened a peep, and a red guitar pick on a necklace on the base of my hero's neck was dangling in my face.