"Good morning, Chaewonnie~" Yena tried to wake up her cousin. She leaned closer to her right ear to sing her favorite alarm clock.

 

"Papapapapa papapapa!~" Chaewon flinched and immediately covered her ears when Yena suddenly sang louder.

 

"What the hell, Choi Yena?!" She glared, her cousin just laughed.

 

"Couldn't you be thankful that we woke you up early? You probably forgot that we're gonna sign up for clubs today."

 

She looked at Yena, and then at Yujin who's leaning on the wall, all dressed up.

 

Today is Saturday, it's supposed to be her rest day after a tiring week, but she must have really forgotten about the event.

 

Good thing they have spare keys of each other's dorms. Even if Chaewon sets an alarm clock, it's no use if she slept late the previous day.

 

Chaewon got up from the bed and started to prepare quickly, she knows how short her friends' patience is, like hers.

 

Yena wasn't lying when she told that it's pretty much early when they arrived. 

 

"At least we won't be jostling around," Yujin shrugged. 

 

Chaewon sighed, she could've slept more.

 

When they got to the main hall, they immediately looked for the politics club and signed up. Academic clubs are required for every student to join.

 

Chaewon was enthusiastically listening to the orientation. She would always hit Yena and Yujin's arms everytime they'll yawn, she's distracted by their actions.

 

It ended eventually after almost an hour. Chaewon went out first, followed by her two friends who are stretching from being steady and sleepy during the orientation.

 

"Seems like you two were very tired last night huh, compared to me," she added a bit of sarcasm there. 

 

"Hey! We played 'til we won to catch up with our losing streak, am I right Yujin?" Yena bumped her elbow with the taller girl's, Yujin just hummed and nodded.

 

"Well, I guess it's more tiring than studying for the quiz," Chaewon shrugged.

 

"Come on! It's just Saturday, we still have more time for that," Yujin hangs her arm around the short-haired girl's shoulder.

 

Chaewon just shook her head as they continued walking. 

 

"If we will be paired up for the debate in the club, I'll choose Yujin as my opponent," Yena looked at the taller girl.

 

"Why don't you pair up with Chaewon unnie, though?" Yujin arched an eyebrow.

 

"Nah, she's a strong contender, I wouldn't win to her."

 

Chaewon chuckled at her cousin's reason.

 

"Are you saying I'm not good enough?" Yujin pouted, which made Yena felt slightly disgusted.

 

"You're good, too. Please stop pouting."

 

"Let's sign up for the music club, guys!" Chaewon cheerfully said. 

 

"I thought we're going to the theater club?" Yujin is confused.

 

Chaewon and Yena recognized after that they were heading to the theater building. It's either they'll go back to find the music room or continue walking to the building.

 

And so they disregarded the former. 

 

When they got near the theater building, they saw a lot of people lining up. 

 

"How long do we have to wait here?" Yena looked at her watch while tapping her foot.

 

"Apparently a little longer than the rest of the clubs out there," Yujin looked around and sighed.

 

It really took them longer minutes before finally holding the pen and signing up on the paper as they join the club.

 

"Wanna go somewhere to eat?" Chaewon asked her friends who are obviously irritated, especially Yena.

 

"Seriously! That club is something else," Yena complained as she sipped into her boba tea.

 

They are currently inside the most popular cafeteria near the university. It is known for its vintage theme which is calming to Chaewon, so she invited her friends here to ease their irritation.

 

"As far as I know, the theater club has the greatest number of students signed up," Yujin muttered.

 

"I'm afraid they'll remove some students if it exceeds their desired capacity of the club, we might be some of those students that will be chosen to pull out," the taller girl added. Chaewon sighed at the thought of it.

 

The massive number of students joining the theater club isn't a surprise to them. There are a lot of talented, pretty, and handsome students on the campus, but that doesn't make them wrongly choose to study at an academic university rather than at performing arts.

 

 

 

As Monday arrived, Chaewon found herself sitting on the bench of their university's football field, although there aren't any players on it.

 

Her classes finished earlier than her two friends, she told them to meet each other here. This place is nice, she thought, a perfect place inside the campus to breathe fresh air.

 

As Chaewon closed her eyes to take a rest, she recalled something that happened days ago.

 

After finishing off their food, Chaewon told Yena and Yujin to wait for her outside before heading to their dorm. She went to the restroom.

