There had always been two different types of students who take the art subjects offered at Seoul Multi Art School: 1) kids who genuinely loved art, and 2) kids who were trainees or aspired to be one.

Kim Jiwoo was the first type while Ha Sooyoung, the second.

Sooyoung was a senior, she was one of those girls that everybody seemed to know. She had everything it took to be known. She was a model and, prior to that, an actress trainee under a large company. Even so, Sooyoung never really had many friends. She was an acquaintance of almost everybody, but never got close enough to anyone to consider them friends. She also had her fair share of enemies, as many people envied her chances of debuting and wished failure upon her.

When Jiwoo walked into the school's theater as the only freshman to participate in the first play of the year, she expected her seniors to prank her. But, under the discipline of the student council president, Cho Haseul, they welcomed her agreeably. There was this drop-dead gorgeous senior that caught Jiwoo’s attention. She seemed cold, like a princess of a powerful kingdom, but also quiet, like she kept the secrets of the entire Korean population.

The freshman approached her senior with a bow and a cheerful, "Unnie!" Chuu made small talk, rambling about her role in the play and how nervous she was. Sooyoung was sweet. She replied to the younger girl attentively, but she didn't try to extent the conversation. Jiwoo felt very attracted to her, to her kindness and her quietness, to her beauty and how she helped everybody that got a role in the play, pointing out their mistakes without looking rude. She loved her determination in making this show as if it was her own debut.

Jiwoo was a bright kid, the entire school could tell. She was loud and charming. It took her three weeks to befriend all the freshmen classes and she was starting to get popular amongst the seniors. It was at that time that her classmate and then close friend, Jungeun, introduced Jiwoo to her childhood best friend, Jinsol, who also introduced her to Haseul. The eldest girl thought Jiwoo would make a great addition to the play, since Jinsol had given up on acting that year. She became the seniors' little sister after joining them at the theater. The object of her affections, however, refused to accept her as so and maybe that was exactly what Jiwoo wanted.

It was taking her some time to crack Sooyoung's shell open.

She would approach the quiet senior anytime she could, asking her for acting tips and things she pretended not to understand from her classes (she actually didn't understand but was in denial). Jiwoo tried to contain herself, she really did, but her eyes couldn't stop going back to Sooyoung. She also tried to act nonchalantly, but Sooyoung's only existence made her entire being flutter with nervousness and giddiness.

---

As the show ended, the cast and staff walked over to the stage to perform their farewell bow to the public. Jiwoo didn't realise Sooyoung took the place beside her until she felt a hand sliding past her own, squeezing softly. The younger girl turned around, blushing, heartbeat going crazy.

"You are such a good actress, unnie! I'm sure you'll be successful," she said, trying hard not to trip over her words.

"Thanks, you aren't bad yourself," the senior replied, smiling down at the cute girl.

Jiwoo beamed at her, knowing well that Sooyoung's shell had cracked a little.

---

Jiwoo couldn't help but to feel a little down. The theater project was the only way she could spend time with Sooyoung without being too obvious (she already was, anyway). She almost forgot she was a social butterfly. She could easily claim a spot at Sooyoung's table at the cafeteria with the help of Jungeun. So, that's exactly what she did.

"What a weird sight," Jinsol said, faking surprise from her seat as she watched the two freshmen bow.

"Well, you better get used to it," her childhood friend replied, trying to ignore the teasing.

Jinsol had asked Jungeun to spend the break with her, but the freshman rejected her, stating that she wanted to make some friends that were the same age. So, when she saw Jungeun sitting beside her with an annoyed expression, she elbowed Haseul, trying to get her to look at the freshman girl, both not caring to hide the laugh that erupted.

Jiwoo sat in front of them, unfortunately, one chair away from Sooyoung. The place in between them was occupied by Park Chaeyoung, a cute and easy-going senior. The younger girl clicked easily with the Australian-Korean trainee that aspired to debut as a singer. Jiwoo admired her passion for music that was pushing her to make big sacrifices. Not like her coward self.

