After triple checking that she had everything she needed for the first day of classes, Hanni walked to the door. But she stopped and faced the other girl, busy trying to fix her ponytail.

“Need help with that, Dani?” Hanni asked.

Danielle turned, gleaming eyes at her. “Please?”

Hanni chuckled and dropped her bag, standing behind Danielle - her roommate for the entirety of their first college year. Hanni stole the scrunchie from Danielle’s hand and instead of trying to grab all of her hair, she left the front part untouched and tied only the back half.

“See, much better.” Hanni gave her a smile through the mirror.

“Thanks, Hanni! You did such a good job!” Danielle twirled, trying to check her hair in every angle possible in the mirror. “I’m still not used to the wolf cut. But this looks great!”

“Glad you liked it.” Hanni fixed her own bangs. “Wanna head to class together?”

Danielle threw her the biggest smile. “Yes!”

It had only been three days since Hanni met her, and when normally she took some time to warm up to people, it felt the most natural thing to do so with Danielle Marsh. She had this radiant, contagious aura that was unique to her, and Hanni was glad she got to room with her. Even though they were both Aussies, it was the first time for both to have a roommate and be away from home. Both got to their shared room on Friday and Hanni was instantly greeted with the warmest, most genuine smile and enthusiasm. They had spent the weekend together and even went shopping like they were the best of friends for years.

Their dorm was a short ten minute walk from campus, but with Danielle, it felt like two minutes went by.

“I’m so excited!” Danielle muttered as they stepped inside the building, looking up and around.

“I’m kinda nervous, not gonna lie.” Hanni swallowed dry.

“You’ll be just fine!” Danielle grabbed her hand, leading the way.

The small auditorium burst with energy - students talking, some introducing themselves to their colleagues, others minded their own business. Danielle could barely contain her excitement next to Hanni, pulling her to a row in the middle with a few empty seats. Hanni sat and took in a longer, deeper breath, grabbing her things from her bag. That class - introduction to Music Theory - was mandatory for every music student no matter their major. Hanni assumed that was the reason why there were so many students there.

“Sorry, is this seat taken?”

Hanni looked up from her notebook, and made a weird sound, something between a yelp and a gasp. “No.”

The girl to her right gave her a small smile and sat. She took a sip on her silver tumbler with a cute teddy bear sticker on, and it smelled like coffee. Hanni realized she had been staring and faced the other way, and Danielle let out a small gasp.

“You okay? Are you actually feeling sick?” Danielle’s voice dropped, a hand on Hanni’s forehead. “You’re red in the face, girl!”

“No, no, I’m fine!”

Danielle irked an eyebrow and peeked past Hanni. “Got flustered?”

“A bit? I told you I’m shy.”

“At first! Say hi!”

“What, no.”

Danielle rolled her eyes with a chuckle, shoved Hanni against her chair, and extended a hand. “Hello! I’m Danielle Marsh.”

Hanni widened her eyes and felt like hitting Danielle. But before she could, the girl accepted the handshake. “Hi, I’m Kim Minji. Or, Minji Kim, I guess.” She shrugged, and oh my gosh why was her voice so deep?

“Oh my, you’re Korean?” Danielle beamed and proceeded to introduce herself in the language, mentioning her Korean name, Mo Jihye. That was all Hanni could understand with her poor Korean skills, though.

Minji nodded, and Hanni found herself literally between two girls talking in Korean. Since Minji was busy communicating in her native language with Danielle, Hanni took the opportunity to properly take a look at her face.

And what a beautiful face she had. (And she smelled so nice…) A sharp jawline showed as Minji tucked her long black hair behind her ear, where two silver small loops dangled from. Full lips as she talked words Hanni didn’t understand, but honestly she might as well talk in English and Hanni wouldn’t get a single word still. She was too busy being shocked at how perfect Minji’s nose was, and her dark eyes and thick eyebrows and-

“Hanni!” Danielle shook her arm. “Come on, introduce yourself!”

