After failing to jumpstart her acting career, Karina returns defeated to her hometown to figure out her next move. Things get complicated when she finds out that Y/N, her best friend from high school with whom she parted on awkward terms, is also ba...
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When they were fifteen and nearing the end of their first year in high school, Karina correctly guessed that Mark and Arin would be the first ones in their class to start dating. Which wasn't that big a deal, since nearly everyone knew that they were secretly crushing on each other since middle school.
Still, Y/N and Karina were a little shocked when Mark told them after school that day that he wouldn't be walking home with them that day or from then on. He'd be walking with Arin, instead.
"Didn't I tell you they would be the first one's in our grade to date?" Karina said. It was mid-afternoon. She and Y/N were making their way home after school. She was playing a game on his Nintendo DS and walking at the same time.
Y/N had his arms outstretched for balance as he walked on top of a low brick wall.
"Big deal," Y/N said. "Everyone knew they were going to get together eventually."
"Yeah, but I was the first one to say it," Karina said.
Of course, everyone in the class had their crushes. They sent each other secret admirer valentines and passed notes in class with multiple choice questions like "Do you like me? Yes, no, maybe? Circle one." But Mark and Arin were the first ones to actually take action, and their courage would unknowingly give other potential couples in their class permission to do the same.
"So, Mark and Arin are a thing now," Y/N said, jumping down from the wall. "Who else do you think is going to start dating?"
Karina paused and thought for a minute.
"Shotaro and Lia. They're next. I can feel it," Karina said, closing Y/N's Nintendo and handing it back to him. "They're literally always together now, and they walk home together, and they're friends, but something's going to click, and they'll start dating. Or maybe Jeno and Yeri. Personally, I don't think Jeno is serious about her, but if he asked Yeri, she probably wouldn't say no."
"What about Hanbin and that goth girl, Minjeong?" he laughed as soon as he said it. He had caught Hanbin staring at Minjeong before, during baseball practice when she was sitting under the bleachers reading thick Bronte novels. Everyone on the team had a good laugh about that when Y/N pointed it out, but he low-key thought it was kind of sweet that the baseball team captain and most popular boy in class had a crush on the dark loner girl.
"I wish him luck," Karina said, kicking a pebble. "Everyone knows that Minjeong isn't interested in boys in our grade."
Y/N felt bad for Hanbin.
"Okay," Y/N said, swinging his backpack around to put his Nintendo away. "What about... Jisung and Kazuha?"
Karina raised her brows. "Jisung likes Kazuha?"
"You kidding?" Y/N said. "Head over heels. He never shuts up about her during band practice."
"Oh god, I feel bad now," Karina said, pressing a palm to her cheek. "Should we tell him that Kazuha likes Jaemin?"
