"when we first met, i had no idea you would be so important to me." × "love at first sight is possible, but it pays to take a second look."

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There really is no unique way to talk about the first day of school other than the dramatic staring out of one’s bus window while they listened to the saddest piano tune flowing through their earbuds, bidding goodbye to the sunshine of summer. Bae Jinyoung’s first day of high school was no exception.

Wake up at 5:30AM, wash up, change into uniform, eat breakfast, step out of the house by 6AM, board the bus at 6:10AM – Jinyoung’s morning was everything but extraordinary. No tripping into puddles so that his uniform was soaked, no forgetting his lunch at school, no oversleeping. With a sigh, Jinyoung laid his forehead against the bus window, wondering if the next four years of his high school life would be as uneventful. Even the girl who was frantically slapping the side of the bus, yelling directly at his window seemed to be having a more exciting morning than he was.

Wait.

Straightening up in his seat, he realized that the girl outside was trying to get his attention. His window was closed so he wasn’t exactly sure what she was saying, but with the way she was hurriedly hitting the bus he figured she was trying to get on. Without a second thought, he reached up and pulled the overhead cord signaling the driver to stop. The driver did. Upon hearing the creaking of the bus doors, Jinyoung settled back down into his seat and resumed his dramatic staring. There was plenty of space on the early morning bus since there were only two people there (not counting the river): him and another student diligently reading a Level 1 Korean textbook, so it was quite the surprise when the new rider approached him.

“Hi, is this seat taken?” she asked, gesturing to the seat beside him where his backpack sat. He could barely hear her say over the music he was listening to.

Thinking he didn’t hear what she said, she repeated her question, this time a little louder. Even Level 1 Korean looked up from his book. Jinyoung blinked a few times, glanced around at all the empty seats, then back at her. Without a word, he sighed and moved his backpack to the floor, kicking it under his seat so it wouldn’t take up space. She smiled brightly at him and squealed out an excited “thanks” as she slid into the seat next to him. Again, Jinyoung averted his eyes to the buildings outside.

But she wasn’t done. “Hi, I’m Hwang Sooji. Thanks for stopping the bus for me, by the way. I forgot to pack my bag last night and forgot where I put one of my textbooks so by the time I got out of my house the bus was already pulling out of the stop. Great way to start the first day of high school, am I right? Oh wait, you’re wearing the same uniform jacket… are you by any chance going to Lila too? What’s your name?”

Jinyoung hadn’t even realized she was talking to him until she tapped on h