"Eomma!" a loud cry echoed through the Kim home's hallways. Rash footsteps hurried down the stairs, and more shouts echoed.

Ari, an adorable white Maltese, ran as if a few ghosts were following her. A adorable charmander slipper was in her mouth as she passed her mother in the kitchen, where she was making breakfast for Dahyun.

Dahyun was stressed and short of breath. She was still covered in a pink spa towel and had her hair in a towel cap. Her fragile face seemed flushed, and her eyes were panicked as she glanced at her cheerful mother.

"What's going on with you and your dog again?" Her eyes were filled with laughter as she observed her daughter's manner.

Today Dahyun is starting her senior year. At last her final school year at Hamlin Arts School has arrived. It was supposed to be Dahyun's most exciting day but her daughter wasn't keen to return to school after what transpired last summer during the leadership camp. She could see that her daughter wasn't yet over it but her smile was bright but never reached her expressive eyes.

Dahyun sighed, looking for her white Maltese presence. She was barefoot and her frustration was visible. "Ari grabbed my Pokémon Charmander slipper. I  don't know why Ari always had a fetish for my most expensive collectables. She's going to ruin it. Luna bought it for me as a graduation gift from year 2."

Her mom suppressed a smile,"  Don't worry, Tofu—Ari will just leave it in the living room like always. She will soon lose interest in it; her only aim was seeking your attention. You didn't spend enough time with her during the weekend!" her mom explained while placing a plate with kimchi pancakes and chocolate milk on the table. She knows her daughter has a deep love for chocolates and even her milk must be chocolate. It's a wonder she still has all her teeth without cavities.

Dahyun stomps her foot. "Eomma, that little devil is slowly working on my nerves... I'm going to give her away one of these days. Eomma, can't I stay for the week at home? Just tell our school director that I have the flu or something..."

She whined as she turned around to go back to her room.

"It is your first day, baby; you need to be at school to get your schedule and to be placed in your homeroom. I understand that your principal had planned to have four senior classes of 15-20 seniors per class to help you focus more. So today is very important, especially meeting your senior class teachers—"Her mom gave her a solemn look.

Dahyun wiped her face; her sadness was already apparent. "I...I simply don't want to see my classmates anymore. I was the biggest laughingstock at school last year, and when Luna's admirer died, it was just too much for me... Can't I attend online school?"

Her mother giggles, "No, you enjoy interacting with others. This year, you may be a class monitor.

Dahyun just screwed up her face. "I doubt it. The head female role can go to Seulgi or Eunbin... Soobin's girlfriend. And if she gets picked, she is going to give me hell. I really wish Seulgi is higher ranked than her."

Dahyun just shook her head and raced up the stairs to complete her bath routine. She will deal with that little hellraiser later, hopefully her slipper will survive. She sighed loudly after she returned from her pink bathroom and looked at her school uniform on the bed.

Her fingers brushed across her school skirt, and her eyes darkened. Her room was still the same since she was 13 years old. She inherited her Eomma's teenage bed, which was considered an heirloom. She first despised it, but because it was her Eomma's favorite, she grew to like it and decorated her room with countless plushies and fairy lights to give it amazing atmosphere

If she is lucky enough to make her debut, she will live with her group in a new dorm apartment. However, because she is near to the agency, her parents have arranged for her to reside at home.

Last summer, before the schools closed, she received the worst rejection from the boy she had a crush on since she was 14 years. It was a total eye-opener when he told her he never even considered her, never liked her, and never will.

He made her feel like a stalker, and the worst part was that he was a well-known newbie idol from the group TXT. She was madly in love with him, and what hurt her the most was that he did it in front of their peers. His girlfriend and her toxic friends humiliated and mocked her. Without her friends as a support system, she wasn't sure how she would have made it through the last few weeks of school.

It's a new year, her senior year, and her most significant year yet. After a few years as an idol trainee, she couldn't believe her luck when she and Chaeyoung were placed in Trice, a soon-to-be debut group.

They are merely hoping to make the final lineup. Then they will be on their way to stardom. Even their lovely friend Luna, who was secretly dating TXT member Hyung Yeonjun, has debuted as a model trainee with their agency, JYP, in their modeling section.

