"Is it Casual..?" // ALNST MODERN AU

First Meeting Eachother.

SUA'S POV.

Sua had always believed that high school was easier when nobody noticed you.

Keep your grades high. Keep your head down. Don't get involved in unnecessary drama.

It was a simple routine-one that had worked perfectly for her.

Until Hyuna decided to ruin it.

"Sua!"

Sua stopped walking.

The school hallway was nearly empty now that classes had ended, with only a few students lingering by their lockers or heading toward the gates. She tightened her grip on the straps of her bag and slowly turned around.

Hyuna stood a few feet away, her brown hair falling over her shoulders as she waved enthusiastically.

Beside her was someone Sua immediately recognized.

Everyone knew Mizi.

Even if you didn't know her personally, you knew of her.

Mizi was the kind of person whose name traveled through school hallways faster than the morning announcements. She was popular, beautiful, and always surrounded by people. Her social media was filled with pictures from parties, concerts, late-night outings, and friends Sua had never even heard of.

She looked like she belonged somewhere bright and loud.

Sua belonged in the library.

"You're still here," Hyuna said, catching up to her. "Perfect! I wanted you to meet someone."

Sua's eyes immediately moved toward Mizi.

Mizi was dressed casually, but somehow she still looked effortlessly fashionable. Her pink hair fell around her shoulders, the very ends dyed a soft light blue, creating a contrast that Sua couldn't help but notice. She offered Sua a warm smile-the kind that made Sua suddenly forget what she was supposed to say.

"This is Sua," Hyuna introduced. "She's one of my friends. She's basically a genius."

Sua frowned slightly. "I'm not-"

"And this," Hyuna continued, completely ignoring her, "is Mizi."

"Yeah," Mizi said, holding out her hand. "I think everyone already knows that."

Sua hesitated before shaking it.

Her hand was warm.

"Nice to meet you," Sua quietly said.

Mizi tilted her head. "You're really quiet."

Hyuna laughed. "Give her five years. She'll eventually say something funny."

Sua sighed. "Hyuna."

"What?" Hyuna grinned innocently.

Mizi laughed.

And for some reason, Sua couldn't stop thinking about that laugh.

---

The three of them began walking toward the school gates together.

At first, Sua thought she would barely say anything. That was usually what happened when Hyuna introduced her to someone new-Hyuna did all the talking while Sua politely nodded at the appropriate moments.

But Mizi was surprisingly easy to talk to.

Not that Sua would ever admit that.

"So, what do you usually do after school?" Mizi asked.

"Study."

Mizi stared at her.

"That's it?"

Sua looked at her. "Is there supposed to be something else?"

Hyuna burst into laughter.

Mizi placed a hand over her chest dramatically. "That's so tragic."

"It's not tragic."

"You're telling me you've never gone to a party?"

"No."

"Not even once?"

Sua shook her head.

Mizi looked genuinely shocked, as though Sua had just confessed to never seeing the sun before.

"We have to fix that."

Sua immediately stopped walking.

"We?"

Mizi turned around and smiled at her.

"Yeah. We."

Something about the way she said it made Sua's heart skip.

It was ridiculous.

She had known Mizi for less than ten minutes.

---

They eventually reached the corner where their paths separated.

Hyuna had somewhere to be, leaving Mizi and Sua standing awkwardly on the sidewalk.

"Well," Hyuna said, walking backward, "you two should hang out sometime!"

Sua opened her mouth to protest.

Mizi beat her to it.

"Sure."

Sua looked at her.

Mizi looked back.

Hyuna's grin widened.

"Perfect! Bye!"

And just like that, she was gone.

Sua stared at the direction Hyuna had disappeared before slowly turning back toward Mizi.

"You don't actually have to-"

"I know."

Sua paused.

Mizi's smile softened.

"But I want to."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Cars passed by. Students laughed somewhere in the distance. The city continued moving around them as though nothing important had happened.

But Sua felt something unfamiliar settle quietly in her chest.

Curiosity, maybe.

Or something more dangerous.

Mizi pulled out her phone.

"Give me your number."

Sua blinked. "My number?"

"Unless you prefer sending letters."

Sua looked away, embarrassed, and reluctantly gave it to her.

A few seconds later, her phone buzzed.

Unknown Number: Hi, nerd.

Sua stared at the screen.

Then she looked up at Mizi.

Mizi was already walking away, her pink-and-blue-tipped hair catching the afternoon light as she laughed at Sua's expression.

"See you around, Sua!"

Sua stood there for a while after she left.

She didn't know why she saved the number.

She didn't know why she smiled when she did.

And she definitely didn't know why, later that night, while surrounded by textbooks and unfinished notes, she kept checking her phone.

Waiting for another message from a girl she had only met that afternoon.

Maybe it was nothing.

Maybe it was just a friendship.

Maybe Mizi was just being friendly.

After all-

It was casual.

At least, that's what Sua would tell herself.

For now.