“Do you think the desire we planted in Sungjae is strong enough, Minhyuk-ah?” asked Eunkwang, as he looked down at Sungjae, just as Sungjae was walking out of Sooyoung’s room.

“Of course it is, Eunkwang-ah. He’s already having thoughts of Dohwan getting together with Sooyoung. Things are going just as we planned,” replied Minhyuk.

“We weaved nearly 20 years of fake memories together for Sooyoung and Sungjae, just so that Sungjae could help bring Sooyoung and Dohwan together,” ranted Eunkwang. “I’m just worried we might have overlooked something.”

“It’ll be fine. Don't worry,” replied Minhyuk reassuringly. “I will make sure he’s fine.”

…

The next morning over breakfast in Sungjae’s room, the topic of the production came up.

“Sooyoung-ah, do you plan to audition for the production?” asked Sungjae.

“Of course! It looks like so much fun! Don't you wanna try it out too?” asked Sooyoung.

“Youngmin did ask me to try out for it, but I didn't give him a definite answer,” replied Sungjae.

“Let’s go audition together!” squealed Sooyoung. “I think this will be a nice memory in our sophomore year.”

Sungjae hesitated for a while, but upon seeing the pleading expression on Sooyoung’s face, his heart softened, and he said, “Arasso. I’ll go audition with you. But don't blame me if I get a role and you don't.”

“Yay!” cheered Sooyoung, as she leapt up from her seat and gave Sungjae a back hug. Sungjae smiled and leant backwards to try to ruffle her hair but, to his horror, he lost his balance on his chair and ended up falling backwards on his side, causing him and Sooyoung to crash onto the floor on top of each other. As Sungjae had his breath jerked out of him, his eyes met Sooyoung’s. For a moment, Sungjae’s heart skipped a beat. They locked gazes for a moment before Sooyoung pushed Sungjae off, as she complained, “You’re heavy! Get off!”

Sungjae scrambled to get off the ground, his ears turning into curls of raw beef. “Mianhe, Sooyoung-ah! Kwenchana?” asked Sungjae worriedly.

“Aish~! Getting flattened by you early in the morning can’t be a good thing,” ranted Sooyoung, as she got up from the ground.

For some reason, the redness in Sungjae’s ears did not fade. Feeling the heat in his ears, he hurriedly walked away and said, “We should get going. I need to get to class soon.”

“Arasso,” replied Sooyoung, as she cleared the table and gathered her things.

That morning, Sungjae found that he could not concentrate on his lecture. Though Gender Studies had always been one of his favourite lectures, nothing that the lecturer said that day registered in his mind.

What’s wrong with me today? Yah, Yook Sungjae! Pull yourself together!

But despite his attempts to shake off this feeling, Sungjae still found his mind wandering to the moment when he locked eyes with Sooyoung. Having known Sooyoung for two decades, that had been the first time he felt his heart skip a beat like that.

Are you crazy, Yook Sungjae? You don't even see her as a girl! Why are you suddenly having these thoughts?

He remained so deep in his thoughts that he didn't register a word Youngmin said as they were having lunch together. After trying to get Sungjae’s attention for a good 30 seconds, Youngmin finally lost it.

“Yah, Yook Sungjae! What’s wrong with you?” shouted Youngmin. “Have you heard a single word of anything I’ve been saying for the past 10 minutes?”

“Of course! You’ve been saying about how you… you…” fumbled Sungjae, before a cheeky grin spread on his face. “About how you’ve been missing Seulgi-ssi.”

“Yah!” protested Youngmin with a smack on Sungjae’s