In this captivating coming-of-age story, Maria's world revolves around her passion for dance-until she crosses paths with Jungkook, the one special student of Myshuno Junior High who challenges her dreams and emotions.
As Maria navigates the ups and...
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Huh, that's weird, Maria thought. He was just online when I sent the first message to him.
With a shrug, she placed her phone down and got ready for the dinner rush at her grandma's humble Chinese-Indonesian restaurant.
"Cie," her grandma called out, using her Chinese nickname that meant "older sister" despite being the only child. See, Ana was planning on having more kids before her father went to grab some milk. Good riddance, as Maria always claimed.
"Ya, Oma?"
"I need potatoes cut urgently. I forgot to prep extra for tomorrow's catering."
"Okay."
Maria didn't mind. She loved peeling and cutting potatoes. It was repetitive yet oddly satisfying—a task that let her mind wander freely. And, of course, it wandered to Jungkook.
Why was she thinking about him so much? This was the first time a guy had gotten under her skin like this. Was it his piano covers on Instagram, the ones she replayed just to catch the tiny flourishes he added? Or the way she found herself lingering after her dance practice, watching from afar as he trained in taekwondo? He was so effortlessly smart, ironic given he proudly claimed he'd never read a novel in his life.
The thought made her chuckle, and before she knew it, the potatoes were done. She washed her hands and moved on to serve customers, wiping tables and checking in to make sure everyone was comfortable and enjoying the food. It wasn't glamorous work, but it was honest, and she figured it'd look good on a uni application someday.
By the time the rush died down, the clock struck 8 p.m. Maria wiped her hands on her apron and pulled out her phone. Nothing.
It had been two hours since she'd double-texted Jungkook. Still no reply. It was already pathetic enough that she had sent a second message—no way was she about to send a third. She locked her phone and grabbed a rag to start cleaning the counters.
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Meanwhile, Jungkook stared at his phone, her message still on the screen. He tapped the edge of his desk, conflicted. He wanted to reply, but everything felt... off.
It wasn't like he didn't want to talk to Maria. In fact, he'd been looking forward to it. But tonight had been exhausting. Family issues. Not something he could just bring up to her, at least not yet.
Her casual response sat on Jungkook's screen like a stone. He read it once, then again. The words felt dismissive, even if she probably didn't mean it that way. He left her on seen.
Whatever, he thought, shaking his head. She wasn't interested in taking this seriously, and he wasn't about to waste his time on something one-sided. He put down his phone and opened FaceTime, calling Hyeri instead.
Hyeri picked up almost immediately, her face lighting up the screen. Jungkook smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Maria didn't want to bond over the story? Fine. He still had Hyeri.
Or so he told himself.
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