"I don't think I've seen her before. She live in the dorms?"

"A girl that pretty at our school..."

The guys playing on the basketball court next to the dorm stared blankly at On Si-eun.

People heading out of the dorm for the library or a date were hooked on her, too.

It was spring.

On a campus where the flowers hadn't bloomed yet, an ivory spring blossom had come walking in, alive.

On Si-eun had put on the dress suit she'd bought for her graduation photos, and her face was burning.

But it was the first date of her life, so she'd worked up her nerve.

She'd had the sophomore girl who shared her room teach her how to do makeup.

Seven-centimeter heels were a first, too.

She carried the designer handbag her older brother had bought her to celebrate getting into college.

She'd tied her hair back neatly in a ponytail.

She'd taken off her glasses and put in contacts.

Her roommate had clapped and couldn't stop gushing that she looked like an actress on her way to an awards show.

She'd wrapped herself up tight after the sexism she'd been hit with in her first year; now On Si-eun had laid down her own armor.

Even she was amazed at how she looked.

She'd done nothing but study her brains out, and as a fourth-year with lab privileges she rarely saw the sun, so her cheeks still had a little baby fat.

A face so young you'd believe it if someone said she was a freshman.

Where is he? We said we'd meet in front of the parking lot...

Her cheeks flushed pink under the men's stares, On Si-eun looked around for him.

She'd stretched her budget a little for the dress, and it ended in a flared skirt.

And it came up about ten centimeters above the knee, putting her pale skin and the line of her legs right on display.

Her face burned, but On Si-eun put up with it.

Today was her first date since starting college.

No—her first date ever.

It was no…