SERENADE | JAKE

one : Our First Encounter⭑.ᐟ

     Monday mornings at Ridgewood High had a way of swallowing Yeri whole. The hallways buzzed with energy as students clumped into groups, their voices merging into a loud, chaotic hum. For most, it was the start of another exciting week. For Bae Yeri, it was a reminder of how easily she disappeared into the noise.

Yeri clutched her sketchbook tightly to her chest, weaving her way through the crowd like a shadow. Her goal was simple: make it to the art room without drawing attention to herself. She hated how out of place she felt in the chaos, like she didn’t belong anywhere.

Finally, she reached the art room, her safe haven. The familiar smell of paint and turpentine greeted her, calming the knot in her chest.

She slipped into her usual seat by the window, tucked away in the corner. It was her favorite spot, where sunlight streamed in just enough to illuminate her workspace but not enough to bother her. She opened her sketchbook and began to draw, letting the pencil glide over the page.

Today, her subject was the tree outside. Its branches swayed gently in the wind, casting shadows on the sidewalk below. Yeri lost herself in the details—the curve of the trunk, the way the sunlight hit the leaves, the soft shadows that danced across the pavement.

The world faded away as she sketched, but her peace didn’t last long.

“Jake, good timing!”

The sound of the art teacher’s voice snapped Yeri back to reality. She glanced up just as the door swung open, and her heart skipped a beat.

It was him.

Jake Sim.

Everyone at Ridgewood knew Jake Sim. He wasn’t just popular; he was magnetic. Star of the school band, lead guitarist, soccer team captain, and somehow, he still managed to ace his classes. Jake wasn’t just admired—he was adored.

Yeri watched as he strode into the room, his presence commanding attention without even trying. His golden-brown hair caught the light as he smiled at the teacher, his voice warm and easy as they talked. Jake was here to pick up a promotional poster for the school band’s upcoming concert, and he did so with the kind of charm that made even the teacher laugh.

Yeri quickly looked back at her sketch, hoping he wouldn’t notice her. Jake’s world was so far removed from hers that it felt like they lived on different planets. She was the girl who sketched in the background; he was the guy who lit up the stage.

But just as she thought she’d escaped his attention, she felt his gaze.

It was brief, but when she glanced up, Jake’s eyes met hers. He hesitated, as if he recognized her—or was trying to.

Yeri froze, her breath caught in her throat. What was he looking at? Did she have something on her face?

Before she could figure it out, Jake looked away, laughing at something the teacher said. The moment passed, leaving Yeri feeling strangely unsettled.

The bell rang, jolting her back to reality. She packed up her things quickly, her heart still racing as she slipped out of the room. She convinced herself it was nothing. Jake Sim didn’t know her name, let alone care enough to look at her.

-

     Yeri’s next class, social studies, was usually uneventful. She liked it that way. She found a seat near the back and pulled out her notebook, doodling absentmindedly in the margins while the teacher droned on about a school charity event.

“...and to encourage teamwork, you’ll be paired with another student for this project.”

Yeri barely registered the words until she heard her name.