Sooyoung wasn't as quiet this time. It was a new side of her for Jiwoo to discover, but she loved the little she got to see. From the way her lips curved upward, her pear-like teeth showing, to her enthusiastic eyes closing in laughter. Jiwoo loved it all. The quiet and the noise.

"Jiwoo-ah, I knew you would make a good actress," Haseul praised her, smiling like a proud mother. "Not like this dummy here," she pointed to her left side.

"Yah!" Jinsol yelled angrily. "Well, you're right. At least I dropped it," she shrugged and brought the chopsticks full of noodles to , earning the laughter of the girls.

"Thank you! But you all did so much better, specially Sooyoung unnie," Jiwoo said once the laughter subsided, shyly directing the last words to the princess-like senior.

"Of course she did! She’s a trainee," Jinsol scoffed.

"Jealousy is a disease, as you can see," Sooyoung flipped her hair flagrantly. "But thank you, Jiwoo-ah."

Jungeun cracked up as the other girls sniggered. She wondered why she hadn't spent her breaks with Jinsol's friends before.

---

One day, Jiwoo arrived at the cafeteria and, to her surprise, found that Sooyoung and Chaeyoung switched seats. She couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day.

---

Suddenly, Jiwoo starts walking her senior to class.

Sooyoung was always accompanied by one or two friends. It was usually Chaeyoung and Haseul, who were more than happy to have Jiwoo with them. Sometimes, it was Yoohyeon, a tall (more like a tower, the short girl thought) goofy senior. Later, it was only Chaeyoung and Jiwoo. Until the older girl started hanging with a transfer student from Thailand or whatever, the freshman girl didn't pay much attention as Chaeyoung talked about her new friend.

“She’s new and she doesn't know Korean.  I don't want to leave her alone,” she said.

“That’s fine. You can bring her during the break so we can all meet her!” Sooyoung smiled.

Jiwoo was too busy staring down  Sooyoung’s hand, which, out of nowhere, found her own. Her heart started to hammer against her chest as her head filled with thoughts. Why is Sooyoung unnie doing this now? It’s so unfair and embarrassing. I probably look like the biggest  .

“...Jiwoo?” Chaeyoung gave her a look.

“Yes?” she said, not bothering to look up.

“Look, don’t worry, Chaeyoung,” Sooyoung said. “We’re late, so, see you later?” She turned around, holding Jiwoo’s hand tightly, and rushed down the hallway.

Sooyoung stopped in front of the freshmen’s class. She looked at the younger girl and giggled, covering with her pretty, slim hand.

“W-What?”

“Nothing, get in class cutie.”

---

“Are you ok?” Her classmate, Yeonjung, asked. “Your face is red. I think I should take you to the infirmary.”

“No! I mean, I’m ok. It’s bit hot in here, that’s all."

It was the first time after the play that Sooyoung initiated skinship and the younger girl was delighted. She was usually the one that trailed light touches on her skin and searched for her hand, probably seeming a little clingy. Well, not a little. Way too clingy. Therefore, this short-lasting but pure gesture had her heart bursting with joy.

---

Jiwoo liked this new stage between them, but there was something that made her nervous everytime Sooyoung touched her. Her heart would skip a beat, or two, or three. She would become so excited and nervous that she would start to fidget like she was standing in front of a million people. This was wrong, she thought. Nobody must ever find about this. She was falling in love with the pretty girl that was debuting as an actress and was afraid of exposing herself to the extremely conservative society. She wasn't even sure if the elder girl felt the same way. However, she hoped everytime Sooyoung looked at her like she was special, when she touched her like she never touched anyone, when Jiwoo flirted with her between the lines of friendship and something more and Sooyoung didn't freak out, that maybe she felt the same way.

But this was Korea. Girls could be all over each other and nobody would bat an eye.

