The academy courtyard was buzzing with students chatting. Students lingered in clusters, some practicing footwork on the soft grass, others tossing small gifts back and forth with laughter and playful teasing. The morning sun shone on the polished windows of the training hall, scattering light across the courtyard, reflecting off sweat-dampened hair and glinting on boxing gloves and medals displayed proudly by the more senior students.
Soon Hae walked through the crowd, trying to keep her head down, her heart still fluttering from the previous day's chaos. Gifts Day had been more than she expected glances, teasing, and whispered rumors seemed to follow her wherever she went. Her clumsiness and energetic chaos had made her stand out, for better or worse, and she couldn't help but feel eyes on her.
Fang Yu, leaning casually against a railing nearby, waved a hand. "Hey, rabbit," he teased, "did you survive Gifts Day without tripping over a single person?"
Soon Hae shot him a mock glare, cheeks heating. "I didn't trip over anyone this time," she muttered, adjusting the strap of her bag. "At least, not seriously."
Bai Cao, standing quietly beside Fang Yu, smirked. "Barely counts if you almost fell three times in the cafeteria."
Soon Hae groaned. "I almost died in there, you don't understand!"
Before Fang Yu could reply, a shadow moved across the courtyard, subtle but impossible to miss. The chats around her seemed to dull for a fraction of a second as her eyes followed the movement and it was Lu Han.
He was walking towards her, his hands neatly clasped behind his back, his posture perfectly straight despite the casual morning setting. The black uniform of the academy softened in the sunlight, but his presence carried the same weight it always did quiet, serious, and undeniably commanding. The attention of the students felt distant now, the noise fading her ears.
Her stomach twisted nervously, and she could feel her fingers curling around the strap of her bag. He was walking right toward her.
"You're early," she said nervously her voice small. She wanted to sound casual, normal, but her words came out slightly breathless.
Lu Han stopped a few steps away, unflinching, and revealing a small, carefully wrapped package from his hands. He handed it out to her slowly, deliberately, as if measuring her reaction.
"Here," he said simply, his tone even, serious, yet carrying a subtle weight of expectation. "For you."
Soon Hae froze. Her eyes widened at the unexpected gesture, and for a moment, she couldn't speak. The bustling courtyard seemed to dissolve, leaving only the package in her hands and Lu Han's unblinking gaze.
"Me? For… me?" she stammered, heat rushing to her cheeks.
"Yes," he said, tilting his head slightly, as though confirming something she should already know. "Open it."
Her fingers fumbled over the wrapping paper, tearing it clumsily. Inside lay a pair of boxing gloves smooth, perfectly stitched, and surprisingly light. But what made her pause was the design: on the back of each glove was a tiny rabbit with a pig nose, a symbol that was both ridiculous and endearing, reflecting her own self-image as clumsy yet persistent.
For a moment, the world tilted. She could feel herself staring at them as though they were some kind of treasure, her heart pounding and her breath catching. The gloves were small, almost delicate, but the symbolism hit her harder than any punch ever could.
"They… you… you made these?" she whispered, turning the gloves over in her hands, tracing the symbol with a finger.
Lu Han's expression softened just slightly, a flicker that disappeared almost immediately. "Not made," he corrected. "Picked, Thought you might… like them."
The simplicity of the gesture and the sincerity behind it sent a wave of warmth through her. She wanted to say something, to thank him properly, but her words tangled in her throat. Instead, she could only nod, clutching the gloves like they were more than just leather they were acknowledgment, attention, and something closer to care than she had ever expected from him.
From across the courtyard, a sharp voice cut through the moment.
"That's… his gift for you?" Kim Nana's voice was smooth, but there was venom hidden beneath the politeness. She stepped forward, arms crossed, and a tiny smirk twisted her lips. "How… interesting."
Soon Hae's eyes widened. The flush on her cheeks deepened, partly from embarrassment and partly from the sudden tension that had slithered into the space around them. She opened her mouth to explain, but Nana's presence alone seemed to push the words down her throat.
