Call My Name by the Stars

CHAPTER 1- The Mask and the Camera

<2015>

The same back walked through the school hallway, in checkered khaki uniformed with the rest of those that went past her. A navy blazer covered from her shoulders to its tail; a nametag pinned on its left "Baek Jooah". On her neck, hung a dark grey video camera from the white straps. As she made a sharp turn upon entering a photography room, she made a strong halt, her straight thick black hair slapped front her face as they came back to her shoulders. Catching her breath, she took quick steps in, a bit too stealthily in the dark room where the members were only focused on the projector screening.

"Hello senior!" A few juniors greeted her as she put up her hand as greeting, her full rosy lips momentarily turning to a straight line before going back to resting downturned.

Several polaroid photos hung on the clipboard on strings, and even more camera equipment laid around on the walls and desks. This was her club; she led this club, well... after Lee Junghae, who was the club president.

Entering through the door next was him. Though his face overcasted by the shadow from the dark room, his black mid-length layered bowl haircut and distinct fresh cologne still gave himself away. Curiously, he carries a striking presence whenever he shows up. Flashing out a couple of his sweet smiles at the greetings from the club members who admired him way too much, he went ahead and took a seat on the stool next to Jooah, "I thought you went out."

Jooah scrambled with the laptop and USB port in front of her, her camera laid out at the side, "My storage just had to be full when I'm about to take my first picture."

"Wow you're unbelievable." Junghae laughed as his small downsided puppy eyes turned into an eye smile, forming the tiny scrunch around his eyes. Jooah adjusted the messy tiny thin fringes of her hair as they brushed to the side of her long diamond face which rounded a curve through her chin.

Her heart pounded, both from exhaustion and from Junghae, laughing with his calming voice that she liked so much. Thankfully for her natural skill of always remaining expressionless, she'd managed to keep her 3 year long crush on him a secret from everyone else. People often shipped them though, and she secretly liked that people thought they looked good together- an introverted and reserved photography vice president and a popular extroverted, charmingly cute and handsome president of the club. Not only do their personalities look good together on paper, they were the two most skillful and experienced duo in the club. Although Junghae often brushed off the ships as a funny joke amongst schoolmates who didn't know them too well enough.

"Right, I almost forgot to tell you. I got accepted to Yuseong Camera Academy." Junghae calmly stated as they walked through the hallway. Jooah stopped on her tracks and stared at him with her usual piercing gaze. Her huge soulful double-lidded oval eyes froze.

"What? You're scaring me."

She began jokingly punching his arm repetitively as her eyes turned to a lovely glisten, "Forgot? Forgot?? Something this huge?" She clapped her hands in front of her glowing face blessed with smiling cheekbones, "I knew it Junghae. I knew you'd get in no questions asked. Congratulations!"

There was never a doubt Junghae wouldn't get in. It was the only academy he applied for. The moment he told her he was, she already knew there's no way the genius that he was would even fail. That'd be a big loss to Yuseong, an academy for pictures and any camera-related work. Whether for fine arts photography, or for photoshoots and motion pictures in digital cameras, they had courses for film cameras like in cinematography and live broadcast as well. It was like a dream camera school which was only found in novels. Jooah didn't apply there though, because their courses were too broad and it didn't suit her palette.