After blow drying and styling her long, silky hair, she grabbed her book bag and dashed down the stairs to have some breakfast. Her family has a highly profitable luxury firm that specialized in high-end watches.

Once she was finished, she followed her mom to the garage. Her older brother Myung-soo has just started his second year at uni. He lives in the dorm at Yonsei University as a business major.

The journey to Hamlin School was peaceful. Dahyun was on her phone, urging her friends to wait for her at the gate and not enter before she got to school. When they arrived at the entrance, Dahyun's eyes dimmed. She is not looking forward to the awkward first day.

She turned to face her relaxed mother, who raised her eyebrows. "Well, this is it...your first day as a senior."She grinned excitedly as she scanned the crowd of students streaming into the school.

Due to the long summer absence, some friends squealed and hugged each other. Some school guards were shouting them to enter the schoolyard since they only had a few minutes till the gates were the gates were closed.

Dahyun furrowed her brow as she scanned the happy teenagers to see if she could find her best friends. When she didn't see them yet, she groaned and looked at her mom's enquiring eyes since she hadn't made any effort to move out of the SUV.

Her mom sensed her apprehension as she took her soft place hand in her," Sweetheart, my little Tofu. I know the summer after the camp was so tough for you, going through two devastating events, rejection from your crush and the death of your fellow learner. I know it had a huge impact on you and I know that the rejection truly hurt but---"

Dahyun sharply inhaled, and interupt, "...but seeing them again will open more wounds, Eomma.  Last year, after the camp and the funeral, we all got distracted by the exams and I didn't have time to reminisce about him...but starting a new year...my senior year. I... I just don't want to be in their presence, Eomma." Dahyun bit her lip. Her eyes looked a little teary as she scanned the environment for her friends. Her mom could see the hidden pain in her eyes.

"Tofu, rejection does not define your worth or future. You are beautiful and brilliant and you have the potential to be a successful idol one day. Things will cool down and it will just get better for you. Oh, there are your friends waving." Her mom's excited face shone up to hers.

Dahyun signed, "I know, Eomma. I'm delighted Luna chose to come back this year. We had to persuade her to complete her final year with us," she smiled a bit as she waved at her excited friends.

Her mother gave her the most affectionate squeeze before she took the bag. "See...all your friends are together waiting for you to start the next chapter of your lives. This year all of you will be eighteen and ready to find your soulmates. You will be very blessed when you find the one. So hang in there. Your match will come and sweep you off your feet---"

Dahyun shook her head, chuckling slightly at her mother's reasoning. But what if she's a blue string who still loves her crush? That will be the most heartbreaking period of her life. She opened the door, hastily hugged her mother, and exited the car.

"Dahyun! Hurry up, girl!" Seulgi exclaimed as the gatekeepers were closing the automated gates. With a final wave to her mother, she dashed up to her three friends, hugged them firmly, linked arms and all four of them hurried into the yard just in time..

They were all in the auditorium listening to the principal addressing the whole school faculty and welcoming everyone back again. He encouraged the seniors to work hard and empathize with those who had a tough year last semester when they lost a school classmate.

Dahyun looked at Luna's sad face and she could understand how her best friend felt knowing that she was indirectly the cause of her fanboy's death. Dahyun's eyes were darting over her new senior classmates but she avoided her crush when she saw him sitting with Eunbin and two of his band members.

The whole school was in an uproar when the new learner representatives were introduced. Soobin and Eunbin were voted as the head prefects and Seulgi was the deputy head with another boy, whom she doesn't even know. Dahyun just clapped politely, wondering if Eunbin would be more petty than Yeji of last year. She had made up her mind to stay far away from the couple.

The ten leaders were all congratulated by the senior teachers and principal. They got their prefect name badges, which was a huge honor. Soobin was smiling so charmingly. His deep dimples were playing peekaboo; he was a very popular idol also. He and Eunbin shared a discreet, affectionate smile. Seulgi was overly excited to be part of the leadership team for the seniors.

After the assembly, they all walked to the huge notice boards outside the auditorium where their new class registers were posted with their new homeroom teacher.

Seulgi smirked, " I can't wait to give orders to the younger grades."

Chaeyoung grinned, "Oh yeah, just don't boss us around. Remember, you can't be rude in class with the teachers or you might lose your position."