---

Sooyoung starts missing classes in order to film her very promising debut drama. This was the moment she had been waiting for since she was six years old and addicted to the dramas her mom would watch on TV. Jiwoo, on the other hand, could hardly concentrate on her late night studies at the library when she received a text. She almost dropped her phone because she definitely did not give Sooyoung her number. Strangely, as it is, she never asked for it.

[Unknown]: I know you miss me :p the filming is going well btw

It took her less than a minute to reply, excitement building in her chest as she dropped the pen to type on her phone. Screw studying. 

[Jiwoo]: i don't remember saying that! and how did you even get my phone number?

Jiwoo put the eldest girl’s name into her contact list and tried to resume her homework, ‘tried’ being the keyword. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she anticipated a reply, oblivious to the stares her friends were giving her. A long twenty minutes had her waiting badly.

[Sooyoung♡unnie]: No words are needed ;) maybe you should check your friends’ loyalty?

[Jiwoo]: I guess you're right ><
I see, it was Jungeun then...
How long is the filming going to take??

A couple of minutes later her phone rang and she excused herself out of the library,completely giving up on being productive that night.

---

The actress used her free time between shoots to text and call the student that eagerly awaited. It was starting to make Jiwoo worried. Sooyoung was supposed to sleep in her free time but she always dismissed it saying that she made sure to rest enough. The younger girl had never felt so pampered by her before. It was almost as if they were together, but not really. Jiwoo was almost sure Sooyoung felt it, too, but she couldn't help doubting. She knew, though, that she was the only one to be treated like this by the eldest girl.

That night she was having her studying session among her freshmen friends at the library, until she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and her heartbeat immediately quickened. Her eyes widened and opened in a big heart-shaped smile, causing the standing girl to smile back through her black, surgical face mask. All the students at the table bowed to the senior from their seats when they noticed her presence.

Sooyoung asked her if she could collect her things and follow her, to which Jiwoo agreed right away, clumsily packing her books and pens and bowing goodbye to her friends.

"Is the filming over?" The younger girl asked as they settled side by side in an intimate, secluded corner in the library. Sooyoung moved the mask face down from , revealing a pair of plump, reddish lips.

"Almost. We have a few scenes left, but there were some problems with the cameras, so they allowed the cast to have some free time," she answered, taking Jiwoo's hand in hers.

The shorter girl beamed at her and started fidgeting like she usually would. There was something at the tip of her tongue she so desperately wanted to ask, but wasn't answering to her brain.

"Are you watching it? Do you like it?" Jiwoo thought this was the first time Sooyoung looked nervous.

"Of course! And yes," she replied, holding back her loud and happy voice.

The actress relaxed at her response and squeezed Jiwoo's hand gently. The latter tensed at her thoughts.

She wasn't technically lying, she did like the drama, mainly because Sooyoung was in it. However, she disliked the fact that she had to watch her crush developing feelings for some boy. She was so not going to watch the kiss scene that was obviously going to happen in a couple of episodes.

"To be honest, I don't like the male lead role. He's so conceited in real life," Sooyoung shared, “and you know, it's just acting."

She didn’t say that for no reason. Jiwoo panicked. She must have seen through her insecurities. It was moments like these that made her wonder what exactly she was to Sooyoung. Her 'cute little sister' didn't seem to figure as an option.

---

The rookie finished her first drama successfully. She made it to school more often amidst her tight schedule of promoting events. The viewing ratio was doing better than she expected and it continued to increase progressively. Some students congratulated her as she walked through the hallways while a few others whispered gossip about her.

She usually skipped late night study sessions at the library, something all Korean students had to do if they wanted to get into a prestigious university. As a trainee, she had to attend practice at her company. Lately, though, the homework and study sheets were stacking up and she could not allow herself to fail, or not be in the top three.

She started kidnapping Jiwoo-well, technically, a kidnapping isn't consented-to the same corner at the library they visited some time ago. The younger girl may have been way too happy, because they were supposed to spend their time studying. She started worrying she could delay her senior’s studies, as she had much more advanced classes. If Sooyoung had any questions, the freshman wouldn't be able to help.

