REACH || yoo kihyun

XXXXI

final chapter

The next day Arena was putting her books into her locker at school. She hadn't been able to sleep and had tried to cover her dark circles with all the concealer she could find. 

"Are you crying?" 

Arena looked up, surprised to find tears indeed rolling down her cheeks. "Hey, no," she dabbed her eyes dry, careful not to smudge her makeup. "I don't know why, it's fine. Hey did you color your hair?"

Naha beamed, twirling around, "Do you like it?"

Arena caught a strand of Naha's now ocean blue hair between her fingers, "It looks amazing on you, you're like a Japanese mermaid." Naha had always held and cherised her natural black locks. She was someone who you thought would never bleach her hair.

Naha linked her hand through Arena's, "C'mon, let's get to class."

"Do you think I should dye my hair as well?"

Naha stopped in her tracks, "Yeah, I think red would look good on you."

A sudden wave of deja vu washed over Arena, her eyes blinking to snap out of it. Where it had come from, she had no idea. She jogged to keep up with her blue haired friend. "Hey, I had the weirdest dream a few days ago."

* 1 entire year later *

The lecture was over for the day as Arena closed her silver iMac, tucking her newly dyed red hair behind her ears. She looked up to see everyone already leaving the hall, heading for lunch or their next lecture. Arena pulled her bag onto her shoulder, moving down between the tables. 

"Hey, Arena, can I talk to you for a second?" Her professor was stuffing his briefcase with papers, the atomic DNA structures still rough sketches on the blackboard. 

"Of course, professor." Arena tugged the strap of her bag up, stopping in front of her Human Anatomy professor. 

Mr. Honda looked up at her, pushing up his silver framed glasses. He smiled. "The paperwork for your exchange program came through last night. It has been confirmed." Mr. Honda leaned back against his desk, small notes plastered all over his workplace of the human body and mind.

Arena's eyes widened as she clasped her hands together, "Really? I get to go to Japan?"

Mr. Honda's smile fell, he pursed his lips, taking off his glasses, "Actually. It's for South Korea."

"Korea? But.. I sent my application for Japan, I even talked to some of the professors at the Kyoto Dance Institute." Arena's brow furrowed. What was so special about Korea? She had always been interested in Japan and Japanese culture. Arena knew almost nothing of South Korea.

"The Seoul National Academy of Dance expressed their interest in you, considering the grades you graduated with and how you've managed here, in the Colorado National University. I think going to Korea would be a good choice." Mr. Honda stood up, swiping the blackboard eraser from the corner of his desk. He set to erase the definition of the mitochondria.

Arena looked at her shoes, in a loss for words.

"Look, Arena. You are incredibly talented. I truly believe everything happens for a reason." Mr. Honda touched Arena's shoulder. His dark blonde hair was showing signs of grey, as was his beard. He was incredibly fit for someone 46 years old, always dressing very fashionably.