A Crash Course in Clashing

The term happiness is easily recognized and in theory, able to be understood by many. However it is a feeling that has not been explored by either of our main characters in this dual point of view story.

On one hand, Carolina Flores thinks she's happy. With her united Mexican family, two best friends- Elena and Valentina, and Daniel-her boyfriend of two years; her life can't seem to get much better, at least until she got her acceptance letter in the mail. Now transferring into the University of Washington, she's working towards the career of her dreams, making new friends, and hanging out more with Elena, who also goes there. The only problem with that is that her aspirations are seemingly getting in the way of the life everyone else wants for her.

A first generation student, she finds that no one but Elena understands her career oriented life. Everyone else would rather her get married and start a family, but the idea alone sends shivers down her spine. As the reader looks more into her life, the struggle between managing her time spent at UW and her time with her increasingly possessive boyfriend begin to take a toll on her mental health. Her only help comes from the person she least expected it to come from: her art partner Kang Seo-Jun.

Coming from a strict business background, Seo-Jun faces his own struggles with happiness. His parents, who were once loving and united, have now turned cold and somewhat neglectful as they focus on their growing skincare business, Nabi Cosmetics. Since he is their only child, his parents begin giving him the attention he'd been yearning for when he shows an interest in beginning his training with the company. However now, he must juggle early east coast time meetings, endless reports, classes, and making time for his two friends- Khai and Si-Hoo.

His issue with happiness is seen when he constantly sets aside his culinary passion to appease his parents and their plans for his life. Having been raised to have a logical mindset, Seo-Jun has been fine with pushing aside his emotions until halfway through the school year when Khai and Si-Hoo invite him to spend the holidays with their families since the Kangs are out of the country. At this point, he begins to realize how exhausted and unhappy he truly is with himself and the never changing relationship with his parents.

Although they live their own lives, Caro and Seo-Jun become intertwined when they are paired together for an art assignment. Immediately upon meeting, their personalities clash. She's too loud and emotional, and he's too calculated and dry. As they get to know each other through their quarter long art assignments, they begin to see that they might not be so different after all.