Jiwoo wasn't the smartest girl on Earth, but she wasn't dumb, either. She picked art because she loved it and she was good at it. She liked finding beauty in every detail, she liked languages, she liked music (secretly making it and singing to it) and now acting, too. However, she still had to take maths. That was her weakness. Despite it all, she didn't press the issue too much, not wanting the senior to change her mind about studying with her.

Jiwoo got used to Sooyoung's touches-although her heart didn't-and used every excuse to get closer to the eldest girl. There was a time she sweared she could taste those pretty lips. She had scooted closer to Sooyoung, quietly showing her the equation she couldn't solve. Both girls had their heads lowered, almost bumping into each other. When the senior finished explaining, the two girls lifted their heads, dangerously close. Jiwoo could imagine the feeling, the texture and the flavour as she stared at Sooyoung's lips, the same lips that eventually formed a smirk. The actress returned to her own work and Jiwoo was left staring at the equation with an erratic heart and a blank mind.

---

Suddenly a guy whose name Jiwoo didn't care to memorise started showing up at their table. He was a sophomore, handsome and polite. To be fair, there was no reason to hate him, but that was the only feeling that she could have towards him. Apparently, he was a trainee under Sooyoung's company and they had practiced together before. After the actress' debut the boy started publicly showing interest in the senior, the kind of interest that Jiwoo had for her.

He would bow politely, come up with something to say to the actress, and stay for around ten minutes. Sooyoung had a passive reaction, she was always kind to everyone even if they had deep, dark intentions (Jiwoo couldn't help but admire that). Everything was fine until he crossed the line.

"Noona, can I ask you something?" He asked, lowering his voice.

"Yes," she answered.

"Only the two of us?" He requested, getting closer and lower.

"Oh," she said looking around. "They're my closest friends, don't worry."

The boy swallowed and coughed. His slightly trembling hands reached for Sooyoung's, who awkwardly sat frozen.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go on a date with me, this weekend?" He tried to say as quiet as possible for only her crush to hear.

Jungeun dropped the spoon, landing loudly. Jinsol coughed. Haseul reacted with a, "What?" and Chaeyoung covered with a hand. The awkward silence dragged on for another ten long seconds, ending when all of a sudden, Jiwoo stood up and left with a shaky, "I-I need to go to the bathroom."

Sooyoung rejected the boy politely. She told him she was not interested in dating- men, she thought-and she had no time for such things. The boy laughed it off and made a smug expression.

"I won't give up so easily, noona."

This wasn't the first time she received a confession and also not the first time a guy reacted like that after being rejected. The sophomore boy was bold to ask in front of other people, she had to give him some points for that. Anyway, their true colours always showed after feeling rejection. They’re all the same, she thought, and then Jiwoo crossed her mind. She excused herself to the bathroom and her friends nooded, going back to their previous conversation.

Jiwoo wasn't crying when Sooyoung found her. She would have probably been if the actress had arrived later. There were some girls inside, so the eldest girl dragged her out by the hand to a hidden spot in the school's yard.

"I rejected him," she stated firmly, trying to search for the other girl's eyes that stared at the floor.

"Why do you think that's the reason I left?" Jiwoo spitted, harshly lifting her head to look into the actress' eyes and breaking the hold on her hand.

Sooyoung was shocked. Her face turning to surprise as it was the first time she witnessed the cute girl's anger. It hurt her, Jiwoo did not deserve any of this. She wanted to protect her, to hug her-hell, she wanted to do many things, but she didn't want to be the reason for her anger ever again.

"I just know. I've always known," she responded with a silky voice, smoothly moving towards the girl in front of her.

She hugged the petite girl that felt smaller in the her embrace and cupped her face gently. Her crystal clear eyes seemed to hold back tears, provoking Sooyoung's heart to throb with pain.