Luna chuckled softly, "Seulgi is born to be a lady boss. She is going to attend a lot of meetings from today and we might not see her in the cafeteria as the student leaders got a VIP room. You are so lucky, Seulgi."

Seulgi snorts, "Don't worry. I'll get you some of the cool snacks from the VIP rooms. I hope Soobin and Eunbin will not be overly strict this year. "

Chaeyoung urged them to hurry, "Come on, guys, let's check in on whose classes we will be this year. I hope we get Ms. Shim. She was such a cool English teacher."

Luna furrowed her brows as they approached the huge notice board. They could hear some of the learners squeal because of being placed into the same class. They saw Eunbin and Soobin hug each other as they walked to their designated class. Dahyun wondered in whose class she would be, as there would be four senior classes. As a major, she chose music like piano, and drama. Luna chose fashion because it would help her in her modeling career and violin, her first love, to stay in the instrumental class, even Chaeyoung drama and guitar. Seulgi chose jazz dance as a major and fashion like Luna, as she wanted to pursue a fashion degree the following year.

They waited until most of the learners were done. Seulgi was pushing through the few seniors who were still scanning for their names from four posters.

Seulgi squealed, "Oh my gosh... I got that new hot teacher, Mr. Kim Rowoon. It seemed Dahuyn is with me in Class 1... oh—oh," she murmured as she turned to look at your raised eyebrows, but when she saw Seulgi's smile falter, she knew something was not right.

Dahyun pushes through to the front as she scans the list. "Oh my... no way!" Her eyes widen in shock. Luna and Chaeyoung are placed together in Class 2, Ms. Shim's class. When her eyes read through all the names, her heart dropped.

Dahyun turned around to get out of the little crowd as she was almost hyperventilating. Her friends soon saw her deep distress and led her away from the board. She was fanning herself as if she couldn't believe her eyes.

"I...I'm paired with Soobin and Eunbin in a flipped classroom. Oh no!" Her eyes started to harden. She isn't going to sit with those two in the same class and observe their lovey-dovey behavior.

 Luna glanced at Dahyun and said, "I'm sorry.I hoped you could join Chaeyoung and me in the same class. But perhaps fate meant you to be together to learn how to endure and overcome rejection.

 Dahyun's eyes grew moist. "I can't cope with these people. I just can't. Excuse me a moment; I'll be right back. You have to attend class . Ms. Shim's class is on the fourth floor."

 Chaeyoung's eyes widen,"Oh my goodness! Come on, Luna, you know Ms. Shim despises tardiness." 

Seulgi chuckles, "Do not worry, it's the first day...we are all busy finding our way around. They gave us this one period to get acquainted with our classes and schedules—"

While the three best friends gave her a comfortable hug, Dahyun turned and walked in the opposite direction to the administration block.

Fortunately, Dahyun was well-known throughout the office. The principal's secretary took her to the principal's office. Because she couldn't locate Mr. Rowoon in the teacher's lounge. He could be back in the classroom. 

Mr. Hong, a calm and peaceful middle-aged guy, sat at his table with a few papers in front of him. The principal's office was very homey with photos of his family in several frames. It was very plain and simple mostly to make his teachers and learners feel at ease. 

He smiled broadly as he spotted the vibrant and always helpful Dahyun, "Hello, Kim Dahyun. How can I help you today?"He grinned warmly. He liked Dahyun because she was always available to give a helping hand. A good kid with great moral values and very respectful. 

His bright eyes sparkled, and Dahyun saw why he was such a popular principal. He was compassionate and kind. 

Dahyun breathed deeply and gave him a little bow. "Good morning, Sir... I just want to chat with you about my class placement----," she strangled out with bated breath.

.

A/n:  Senior year has began.

Thank you so much to all the MOA readers as well as Sparkles. I hope you'll enjoy this new story about Soobin and Dahyuns' journey.

1. Do you believe Dahyun will be able to handle Soobin in one class?

 2. Do you believe Soobin regretted what he had done to her? 

3. Do you believe Dahyun actually forgives Soobin? 

4. Do you believe Dahyun's senior year would be difficult?

Hope you enjoy a little girl power🎀🪷