They first met during their university entrance ceremony.

Sua was very aware of the boy’s presence, especially since he became one of the representatives of the new batch of students that year, even though she wasn’t very familiar with his group’s name. That day, she began to remember it. UP10TION. That was the name. And the boy, she also remembered him, but as Seon Yein instead of his stage name. It wasn’t like she remembered it in the first place. But the name Seon Yein, she couldn’t forget, simply because it was too pretty of a name for a boy.

To match with the name, she thought the boy was indeed pretty as well and also delicate-looking, as if she might just break him in pieces if she dared touching him. But when she saw them performing their debut song, she saw him transform before her eyes. It wasn’t perfect considering how his overall image seemed to clash with the mood of the song, but he executed the dance perfectly. His high notes, too, made her shiver in amazement. She didn’t even realize that she already stopped taking pictures when his show of talent just exploded right there. And soon enough, her eyes started trailing his every move; Yein moving to the back row to dance his part until the ending, and all of his cute little gestures when the whole group members were being interviewed by the MCs where he did most of the talking because he was one of the new students after all, but also because one of his bandmates (also a new student) lost his voice.

(“So, Seon Yewon-sshi?”

“It’s Yein,” Sua corrected the MC in a slightly irritated whisper.

“Yes, I’m Seon Yein,” he spoke as he smiled, looking slightly flustered.)

At home, Sua couldn’t help herself but scroll through the pictures she took, and soon regretted how she didn’t even have a solo shot of Yein in her phone.

The next Monday was her first day of college, and she knew very well how the schedule would go down that day: the seniors would give a tour around the campus first and foremost. She already had her ID card in her bag, prepared to put it once the seniors told her to do so.

She finally found the crowd of new students gathering in a big lobby in one of the buildings the seniors instructed them to meet.

Right there, she saw him again, huddled with his bandmate while looking over a piece of paper, both having their ID cards around their neck like a long necklace.

She was stunned there, but not for long as a senior patted her on her shoulder.

“Are you one of the new students?” he asked.

“Uh, yes,” she hurriedly answered.

“Where’s your ID card? We will start the tour right away.”

“Oh, it’s in my bag. I’ll put it on immediately.”

She started searching for her ID card in her bag while the senior walked around to look after other new students. Once she put her ID card on, one of the seniors, whom she knew as the chairperson for the orientation committee, spoke up.

“Now all of you will have to separate into your specific majors. Those in the theatre and acting major, you go with Seungcheol-sunbae, those in K-pop major, go with Mihyun-sunbae, and those in performance arts, go with me, okay?”

“Yes,” answered some of the students. Sua looked over Yein, who seemed to talk for a bit with his bandmate before they finally walked their own ways to their respective major. Sua then followed him to the female senior assigned to tour them around, and stopped right behind him.

In that moment, Sua felt nervousness in her stomach. But why? She couldn’t understand this feeling as she kept staring at Yein’s back. His shoulders were definitely that of a man, and she suddenly felt how manly he actually was as long as he stayed like this.

“Okay guys, I’m Kim Mihyun, and I’m in my third year already! Nice to meet you anyways, and by the way, we’ll start our tour right away! Let’s move to the fourth floor!”

All of the new students started moving to the stairs following the senior’s lead. Everyone was walking slowly, but Sua was especially slow. She did it on purpose, for sure. She needed to keep a distance between her and Yein, while making sure that she wouldn’t stay too far, because honestly, she liked it this way. He covered her short height and she somehow admired his back view. Maybe a little too much, because at this moment, she couldn’t stop smiling to herself and ended up tripping while climbing the stairs, calling everyone’s attention to her.

It was a surprise to her that she tripped on the stairs, considering how she trained to be graceful all this time through dancing.

“Are you okay?”

The voice asking that question though, was a bigger surprise to her, making her freeze on her spot right away. The voice was too unique, too distinctive, too easy to recognize, too hard to ignore.

“Let me help you.”

And the next thing she knew, rough hands came in contact with her smooth skin of her arms, pulling her and commanding her feet to stand up properly.

She finally dared to do eye contact with him.

Damn it, he was really pretty. And he looked so cute when he looked at her in recognition.

“Oh? I think I’ve seen you before.”

Sua froze again in her spot, yet very aware that his hands were still holding her arms.

“Anyway, are you hurt anywhere? Can you keep on walking?”

She felt something lodged in , unable to speak or answer any of his questions. He ended up looking at her legs to see if there were any injuries, and from his expressions, she could tell there was none. The pain from tripping there also had fade away a few seconds ago, and what was left was the churning feeling in her stomach.

“Are you really okay? If you’re injured anywhere, let’s talk to the senior.”

“I—I—”

Finally Sua found her voice, although she was literally stuttering. She felt even more embarrassed, because wouldn’t this be too obvious then? But she still tried to maintain a poker face, as she silently took a deep breath to utter her next words.

“I—I’m fine. Just a bit shocked, but I’m fine.”

Yein, on the other hand, let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness. Let’s go on then?”

Yein finally let go of her arms (he held her arms for a few good minutes, she just realized) and started walking again. Sua also let out a sigh that she didn’t know she had been holding for so long. She continued walking behind him, following the trail of students who walked ahead of them, when suddenly Yein stopped in his tracks, making Sua stop as well.

She felt like getting a second attack when he turned around to look at her in deep realization.

“You must be Yoo Sua, right? One of the trainees in Produce 101?”

Sua was holding her breath again, because she didn’t expect this at all. Barely anyone could recognize her on the street, but a celebrity actually recognized her. She was dumbstruck, but also struggling to answer him right away, since he was, after all, a senior whom she would face in the industry in near future.

“Uh, yes, you’re right,” she answered in the most humble voice as possible.

“Oh! I like seeing your dance! You dance so well, I hope you’ll get to top 11!”

Something in Sua just bloomed and let out such a fragrance that made her feel like on a cloud nine. She quickly snapped out of it though and bowed ninety degrees to express her utmost gratitude.

“Thank you, sunbaenim.”

“Oh, don’t call me that! We are both new students after all!”

“Ah, I mean—you debuted first, so...”

“Ah, but we are in campus and we will be sharing the same classes, so...”

There was silence ensuing for a moment. Sua was trying to guess what Yein seemed to want to say, looking at his gestures.

“Should we be friends then?”

Her words surprised even herself, but looking at Yein’s reaction made her even more surprised. He smiled at her. He freaking smiled at her, a genuine smile, because his eyes crinkled into such a wonderful pair of eye smile, his prominent bunny teeth screaming the word cute at her. She wished she could stop this moment and admire his smile as much as she wanted.

“Yes, of course!” he answered energetically, looking very fond on the idea of being friends with her. She unknowingly smiled as well. When she realized it, she bit her lip, trying to hold down her smile, but to no avail.

“Oh, where is everyone?” Yein started looking around to see only the two of them were left there, and Sua also did the same.

“Maybe that way?” she pointed to a direction.

“Okay, let’s go!”

Yein started walking to the way she pointed, and again, Sua followed him from behind.

And once again, he turned around, making her stop in her tracks.

“Uh... let’s walk together.”

That made her froze for the third time that day.

“I mean, we might get separated and lost in this big building, so... don’t follow me from behind. Walk beside me, will you?”

Sua tried to recover again, unable to find it in her to say no.

“Okay.” She walked to the spot next to him shyly.

“Good. That’s better. Let’s go again?”

Yein let out a somewhat awkward chuckle, but Sua found it so cute that she needed to bite her lip again to hold her smile.

“Sure.”

The next moment, Yein smiled in genuine relief, and Sua felt butterflies in her stomach, as they started matching their steps side by side.