“You say that as if you didn’t monopolize the conversation speaking a language I don’t understand!” Hanni frowned with a pout. “Knowing a few words and expressions is not enough to understand a full conversation.”

“Okay, you’re right about that. Sorry!” Danielle clasped her hands together.

Hanni chuckled and faced Minji, meeting her eyes. There was a sudden pang in her chest. “H-Hi, I’m Hanni Pham.”

“Nice to meet you.” Minji extended her hand to Hanni, and she accepted with a trembling one. “And I’m sorry as well, I just didn’t expect to find more Koreans here. My roommate is also Korean and a music student. Glad to know I’m not all alone here in Australia.”

“I’m sure there’s even more, we will eventually all come together!” Danielle said. “What major are you in, Minji?”

“Band and Jazz. And you guys?”

“Pop music!”

“Composition,” Hanni said.

“We’re all in different majors, then,” Minji said. “What do you guys play? I’m a drummer.”

Hanni could see that. Minji’s biceps said hello from her tank top.

“I can only play the guitar, but I also sing! Well, I wanna be a singer and songwriter, and learn how to compose and produce and all,” Danielle said. “But Hanni here can-“

“I play the piano.” Hanni cut her short.

“Oh, that’s cool.” Minji nodded.

“What about your roommate?” Danielle asked.

“I don’t know. I didn’t talk to her much. She’s a bit… odd.”

“Odd? How so?”

Minji pondered before answering. “She stares a lot but doesn’t talk much.”

“Maybe she’s shy? Or maybe she needs to warm up, like Hanni here.”

Hanni threw her a side-eye.

“Anyway, if she warms up to you, introduce her to us if there’s a chance!” Danielle said. “By the way Minji, your English is really good. Love your accent.”

“Oh, thank you.” Minji gave her a little bow of her head. “I lived in Canada for like six months when I was in middle school. Helped me a lot.”

“That’s so nice! I’ve never been there. Just juggled between Australia and Korea a lot. I thought a lot about taking uni here or there, but I ended up choosing here. This course seemed exactly what I was looking for!” Danielle grinned again. How didn’t her cheeks hurt from smiling so much? “Why did you come all the way from Korea to study here, Minji?”

Again, she pondered before answering. But before she could, the professor walked in, greeting the class.

—

The first week flew by. Hanni could go to her dorm and study, or finally sign up for one of the many clubs available, but there was nowhere else she would rather be than a practice room with her guitar. There was this song she was trying to finish the lyrics for the longest time, plus practice the melody for them.

Her phone vibrated on the table, almost sending her jumping.

“Yes?”

“Hanni, let’s go grab a beer! Celebrate the first week of classes! Maybe even get dinner!”

“You’re so hyped, Yunjin. I bet you’re already drinking.”

“I’m not! Can’t I just be happy?” Yunjin clicked her tongue. “You’re not my best friend if you don’t come.”

Hanni scoffed. “Wow, Huh Yunjin. I am flabbergasted.”

“Look at me, I’m Hanni Pham and I use expensive words. Where are you, even?”

“Practicing the guitar and trying to finish this goddamn lyrics.” Hanni sighed.

“Put the pen down and get your here. I can see you weren’t going anywhere so, might as well stop for now and get some fresh air and a cold beer, right?”

Hanni chuckled. “I guess you’re right. Okay, I’m coming.”

“Woohoo! We’re gonna wait for you at the entrance, then.”

“Who’s there?”

“Kazuha.”

“I’m gonna third wheel again, really?”

“You won’t! Lily and Chan are at the bar already.”

“Gimme five minutes then.”

“Alright, see you!”

Putting the phone down, Hanni stared at her laptop. At the total of one new sentence she wrote. She wrote many, in fact, but deleted them all. Why was she trying to write a love song when she didn’t love anyone?

Sighing, she closed the laptop, and there was a sudden knock on the door. Without waiting for an answer, the door opened, and Hanni looked over her shoulder.

“, sorry,” A stunned Minji said. “I thought no one was here, since I didn’t hear anything.”

“Don’t worry! I was just wrapping up.”

