“But nothing makes a room feel emptier than wanting someone in it.”

― Calla Quinn, All the Time

Yujin woke up to the sound of her laptop, endlessly giving her buzz notifications. It's funny how she always ends up in her room in situations that she can't fathom. She groggily walked and sat in front of her study desk. She tried to understand what's currently written on her screen. After a while, she realized that Hyewon and Chaeyeon made a private chatbox for them regarding the upcoming play.

"I almost forgot," she said to herself. Looking at the clock and it was already midnight.

She decided to reply to her messages from the two other nerds.

Ahn Yujin:

"Don't you have plans on sleeping?" 

Lee Chaeyeon:

"Hi, Yujinnie. It's nice to see you here, Hyewon almost kicked you out of the group for being a passive bystander." 

Kang Hyewon:

"I didn't but I planned."

Yujin just shook her head and closed her laptop. Properly turning it off. She assumed that the two other nerds are probably reading and researching but not anything rush.

It was just another day of loops in her mind. She can't forget the last meeting she had with someone. 

Of course, Kim Minjoo hasn't left her mind since that small tragedy.

It's been a week since their last encounter and after Yujin heard those last words from Minjoo, she's couldn't focus much on her priorities.

She consulted it with Yena, but her best friend gave her a shrug when she told her about it. 

"I don't know how she works in those situations, I mean sometimes it takes a tiny common sense to understand."

Yena was right, Yujin thought. Although she found herself a bit rude for asking Minjoo that kind of question, still, she couldn't explain the way how the person acted.

"Did she really mean it?" That was the only mystery that she couldn't answer in solid.

The morning after, Yujin normally put on her usual dress up and went to school. She observed everyone around her, everything was normal except that she was a bit uneasy with today's event.

Props making and rehearsals.

Hyewon asked her to meet and settle with the script. Anytime soon, they will go to the theater and check everything if it fits the play well.

As she sat on her table, Chaeyeon quickly turned to her and showed her the last few polishes of the script. 

"How is it?"

Looking at it, Yujin gave it a quick skim and nodded at Chaeyeon.

"It's fine, you've done great." 

But she was in between lying and telling the truth. She knew that Chaeyeon is a good student and she trusts her with anything, however, she didn't really pay attention to details.

"Great, let's go grab something to eat then."

As the two walked down the hall, Hyewon was there already eating her brunch. Despite her sandwich, she still went with the two to the cafeteria.

Chaeyeon laughed and shook her head, Hyewon will always have a big appetite that they can't stop.

While they were in line to get something to eat, Chaeyeon suddenly raised her hand and waved it to someone.

It was Eunbi from the Fine arts department.

"Hey! We'll see you around later," said Chaeyeon.

"Good thing. We're looking forward. We already started a few small props and the backdrop will be done once you guys reach the theatre." said Eunbi, then she looked at Hyewon and cooly waved a simple greeting.

"Hey, Hyewon, right? Mr. Park told me to always ask you first if I have questions, I'll see you two around, and you too. Yujin, right? Bye!" Eunbi flashed a smiled towards Yujin and gave Hyewon one last look.

Yujin nodded and Chaeyeon waved goodbye.

Meanwhile, Hyewon was close to choking.

"Are you alright?" asked Yujin, she quickly reached for a bottle of water and Chaeyeon handed a pile of tissue.

"Why are you acting strange Hyewon?" 

The choking girl just shook her head and continued coughing.

"I'm not just good at first time meetings," said Hyewon who just recovered.

After the small scenario, the three of them went to eat lunch peacefully.

A drop of sweat rolled on Yujin's temple as they stand inside the theatre. There were a lot of people, the actors started to have meetings, while the fine arts department was busy making the props for the play.

Mr. Park gestured the trio to go down and have meetings with the other professors.

As they focused on the topic and preparations, Yujin's eyes were going in circles, anxious and anticipating to see someone at the same time. So far, she had only seen some familiar faces but not the one she's looking for.

She sighed in relief.

"So, the thing is, you guys have to always monitor everyone to check their progress. So, Chaeyeon, just make it sure that they're doing the right acting, while Hyewon checks the dialogues. As for Yujin, you have to always check if the fine arts department is finishing the props on time. You're not going to interfere, but in case they had forgotten something, at least you guys are there." said Mr. Park.

The trio nodded and started to scatter around the place, Chaeyeon and Hyewon immediately went to the Theatre Arts students and Yujin walked in gently towards the fine arts students. But before greeting, she gulped and took all the courage to say a word.

"Hi, everyone, My name's Yujin and Mr. Park asked me to be assigned to your team. Let's all do our best!" exclaimed Yujin and bowed after.

As she was on her 90-degree bow, she closed her eyes tightly, waiting for a reaction. She did hear a few greetings but it soon died down.

She slowly lifted her head and saw the students already back at working on their respective projects. Yujin sighed again and grabbed a checklist of the finished props.

As she did her job, she couldn't stop thinking about the certain person who was supposedly there working too, she wants to ask but of course, she knows to herself that she wouldn't.

Yujin was checking her list as she drowned in her thoughts, suddenly, she heard footsteps in her direction.

"Hi, my name's Chaewon. I think you're Yujin right?" said Chaewon. Of course, Yujin's familiar with her because she was with Minjoo during the time Hyewon bought ice cream.

"H-hello, nice meeting you." Yujin reached for a handshake. 

"So, if there's anything you need. You can always ask me about it." added the petite girl.

"Sure, thanks." 

At some point, Yujin considered asking where Minjoo is, but she's too ashamed to do so. 

Chaewon walked away and the tall girl just lost her chance.

"Should I really suffer from my doings?"

"Chaewon-ah!"

"Oh, Minjoo!" 

Yujin felt like the box of paint just hit her after hearing the name, it sounded like an echo in her ears.

She lifted her head and saw the all-time beauty she's been missing. Yujin saw Minjoo running for a hug towards Chaewon and she felt like she would like to do the same to her.

"Oh, Minjoo, your friend is here to help us."

"Friend? Who?" asked Minjoo who was tucking her hair.

And when the pink-haired girl turned, it was the moment their eyes met.

Yujin was stuck in a black dimension where she couldn't move a muscle. She wasn't sure how to react.

"Oh," 

Yujin saw Minjoo walk past her. The gust of the wind landed on her face.

"Oh my god, I'm so stupid,"

Yujin mentally smacked herself.

After an hour, everyone took a break from what they're doing. But, Yujin doesn't seem to take a break from glancing from time to time to the pink-haired girl.

"Aren't you going to eat? The chicken is good," asked Chaeyeon.

"I don't think Yujin has an appetite for this," said Hyewon who sneakily grabbed a chicken wing from Yujin's plate.

"You should stop looking at her, Yujin," 

Everyone looked from the source of the voice. Yena was walking towards them and took a seat beside the three of them. 

"What do you mean? Who is she- Oh," Chaeyeon was a bit confused at first, but when she saw Yujin's gaze, she immediately saw Minjoo who was laughing together with her group.