"I hope you're working hard on your project and that you've already found a model. I'm excited to see your creations! I also expect at least a few sketches by the next class. Dismissed!"

Jisu sighed, closing her book and sketchbook. How she wished she had found a model already. Chaewon was always busy with school and her ASMR channel, same with Hyunjin, Heejin, and Yeji. They were all second years in college, Jisu didn't want to take their time away for her own project. And all her colleagues seemed to have found someone already. Maybe Jisu should post it online or something?

Her stomach rumbled, and during her lunch break, she would allow her worries about her fashion design project to be in the back of her mind.

She made her way down the building and stepped outside, checking her phone. There was a message from Chaewon, saying they were already heading to the cafeteria to have lunch. Jisu rushed across campus, to the building on the other side of the small park in the center, where students gathered on breaks.

Jisu stepped inside, wondering what there was for lunch, when for some sort of reason, her attention drifted to her side, to the big bulletin board past the entrance. There was this paper at the corner with big, red letters, asking for assistance. Jisu stopped in her tracks, irked an eyebrow, and approached to read it more carefully.

"Need someone to help with a photography project, for a photography first-year student." Was written in big letters, then below, with smaller letters, Jisu read - "I'm looking for someone that can help me with my photography project. I need to take pictures, but I need someone to pose for them. Since it can take time, there will be a reward in cash. For more info, please contact me”. It finished with a name, Shin Ryujin. But Jisu frowned, because right in front of the name, clearly written by hand, there was a small comment reading ’is a ’.

Shin Ryujin is a ?

Why in the world would someone write that? Also, why did that name sound awfully familiar to Jisu? She tapped her chin, trying to search in the depths of her mind for where she knew the name from.

Shrugging it off for the moment, since she couldn't remember, she wondered instead if she should take one of the little papers at the bottom of the flyer, each containing the girl's email. That Ryujin girl needed someone to help with her project, just like Jisu needed one. Jisu could help her, and instead of taking the money, Ryujin could help her too.

Jisu went on ahead and took one of the papers, folding it and sticking it onto the back pocket of her jeans, and made her way to the cafeteria.

Her friends were already there, Chaewon waving at her the moment she found Jisu in line to get her food. And all during lunch, she was still trying to remember where she knew the name Ryujin from. Also wondering why would someone write that in front of her name. Did she have a bad reputation? Maybe that's why she recognized the name? But she couldn't associate it with anything. Maybe it was just someone jealous of her, or a prank from some friend? Even though that was a silly prank, and since she was asking for help, it could influence the opinion of whoever saw that flyer. Maybe that's why all the papers with her email were still there. Jisu was in fact the first to take one.

They made their way outside to get some sun and air before the next classes could start, and as they found an empty spot, Hyunjin clapped her hands once, catching everyone's attention.

"Right, you have no idea what happened yesterday!" Hyunjin said, her face full of excitement. "I was in Chaewon's dorm, we were studying, but then she started watching Hyeju's stream!"

"Of course it would be about Hyeju," Heejin snickered.

Chaewon rolled her eyes, but Jisu saw the red appearing on her cheeks.

"What did Hyeju do this time?" Yeji asked. "Smiled at the camera and Chaewon died instantly?"

"That happens every time she watches her streams, it's nothing new." Jisu laughed.

"She mentioned-"

"She mentioned my ASMR channel," Chaewon cut Hyunjin off.

The girls gasped, but Hyunjin scowled.

"Hey, I was gonna be the one delivering the news!"

"They're about me, I should be the one telling it!"

"She mentioned it out of nowhere?" Heejin's chin could reach the floor.

"She was saying she didn't give two s about ASMR before, but when she actually tried listening to it, it was very relaxing and all," Chaewon said.

"And then Ryujin was like, ‘Hyeju, tell them about that cute girl's channel!’" Hyunjin seemed even more excited than Chaewon, flailing with her arms around.

"Cute girl?!" Heejin burst out in loud laughs.

"W-Wait." Jisu raised a hand. "Did you say Ryujin?"

All the attention focused on her. "Yes, that's Hyeju's friend who normally plays with her," Chaewon said. "Why?"

