JIAH POV
Does Jiho…
Did he…
Start to like me??
The thought hits me like a frying pan.
Actually no like—like a frying pan with EMOTIONS attached.
Because why the hell else would he be holding my hand like this??
And walking slow like he's afraid I'll slip and die??
Why is he being so gentle??
WHY TODAY??? WHY ME??? WHY NOW???
And fuck—
FUCK—
why is no one here to see this miracle??
Seriously??
When I got rejected by him SIX TIMES, the whole damn school was there.
Witnessing my downfall.
Live audience.
Front-row VIP seats.
Snacks included.
Some probably recorded that shit.
But now?
NOW??
When Jiho is literally escorting me to the nurse like some caring protagonist??
When he's acting like I matter??
When he's holding my hand like it's made of cloud bread??
No audience.
Not even one stray gossip gremlin.
Nothing.
Universe, I hate you but also thank you.
But also fuck you.
We reach the nurse's office and he opens the door for me like this is some K-drama shoot and he's the lead with a 4.9 rating.
He says, "Come," so soft I feel it in my spine, and I follow him inside like a damn duckling.
He explains everything to the nurse.
EVERYTHING.
Like he memorized the entire scene in HD.
"She got hit in the face with a ball. Her nose was bleeding. It looked bad."
Looked bad??
No it didn't.
It looked humiliating.
But the way he says it…
I feel weirdly cared for.
Like wrapped-in-a-warm-hoodie cared for.
The nurse tells him, "You wait outside, dear."
And he nods, then turns to me like—
"I'll be outside. Take it easy."
Take it easy???
TAKE IT EASY???
Sir WHAT.
What is happening.
Who hacked his personality.
I nod like a dumbass statue, still unable to speak because my mouth refuses to function around this man.
He steps out.
The door closes.
And the nurse immediately looks at me with the most knowing auntie face ever.
"Did he accept your feelings finally?"
I choke on my own saliva.
Literally choke.
"I—I don't know, ma'am," I mumble. "But… it kinda SEEMS like it's that."
Her eyebrows shoot up.
She smiles.
PAT. PAT. PAT. On my shoulder.
"Congratulations."
"No—no, it's not like that," I rush, but my voice is dying and shaking like I'm auditioning for a tragic scene.
She ignores me.
Starts cleaning the blood, dabbing my nose, giving me medicine, doing her whole healing wizard thing.
When she's done, she hands me a tiny packet of something and says, "Fighting."
I smile.
"Thank you."
I step out.
And there he is.
Jiho.
Standing in the hallway.
Waiting for me.
My stomach falls out of my body.
He turns the second he hears the door.
"You okay?" he asks. "Does it hurt now?"
Speak.
SPEAK WOMAN.
"Y…yes… I'm… okey," I manage, sounding like WiFi on 1 bar.
He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a candy, and holds it out.
I blink.
He's giving me CANDY???
Is this heaven??
Did I die when the ball hit me??
"Here. Take it," he says. "Come, I'll lead you to your class."
Lead.
ME.
To my class.
I nod, tiny, shy, mortifyingly adorable in the worst way, and start walking beside him.
Carefully.
Because my knees feel like they're made of cooked ramen.
We walk.
Just us.
Just silence.
Just tension.
He suddenly asks quietly, "Are you awkward with me?"
I almost face-plant on the floor.
WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT.
"No—I'm not," I say instantly, lying like a professional.
He smiles.
SMILES.
"I'm glad then."
Oh.
My.
God.
We reach my classroom.
It's empty.
Everyone's still at the field.
Just me.
Just him.
He turns to me again.
"Do you want me to stay here until your friends come?"
YES.
YES YES YES.
I WANT TO SAY YES.
I WANT TO TIE HIM TO THE DESK AND MAKE HIM STAY FOREVER.
But no.
I don't want him thinking I'm clingy again.
So I swallow the desperation and say, "No need… you can go."
He nods.
Smiles soft.
"Okay."
He turns and walks toward his class.
Slow steps.
Hands in pockets.
Sun hitting his back like a damn filter.
I watch him go.
Then—
The moment he disappears—
I explode.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—
JIHO STARTED TO LIKE MEEEEEEEEE—"
I jump like a possessed rabbit, giggling like I'm chemically unstable, kicking my legs, spinning around like a broken fidget spinner.
