✧ kitty;

i should have seen it coming.

i mean, of course i was going to be late. it's practically a personality trait at this point. but falling down the stairs? that was a new low.

i groan as i push myself up from the last step, wincing as a sharp pain shoots up my ankle. great. just great. rushing towards the tube entrance, i clutch my bag tighter and start hobbling toward the train station, my breath already short from the chaos of my morning.

"kitty, if you make me late one more time, i'm blocking your number," dae's voice comes through my phone the second i pick up his call.

i can hear the muffled sound of the train station in the background, which means he's already there, along with the rest of our group.

"you promise?" i tease as i end the call. soon enough Q texts in the group chat.

i hurry through the turnstiles and down the steps; carefully, this time. when i finally spot them standing near the platform, Q waves dramatically. "look who survived!"

"barely," i mutter, slumping next to juliana. she grins and nudges me.

"is this going to be a daily thing now? last week you tripped getting off the train, and now—"

"we have to bubble wrap her," Q cuts in. "it's the only way."

i groan as i try and fix my hair, "you guys are the worst."

"but we love you," Q says cheerfully. "kind of."

dae sighs, his voice softer this time. "you okay, though?"

dae's always been like this with me—always quick to check in. our moms have been best friends since forever, which means we've been stuck with each other for just as long. he's like my second shadow, always hovering, always concerned, and sometimes, sometimes, i catch a weird look in his eyes when he thinks i'm not paying attention.

i know what it means. i just pretend i don't.

"i'm fine," i say "just mildly humiliated, but that's nothing new."

"good, because we're not letting you live this down," juliana says. we all finally step onto the platform and find a seat. i'm sitting next to dae as juliana and Q sit in front of us

i met Q in high school. we bonded over a shared love of making fun of bad theater productions. i then eventually joined theater club and became close to juliana and Q.

"first day at LAPA," i announce making everyone look up from their phones, "im... scared."

"don't worry! we'll take you under our wing just like we did in high school," Q says as he motions between him and juliana.

"more like i took you under my wing," i correct. "i was the lead in that first play, remember?"

"that was one time," Q says, flipping their hair. "and i played a tree, which, honestly, required way more emotional depth."

juliana laughs, and for a second, i forget the dull ache in my ankle. this is how it's always been with us—effortless. we've been glued together since high school, and now, somehow, we all ended up studying at the same performing arts college — in london. it still doesn't feel real sometimes.

we were all from oregon but decided to take a chance and apply to LAPA, london academy of performing arts. we picked london since dae already knew people here and it was kind of a prestigious school. we all wanted a new chapter, especially me.

-

-

once we make it to campus, the first thing we do is compare schedules.

Q groans the loudest. "why did i sign up for an 8 a.m. class on tuesdays and thursdays?? that should be illegal."

"you literally wanted that class so bad," juliana points out.

"in my defense, i thought 'movement for actors' sounded fun. i didn't realize it meant actual movement at an ungodly hour."

i glance at my own schedule. my first class isn't for another forty-five minutes. perfect. that gives me enough time to grab a matcha latte and just chill for a sec.

"alright, i'll see you guys later," i say, waving as i start toward the café on the corner.

"try not to trip over anything this time," dae calls out.

i flip him off without turning around.

the café is already packed when i get there, but i manage to slip in and order my usual. the barista tells me it'll be a few minutes, so i step to the side and scroll through my phone.

students come and go, some rushing, some lingering, but i don't pay much attention until i hear it—

"matcha tea latte for katherine!"

i step forward, reaching for my drink, but before i can grab it, a hand snatches it first.

"hey, i think that's mine," i say, turning toward the culprit.

he's tall—lean but broad-shouldered, dark hair slightly messy like he just rolled out of bed. he's wearing a hoodie and looks like he has zero time to be dealing with me.

"sorry," he says, not actually sounding sorry at all. "i'm about to be late for class! i got the same thing as you though so feel free to take mine!"

before i can even process the audacity, he's gone, disappearing out the door with my matcha.

"asshole," i mutter under my breath.

i cross my arms and wait, glaring at every cup the baristas place on the counter. after a few minutes, they call out another order—

"matcha tea latte for min ho!"

i glance around. no one moves to grab it.

i wait a few more seconds. still nothing.

well?

i hesitate for maybe half a second before picking it up. i'm already running on bad luck today, and i refuse to let some random guy steal my caffeine and my dignity.

"min ho...?" i mumble, looking at the name written on the cup. it sounds vaguely familiar, but i can't place it. whatever. it doesn't matter. i have my drink, and i have classes to get through

-

after my first class i get to the class that i have with all my friends. by the time i get to film 121, the classroom is already buzzing with chatter. this is the class i'm most excited for—the final project is making a short film, and i already have a million ideas.

i slide into a seat next to Q, who looks up from their notebook. "you look like exhausted already."

i take a sip of my latte. "i'm already having such a bad day."

before Q can ask, the door opens again, and a few more students walk in—including dae and the guy who stole my drink.

my eyes widen. no way.

he doesn't see me at first. he's talking to the guy who is looking just as unbothered as he did at the café. but then dae claps him on the back, grinning.

dae walks over to me, stringing along the guy and two other people behind him

"kitty, this is min ho," dae says. "my friend from korea! but he also grew up here in london."

dae goes back to korea every summer and he always talks about his friend who visits often too. guess it's min ho.

min ho's gaze finally lands on me, and i watch as recognition flickers in his eyes. his lips twitch, like he's holding back a smirk.

"oh," he says, tilting his head slightly. "you're kitty."

i narrow my eyes. "its katherine to you."

he glances down at my cup. the one with his name still scrawled across it.

for a second, we just stare at each other, the realization sinking in. then, he exhales a quiet laugh, shaking his head.

"so you stole my drink."

"excuse me?" i sputter. "you stole mine first!"

Q and juliana exchange looks, already amused. dae just groans. "great. you two are going to be a nightmare, aren't you?"

min ho leans against the desk, arms crossed, completely relaxed. "you could've just ordered another one, you know."

i glare. "so could you."

his smirk deepens, and i immediately know he's going to be the most insufferable person i've ever met.

and, lucky me, we're stuck in the same class for the rest of the semester.