"This is going to be hard," Sooyoung said before giving a soft, endearing laugh.

She moved a lock of Jiwoo’s hair behind her ear.

It wasn't the eldest girl that leaned in, but the younger girl that launched forward in a messy kiss. The kind of first kiss in which you think you know what you’re doing. Sooyoung giggled, breaking the kiss and making Jiwoo hop on her toes to reconnect their lips. The eldest girl gave in and kissed her slowly, as if she were teaching her. The inexperienced freshman tasted more what she imagined. Her heart wasn't ready for this, and it probably never would be.

---

They started spending more time together, meaning less time with their friends. It went from, "I left something in class. Sooyoung unnie, would you come with me?", "we're going to the bathroom," "we'll get some more food," to eventually not showing up at all some days. They still went to the cafeteria. The couple would never cut down their friendships because of a relationship. They loved their friends as much as they loved spending time with each other.

It became a routine. Jiwoo would bring a cat-printed cloth for both to sit on at their special, secret spot in the school’s greenhouse. Sooyoung would rush out of class as soon as the bell rang, looking for the shorter girl. Jiwoo would wait some hallways away from the greenhouse, tapping her feet to the rhythm of her latest favourite song, home-made lunch resting in her hands for both to eat.The senior wasted no time in looking for an intimate place, making use of her contacts to get spare keys.

Hand in hand, the sunlight beamed through the glass as they entered. Some flowers blossomed around them and Jiwoo wondered if they were made to enhance Sooyoung’s beauty. The latter wondered just how cute her girlfriend could be as she leaned to smell the pretty plants, inhaling deeply and scrunching her nose adorably. Then, she turned around, giving a diabetes-inducing smile to the eldest girl.

“Are you a gardener?” Sooyoung asked.

“What?”

“Because you love flowers so much you’re dating one,” she smirked.

“You…” Jiwoo said, pouting.

Sooyoung giggled and brought the smaller girl closer, giving her a peck on the cheek.

“You are cute,” she confessed against her lips.

---

"You're spending too much time with Sooyoung, don't you think?" Kim Yerim woke her up from her daydreaming in class.

"We're just close," she replied, trying to shrug it off, but failing miserably as she stuttered.

"That, everyone can see. But the problem is, some people are talking."

"And w-what can they possibly be talking about?"

"You know, she IS a senior and you ARE a freshman. Do you understand?" She explained quietly.

Jiwoo's lips formed an 'o' shape as she nodded. She did understand students could think her close friendship with Sooyoung may seem disrespectful, that she was wasting Sooyoung's time in such a crucial school year. Honestly, she felt so relieved that was what they were talking about.

"Her classmates are saying her grades are dropping."

That wasn't a good thing though.

---

Jiwoo wasn’t herself the following days and Sooyoung picked up on it fast. The younger girl wasn't extremely quiet or gloomy, she was fine (that’s what someone who didn't know her would think), but Sooyoung knew her. Sooyoung read her like an open book from the first day they met. She knew what the gazes Jiwoo was giving her meant, her constant asking for tips, her nervous fidgeting, her feather-like touches. Later, she knew more. From Jiwoo’s nervous laugh whenever they got too close, to her quietness whenever something was bothering her. At the beginning, the actress thought it was best for the freshman to forget about her. She had experienced how hard a homoual relationship in Korea was. Jiwoo was so bright, Sooyoung didn’t want any of that to twist her. The senior couldn’t hold herself long enough, though. Her own feeling started growing as she realised the younger girl’s determination to stay by her side.

There was no turning back.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Sooyoung asked as they finished lunch.

She was waiting patiently for Jiwoo to share the thought that was haunting her. She didn't want to push her, but it was taking too long. Seeing Jiwoo like this was becoming harder and harder.

"Uh, nothing. Why?" She replied quite fast, surprised at the sudden change of topic.

Sooyoung sighed and sat closer to Jiwoo. She took her small hands and caressed them tenderly with her thumbs.

