When the School of Fine Arts announced that they were hosting a welcome party of sorts for the new freshmen, everyone was ecstatic.

“We get to socialize and eat good food!” People had tittered in excitement at the idea.

After all, attending university in the big city away from your family marked the beginning of independence, making memories, and brand new experiences. No wonder everyone was excited to go out there and attend the welcome party.

Except for you.

Parties weren’t really your thing; you didn’t like the deafening noise and being in a cramped space with so much people in an extended period of time. Yet here you are, stepping out of your comfort zone at the faculty’s exhibition hall where the welcome party was being hosted. Despite not being fond of parties, you were here for a reason: to find your soulmate.

The day before was orientation for the freshmen in the faculty and you had met countless people throughout the entire day. It didn’t occur to you until you got back to your dorm that your soulmate timer had stopped during the day and you didn’t know who it was amongst the sea of fine arts students you had met. You almost wanted to give up until you remembered the welcome party: there were high chances that your soulmate was also a freshman like you and that your soulmate was going to attend the welcome party.

But an hour in and you were already tuckered out from continuously interacting with people in the room. With a can of pop in your hand, you manage to sneak out the back door of the room and breathe in the late afternoon air as you step out into the sculpture garden that was adjacent to the building. There’s some people out in the area too, escaping the stuffy hall and enjoying the refreshing air. You sit down on a bench with your soda, letting your shoulders finally collapse.

“Ah…” you sigh. “Maybe this plan isn’t working at all.”

You take a sip of your drink, observing the surroundings dotted with sculptures created by alumnus from the program and watching people go for a stroll in the vicinity. However, you look up when you notice someone approaching the bench with a can of cola in their hand.

“Oh!” The boy says, eyes widening slightly when he notices you. “Hello.”

You blink upon recognizing his face: the boy was also part of your orientation group from the day before. The two of you had sat beside each other during the introductory presentation. Despite only exchanging a few words during that time, you remember him because of his striking features and because he kept doodling on the handout that was distributed.

“Hi,” you respond back, scooting over to the right a little bit to make space for him on the bench. “Did you want to sit…?”

“Ah, would that be okay?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

The boy sits on the left side of the bench, running a hand through his dark hair before opening his canned drink. “Oh…um…I’m Choi Hansol by the way,” he starts shyly. “We were in the same group yesterday.”

“I remember you,” you say with a smile. “I’m Kim Haeyoung.”

There’s a moment of silence before Hansol speaks up again. “So…what are you majoring in?”

“Photography! How about you?”

“Oh, that’s cool! Mine’s drawing, actually.”

“Whoa! That means you’re good at drawing then?”

Hansol ponders for a moment. “I guess! I’m a bit…of a postmodern artist,” he adds with a light humorous tone and you smile in amusement.

“What does that mean?”

“Uh…it means my work’s unique…you know...” He gives a wave of his hand. “It’s hard to put into words.”

You smile in amusement. “Ah, is that so?”

There’s a brief pause again as you both take sips of your canned drinks. “Um...” Hansol starts again. “So I’m guessing you’re not really a big party person either?”

You shake your head. “Not really…I mean, I’m just okay with them but sometimes it just gets a bit too much, you know?”

He nods in understanding. “Yeah, I get it. I don’t mind parties and stuff since my hyungs always go out and try to take me with them but sometimes I’m just done.”

You make a noise of agreement. “Ah…I know what you mean…”

—

The sky is darkening when Hansol gets up from the bench to retrieve water bottles for the two of you from where the welcome party was still in full swing, leaving you to wait for him. Despite the initial awkwardness, it was easy to talk to Hansol. The two of you bonded over being first years in fine arts together and being in the same classes for art history and visual language. You couldn’t help but feel relieved that you made a new friend in the same program – even though your initial intention at the party was to find your soulmate.

It didn’t end in a failure, you think. At least I made a study buddy!

Hansol returns in a few minutes with two unopened water bottles, one of which he hands to you. You murmur thanks to him before twisting open the cap so you could take a drink from it. He clears his throat, making you turn your head in his direction.

“Oh yeah, someone met their soulmate in the hall just now,” Hansol says casually. “You missed it. They stopped the party for a moment and stuff.”

“Really?” You ask. “Huh. They’re really lucky to have been so close to each other.”

“Yeah…” He nods, voice trailing off.

“Hm?” You give him a curious look. Despite how it was starting to get dark, you notice that his ears are turning red and he’s not quite looking at you. You blink a few times until it starts to sink in.

“Wait…” You start. “Hansol…”

“I don’t know if you noticed yesterday, but…” he starts as he lightly kicks at a pebble on the ground before raising his gaze to meet yours. “My timer stopped after we met.”

You stare at him, eyes widening in surprise. Your thoughts are a jumbled mess in shock and you try to form a coherent sentence to respond to him.

“Oh my god,” you gasp. “I was right.”

He blinks. “Huh?”

“I was right that I was going to find my soulmate at this party.”

Hansol’s silent for a moment and then a bright smile breaks across his face. “You too? I showed up because I had a feeling you were going to be here.”

“Seriously?!”

“Yeah! I thought that since you were in the program too that you were going to show up to the party.”

“Oh my god. Me too!”

You and Hansol exchange laughs, which fade into shy smiles. He breaks the eye contact as he looks up at the darkening sky and the visible moon and you look up as well, admiring the gradient of colors. A light, refreshing breeze sweeps by and he turns to you.

“Are you cold? Did you want to go back inside?”

You shake you head, smiling at him. “No. I don’t mind staying out here a little longer.”

“Then…” Hansol rubs the back of his neck shyly. “Me too.”

You adjust your seat a little more to your left, a bit closer to Hansol and he does the same, a bit closer to you. Smiles adorn your faces as the two of you look up at the darkening sky and the emerging twinkling stars, hearts fluttering for the future ahead.