Lu Han's eyes flicked toward Nana briefly, his posture tightening gradually but he didn't speak. The silence was thick, charged with unspoken rivalry, jealousy, and a weight of authority that only he could carry.
Nana's gaze shifted back to Soon Hae, sharp and calculating. "A rabbit with a pig nose," she said, voice deceptively light. "How… fitting."
Fang Yu, who had been observing from nearby, snorted quietly. "She's gonna explode."
Bai Cao, ever the calm strategist, stepped closer to Soon Hae and whispered, "Ignore her. It's your moment."
Soon Hae nodded, though her heart was still racing. She looked down at the gloves, then back at Lu Han. "I… thank you," she managed, voice barely above a whisper.
Lu Han inclined his head, almost imperceptibly. "Use them well," he said. "And don't fall in love with the idea of luck. Skill comes from effort."
The earnestness in his tone made her blink, her clumsiness forgotten for a moment. "I… I will," she promised, squeezing the gloves tightly.
Nana's nostrils flared slightly, her jaw tightening. "I see," she said through gritted teeth, "so you're trying to steal his attention with a pair of gloves. Clever."
"I didn't..." Soon Hae began, but the words faltered under Nana's icy glare.
Lu Han finally stepped closer, just enough to position himself between Soon Hae and Nana without a word. The subtle physical barrier spoke louder than any confrontation could. Nana's smirk faltered, replaced by a brief flash of frustration, and she stepped back, her arms crossed more tightly.
"Careful," Lu Han said quietly, his eyes never leaving hers, "the gloves aren't magic. They don't fix mistakes."
Soon Hae's stomach flipped. It was a reprimand and a compliment all at once, and she could feel the warmth creeping into her face again. She nodded, swallowing hard. "I… I understand."
For a brief moment, the tension lifted as she focused on the gloves, the small, ridiculous symbol, and the seriousness in Lu Han's gaze. She realized that this wasn't just a gift. It was recognition. It was acknowledgment that she mattered, that her clumsiness, her persistence, and her determination had been seen.
Across the courtyard, Nana's glare did not waver, her jealousy palpable in the tight set of her shoulders. Fang Yu whispered something to Bai Cao, and both of them snickered quietly, finding some amusement in the drama unfolding.
"You really think a gift like that makes her special?" Nana hissed under her breath, though her eyes never left Soon Hae.
Lu Han didn't respond, his attention entirely on Soon Hae. That quiet focus, the unspoken support behind it, made her heart pound in a way she could barely process. She felt a rush of gratitude, a wave of determination, and a curious thrill.
Soon Hae clenched the gloves tighter. The rabbit with the pig nose looked absurdly cute, but it also felt like a talisman. A reminder that even clumsy rabbits could leap, stumble, and rise again.
She looked up at Lu Han once more. "I… I'll make you proud," she said, almost without thinking, the words spilling out of her mouth with raw sincerity.
His eyes softened fractionally, just enough that she noticed, but his expression remained serious, distant, untouchable in its quiet authority.
"Do that," he said simply, then turned and walked away, leaving her clutching the gloves and feeling both dizzy and alive.
Kim Nana's fists clenched at her sides, her voice low and dangerous. "We'll see how long that lasts," she muttered, before striding away, plotting her next move.
Soon Hae stood there for a long moment, heart hammering, chest tight, and cheeks still burning. She held the gloves close, feeling a warmth that wasn't just from the leather or the sun. .
Fang Yu clapped her on the shoulder. "Looks like someone just got a serious upgrade on her confidence," he teased.
Bai Cao smiled gently. " yes she grew one," she said. "Don't let anyone take that away from you."
Soon Hae nodded, looking at the gloves one last time before tucking them into her bag carefully. The rabbit with the pig nose seemed to wink at her, as if sharing a private joke between them. She felt a flicker of determination, a surge of energy, and the quiet thrill of knowing that today, she had been seen even if Nana hated it.
--