“YA, STEALING IS NOT OKAY!”

The whole building could hear the familiar high pitch voice of Yoo Lia. She’s in the final year of college, and everybody knows her temper. She can’t tolerate injustice or anyone violate the rules. She’s the type who didn’t put her group mates’ name in the assignment if they are not contributing. But beside her temper, she’s smart and willing to help others, even lending her precious and old notes to her juniors.

Today, she found her juniors opened her locker without permission just to take and copy her notes. She never locked her locker because she often forget her own pass code and she believed in this school no one would dare to open anyone’s locker without permission. She didn’t know the two girls who were caught opening her locker.

“I don’t even know you but you dare to open my locker? Even my own juniors politely asked for it!”

She shouted so loud and made many people surround them. The two girls were terrified and looked pale, one of them even started to cry. Lia’s best friends, Hyunji and Maha just stand behind her, terrified as well. They often saw Lia got upset but never saw her this angry.

“We-we’re sorry, sunbae, we’re desperate and we’re too afraid to ask you--” one of the girls finally speak without making eye contact with Lia.

“So you’re afraid of me but not afraid getting caught stealing my notes? This is crime!” she shouted again.

“Ya, Lia-ya, you went too far calling it a crime,” Hyunji tried to calm her down.

“Taking someone’s else belonging without permission is a crime, Hyunji-ya,” she replied her. “Next time you try to steal my notes again, I’ll not forgive you. Be thankful my friends are waiting for me so I don’t have that much time to scold you. Ask Kim Dojin, he copied my notes yesterday because he asked politely,” she put her notes back to the locker, slammed the door, and left with Hyunji and Maha.

“You are one scary sunbae,” said Maha.

“I am if you stole my things. But I’m also a nice senior for giving away my old notes,” said her proudly as they approached the cafetaria.

The cafetaria of Mido School of Performance is famous for having a delicious healthy meal for the students. They don’t have many fried or fatty food in order to keep the students healthy. For those in vocal major like three of them, they usually choose warm tea and hot soup to keep their throat healthy.

“Yaaa, our warrior Yoo Lia, I heard you scold two juniors? Poor them,” said Kwon Ryeok, already seated in one of the tables with his food.

Lia rolled her eyes. “Words surely travel fast,”

“No, it’s your voice that can be heard throughout this building,” answered Ryeok. “Come seat here.”

The girls went to sit with him when another man approached. He’s Hyun, the most popular student in the vocal major and also the coldest one. Without saying anything, he took a seat next to Ryeok.

“Ya, Lee Hyun, I thought you’re skipping school,” said Ryeok. He’s one of the few friends Hyun have in school. Lia didn’t know him personally, but she knew him because everybody talked about him. He’s indeed handsome but didn’t talk much and rarely smile. Anyone would be uncomfortable seating in front of him, but she’s Yoo Lia, and she didn’t care at all. Their table soon become the center of attention, the cool and handsome senior sitting with scary senior who scold her juniors earlier.

“Omo, we have both fire and ice in one table,” Ryeok chuckled after seeing Hyun and Lia seated in front of each other. “This is Hyun, my famous friend, this is Maha and Hyunji, my sweet friends, and this is Lia, the warrior of the vocal major. You must know her, Hyun-ah, did you hear her scold her juniors earlier?”

“No,” answered him, looking directly at Lia’s eyes. “I don’t like noisy surroundings,”

“Great, I also don’t like someone who acted cool,” Lia replied him.

“Ya... our warrior is about to pick another fight. Let’s just eat, General Yoo, we have Professor Kwon’s class after this,” said Hyeok.

---

Professor Kwon Boa is famous for being the strict professor. She didn’t tolerate those who are late even for a minute. She also strict with assignments.

“For the final project, I’m sure you have heard, it’s a duet. Duet looked easy, but in reality it’s pretty hard,” said Professor Boa. The class looked calm, as most of them already have a partner in mind. Lia agreed to have the final assignment with Lee Yujin.

“Now, I’ll randomly called your names to create the group,”

The class immediately shocked and murmured. “Professor, I thought we’re free to chose our partner?” asked Rima, the class president.

“No.” Professor Boa started to call names before anyone could speak. “Kwon Ryeok and La Rima, Lee Yujin and Lee Maha, Lee Hyun and Yoo Lia, ....”

Yoo Lia couldn’t believe what she just head. She will be doing this final assignment, the most important assignment in her 4 years of college, with the most popular yet most uncooperative person. She looked at him who seated behind her, and he looked like he don’t care. She’s so anxious and couldn’t pay attention at the class.

After class, most of the students went in pairs to discuss the assignment. When she’s about to approach Hyun, he walked pass her, heading outside. She took a deep breath and ran after him.

“Where are you going?” asked Lia when she finally approached him.

“Home,” answered him shortly without even looking at her.

Lia couldn’t believe this guy. “I believe we have to talk about the assignment, Mr. Popular,”

“We still have 2 months, Ms. Grumpy, what’s with the rush?” said him. He suddenly grab her phone and typed his number. “Satisfied? Congratulations for being the first girl to have my number without even begging me,” then he left.

Lia was about to explode, but she’s aware she’s in a crowded hall, and she already made a scene this morning. She took a deep breath, saved his number as Super Jerk, and left the building.

Lia lived alone in Seoul because she have to go to college. Her parents are in Busan running a restaurant. Singing has been her dream since she was little, and her parents worked hard to make sure she enrolled in the best school. Although her parents are willing to give her money and pay for her tuition, she decided to pay the tuition with her own money by working. She’s been teaching children in a small vocal academy since three years ago, and the salary is good enough to pay her tuition. She was going to find another job to pay her student apartment rent, but her parents forced to pay for it because they want Lia to focus on her study.

“I’m here!” he announced as she enter the vocal academy. The owner, Ha Seok, greeted her.

“Hi, there. How about Professor Kwon’s assignment? You can always use one of the rooms here, you know,” Ha Seok is an alumni and he was Professor Kwon’s classmate.

“I’m doomed. She partnered me up with a cold, ruthless guy,” answered her. Seok smiled.

“I believe this will be an experience you won’t forget. Ice and fire, working together!”