 

Chaewon was about to unlock the door of the cubicle when she heard a familiar voice of a woman.

 

"Hey, Yuri! So what club did you sign up?" 

 

The short-haired isn't sure whose voice it was. But what caught her attention was the name the speaker had mentioned.

 

"You should also join the music club! Don't worry, Eric and I signed up there."

 

Chaewon recognized the woman as a student at their university.

 

And Eric? Is it Eric Sohn? Or maybe it's otherwise. The name is actually common, she doesn't know if it applies in this country, though.

 

"Are you really going to waste your talent? Let me come with you, I'll help you sign up," and then she heard the door swung open.

 

"I wonder what's on your mind," Chaewon suddenly flinched as she heard a voice, then she looked at her right, only to find the girl she met more than a week ago.

 

"Minjoo?" She took a few seats away from the brunette, it's quite uncomfortable to be just inches apart from someone she doesn't know that much, yet.

 

Without looking at the short-haired girl, she uttered. "Chaewon."

 

A few moments of silence filled them until Chaewon had a question on her mind. She saved this up since the certain night she got home from the coffee shop where they met.

 

"The topic is all about the national health crisis. I've included how the government dealt with it using constitutions. I need to make sure it's accurate."

 

"How did you know I'm from the Department of Political Science?" 

 

When the brunette furrowed her eyebrows, Chaewon thought that she should've disregarded it anyway, since it's not a big deal.

 

But she's still curious, did they met before to be able to determine her department?

 

"Chaewonnie!" And then she heard her cousin's cheerful but husky voice, she stood up and gazed at her.

 

"We bought you banana milk, unnie- oh, hello Minjoo unnie!" Yujin was behind Yena as she cheerfully greeted Chaewon's company. Minjoo just smiled at her.

 

"I gotta go now, I guess," she looked at the short-haired and waved the trio goodbye.

 

Chaewon sighed, she's about to know it, if only Yena and Yujin didn't interrupt.

 

She grabbed the banana milk from the taller. "Let's go home."

 

 

 

Days passed by quickly, it's already Friday. Yena, Yujin, and Chaewon made their way to the cafeteria to eat lunch.

 

An unusual routine for the three of them to eat inside the campus, but there's a reason for it.

 

"Why do I have to be sleepy on the day of club orientation?" Yena crossed her arms and leaned on her seat. They will be heading to the theater club after lunchtime to have an orientation. 

 

Their academic club which is the politics club already executed its orientation last Saturday, the schedule for the extracurricular clubs is set today.

 

"But you're always sleepy, unnie, no?" Yujin raised an eyebrow, teasing the woman with magenta hair color. 

 

Yena pouted, which made Chaewon giggle. Her cousin always reminds her of a duck.

 

They rested for a bit on their table while conversing spontaneous topics, particularly occurrences for the whole week.

 

As their conversation died out, Chaewon lit it up again by opening another topic she least intended to.

 

"I really don't remember myself introducing my department. How did she know it?" Chaewon furrowed her eyebrows and sighed.

 

"Uh, because you're wearing that I.D. lace?" Yujin pointed a finger at the string hanging on Chaewon's neck with her identification card attached. The lace has its department written.

 

But as long as Chaewon could recall, she hasn't worn this everytime they get out of the campus.

 

"I'm removing this whenever we leave the campus, right?" She rubbed her chin. "Or did I  otherwise?"

 

"How could you forget certain circumstances weeks ago when you could even remember our professor's random politics facts from last month?" Yena wailed as she knocked on her cousin's head, causing the short-haired girl to complain at how strong her knuckles are.

 

Of course, facts are interesting to her, more like everything about politics are. Besides, it's beneficial for quizzes.

 

Yet Chaewon can't help but compare Minjoo's personality on two different occurrences, that's the least thing she could remember. She wasn't as lively as when they were at the coffee shop.

 

She's really pretentious huh.

 

Why am I concerned about getting to know her real character?

 

Ah right, how am I even supposed to make her flutter when she doesn't show her true color, I guess it's harder to hit on girls than I thought-

 

Yena snapped a finger on Chaewon's face, which made her a bit startled.

 

"You're spacing out."

 

 

 

Waves of sighs and gasps filled the theater building after the announcement that made everyone disappointed and anxious.

 

"There's a huge gap between the number of students who joined last year and this year, the amount raised higher particularly," said the head of the club.

