Episode 1

We return to their first year in college, on their very first day. The atmosphere is filled with the youthful energy of new beginnings, with both students and professors excited for the new academic year. The bus pulls up in front of the university, just outside the entrance to the main campus, as the students start disembarking...

As the bus stops at the entrance of the campus, the two get up simultaneously, making to exit the vehicle, though neither pays any heed to the other. Ji-Woo is in Fine Arts, while Eunji is in Literature, their classes on opposite sides of campus as they make their ways towards their respective departments...

Ji-Woo is making his way quickly to the Fine Arts Building, while Eunji is heading towards the Literature Building. The campus is full of students walking to and from their respective departments, though the two pass each other without a care, each busy with their thoughts.

The week has passed, and the two still haven't met. They pass each other on campus multiple times, but neither of them notices or cares. They are both busy with their work, each lost in their own thoughts, and the only time they come close is when they pass each other in the library...

Eunji is in the library after a long day of lectures and seminars, working on her final project for her Lit 101 class. She's been holed up in the library for nearly two hours now, engrossed in the book she's reading and typing up her notes. She glances up briefly at the sound of someone sitting down at a nearby table, and returns her gaze to her notes...

Ji-Woo is also in the library, going through books in search of material for his final project for his Art History class. He's been at it for a couple of hours now, and with every new book that he opens, he gets more frustrated. He glances up briefly at the sound of someone sitting down at a nearby table, and then goes back to his reading...

The two pass by each other in the library once again, this time with a bit more scrutiny. Eunji notices Ji-Woo walk past her and she glances up briefly at him, but he doesn't see her. They pass each other again and again throughout the day, each time with a bit more awareness...

The weeks turn to months, the two continue passing each other multiple times in the library. Eunji continues to notice him more and more frequently, giving a quick glance whenever he walks by. The looks and glances become more deliberate, though Ji-Woo still hasn't noticed...

The library becomes a familiar place for them both, going there throughout their study sessions. They often see each other there, sometimes exchanging a brief glance or a small smile, but otherwise keeping to themselves for the most part. Eunji finds herself noticing him more and more, and the two of them develop a familiar rhythm, with each visit becoming more customary...

As the months continue to pass, the two's familiarity with each other gradually grows. They now often exchange quick glances or brief smiles at each other, the library now becoming the unofficial backdrop to their lives as they see each other every week, and each week they develop another small sign of familiarity.

Eunji and Ji-Woo's lives have gotten into a comfortable pattern and their familiarity is now undeniable. Their looks and glances are more evident, their smiles more genuine, and their familiarity with one another more comfortable.

The semester ends, and winter break begins. Eunji and Ji-Woo both say goodbye to their friends before they return home for break. They both look forward to the time off from school, hoping to relax and de-stress.

Eunji is at home at break, hanging out with Soyeon. The two of them are watching old movies, snacking, and laughing, spending time together and having a blast. Eunji is enjoying Soyeon's company, the comfort of being at home for the first time in a while, and being away from the strictness and constraints of the university...

Eunji is lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling as she confides in Soyeon about her feelings for Ji-Woo. She explains how she's been noticing him more and more often in the library, how she likes the smiles they exchange and the glances they share, how her heart starts to beat whenever he passes her by etc.

Soyeon: "So you really think all those glances and smiles mean something?"

Eunji: "I don't know... I mean, maybe we're both just imagining it. But there's something there you know? And I swear sometimes I catch him looking at me when I'm not looking at him, like he's staring or something... I don't know, maybe I'm just deluding myself."

Soyeon: "How long have you felt this way?"

Eunji: "Like... a couple of months maybe? It's just been this slow build-up you know? It started off with a few small glances here and there, but now it's a lot more frequent... almost as if he's starting to notice me too..."

Soyeon: "And you're sure it's a crush, right? Like, you're just not confusing this with some deep friendship or something?"

Eunji: "Yeah, I'm pretty sure... I mean, I get what you mean. It starts out feeling like friendship but then you start getting more and more butterflies in your stomach... like your chest tightening when they're around but also your heartbeat increasing at the thought of them... does that make sense?"

