Stuck With You

one

It was a fine day, too fine for Sana to be this late. She rushed into the bathroom the moment her dearest cousin, Nayeon, banged on her door and warned her for the fifth time how terrifying the university’s Student Affairs President could be if she arrived late within the next thirty minutes.

Sana had no idea who this president was, but somehow, she imagined someone like Jihyo—strict, loud, and terrifyingly authoritative. The only difference was that Jihyo, despite her intensity, was warm and friendly. This one? Sana had a feeling she was… scary scary.

After a rushed shower, Sana nearly tripped over herself as she grabbed her bag and dragged Nayeon out of the house. They rode Nayeon’s bicycle all the way to the university, skipping breakfast entirely.

She had just arrived in Korea from Japan the night before. Jet-lagged. Overwhelmed. And today, at exactly eight in the morning, she was supposed to meet the Student Affairs President to discuss her schedule and transferee requirements.

Unfortunately, she overslept. Exactly at eight o’clock, the two arrived on campus and quickly parted ways. Nayeon headed toward the admissions office to settle Sana’s dorm arrangements.
Sana, however, froze. She had forgotten to ask her cousin where the Student Affairs office was.

“This is not fun,” Sana muttered, tugging at her hair before taking a deep breath.
She forced herself to calm down and decided to ask the security guard nearby. After getting the directions, she thanked the man and hurried off, following the path he indicated.

As she approached the building, her steps slowed. A large crowd of students blocked the way, gathered as if a celebrity had decided to stop traffic.

“Just great,” she mumbled, scanning for another route. That’s when she noticed a guy sitting on a bench to the side, quietly reading a biology book.
Sana walked over.

“Excuse me, mind if I ask?” she said politely. He nodded without looking up.
“So, um… I’m heading to the Student Affairs office, but the lane is crowded and I’m really in a hurry. Do you happen to know another way?”

The senior finally closed his book and looked at her. “There’s another path through the garden,” he explained. “Once you reach the other side, you’ll see the library. There’s a narrow path beside it—that’s a shortcut straight to the president’s office.”

Sana’s eyes lit up. “Really? Thank you so much, mister...”
“Taehyung. Kim Taehyung,” he said, extending his hand.

“Sana. Minatozaki Sana,” she replied, shaking it with a grateful smile. She then excused herself and immediately ran toward the garden, her heart pounding as the clock ticked mercilessly in her head.

Just as she reached the front of the library, her shoelace betrayed her. She stumbled forward, losing her balance at the exact moment someone stepped out of the building.

“Look out!” Sana yelped, but it was too late. They collided. Both of them fell onto the ground in an awkward heap of limbs and startled gasps.

“Ah—why am I like this?” Sana groaned, staring at the sky. 'Great, Sana. This is embarrassing. If Chaeyoung and Nayeon-unnie were here, they’d never let this go.' She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for whatever came next.