"Jiwoo, I really want this to work. I like you a lot, really. But I need you to talk, to share your feelings with me. Communication isn’t the most important thing for no reason," she uttered softly, looking at her in the eyes with concern.

"Unnie-"

"And I told you to call me by my name when we’re alone.”

"Sooyoung unnie-"

"Yah!" She yelled, pretending to be mad, and immediately smiled when Jiwoo started giggling.

"Sooyoung," she paused as if waiting for a the other girl's approval to continue. "I've been told your grades are dropping."

"Wow, you sound like my mom now," she chuckled.

"You told me to speak but you're not letting me!" The younger girl pouted.

Sooyoung squealed internally. A desire to kiss the shorter girl spread inside her. She tilted her head to give Jiwoo a peck, erasing the pout on her lips.

"Ok, go on."

Jiwoo smiled and took a deep breath in order to let everything out as fast as she could and to end this topic so she could  properly kiss the pretty girl sitting in front of her.

"It's my fault you're doing worse at school because I keep on asking you things you already know and I can't help you. I take so much of your time. You barely see your friends now that you also debuted. There are some people talking about this and I know I shouldn't care about them but they're right. What if you can't get into a top university because of me? What if your parents scold you? I suggest we should start studying with our own classmates so I won't hold you back anymore."

"I'm not taking the CSAT," Sooyoung said plainly.

"What?"

"I said I'm not taking the CSAT because I want to concentrate on my acting career. And my grades may have dropped but I'm still in the top three of my class."

Everything that had troubled Jiwoo's mind seemed to disappear, causing her brain to be left empty. It hit her how much time she wasted being sad when there was no reason to be. There was nothing else in her head since it started, no nervous thoughts or fluttering feelings when she was around the object of her affections. She realised that the tiniest thing could damage the most beautiful relationship.

"I'm sorry," Jiwoo apologized.

"It’s ok. Come here," Sooyoung commanded.

The shorter girl crawled into her girlfriend's lap and melted in her embrace. Sooyoung trailed kisses over her jawline as the younger girl closed her eyes. She raised a hand to cup Jiwoo's face and guide it towards her lips, kissing her.

Jiwoo felt all those butterflies she hadn’t realised she’d missed. The younger girl deepened the kiss, surprising the actress who immediately kissed her back with the same passion.

"Girls, I've finally found-," Haseul said, "you."

---

Maybe they got too caught up in their world, maybe Sooyoung was too busy with work and school and maybe Jiwoo was too lost in Sooyoung’s embrace. They lost track of the many days they hadn't spent with their group of friends.

“Everything will be ok, I’ve known Haseul for years.”

The senior was trying to calm Jiwoo down. The younger girl was walking back and forth, unable to stay still. This is exactly what Sooyoung didn't want her to go through. She’d do anything to keep that shining smile on her girlfriend’s face.

The actress stopped Jiwoo, placing her hands over the latter’s shoulders.

"I promise you,” she whispered.

The younger girl gave her an unreadable expression. She sighed and turned around, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I don't know,” she stammered.

Jiwoo felt her eyes start to fill with tears. All her insecurities resurfaced with the incident. Her whole body trembling with fears she never thought about. She pushed every negative thought about the kind of relationship they were having away for a long time. Of course, she was too innocent for thinking everything would go well. She was too lost in Sooyoung’s eyes, lips, kisses, touches. She was too naive. What would happen to us now? What if Haseul told anyone? What if-

Her face tickled. A nose peeking from behind rubbed her right cheek and a pair of pinkish lips placed a peck on it. Two arms hugged her belly from behind.

“This won’t break us apart,” she uttered.

This is what Jiwoo was referring to. In Sooyoung’s company she felt as if she were in paradise. They were in the Garden of Eden and nothing else existed outside. Just Adam and Eve, surrounded by the beautiful sight and smell of flowers and plants, the sunlight shining on them. There was no other place. None other but the warm greenhouse. She was definitely lost. Lost in Love.