Damn I only have 10 minutes left. I really wanted to go to the cafeteria to get the kimchi gimbap that was the special of the day. But as I looked at my watch I realized there was not enough time for me to get my wallet in my locker and then walk back to the cafeteria. It really that my locker was located on the other side of the building. I had tried so many times to get one closer to the cafeteria but no one was naive enough to want to trade with me.

Luckily the classroom I had been in wasn’t that far away from my locker so I could walk there quickly and try to find one of the vending machines located on the floor I was on. As I walked I kept looking around me hoping I spotted one on the way. I knew there should be one close to the lockers but since I had never used the vending machines on the first floor before I didn’t know exactly where it was.

Just before I reached the hallway that had my locker I finally spotted one and was pleasantly surprised that this one still had one of the chicken sandwiches left. Asa! There’s nobody here so that one is mine! I just had to hurry and get my wallet before someone else came and took it.

Not taking any chances I quickly turned the corner and all but ran to my locker. After fumbling a bit with the lock I opened it and immediately took out my wallet, closed it and ran back the way I came. I held on to the wall as I turned the corner to prevent myself from losing my balance. However, I had forgotten that the vending machine was right around the corner. I tried avoiding it but it didn’t take long until I felt the impact of the collision. Though I expected to crash into the metal of the machine, I was surprised when I bumped into a person instead.

As soon as I realized what was happening I grabbed the girl’s shoulders to keep us both from falling. Though our collision wasn’t big enough to drop us to the ground, it was big enough to make me lose my balance towards her. Luckily, the girl had her back turned to the wall when she hit it and I managed to break my fall by placing my hands on either side of her.

“Otteokhae, I’m.. ah I’m so.. sorry. Are you.. ok?” I stuttered. Though I didn’t know if it was because of the running or the fact that I almost crushed the girl to the wall. I closed my eyes and tried to get my breathing under control.

“Ah, I’m fine.” Her reply was nothing more than a whisper. If it wasn’t for the fact that I could feel her breath on my face I probably wouldn’t have noticed she had even said anything.

“I’m sorry, what did you-” My words got stuck in my throat as I opened my eyes and realized how close our faces were together. Even though she was taller than me the first thing I saw were her familiar soulful eyes staring back at me. I‘d recognize them anywhere. I’d recognize her anywhere.

Though I’d seen her many times in passing on campus (I might have followed her around on some occasions), This was the first time I was actually seeing her up close. Words like pretty and cute, which were often used to describe her, didn’t do justice to her beauty.

All this time that I had wasted watching her from afar seemed foolish now. Even though I’d never felt confident enough to talk to her, I wish I’d at least tried. Even being ignored or rejected would have been worth it to see the way her wavy hair framed her face perfectly. To see the way her cheeks were slightly red even though it seemed like she was wearing no make-up. To see the small birthmark on her nose that was begging to be touched. To look into her big doe eyes that seemed to hold me captive. It would have been worth it to see all of this from up close instead of from the shadows.

I had never been formally introduced to her but I knew of her. Son Naeun. Resident Queen of the visual arts faculty, if not of the whole university. Most people saw her as aloof and cold despite being pretty but to me she was more than that.

It had been hard for me to fit in when I first enrolled into Seoul university of Creative Arts. Although the elite university had a very diverse curriculum, not many students were accepted, so the student body was pretty small. Due to my late admission and mysterious background many rumors had started, making me an outcast before I even had my first day. I had always had an outgoing personality and I wasn’t a person who would let others belittle me. I also tended not to give an f about what others thought of me. However, I’d had a rough couple of years so I was too broken, too exhausted to fight back. I also didn’t really want to explain to people who I was. So in the end I embraced the role of the outcast and spent most of my time alone.

I had never really paid much attention to her before that day a couple of months ago. The day she changed my life.

She was part of the committee who handled the midterm showcase that every faculty had to participate in. I was chosen as representative for the music department by the teachers but most students were against it. Without even knowing me she stood up for me. I still remembered that moment as if it was yesterday.

********************** Flashback **********************

I had been waiting backstage in the school theater until they would announce the representatives per departments. I could have waited in the stands with the rest of the students but I knew people were going to feel uncomfortable around me so I’d rather save myself the trouble and just appear when I needed to and leave as soon as possible.

“Okay next is Jeong Eunji.” I quickly put away the homework I was reviewing so I could make my way to the stage. However, a voice I had come to know all too well made me stop in my tracks. Park Jinhee.

“I don’t think she should be representative, honestly.” Her high pitched nasally voice sounded more annoying today than ever before. I really couldn’t stand this girl.

“I mean she’s been here for like what, a month. Also no one has actually ever heard her sing or play any instruments. I’m sure she’s been up to the teachers to make them pick her but we as the students should also have a say on who will be our representative, right guys?” I knew a lot of the students agreed with her but the loud calls of support still surprised me. It seemed I had underestimated her popularity.

I was still standing in the dressing room backstage but curiosity made me walk to the front so I could see what was going on. The first 4 rows of the university theater were filled with students from several departments. Most of them were clapping or nodding at Jinhee’s words.

I stayed in the shadows so I wasn’t visible but close enough so I could see the stage. In the middle stood a table and 8 chairs which were occupied by the faculties’ representatives. They all were sitting towards the front but I still recognized Jinhee immediately. She was wearing another one of her endless line of girly dresses. Black and white with grey flowers this time. However, what gave her away was her died strawberry blond hair tied up in a braided bun.

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