As it so happens, June 11th turns out to be an interesting day because of two events. First is the fact that June 11th is the designated day this year for the college entrance exam results to come back. Second is something... rather different. But let's go one by one.

When Haeri wakes up that morning, it's from a nightmare having to do with something about not getting into any college at all because of her failed exam results. In her dream, she had watched as all her classmates entered colleges and universities, opening their letters happily and celebrating with their friends and family. Once her eyes open, she doesn't move for a couple minutes as she adjusts to the waking world and reassures herself that it was just a bad dream. There's still hope yet. She checks the clock: 8:30. Much earlier than she usually wakes up on the weekends. She glances over at her open closet and sees her prom dress in all its glory. It fails to give her the usual thrill.

"Must be all the stress," she murmurs to herself glumly. The mail comes in at about 9:00 every day, so she's in for another half hour of torture; that half-dreading, half-anticipating feeling that comes in situations like this. The clock ticks by, interminably slow. Haeri shifts around bed, restless, and finally gets up at 8:50. After slowly putting on her clothes, she heads downstairs and sits at the kitchen table. 8:55. The front door opens as Haeri's father leaves the house to get the mail. Haeri fidgets with her fingers more.

At 9:00, Haeri imagines the stack of college exam results being dropped into mailboxes, one by one. Plunk. One student's day made. Plunk. Another's ruined. Plunk. Countless futures determined at that instant.

Plunk. Her own letter.

At exactly 9:05 (she's been watching the clock with hawk eyes), the front door opens again and Haeri's father re-enters with the stack of mail in one arm. In the other hand, he holds out a single letter, which he hands to Haeri with a smile. Haeri's mom comes down the stairs and pats Haeri on the back encouragingly. The Lee family is suspended in nervous anticipation as Haeri's trembling fingers rip open the seal messily. She takes out the folded letter and looks up at her parents, eyes scared.

"Mom? Dad? What if I don't..." she's unable to finish, but both her parents squeeze her shoulders.

"Haeri," her dad says, "nothing at all will change."

"We have never stopped being proud of you," her mother assures with smile. "And we never will. A number does not tell us who you are. You're more than just the college you go to."

"Okay," she breathes shakily. Without any more wait, she opens the letter swiftly and scans the fine black characters for the words she has been working towards since she started school.

Her breath catches; her parents look at each other with knowing smiles. There's a moment of silence, and then-

"Seoul National University!" Haeri screams. "I made it! I made it!"

"I really made it..." Haeri says it a couple more times under her breath as she re-reads the type about five hundred more times to make sure it's for real.

"What have we always told you?" her parents laugh, all the tension gone.

"That I would be fine," Haeri chokes back, exuberant. Tears of joy stream down her face: most definitely not an overreaction. She has worked away her life, both day and night, for this. There's another piece of mail addressed to her, from the school, and she opens it curiously, unsure what it's for. Her breath catches once again.

"Valedictorian..." she whispers. "I can't believe it. I thought for sure that somebody smarter would have gotten it but... I have to give a speech and stand in front of everyone and- but I'm so happy! I'm valedictorian!"

Her parents smile.

Haeri falls back in her chair with a happy little sigh. "It's like everything is suddenly okay again." She turns around suddenly. "Mom, Dad. I never seem to say this as much as you guys deserve to hear it... but thank you for everything."

"You are so welcome," her dad answers for the both of them as he ruffles her hair. "We'll go out tonight to celebrate this for sure. Your favorite barbecue place, how does that sound?"

Haeri takes a deep breath. As she releases it, she imagines her fear of food, of gaining weight, of calories, she imagines it all floating away, never to return. She smiles widely.

"That sounds great."

She spends most of the rest of the bright day relaxing, smiling spontaneously to herself, and simply being happy. It's such a strange, wonderful feeling, and Haeri hopes it'll come easier to her now. She's taken life for granted far too much this year and would like to aim to remember that her family and life are both blessings folded into every moment and every day.

Her social medial sites are filled with exam results; mostly good, though some unenviable. Lina texts her, simply 'Baewha Women's University :)'. Haeri smiles down at the screen. This is Lina's dream college. Although Haeri tells only a couple close friends in private of her own results, the news soon spreads, and in a short time it seems everybody knows that Lee Haeri made it into Seoul National University. In any case, Haeri doesn't mind.

As the sky darkens and the porch lights begin to flicker on, event two of the day is set into motion. Unknown to Haeri, a familiar red car is making its way towards her house at this very moment. It's 7:55 as Haeri changes into a comfortable dress and dabs some makeup on in anticipation for the dinner tonight. Her parents are already waiting downstairs. As Haeri makes for the door, her dad checks his watch and calls to her.

"Wait! I forgot my phone. Could you go get it for me, please? It's upstairs."

Oblivious, Haeri hums in response and turns back around, heading up the stairs. Haeri's father and mother look at each other conspiratorially as soon as Haeri's out of sight. "That's Haeri, always early and ready to go. Good thing I really did forget my phone upstairs, or this could have messed up big time. That boy better be here, ready to go," his father murmurs under his breath to his wife. "If he's still not here, he's going to miss it."

"Have faith," she whispers back. "He's not going to miss it. Would you have been late if I was in Haeri's position and you in the boy's?"

"Good point," he chuckles. They both stop talking as Haeri bounces back down the stairs with the phone. Meanwhile, the red car pulls up outside, and a figure, hidden in the dark, comes out of the car with a big, mysterious item in his arms. Said figure closes the door as quietly as he can and moves into position.

"Here, Dad!"

"Thanks, Haeri." He checks his watch again. "Oh! It's already eight o'clock. We'd better go!" Stressing the time in a louder voice, he sneaks a furtive glance at the door and gestures at Haeri. "Ladies first!"

Still oblivious, she skips down the hallway. Everyone except for Haeri on both sides of the door holds their breath as she puts her hand on the knob.

Then she throws open the door.

Sehun stands on the other side, smiling like he's never going to stop. His eyes, bright and gentle. And in his arms, a huge poster that says, in big clear words:

I MAY LOVE LOOKING AT THE STARS IN THE SKY, BUT I DON'T NEED TO WHEN I KNOW THE BRIGHTEST STAR OF ALL IS RIGHT HERE ON EARTH WITH ME.

There's a picture of her underneath that, caught mid-laugh. Haeri remembers that golden, carefree day.

She's stunned, so utterly shocked that she can't even seem to turn around so she can ask her parents if they were a part of this. Sehun looks at her with that intense gaze Haeri has missed so much and asks,

"Haeri, will you go to prom with me?"

She wants to scream. Jump with joy. Ask him to repeat his words. But she does none of those things. Instead, from the uncountable number of different things she wants to say, she picks the simplest.

"Yes," she sobs, rushing forward.

His warm, familiar embrace envelops her. Behind her, she hears the click and sees the flash of the camera. A strange feeling rises through her chest and makes tight.

She and Sehun together, right now: that's everything.

This is all she needs.