They say that your life would really change on the first day of your college life. But in Suzy and Myungsoo's case, it was not really what they've thought it would be. 

Myungsoo and Suzy shared one thing in common nothing more nothing less, both of them never knew what they really wanted to do in life. Myungsoo and Suzy were both blinded by expectations, pressure  and the social stigma set upon them by everyone else. Both of them studied well, did whatever the adults told them to do and both of them somehow became lost in search of the true meaning of life. As young as they were, both of them almost forgot how it feels like to be young. 

Exceptional students with stellar capabilities and talents, Myungsoo and Suzy first met, indirectly when they were in high school. A high school whose academic standards are up to par with schools in the states. They were studying in no regular school, most of the subjects they were taking up are as advanced as those who are studying  in the universities. Their strict rules and requirements make sure that only the fittest out of the rest would survive and manage to graduate. Suzy and Myungsoo didn't attend the same class for the first two years but on the last year, due to the diminishing population of their school due to the  gradual expulsion of students who didn't make the cut, Myungsoo got transferred to Suzy's class. 

Both of them never knew one existed. Myungsoo's home was nearby while Suzy stayed in a dorm, they never had any time to socialize with each other's calss and they had different circle of friends. Suzy belonged to the school's clique who were outgoing and somewhat carefree and she and her friends were more into sciences, where as Myungsoo preferred to be alone and was one of the math guys. 

Even in class, as Myungsoo the new guy made friends with others, he never noticed Suzy, while Suzy only knew of the new guy's existence. 

The day when their chemistry teacher took a maternity leave they were both introduced to something new with their lives. 

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The whole class were not so enthusiatic about the news that they would have a new laboratory instructor. Since their freshman years, they were with they former instructor that they knew each other very well. They were all uneasy with the idea that they would have to adjust to a new system of teaching.

Their classmates who liked to stay outside all rushed inside, telling everybody to get ready because the new instructor is coming.

They took their seats.  Alphabetically seated, Suzy was in the front row while Myungsoo was in the middle row. Rarely would Suzy look back because all of her friends seated next to her. To Myungsoo, Suzy is just a girl with long brownish hair who had her big red backpack hanged on the back of her chair. 

The new instructor walked inside the classroom. Everbody sighed in relief as their new instructor introduced himself. First thing impression on everyone that he is indeed on mad scientist. He was almost in his 60's armed with a double masters and a phD degree, everyone felt scared that their blissfull days in the laboratory were all gone. They were wrong. 

"Sir Einstein" is what he told everyone to call him. He indeed looked like a Korean reincarnation of the Great Albert Einstein. He would address himself as Kim Einstein and  everybody would laugh. 

"Ok everybody ready? Labgowns and goggles?", Sir Einstein said. 

"Check!", all of the students replied. 

Everytime their class have their laboratory with Sir Einstein everybody is in a good mood. 

"Now in real life, if you are to become a renowned scientist, it is a MUST that you'd know how to work with others. There is no such thing as a successfull research without a team of scientists who are working together, even Nobel Price winners would owe their success to their team. Now all of you are accostomed on working solo on every experiment right? So for this activity and starting on this experiment the whole class would have to work with a pair. Your lab-partner would be the lab-partner  FOR LIFE.", he emphasized . 

The whole class was shocked by sir Einstein's announcement.

"Since you are doing experiments that are quantitative in nature, I've decided to determine who would be your pair. Since quantitative experiments are techniques based and computations based as well, since this class has an equal number of science and math majors, I would want to ask the science majors who are more trained in doing labworks to help your partner who is a math major to learn the techniques where as the for the math majors, you are more inclined to deal with solving and analyzing equations, you also share your skill with your partner.All the math majors to the right, science majors to the left, to be fair each would pick a number from the box, find the number same as yours, hwala! Say hello to your lifesaver.", he continued. 

Myungsoo and Suzy reach inside the box, grabbed a small piece of paper, written on it was their destiny. They ofcourse didn't know. 

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"Everybody with their numbers? Now go find your partner.", the whole class disperesed and searched for their parter. 

"Who's number 11?", Suzy called out. 

Myungsoo heard someone calling for number 11,he followed the voice and aproached where it came from. 

"Hey guys, who's number 11?"

He was sure it came from the person. The long brownish hair was now tied in a puffy messy bun. 

