music major / jaemin

eight

everything in her was yelling at her to be fast, to rush, but it was difficult with binder over binder in her arms. even her classmates and teacher knew that she was the living definition of clumsy itself, if she didn't watch out she could trip over air and faceplant into her binders. thinking about it, there was a good side to it. she wouldn't be able to attend classes anymore. look at the bright side of everything.

as usual, she was so caught up in her thoughts that she flinched violently at the slightest sound behind her, quickly adverting her gaze to the back. there was nothing. school had just ended. most people had left. the corridor was empty.

she squinted and stepped back a few times, one step, two step, and then –

“ouch!” “what the – ”

she fell onto someone.

realizing that her weight must've been too heavy on whoever she fell on, she quickly regained her posture and bowed hurriedly, her papers from her binders scattering around. “i-i'm really sorry! i didn't see that you were behind me!”

she held her head down, not daring to look in case it was one of the strict officials of the school, or even one of those idol students. that would be the worst nightmare for her.

“it's okay, it's kinda my fault too since i didn't watch out.” a voice that was all-too familiar to her. it can't be.....

“i'm hina of the film and theater department. nakamura or gong, whichever floats your boat. a first year here.” hina held her hand out for a handshake, and her heart fluttered so much, how could someone be this nice to her after an incident? caught in awe, she shook hands with hina who she adored a lot.

“i.. you know... i'm actually a big fan of smrookies.” she mumbled bashfully, earning a light laugh from the japanese girl before her. she saw that hina's hair was a different shade compared to her mickey mouse club era. her bangs were gone and she looked so mature, definitely fit the girl-crush phrase. her heart fluttered more. “before i get overboard, i'm from the music department. we're both the same age. i'm song da – ”

“oh shoot.” hina said, her eyes widening as she saw the messy papers on the floor. she quickly got onto her knees, gathering the papers into her arms and fitting everything into the binders. “i'm really sorry, i was in a rush because i couldn't find my friends, i was scared that we wouldn't be able to catch our train on time – ”

“i-it's okay!” she exclaimed, thanking hina and holding her binders close to her chest. they stood in front of each other, a semi-comfortable silence between them until a deep voice from a distance yelled out, “gong-cat-hina! don't you wanna go back home?”

“such home, we're catching the same train because we gotta go back to sm to practice,” hina rolled her eyes while muttering to herself, shooting the girl with binders a smile before waving at her, preparing to run off. “see ya soon! i think i'll remember your name. till we meet again, yeah?”

“s-sure!” flustered, she stared at hina's retreating figure until it had disappeared fully, along with two dark figures that walked beside her. judging by the voice, anyone would know that it was jaemin.

jaemin, jeno, hina.

she breathed out deeply and remembered an extra class that she had to catch before heading home. her legs brought her over to the classroom so quickly as if she had never ran before.

“you've had that letter in your hand ever since you walked with us from the corridor,” jeno pointed out once the three of them were on the subway, hina squeezing herself in between jaemin and jeno who had earbuds plugged into their ears. (and somehow, "what are you?" "an idiot sandwich." was echoing in her head. she was definitely not the idiot sandwich in this situation.) jeno had unplugged one from his left ear so he could talk to hina, and hina did the same as she continued looking at the letter in her hand.

“i found it on the floor.......” she mumbled, and then glanced at jaemin. he had fell asleep, his head at an awkward angle. hina sighed.

“have you opened it?” jeno leaned closer to her to get a better view of the letter, his cheek close to hina's. hina hid the letter under her bag on her lap, sticking her tongue out at him. she should keep the letter to herself at the meantime, but that doesn't mean she'll open and read it. it was addressed to na jaemin, after all. “never in a million years, jeno. i know you'd want to read it.”

“you got that right. what if it's from one of my fans?” jeno smirked knowingly, to which hina rolled her eyes at playfully and inserted her earbud back in. as shinee's symptoms blasted in her ears, hina caressed the letter under her bag, without anybody's knowledge. she should slip it into jaemin's bag when he was in practice or something.