Soyeon: "Totally makes sense, yeah. I've been through the exact same thing with some guy in college... I knew it was a crush when I felt so happy and jittery all the time, but at the same time I kept doubting it, like was this really the right time or person to have a crush...? But that's just how crushes are, I guess. They make you feel all kinds of conflicted.

But yeah, does it ever make you feel nervous?"

Soyeon: "And have you ever talked to him? About your feelings I mean?"

Eunji: "No! I mean, I barely even talked to him before. We'd give each other a few glances in the library or something, but I never really had a chance to talk to him... So I don't know, telling him I like him might be too much... right?"

Eunji: "So... What's going on with you and Tae-hyun? Ooh do you like him or something? Omg I'm rooting for the both of you!"

Soyeon: "Shut up, he's just nice and friendly!"

Eunji: "Haha, sure... sure he is.

Soyeon: "Stop poking fun at me! He doesn't even know I like him, and I bet he wouldn't want to anyway... he probably doesn't even think of me that way."

Eunji: "Ooohh... so you have a big crush on him? Aww, that's cute."

Soyeon: "Shut up! I swear..."

While Eunji and Soyeon are in her room, Ji-Woo and Tae-hyun are in a different part of the campus, hanging out in one of the student lounges. The two of them are sitting close by each other, having a casual conversation about something random, probably about their professors or friends...

Ji-Woo: "Yeah, so like, my professor for that one class is super boring, I swear! Like, all he does is lecture for like, hours every class; he never changes up the pace at all!"

Tae-Hyun: "Yeah, that sounds pretty rough. Are his tests at least interesting or easy?"

Ji-Woo: "Nah, they're just like, full of random stuff. It's like he wants you to memorize every tiny little detail, and it's just so much. But at least he grades pretty leniently I guess."

Tae-Hyun: "You know, I've noticed your friend Eunji sometimes... like in the library, or in the lobby. I've seen her a few times, she's always wearing this big smile whenever she glances at you..."

Ji-Woo: "Huh? Really? You think she's been looking at me?"

Tae-Hyun: "Sure, like, I catch her giving you these quick glances quite often, and she always seems happy when she sees you... I would think that means something."

Ji-Woo: "You think so? I don't know... maybe she was just looking at someone else? Do you think she has a crush on me?"

Tae-Hyun: "I think she might... but don't take me word for it, I could always be wrong. I mean, has she ever... done any other things to make you think she does?"

Ji-Woo: "Well, she does smile a lot when we exchange glances... sometimes, she also seems to like, hold her gaze when we do as well. And sometimes, she also seems nervous around me sometimes, like she'll blush when we're alone together...

But I don't know... she could just be friendly right?"

Ji-Woo: "Hey, dude... listen, did you have it in when you were in college? Like, with girls?"

Tae-Hyun: "Nah, I was actually pretty focused on my studies back then, I never really made time to pursue relationships..."

Ji-Woo: "Okay... okay, that's fair. But like, did you ever think of pursuing one? Like, there must have been some cute girls in your classes, right?"

Tae-Hyun: "Yeah, there were definitely some nice girls in my classes. But honestly, I never really gave it much though... studying always kept me pretty busy, and I felt like relationships would probably just be too overwhelming and distracting..."

Ji-Woo: "But let me ask you something... what about that Soyeon girl? Don't you think she's pretty cute?"

Tae-Hyun: "Whoa, where did that come from? Uh, yeah, a little, I guess..."

Ji-Woo: "Don't you think she's been acting sorta weird lately too? Like, she always gets flustered around you, and always seems to laugh at all your jokes... that doesn't seem suspicious to you?

Tae-Hyun: "I mean, I did notice it a little bit, but she's always been like that, right? I mean, it's also pretty normal for friends to laugh at each other and stuff, right?Besides, no way Soyeon has a crush on me! I bet she'd laugh at anyone else's jokes too."

Ji-Woo: "Yeah, you're probably right. She's just a nice person, probably friendly to everyone and that's why she laughs at everyone's jokes. It's probably just the way she is.

But I still feel like she has a little crush on you though..."

Tae-Hyun: ...anyways, like I said, there's no way she has a crush on me... even if she smiles at me and laughs at my jokes, that's just her being nice.

Ji-Woo: But you never know... some girls are very subtle like that, and she might just be hiding her feelings for you.

To Be Continued~

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