"Nothing. Go on, she said that, and then, what did Hyeju say?"

Hyunjin shrugged and went on. "Hyeju got shy, I swear! But then said, Gowon ASMR."

"Are you sure she said that?" Yeji asked.

"Yah, are you saying I'm not cute?" Chaewon glared at her.

Heejin could barely breathe at this point from how hard she laughed.

"We watched it again when it got reuploaded into her channel, and she did say that." Hyunjin nodded. "Now, help me convince her to go to Hyeju’s family's café!"

"Wait, her family owns a café?" Heejin irked an eyebrow.

"Yes! Hyeju helps there, and she talks about it all the time, it's no secret. It's called Café Rosy, and she hosts LAN parties there with her followers to play."

"Why did you never go there, then?" Yeji asked.

"Exactly what I asked her!" Hyunjin threw her hands in the air.

"Okay, okay, I get it, you're ganging up on me." Chaewon crossed her arms and sat down between Jisu and Heejin.

"We're trying to help you!"

"You should go there." Heejin elbowed her. "She knows you, after all."

"And she thinks you're a pretty girl," Yeji snickered.

Chaewon's face became even redder, and she huffed. "I'll think about it."

"What if we all went there together?" Jisu suggested. "We could pretend it was oh such a surprise! Chaewon had no idea that was Hyeju's family café at all!"

Chaewon shot her invisible laser beams through her eyes.

"That's actually a pretty good idea!" Yeji said. "I've been craving a nice cake for some time. Do they have cake there?"

"They have amazing looking cakes, yes," Chaewon said.

"How do you know if you were never there?"

"T-There's an Instagram account."

"Oh, let me look it up!" Yeji fetched her phone, and Hyunjin approached her to take a look. "Holy, is this the one? The cakes look amazing! Let's go there!"

"No!" Chaewon shook her head. "That would be... embarrassing."

"Why?" Hyunjin frowned.

"Because I know you would embarrass me. I just know you would do something on purpose, or say a comment or two."

Hyunjin and Yeji shared a look. "Well, I can't deny that." Hyunjin shrugged.

Yeji pouted. "But now I wanna go there!"

"I promise I'll think about it, okay?" Chaewon said.

"Yes, think, and think positively, keeping in mind that there's this super cool and cute and caring friend that loves you a lot that really wants to go there." Yeji pointed at herself with a silly smile.

Chaewon rolled her eyes again, but chuckled.

"We should get going, it's almost time for next period." Heejin stood up.

The girls bid goodbye and parted ways for their buildings, and Jisu kept thinking about it. That was where she knew that name from! It had been Chaewon mentioning the name Ryujin before, when talking about Hyeju. But, was it the same Ryujin? What a coincidence. It could be a different Ryujin.

But that was certainly not a very common name. And, if Chaewon knew her, she could give her an opinion on her.

So, the second the last class of the day was over, Jisu grabbed her phone and sent her a message, asking Chaewon to meet outside where they were just earlier at lunch.

Stopping first at a vending machine to get a snack for both, she headed outside and sat down, waiting for Chaewon.

"Hey."

Jisu looked up and smiled, patting the bench beside her and handing Chaewon a cream bread.

"Thanks! I was actually starving." Chaewon took a big bite. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Is Ryujin nice?"

Chaewon irked an eyebrow. "Why would you want to know?"

"This can all be a huge coincidence, but..." Jisu reached for the paper still in her back pocket, and unfolded it, revealing the name on it. "Shin Ryujin. Is that her?"

"Yes, that's her name. Hyeju likes to call her Shin Ryujin either when she messes up in the game, or when they do a nice play. Where did you get that?"

"There was this flyer from a photography student asking for help on her project. And that was Ryujin. And since I also still need help for my project, I took the paper, thinking I could contact her, telling her I can help her, and she can help me."

"That's great! Wait, are you telling me that you want to become friends with her, so you're like a connecting link to me and Hyeju?" Chaewon's eyes went huge.

Jisu burst out laughing. "No! Wow, you think really fast and way ahead."

"Oh." Chaewon's face got red again. "N-Nevermind, then."

"Do you want that, though?"

