To Kai, Krystal was just another familiar face.

She was one of those familiar stranger he saw every day during high school, along with the other students in their school. She was this brunette girl from the other class who ate at the same canteen as he did during lunch. He never saw her more interesting than any other girl. Why would he? She was not pretty like Suzy or smart like Luna.  Krystal was just a face with a name to him.

Not until their junior year.

The moment Krystal caught Kai’s attention for the very first time was the night of the school’s musical play. Being one of the senior members of the Music Guild, Krystal was a given the chance to play the music for the entire show. 

Although she was just in the background, Krystal looked regal. She stood out while playing a lovely melody behind the grand piano. Kai had never seen her that beautiful before.

He liked the way how her fingers graciously glided along the white tiles. He liked the way how her curled hair was falling behind her shoulders. He liked the way how her lips curved into an enticing smile every time she looked at the crowd. Most of all, he liked the way how she looked blissful as she played.

Throughout the show, he never laid his eyes to anyone except her. And for a fleeting moment, he thought he was in some kind of an enchantment. But the play had ended and yet she was still the one he was thinking of.

After that night, he never let her out of her sight.

Krystal found it odd when Kai started talking to her.

Truth to be told, they were more of acquaintances rather than friends. As far as she remembered, they only talked once during their summer class on their first year; it was the only time they shared a class because summer classes had one class per level. Even their conversation was nothing sort of memorable, just a matter of did you make your homework’s and yes’s and no’s. She knew him as the school’s dance machine, and the guy her seatmate Jiyoung has a huge crush on. So when he greeted her a shy hello one Monday morning, she thought things might get more interesting from then on.

It did, as a matter of fact.

It was in their History class when their teacher Mr. Yoon decided to join all the senior classes for a film viewing in lined with their lesson that week. Krystal noticed how Kai was seated beside her instead of sitting with his group of friends. It was unusual for her given the fact that his class was supposed to be seated in the opposite side of the room. She just decided to pay no attention about it. They were living in a democratic country, after all.

Because they were seatmates, they talked a little, shared ideas and gave a lot of side comments about the film. In the end, they decided to be partners for the reaction paper they were to make about the short film they watched. That meant more talks would follow.

After a week of spending time with Kai for their paper work, Krystal found out that he could give sensible ideas about almost anything. He was very articulate which made him someone she liked talking to. He had a good sense of humor and is fun to be with. Krystal admitted that they came to the point where they were no longer a fellow student to each other unlike before; they became friends.

But Kai had started to like Krystal more than friends.

He thought that his little crush on her would disappear after he could get to know her. Boy, he was wrong. He got more attracted to her instead. He thought he might have fallen in love with her.  So when the most anticipated annual dance in their school came, he did not let his chance to slip in his hands.

“Out of the twenty-two guys who asked you to the dance, who will you go with?”

“Twenty-two?” she chuckled. “Nobody asked me yet, silly.”

He feigned a gasp. “Really, now? But I heard there is one.