The Seoul Rhythm šŖ
The Arrival (Morning - 08:00 AM)
Saavi emerged from the Incheon Airport crowd, pulling her trolley bag behind her. She was dressed in a kurti and denimāpure Indo-Western swag. Her earphones were plugged in, playing the 2020 hit song 'Yet To Come.' Seventeen-year-old Saavi had traveled all the way from India to Seoulās airport in South Korea. She hopped into a taxi, staring at the shimmering roads and glowing digital boards throughout the ride. She was nervous, but the excitement was even stronger.
The Hostel Fun (Afternoon - 01:30 PM)
The door to hostel room 304 swung open. Saavi had barely stepped inside when a girl practically pounced on her.
"Omo! Are you our new roommate?" This was Lisa, who seemed to stay in a permanent state of hyper-energy.
Aria followed from behind, calmly filing her nails. "Lisa, let her breathe. Hi Saavi, Iām Aria, from the fashion department."
In the corner sat a girl clutching a packet of chips. "Iām Momo. If you have Indian spices with you, weāre best friends."
Saavi smiled. She had worried about being lonely, but these. three were just like her. Together, they helped Saavi unpack and gave her the "lay of the land"āwho to stay away from and who was 'crush-worthy' on campus.
The Grand Entry (The Campus Scene)
The next day, Saavi stood in the main garden of the college (SNU). A large banner hung there, reading: "Welcome Batch of 2020." Saavi was trying to locate the Computer AI building when a crowd caught her eye.
A black car pulled up, and a guy stepped out. He wore a white oversized shirt, baggy jeans, and a small ring in one ear. It was Jungkook. He held a camera, filming something for a broadcasting project. For Saavi, time stood still. Lisa whispered in her ear from behind, "Thatās the 3rd-year king... Jungkook. Everyone has the right to look at him, but winning him over is impossible."
Suddenly, Jungkook panned his camera, and the focus accidentally landed right on Saaviās face. Their eyes met through the lens. Jungkook lowered the camera for a moment, looked at Saavi, gave a slight nod, and walked away. Saaviās heart was racing so fast she felt the machines in the computer lab might fail.
The First Classroom Drama
Saavi sat in the front row of the classroom. Professor Park wrote a complex AI code on the board. "Who can solve this new 2020 logic?"
The entire class went silent. Even Min-Ji, sitting with her expensive designer bag, looked down to avoid eye contact.
Saavi stood up, walked to the board, and solved the code.
Professor Park was impressed. "Excellent, Saavi!"
But as Saavi was returning to her seat, Min-Ji stuck her foot out. Saavi nearly tripped.
"Oops, I thought there was some trash lying here," Min-Ji said softly, as her friends giggled.
Saavi paused, looked Min-Ji straight in the eye, and replied, "The trash isn't on the floor, Min-Jiāitās probably in your head. Sit carefully next time; in the age of AI, human rudeness is detected very quickly."
The Night Encounter
Later that night, Saavi was walking back from the library. The campus was chilly, and a light mist had started to fall. She was struggling to find her way when she heard a voice.
"You're new, right? The hostel is to the left."
Saavi turned aroundāit was Jungkook. He was just leaving the studio.
"Thank you, Senior," Saavi said nervously.
Jungkook extended his umbrella toward her. "This is the first rain of 2020. Don't fall sick, fresher. You have your first broadcasting assignment tomorrow, don't you?"
Saavi was stunnedāhow did he know? Jungkook smiled and said, "Iām a senior; I keep track of everything." He walked away, leaving Saavi standing there with his umbrella, which lingered with the scent of lavender.