To say that Kim Minjoo is nervous would be an understatement. After all, it's not everyday that one suddenly gets called to the principal's office after class. 

It's not like she's never been there before. As student council president she's had to deliver her fair share of paperwork for Principal Bae to sign. It's just that she has always walked in with a purpose, but right now she has absolutely no idea what fate awaits here behind the foreboding wooden doors. Her friends were certainly of no help either, with Yuri, ever the dramatic one, fake sobbing into Hitomi's arms as Minjoo walked off, while the two Japanese girls had saluted her solemnly, as if sending her off to war. (She's starting to think that Yuri's obsession with role-playing has started to rub off on them, despite Nako fervently protesting otherwise)

Countless scenarios flash through her mind, and Minjoo shakes her head to clear her thoughts. Yuri had always said that she worries too much.

Taking a deep breath, she knocks on the door three times before opening it and slipping inside. 

Ever the observant one, Minjoo immediately notices two things.

Principal Bae has that kind, motherly look in her eyes, meaning that she likely isn't in trouble. Phew. She's not alone.

A familiar figure lounges comfortably on a couch in the corner, jet black hair matching her ripped jeans and chic leather jacket. Disinterested eyes look up to meet Minjoo's wide ones, and she can see surprise briefly flicker across her brown orbs.

Kim Chaewon. 

They weren’t friends, but it was impossible not to know the older girl. Chaewon’s reputation preceded her. She was known as one of Enozi University’s biggest party animals, with even Yuri, Minjoo’s roommate and notorious homebody, admitting that her parties were fun when her girlfriend would occasionally drag her to one of them. Minjoo had come to university to get a degree, not to party, so she had never really interacted with the girl. So what was she doing here?

“Minjoo, thanks for coming on such short notice.” Principal Bae’s voice snaps Minjoo out of her train of thought. “The girl over there is Kim Chaewon. I’m sure you’ve met before.”

Minjoo turns around to look at Chaewon once more, and is met by a smirk and a wink. Blushing, she quickly turns back. (Guess she forgot to mention that said girl was also known to be a giant flirt, and quite possibly the prettiest girl she has ever seen.)  

“Anyway,” Principal Bae continues on, oblivious to Minjoo’s internal gay panic. “Our dear Chaewon here is in trouble for getting into a fight with another student. He complained and so as punishment, she’s going to have to do some community service for the school. That’s where you come in. Chaewon is going to have to be your assistant for a week. That is, as long as you’re okay with it of course.”

Minjoo’s eyes grow wide. An assistant? Why would she need an assistant? She’s used to working by herself, plus she already has the rest of the student council to help her. It’s not even near any important events, so there’s not likely to be much work to do anyway. In fact, having an extra hand is more likely to decrease her productivity than anything—

But none of those thoughts leave , and she simply nods silently. (After all, she did always have a soft spot for pretty girls.)

“Excellent.” Principal Bae smiles at her. “Then it’s settled.”

“Chaewon, you’ll start next week.”

—

When Monday rolls around, Minjoo finds herself sitting at her desk, wondering what she has gotten herself into. With what she knew of the older girl, Chaewon was likely simply going to be a distraction. (in more ways than one)

She catches herself unconsciously checking her makeup in the reflection of her phone screen, and lets out a sigh. Act professional Kim Minjoo. You’re supposed to be the scary student council president, not a nervous girl acting like she’s going on her first date. 

“Deep in thought, princess?”

Minjoo’s eyes snap up to meet Kim Chaewon’s mischievous ones, with said girl leaning comfortably against the door to the student council room, wearing her trademark leather jacket and looking as good as always. 

Flushing red, she tries to compose herself and put on a serious face. “Don’t call me that.”

Chaewon’s smirk grows even wider. Walking over, she swings both her legs up and sits down on the edge of Minjoo’s desk. Before she can protest, Chaewon leans forward and pokes her cheek with a finger. “Sweetie, it’s cute how serious you’re trying to be, but it’s hard to look intimidating when you already look like a tomato.”

Flushing even deeper, Minjoo swats her hand away. “Whatever, Chaewon. Get off my table and take a proper seat. I’ll brief you on the stuff you have to do.”

The smirk never leaves Chaewon’s face. Wordlessly, she slips off the desk and plops right down onto Minjoo’s lap, throwing her arms around the younger girl’s neck. 

Instinctively, Minjoo shoves the girl off her, and Chaewon lands in an ungraceful heap on the floor with a loud oof. Minjoo shakes her head and sighs. 

This was going to be a long week.  

—

As it turns out, the week passes faster than she expected. 

Apart from that incident, the rest of Monday passes relatively uneventfully, with Chaewon actually doing the work assigned to her, with only the occasional flirty comment thrown at Minjoo from her desk at the corner of the room. With her focus relatively undisturbed, Minjoo quickly finishes up her tasks for the day and heads back to her dorm for a good night's rest. Maybe Chaewon wouldn't be so big of a distraction after all.

Unfortunately, that thought is quickly thrown out of the window when Chaewon runs into her office on Tuesday, panting, sweaty and wearing a black crop top and red training pants. 

She apologizes for being late, saying something about dance practice overrunning, but Minjoo hears none of it. Instead, she spends the rest of the day trying to focus on her work instead of staring at Kim Chaewon's perfect abs. Curse that girl for being so attractive.

