Chaeyoung's P.O.V.

Days had passed since I last saw Mina, and I couldn't stop thinking about her. She had warned me that her schedule would be packed due to ballet practice, and I knew just how important it was for her to balance her studies with her passion for dance. I didn't want to be the one to distract her, especially since she was preparing to be the main cast in The Black Ranger or something... Wait, I had completely forgotten the exact name of the recital! All I knew was that it was important, and I was too nervous to reach out to her.

"Dude, you've been staring at your phone for almost an hour. Are you going to text her or not?" Hyuga's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I was still sitting there, my finger hovering over the screen, unsure whether I should send a message to Mina or not.

Before I could make up my mind, Gin snatched my phone out of my hands. "What the hell, Gin?!" I growled, but it was too late. He had already dialed her number. Hyuga held both of my arms down, making sure I couldn't grab my phone back.

The phone rang, and my heart raced. It felt like it was about to burst from my chest as I listened to the sound of the rings echoing in my ears. I closed my eyes, praying to all the gods out there that Mina wouldn't pick up. I didn't want this moment to be real. If I got my way, she'd let it go to voicemail. Then, I could just pretend I never tried to contact her. But of course, the gods weren't on my side today.

"Hello?" Her voice came through the phone, sweet and clear, sending a jolt through me. The three of us froze to where we stood while staring at the phone as the silence dragged on. My palms were clammy, and sweat beaded on my forehead. It felt like the blood had drained from my body, leaving me cold. Hyuga kept holding my arms, and Gin shoved the phone in front of my face.

"Talk!" Gin mouthed, urging me to say something. But I couldn't. I was too nervous. It had never been this hard to speak before.

Then Mina spoke again, her voice breaking through my panic, calling my name. "Chaeyoung??"

My heart skipped a beat. The way she said my name—it was like music to my ears. I felt a little weak at the sound of it, and I couldn't even manage to form a sentence. It felt like time had stopped.

"Are you there?" she asked again, and I felt like I was about to die from embarrassment. I couldn't answer her. I wanted to sink into the ground and disappear.

But then, as if on cue, Hyuga decided to step in. "This is Chaeng. Do you want to go out with me? Are you free today?" he said, totally ignoring the fact that I was struggling to speak for myself. I froze, glaring at him in complete disbelief. What the hell did he just say?

Mina laughed softly at Hyuga's attempt, clearly knowing it wasn't me speaking. "I can't today, I have a ballet lesson after class," she replied, but then added, "But I'll be at the theater practicing later. You can come by if you want to. I'll wait for you there."

The moment those words left her mouth, I felt like I had just won the lottery. I couldn't help but jump up and down, grinning like an idiot. Hyuga and Gin were just as excited, giving each other high fives, but they immediately started haggling with me about beer and cigarettes for later. I promised I'd treat them, but not now—I had a date with Mina!

I arrived at the main gate of her university an hour earlier than planned. I wanted to make sure I wasn't late. Mina's time was precious, and I didn't want to keep her waiting. As I stood there in my Suzuran University uniform, I noticed people staring at me. I knew I stood out. Suzuran was infamous for its gang wars, and I was one of the few from that school who even dared step foot on this campus. People avoided me, but honestly, I didn't care. I was here for Mina, and nothing else mattered.

I was lost in my thoughts when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, and there she was—Mina. Her finger playfully poked my cheek, and I couldn't stop smiling. "Mina," I said, grinning at her. She smiled back, and I noticed the students who had been eyeing us suddenly looking at us with judgmental stares. But Mina didn't care. She just smiled and ignored them.

She asked if I had been waiting long, and I lied, saying I had just arrived a few minutes ago when in truth, I had been here 2 hours ago. She told me that the theater was nearby, and we decided to walk over together. Along the way, I asked if she had eaten yet, and she said she had.

"Here," she said, handing me a ticket for her ballet recital. I took it eagerly, reading the title aloud: The Black Swan. I blinked, puzzled not Black Ranger. That wasn't what I had expected at all. I had thought she would be playing a black ranger or something—fighting villains with her ballet moves. What a fool I was. I laughed awkwardly to myself. Where the hell did I get that?

"On Sunday, the recital starts at 4 pm," she explained, and I told her I would be there at 2 pm. She laughed at my seriousness and playfully hit me on the arm. I loved seeing her laugh—her gummy smile made her even more beautiful. I wondered why it suited her so well. It was perfect.

When we reached the Patravadi Theater, she said she needed to head inside to prepare. I told her to wait for me for a moment, then I ran to a nearby convenience store and bought her some snacks—a sandwich, orange juice, and a few kinds of chocolates. I didn't want her to get hungry during practice.

When I handed her the snacks, she smiled at me, and I felt a warmth spread through my chest. "Will your driver pick you up after practice?" I asked, wanting to make sure she wouldn't be left alone. She said her driver would be there, which was a relief.

Just before she entered the theater, she smiled at me again. "I'll expect you to be there," she said. I gave her two thumbs up, my heart racing as I watched her go inside.

The day of her recital finally came, and I woke up way too early. I couldn't sleep, my mind racing with excitement. The night before, I had texted her good luck, and to my surprise, she was still awake, nervously talking about the recital. After chatting for a while, I mustered the courage to ask her if she wanted to go out next weekend. I pressed "send" and waited anxiously for a reply.

Hours passed with no response. I started to feel like I had made a huge mistake. Maybe she didn't like the idea. Maybe she thought I was just another guy trying to take advantage. I couldn't shake the feeling of doubt. I lay in bed, exhausted but restless, until I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up at 6 am, I checked my phone and saw a message from her. "Sure, why not? It'll be a good relaxation after my toxic schedule." I couldn't believe it. She said yes! I quickly texted back, "Good luck later in your recital."

Her message made my heart soar. She was the only person who could make me feel this way—excited, nervous, and just plain happy. I couldn't wait to see her dance.

At the theater, I was the first in line. I had arrived early, wearing a simple white t-shirt, checkered long sleeves, black denim, and Vans. A familiar face caught my attention—Bob, one of my friends from Suzuran. He was working a part-time job at the theater, helping with the setup. We exchanged greetings, and he casually mentioned that the main dancer was "a real chick" and that everyone had a crush on her. I knew exactly who he was talking about.

I stayed quiet, not wanting to let on that I knew he was referring to Mina. I didn't need to say anything. They were all just fascinated by her, and I couldn't help but smile to myself. After hearing their stories about how Mina kept to herself and didn't let anyone get close to her, I realized just how lucky I was.

Mina was different with me. Her smile, her laughter, the way she made me feel—she was my angel. And I had fallen for her even more after hearing these stories.

I will make her mine, and I was going to make sure I never let her go.