Blessing in Disguise

Prologue - Chapter One

12/13/2016 

The winter air was crisp. Cold. Swirling in through the half-open windows of Niskayuna High, carrying the distant sound of a basketball hitting the pavement. Y/N sat at his usual spot in the cafeteria, the table near the window where the view stretched out to the outdoor courts, his mind running over drills and games. His eyes flickered over to Yunjin across from him, her notebook open but untouched. She'd been quieter lately, her usual enthusiasm tempered by something more serious.

"You're thinking about it again, aren't you?" Y/N broke the silence, nudging her foot under the table.

Yunjin's head snapped up, her smile tight. "Thinking about what?"

"The idol thing." He leaned back, stretching out his legs. "You're planning your escape to Korea already."

She laughed, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Maybe I am. You'd miss me, though."

Y/N chuckled, drumming his fingers on the table. "Can't shoot hoops alone."

The cafeteria buzzed with chatter, but between them, the world seemed smaller, more focused. Y/N noticed the way Yunjin's eyes kept drifting out the window, as if the confines of their high school walls couldn't contain her dreams. He could relate. Basketball was his way out, just like music was hers.

"You'll make it," Y/N said, his tone firm. "And I'll see you perform one day. But until then, you owe me a rematch on the court."

She grinned, the tension finally breaking. "Only if you promise not to lose this time."

Y/N couldn't help but smile at Yunjin's challenge, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. "You're just lucky I let you win last time."

Yunjin rolled her eyes, flicking a pen at him, which he dodged easily. "Sure, keep telling yourself that," she teased, pushing her notebook aside. "You can't beat me at everything."

He raised an eyebrow, his tone playful. "I've got basketball. You've got... what? Singing? How hard can it be?"

Yunjin shot him a look that was equal parts amused and offended. "You've never heard me sing, have you?"

Y/N paused, realizing she was right. Despite knowing her for years, Yunjin had never once sung in front of him. She talked about it, sure—how music was her dream, how she'd spent hours practicing in her room—but the actual sound of her voice? That was still a mystery.

"Now that you mention it, no," he said, genuinely curious. "You're always talking about becoming an idol, but you've never given me a preview. What, afraid I'll out-sing you too?"

Yunjin smirked. "You wish."

The late afternoon light filtered through the cafeteria windows, casting a warm glow on her face as she leaned back in her seat. For a moment, her gaze softened, the teasing banter replaced with something more vulnerable. "I guess... I've been waiting for the right moment."

Y/N blinked, surprised at the sudden shift. He wasn't used to seeing her like this—unsure. Yunjin was always so confident, so sure of her dreams. But sitting there, in the fading light of their small town high school, she looked almost... hesitant.

"Well," Y/N said after a beat, "I'm here whenever you're ready."

Yunjin smiled, this time more genuine, as if an invisible weight on her shoulders had lifted just a little. "Maybe soon."

They sat there in silence for a while, the noise of the cafeteria fading into the background as they both stared out the window. The basketball court outside seemed a world away, just like the stage in Yunjin's mind. But for now, they were here—two kids with big dreams, waiting for their moment to arrive.

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Author's note: This is the first chapter here, I still have a lot to work on in terms of writing, so please give me as much feedback, thoughts, and opinions as possible.

Criticisms are welcome, but please be kind when you are giving them.