Wednesday rolls around, and Minjoo, exhausted from rushing a paper the previous night, collapses on her table and knocks out for an hour. She wakes up with a stiff neck and stretches uncomfortably for the rest of the day. She's so engrossed in rushing her work to make up for lost time that she doesn't notice the way that Chaewon looks at her with concern in her eyes.

On Thursday, Minjoo does the same thing again (curse her stupid professors), and falls asleep at her desk once more. Only this time, she wakes up on the couch in the corner of her office, with a note and a can of coffee next to her.

'Go have a good rest princess, you deserve it. Sorry I had to leave early, don't miss me too much <3 - KCW'

Minjoo lets out an unconscious smile, before she realises what Chaewon must have done, and her face colours red again. She falls asleep that night dreaming of Chaewon holding her in her arms.

When Friday comes, Minjoo expects Chaewon to come in more flirty than ever, to maybe ask for her number or even ask her on a date. (and if she's being honest, she isn't entirely opposed to the idea either) 

After all, it's supposed to be their last day together. (and Minjoo can't deny that she wants to see more of the older girl)

But that's not what happens. Instead, Chaewon is quieter than usual, seemingly deep in thought about something. When the time comes for her to leave, she gets up and simply drops the paperwork off at Minjoo's desk with a small smile.

Minjoo smiles back. "Thanks for your help unnie, you've been a lot more helpful than I thought you would be."

Chaewon chuckles. "Well I must say, it's been more fun than I thought it would be."

"All thanks to you."

Chaewon looks straight into Minjoo's eyes, an unreadable look on her face. Minjoo wants to reply, to say something, anything. It's been fun for me too. Does this mean we're friends now? When will I see you again— 

But the words die at the tip of her tongue, and none of them leave .

After a moment of silence, Chaewon looks away.  "Well then Minjoo, I guess I'll see you around."

She turns to go and stops at the door, giving Minjoo the same unreadable look, as if waiting to see if she would stop her. 

But Minjoo doesn't. (What can she say? She's always been too much of a coward around pretty girls.)

And so Chaewon slips out of the room, like a thief in the night, and Minjoo feels a small part of her slip out with her. 

—

A week passes, and Minjoo sees no sign of the older girl. It's to be expected of course, as they're in different years and different majors, which is why they barely crossed paths in the first place.

And yet she still finds her eyes following every short, black haired girl that she sees, hoping that one of them would be the one she's looking for. 

Tired from another fruitless day, Minjoo trudges into her dorm room and flops face down onto her bed, mind occupied with thoughts of none other than Kim Chaewon.

Click. She hears the bathroom door open, but she's too lazy to get up and greet her roommate.

"Wow, you look like ."

Minjoo turns around to throw her roommate a withering glare. "Jo Yuri, have you seen my face? I'm physically incapable of looking like ."

Yuri simply rolls her eyes in response. "So what's bothering you? And don't say nothing Min, I know that that's a lie."

Minjoo groans and buries her head under her pillow, trying to escape the conversation. She does not want to talk about her feelings right now.

She relishes in the surprising moment of silence that follows, before her hope of avoiding the conversation is shattered by Yuri literally pouncing onto her bed (with Minjoo still lying on it).

Oof.

“Is it your studies?”

Minjoo snorts. She’s the top student for a reason after all.

“Your family?”

“Nope."

"A boy?"

"Yuri, I'm gay."

"Ooo it must be a girl then!"

"—No."

Minjoo's pillow is rudely yanked aside and she's met with Jo Yuri's wide, knowing grin.

"Kim Minjoo, I caught that pause."

"You caught nothing. Being a music major must be affecting your hearing."

"Come on Min, you can tell me anything. Remember when we…"

Minjoo snatches her pillow back and goes back to hiding, the familiar warm comfort muffling out the sound of Yuri's incessant questioning. Maybe if she avoids talking about Chaewon, she'll stop thinking of her too. 

Minjoo really needs to get Kim Chaewon out of her mind.

And so, when Yuri asks her if she wants to tag along to her girlfriend's party later that night, Minjoo agrees without hesitation.

—

A few hours later, she finds herself sitting at Choi Yena's makeshift bar, pouring herself another drink as her world slowly starts to swim. 

Around her, the party was still going at full swing. People were dancing, making out, and the music was blaring a bit too loudly for her taste. Choi Yena is known for throwing the best parties after all. (and yet, said girl is also Jo Yuri's whipped girlfriend, which is a complete miracle if you ask her)

Minjoo raises the glass to her lips and downs her drink in one shot, relishing in the way it burns down . She reaches for the closest bottle, not even bothering to check what it is, and prepares to refill her glass once more when someone grabs her hand.

She looks up to see Yena looking down at her, concern in her eyes despite the flush on her face. Her silver hair is slightly dishevelled, red lipstick slightly smudged and black dress slightly ruffled (likely from making out with Yuri), but she looks angelic as always. With her thoughts still clouded, Minjoo blurts out the first thing that comes to her mind.

"Wow unnie, you look hot, like really hot. Like I would totally you if you weren't dating my best friend kind of hot."

Yena simply laughs in response, and places a glass of water in front of her. "Thanks Min, but maybe some other time." She winks playfully. "For tonight, try not to drink too much okay? I'll try and keep an eye on you."

She ruffles Minjoo's hair once before disappearing off into the crowd again. Minjoo contemplates her options, before deciding to be responsible for once, downing the glass of water in one big gulp.

Her world instantly clears up slightly, which is how she notices a familiar pair of eyes staring at her from across the room, like a cheetah waiting to pounce. 

.