“Oh. Then, can I come in? This is the only room with a drum kit that is free. Or, that I thought was free.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Thanks.” Minji finally stepped inside and closed the door behind her, dropping her backpack to the floor. “And hi, Hanni.”

“H-Hi, Minji.” Why did she stutter?

“Uh? A guitar?” Minji stared at it, still in Hanni’s lap. “I thought you played the piano?”

Hanni gulped. “I play both.”

Minji squinted her eyes at her, taking her plaid shirt out. A goddamn tank top again. “And what else?”

“What else what?”

“What else do you play?”

“Uh. The ukulele, and the violin. A bit of the bass, too,” she said, closing the guitar in its case.

“Damn.” Minji chuckled. “You a one band girl?”

“Oh, no, not at all! I don’t play the drums, for example.”

“Do you wanna learn? I can teach you. Then you can officially be a one band girl.”

Hanni turned, finding Minji sitting at the drum kit, tying up her air in a high ponytail. And oh my gosh her arms were so toned and her muscles were kinda literally popping off because she had both arms up and-

“S-Sure?”

Minji stood up with a chuckle.

“No, you go ahead,” Hanni said. “Let me see it first.”

Sitting down again, Minji rolled her shoulders and grabbed the drumsticks. Getting herself in position, she managed to leave Hanni with a dropped chin in just a few seconds.

There was something about Minji that she couldn’t properly describe. Either her focused expression, her lips pressed tightly, the slight frown of her eyebrows, making an adorable dimple show between them. The way she moved, gracefully yet fierce and strong. Her arms danced in a frantic rhythm, her feet kicked the pedals exactly when they had to, as if she had practiced that improv thousands of times before. Maybe she had.

“Wanna try now?” Minji offered her the drumsticks.

“Maybe it was a bad idea telling you to go first. I’ll be so, so bad.”

“Nah, just try it. If you can play so many things, there’s no way you can’t play the drums.”

Trying wouldn’t hurt. Hanni sat, placed her feet on the pedals, and grabbed the drumsticks firmly. She wasn’t a complete stranger, so she tried hitting the hi-hat, snare, and bass drum in a simple pattern.

“See, you’re a pro,” Minji said.

Hanni looked up at her, as she stood right next to her, arms crossed.

“Try something like this.”

Hands gripped on top of Hanni’s. Minji took control, making it seem like Hanni performed a much more complex and fast routine. But all she could notice was the warmth against her back, as Minji pressed against her, and her bigger hands around hers. Hanni turned her neck just enough to realize Minji was much closer than she thought. Minji met her eyes for a second before freezing and releasing the grip around her hands.

“Sorry.” Minji straightened herself. “Should have asked if that was okay.”

“Yeah, i-it’s okay.” Hanni stood up and gave the drumsticks back. “It was cool. I mean, you are the real pro, so… yeah.”

The most awkward of silences fell over, and Hanni hurried to leave that spot. “My friends are waiting for me. I gotta go.”

“Oh, yeah, right. Sorry I took your time.”

“No! You didn’t. That was really cool, for real. I wouldn’t mind learning a bit more of the drums.”

“You want me to teach you more?”

“Not like… formally. Just… watching you play was great, I think I could learn a lot by watching you. I wanna compose and all so, it’s essential to learn drum rhythms and… yeah.”

Hanni’s heart beat so hard she could feel it in the back of her head.

“Okay. I guess I can help you with it.”

Hanni nodded, attempting to smile naturally. A failure. “Cool. That’s great, really, thanks. Well, I… should go.” She grabbed her bag and guitar case from the floor. “Thanks again and have a nice practice session.”

“Thanks. Have fun with your friends.”

Hanni was about to leave when she faced back. “Oh, and I could teach you a bit of the guitar or the piano. Only if you want to, of course.”

Minji held her gaze. “Sure.”

Nodding and muttering a ‘bye’, Hanni left, that last smile Minji gave her engraved on her mind as she made her way outside.

---

A/N - I mean, who wouldn't get flustered? 

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