Then in mid-jump—
I freeze.
Because someone is at the doorway.
Enhyeok.
Just standing there.
Silent.
Tall.
Expression unreadable.
One eyebrow raised.
Fully judging me like I'm his entertainment.
My stupid smile refuses to die.
He walks past me, straight to his seat, not saying a word.
I look at the candy in my hand.
Clutch it to my chest.
Sigh.
"What a good day."
______________________________
ENHYEOK POV
---
Jiho walks her into the nurse room like he's finally decided to start acting like her boyfriend after rejecting her six goddamn times.
I watch them from a distance for maybe… one second too long.
And the first thing that slips into my brain is:
So he's showing it openly now?
After all that "I don't have feelings for you" bullshit?
What a weirdo.
I click my tongue.
And then another thought hits—
one I shut down immediately:
Why do I care?
Seriously.
Why the hell do I care?
Let them have whatever the fuck they want.
I didn't care before.
I won't care after.
I have no time for drama, teenage romance, or watching some guy suddenly wake up and realize he maybe kinda likes the girl he rejected six times.
Loser behavior.
I turn away and head to the locker room, pulling off my jersey with one smooth motion. The fluorescent lights are too bright, my head feels hot, and I just want to change into my uniform and pretend I didn't almost sprint across the field like a psycho for someone who clearly doesn't give a shit I exist.
My shirt sticks to my back with sweat.
I yank it off, grab my folded uniform from my locker, and change fast—quick movements, no thinking, no letting my brain do that annoying introspective crap.
Tie straight.
Sleeves rolled twice.
Collar loosened a bit because school uniforms are suffocating as hell.
I run a hand through my hair, grab my bag, and step out.
Minseok is chattering about something with Juwon near the benches.
"Minseok," I say.
He turns. "Yeah?"
"I'm going to class."
He shrugs. "Okay. You good?"
I give him a flat look that answers everything without saying anything.
He nods.
"We'll come up later."
I walk.
Up the field.
Across the hall.
Through the building that smells like sweat, chalk, and whatever perfume the girls drown themselves in every break.
When I reach the second-floor hallway, I slow down because—
There he is.
Baek Jiho.
Walking from the direction of my class.
Smiling.
No—
worse.
Fucking glowing.
He's literally looking at his hand like it's some holy artifact he just unlocked.
Smiling like an idiot.
Like he's proud of himself for holding her hand.
I feel something in my jaw twitch.
I scoff under my breath.
Quiet.
Sharp.
Automatic.
Get over yourself.
I walk past him without a glance, pushing down whatever the hell that feeling is, because I don't do… whatever that was.
I reach my class—
And that's when it happens.
Her voice.
Loud.
Exploding.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH—
JIHO STARTED TO LIKE MEEEEEEEEEE—!!!"
I freeze.
Actually freeze.
Body still.
Eyes narrowing.
One slow blink.
I turn my head just enough to see inside the classroom—
and holy shit.
She's jumping.
Jumping.
Spinning.
Giggling like her brain just got unplugged and replaced with fireworks.
She's holding something to her chest—probably whatever he gave her—laughing like she won the lottery, the Olympics, and an Oscar all at once.
She looks…
insane.
A full idiot.
She freezes the second she spots me in the doorway.
And I swear, the irritation that washes over me is so sudden it feels physical.
Does she—
Does she not have self-respect?
At all?
Screaming about a guy who rejected her six times?
Jumping over a handhold like it's the second coming of Christ?
Maybe she was born like this.
Completely clueless.
Chaotic.
Stupid in a way that almost seems deliberate.
I step into the classroom, walk right past her, my shoulder brushing the air near her like even that's too much contact.
"Stupid," I mutter under my breath.
I don't look at her.
I don't pause.
I just go straight to my seat by the window, drop my bag, sit down, lean back.
But my eyes drift—
just once.
She's still standing there.
Stupid smile.
Clutching that candy like it's a diamond ring.
Like it's precious.
Like it means something real.
I exhale slowly, annoyed for reasons I don't want to unpack.
Stupid.
SEO JIAH IS BORN STUPID.