 

"Unfortunately, we have reached the capacity limit based on the university's approaches. Removing some students from this club is the best way to resolve and maintain balance."

 

"Chaewon, Yujin, what club do you think we should choose in case we get selected on the removal?" Yena placed each of her arms on her two friends' shoulders.

"I heard that music club needs more members," Yujin said quietly, not wanting to interrupt the speaker in front and being called out.

"Chaewon, you're gonna come with us, right?" Yena glanced over her other arm to look at her cousin.

"Of course, but don't think about it yet. We're not sure if we'll end up there instead," the short-haired girl said without glimpsing at them.

"So, I am now going to eliminate signees, don't worry, the rest of the clubs still have vacant slots," the speaker smiled briefly before proceeding to announce.

"Lee Haeun, Park Siyeon..." The calling of names went on until Yujin and Yena succeed in their expectation, which also left Chaewon disappointed.

"Ahn Yujin, Choi Yena, and Kim Chaewon, that's the last one." 

"I'm still glad that the chosen people find the theater club interesting, it's just unfortunate this year that we have tremendous signees," as the speaker finished talking, the mentioned students rose from their seat and bowed before leaving the building.

 

"You guys going to music club?" The trio looked at their left to find Na Goeun, one of the students who got eliminated from the club. 

"Ah, yes! How 'bout you?" Yena nodded and smiled at the girl.

"I'm also heading there, let's go!" And so Goeun accompanied the three of them to the music room.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Come in," when Chaewon, Yena, Yujin, and Goeun had the consent to enter the room, they started to open the door.

"Eunbi unnie!" Yujin immediately ran to the shorter girl to hug her, which made everyone giggle as she looked like a golden retriever embracing the older student.

"As I've told, you are really meant to be here," Eunbi winked at them.

Chaewon wandered her eyes across the room,  only to have her eyes pause at certainly someone.

Eric's here.

And then she remembered way back in their grade school days when he started to play drums, flexing the instrument to her.

The lad looked back at Chaewon and smiled.
 

Seems like I'm going to faint. She thought.

"Alright! Let me introduce myself first. My name is Kwon Eunbi, a second-year student of the Department of Medicine, and I'll be in charge of the freshmen's music club," with the way she introduced herself, everyone in the room thought she'll be an excellent leader.

Everyone but Chaewon, Yena, and Yujin. They already knew she's a great leader. They've been acquainted with each other since high school, the three of them having positions on student council with their Eunbi unnie as the president.

"Orientations are boring, am I right, Choi Yena?" The duck suddenly lifted her head upon hearing her name, everyone chuckled at her response.

"Consensus ad idem!" said Yena as she pointed at her. 

Chaewon and Yujin chuckled at their magenta-haired friend with the Latin term she used that is common in their department.

"Meeting of the minds," Chaewon grinned, making everyone giggle as they got the inside joke of the political science students.

"You should've used that term while in the politics club orientation unnie, it would be funnier," the tallest laughed with the rest of the co-members.

"So, to avoid boredom as you introduce yourself to others, let's play some games while we're at it!" The leader went all excited with everyone. 

"Our first game requires pairing, so go find a partner! Don't forget that you should pair with someone you don't know well yet."

When Eunbi finished her statement, everyone started to find a partner. 

Chaewon saw Yena immediately moving to a blonde woman who's shorter and somehow, they look alike. Yujin paired with the girl they met and went with here a while ago, Goeun. 

She sighed and looked around to find a partner, everyone looked too excited with the game, it's like they went back to their ten-year-old selves. Or perhaps it's because like what her friends have said, she's just a 'no fun' person.

It really depends on her though, she also hangs out like these people sometimes. She's really not in the mood right now.

"I've counted the members, the total is an even number," the short-haired girl glanced over her back, and there she saw someone she never thought would be here, why didn't she recognized her in this room a while ago?

Which reminds her of that voice she heard, now she knew whose voice it was.

She's also talking about Eric Sohn, them joining the music club together. Chaewon wondered if they knew each other since before college.

"Seems like we're the only two left who's searching for a partner," Chaewon discerned she's using the same tone as the ones with their latest interaction. Why does she keep on observing her personality?

"Luck came and brought me here to pair with you."

 

 

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                                           it took me weeks to write all of these, thank you for having patience! i'll make it up in the next chapters