"No! No, I was just... It's just a big, big coincidence, that it's Ryujin. That's all."

Jisu chuckled. "I just wanted to ask your opinion on her, because on the flyer, right next to her name, someone wrote 'is a '. So like, is Ryujin a ?"

"What? No." Chaewon frowned, shaking her head. "She seems nice and funny. I mean, she gets a bit aggressive sometimes while playing, but that's all. Ever since I started watching Hyeju's streams, Ryujin is there lots of times. They're great friends, I'm sure."

"Then, someone jealous of Ryujin? I mean, this means that Ryujin is a student here as well. A photography student. You never saw her around?"

"Oh, you're right. No, never. Isn't that department on the other side of campus?"

"Maybe." Jisu shrugged, pocketing the paper again. "So, she's nice, you say? Should I contact her and ask her if she wants to help me, and I help her?"

"Sure, why not. If you can help each other, that would be great for both, right?"

"And you would have a connection to Hyeju." Jisu smirked. "You go to Café Rosy, and I'll contact Ryujin. How about that?"

"Hey, where did that come from? I already said I was gonna think about it."

"I will send her an email anyway, don't worry, I won't blackmail you. And I promise I won't say that I have a friend that's a huge fan of Hyeju."

Chaewon glared at her, but sighed. "Thanks. Do you really think I should go there? And say what?"

"Do you realize that she'll recognize you for sure when you go there, right? If she watches your videos, she knows what you look like. Cute girl, remember?"

"I don't know if that helps. I guess that makes me even more nervous about going there."

Jisu's shoulders dropped. "Okay, imagine you had a big fan of your channel. I mean, I'm sure you do, you have lots of views anyway. But let's imagine a really big fan! Wouldn't you be grateful if that said fan would come over to you and say like, hey, I love your videos, they help me a lot!"

Chaewon eyed her and a shy smile crawled on her lips. "That happened before, actually."

"Exactly, you said someone here on campus recognized you. So, you know the feeling! Don't you think Hyeju would be thrilled to know about that as well? That you always watch her streams and you laugh a lot and all?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess."

Jisu smiled. "I won't bug you about it anymore, for now."

Chaewon nodded and leaned back on the bench. "I'm still shocked at the coincidence, though. Out of all people, you stumbled on Ryujin."

"I don't know if she will even say yes, but you're right."

And for some reason, she got super curious about Ryujin. Later, when she got home and after she sent her the email with her suggestion, she went on Hyeju's channel. Since she knew Ryujin had been on the last day's stream, she clicked on it and watched for a bit, skipping here and there, until she heard another voice. Ryujin's voice. It was deep and her laugh really cute and contagious.

Scrolling on Hyeju's channel, she looked for her social media section. There was a Twitter and Instagram account. If they were great friends, maybe they had pictures together. But clicking on Hyeju's Instagram, there were barely any pictures of herself. But there was this picture of her with two other girls, and Jisu clicked on that one. Was one of that Ryujin? Jisu read the caption of the photo. They were Hyeju's sisters. She didn't even know she had sisters, but she was sure Chaewon knew about it, and the thought made her chuckle.

And as she scrolled a bit more, still looking if there was a photo of her with Ryujin, she received an answer to her email. She bolted up on the bed, sitting with crossed legs, and opened it.

[Shin Ryujin]
Hello, Jisu. Thank you for contacting me and being available to help me. I don't mind helping you with your project, as long as you can help me with mine. We can meet tomorrow after classes if you're free to discuss it better.

Jisu couldn't help but giggle at the formality. Was that really the same Ryujin she had just heard on Hyeju's stream, cursing here and there and celebrating when they did a nice play?

Either way, Jisu answered quickly.

[Choi Jisu]
Yes, I'm free. Just tell me the time and where I can meet you and I'll be there! :)

And for some sort of reason she couldn't really pinpoint, her curiosity about Ryujin only flourished even more.

---

A/N:

Here's the first chapter in Jisu's POV! 

I really wonder why that was written next to Ryujin's name...

Thank you for reading so far, I hope you're enjoying! New characters on the new chapter!

Twitter - @itzloonatic
CuriousCat - curiouscat.me/itzloonatic