Suzy walked around a little asking who'd be number 11. 

She noticed him, just standing there looking at her. 

As she walked towards him, every step that brought her nearer to him, it became clearer to him, that the girl with long brownish hair would be indeed his partner, his life saver. And for the first time, he saw something that would change him forever. 

"Hey are you 11?", she asked. Her voice, it didn't sound like she hated the idea of him being possibly his partner nor did it sound like she did want to become his partner, he hesistated. 

"No switching partners! Once you've picked your number, your fate is sealed.", Sir Einstein shouted as the comotion in the lab started to escalate. 

"Yeah, you're 11?', he replied. 

"Hi there! Let's work well together! Myungsoo right?"

He nodded and smiled. 

"Now are you with your partners? Now, I've been personally asked by the director to train you well on working in the laboratory, and I have this method that worked well with every batch of students I have trained. This!", Sir Einstein waved a bunch of plastic cable lock up in the air for everyone to see. (something like this http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTbx8MVsmpXHFTx-Nh_nm68DsoE9NTpW58LGcB1yVCzb5qgPrg6vz2ctSsCOQ )

Everybody was clueless. 

"Every start of your lab, I will hand out one plastic cable lock for each pair, now, you are going to fasten this piece of plastic cable lock around your right ankle and your partner's left ankle, just like a policeman's handcuff. Now the point is, the two of you wouldn't leave each other behind, you must learn how to work, move, think, analyze and perfom an experiment as one, no one will get ahead of the other, the other one would have to go where the other must go. there are only three cases in which this can be removed, if only if your partner has an emergency, he or she needs to go to the bathroom, and if you've already finished the experiment and I have cleared you for the lab report. You must present the lab report by pair and only then will I cut the plastic cable lock when you've done what is needed. This is a challenge, take this as a chance to grow, to discover new things and to care for one another."

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"Hey Suzy, I hope we never finish this experiment..... so that nobody would have to cut the plastic lock and you and I would be forever like this..."

Not long after Sir Einstein's drastic announcement, Myungsoo fell for her. It was something that happened to easy. 

That smile on her face when the two of them would finish that experiment. The time when the two of them stood close next to each other, labeling dozens of test tubes. When Suzy patiently listens to his explanation as he tries his best to teach Suzy how to derrive the equation. When the two of them would help one another clean used glasswares on the lab sink. When they would fail and repeat everything again. When they watch their analyte, dropwisely titrated, their face so close to each other as they wait for their analyte to change in color. Everytime Suzy would hit him in his arms when they over titrate even if its her fault. And that one occassion that they've perfectly titrated their sample in the first try, that Suzy was so happy that she hugged him. 

And would everytime they finish their experiment and the plastic lock was cut and they go back to their own world, he would feel sad. 

To say that Myungsoo would be able not to have feelings for her would be a lie. 

________________________________________________________________________________________

Time flies real fast. Soon they were all busy preparing for their college admissions. Most of the have plans on studying abroad, so as Myungsoo. 

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"Hey Myung..", Suzy said.

They only person who calls him Myung.  

They were waiting for their sample to be incubated and only the two of them were present on the side of the lab. 

"Why?"

"I was just wondering, do you have plans to study abroad, like some scholarship or something?"

"I have. My dad wants me to live and study with him in Australia.You?"

"I don't know yet.."

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Those little things, those feelings that can't wait, time's running out for the two of them. 

She needs to know...

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Last two meetings on laboratory. Two more chances left to tell her how he feels. 

They entered the laboratory. As usual, they would get one piece of that red plastic cable lock, go to their working station, bend down to attach it on their ankles.

"Suzy.". 

"Yes?"

Suzy Wasn't still finished attaching her end of the cable lock. 

He swiftly leaned forward to her direction and gently kissed her forehead. 

Hoping nobody saw them 

"I like you."

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"Good day class, I congratulate everyone for being here today and I welcome you to your first course in chemistry laboratory , first of all find a partner of your choosing. He or she would be your partner for this term. ", the kind looking professor told everyone.

First day of classes, a brand new start. 

Suzy looked around for a partner. 

Someone touched her shoulder from the back. 

"Excuse me, but are you number 11?"

Her heart stopped as she heard his voice. 

"I am number 11 but I don't have a partner yet, rather I want you to be my lab-partner this term, next term, the term after the next term until forever."