Kassia Domingos was... perfect.
Taemin Lee was... a loner.
Yet, they both were flowers growing from the same soil.
...
In which UCLA's perfect angel has a secret admirer who gives her flowers.
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Kassia was going to struggle to concentrate when she was this tired.
But she would hate to disappoint her mother even more.
The library was empty.
As she expected it to be.
It was after exams and people were out celebrating. But... in a way she was glad.
She didn't have the energy to keep faking smiles and acting happier than she was. She had to sell a fantasy of herself to people all the time... she found it exhausting.
Sometimes it was good just to be alone for that reason.
Kassia sat on a random seat getting out her books. There wasn't a lot of noise so she wasn't going to force herself to wear headphones.
Plus, she had a migraine that was splitting her head in half.
Kassia studied for about an hour and a half before she felt someone sit next to her. She wondered why they had to sit right next to her when there were so many empty seats.
She tried to ignore the presence but, the person was ever so slightly tapping. Maybe to a beat of a song.
It was a bit annoying...
She glanced discretely at the figure not being able to tell who it was with such a big hood over their head. She caught a bit of the page of the textbook going into depth about micro pollutants.
"Can I help you?"
Kassia immediately felt embarrassed for being caught staring. The stranger lowered their hood taking out a headphone.
It was even more embarrassing that she was caught gawking at Taemin Lee.
He was even more gorgeous up close and she struggled to find the words. Her mind was just felt completely blank.
He had long eyelashes and dark eyes.
She found the way his long hair framed his face extremely gorgeous as well. He just had soft and manly features all at the same time - he was so beautiful to Kassia.
And now they were sitting close to one another.
"I'm sorry, I was just distracted by the tapping."
"Oh, I'm sorry - force of habit. I'll be quieter."
Although he had put his headphone back in, Kassia wanted to hear him speak again. He barely spoke so she didn't know his voice was so smooth and deep.
"Excuse me," she asked timidly getting his attention. "Is it true that you used to skateboard and surf?"
Kassia thought he was going to ignore her and she was ready to apologise for bothering him... but, he responded to her surprise and delight.
"I don't know where people got the surfing from but I used to skateboard... still do sometimes."
"Oh that is cool," she smiled brightly. "You do MMA as well?"
"Yeah... just on the side but professionally."
Kassia didn't understand what that meant but, she wanted to keep talking to him. About anything.
"You like fighting?"
"No, not really," he replied after a moment of silence.
"Then why-"
"Does anyone ever tell you, you ask a lot of questions?"
"O-Oh I'm sorry," Kassia apologised feeling a bit embarrassed. "I was just... I think I just got really excited."
"About me," Taemin asked in disbelief. "You're the one who is impressive... there is nothing that exciting about me."
"Yes there is," she countered. "You know how to ride a skateboard! My mum never let me learn to ride a bike because she was scared there would be a scar if I fell and hurt my knees."
Taemin hummed but didn't add anything further. He continued gazing at the girl speaking a mile a minute understanding her mother a bit... who would want such a beautiful person to ever have a bruise?
"So all in all I think you're pretty cool. Oh, I'm Kassia by the way," she introduced stretching her hand.
She smiled even wider seeing Taemin amused by her.
"Everyone knows who you are - I knew your name this whole time."
"I know but, everyone has their ideas of me... You can get to know me as just Kassia. No preconceived ideas, just what you see, is who I am."
Taemin smiled at her softly before stretching his hand to shake hers.
His hands felt a bit rougher than hers but not as rough as she imagined a fighter's hands to be.
"Then, nice to meet you Kassia, I'm Taemin." ...
Indigo and Tamera looked at each other wondering why Kassia was in such a good mood that morning.
"Kass what happened," Indigo asked with a raised eyebrow. "You're so happy this morning."
Kassia hated being called Kass but she was going to let it roll.
She had talked to Taemin the whole time and he even smiled a few times... there was nothing bringing her down.
"I just had a good study session."
"Oh cool," Indigo nodded. "If it was going that well you should have called me. Lord knows I need to get my grades up."
Kassia nodded promising to call her next time... even though she wasn't. She couldn't concentrate whenever Indigo and Tamera were there.
"Hey Kassia, what's up," the deep voice asked leaning on her locker.
Kassia sighed internally not wanting to deal with Javier. Their parents ran in the same circles but she found him annoying.
Everyone thought they'd make a cute couple because of his looks and him being captain of the football team.
But... Kassia found him insufferable.
"Hey Javier," she smiled politely closing her locker. She continued walking after getting her books trying to make it to her next class.
"Kass, why are you walking so fast," the man continued pestering quickly catching up to her.
Kassia had to control herself so hard to not just roll her eyes.
"I'm just trying to get to class Javier."
"Yeah but you can stop and talk to me," Javier retorted a bit irritated holding her arm in an uncomfortable manner.
She stared up him not really knowing what to say but she knew she wanted him to let go. He made her uncomfortable.
She was just too intimidated to say it.
"You left your book yesterday," Taemin interrupted grabbing Kassia's arm from Javier. He gently placed placed the book on that hand. "It had a lot of notes so, I think it's important - don't leave it behind."
Before Kassia could even thank him, he walked away. Javier was secretly seething but he was more conscious of the students in the crowded hallway.
He couldn't make a scene.
Kassia instead was fully focused on Taemin's back walking away. She held on tightly to her textbook, now thinking that it should be framed.
