_nwjshn

ᡣ𐭩ྀི₊ ⊹ smau masterlist ᝰ.ᐟ✮⋆˙

𝜗𝜚 in case anyone’s confused, airheads and warheads are brands that sell candies!! X♡X♡, romi ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

He grinned mischievously.

“I’m gonna try to make it last for twenty-four hours, but… she’s pretty stubborn. And clingy.” He chuckled softly. “Not that I’m complaining. I love that about her.”

He pointed around the room. “I hid cameras in the living room, the kitchen, and our bedroom, so hopefully I catch everything. Anyways… let’s start.”

Riki tossed the camera a thumbs-up before plopping down on the couch with a bag of chips, pretending to be invested in his favorite show. Every few seconds, he glanced toward the hallway, waiting for you to come out.

A few minutes later, you walked into the living room, fresh out of the shower, your hair still slightly damp.

“Kiiii,” you whined, dragging out the nickname. “I’m sooo hungry.”

Riki almost smiled at the sight of you. Almost.

You padded over to the couch and flopped down beside him, resting your head against his shoulder.

“Babeeee,” you groaned dramatically. “I’m starving. Do you wanna order takeout? I’m craving dumplings.”

Instead of answering, Riki simply grabbed his phone and started scrolling through reels, trying his hardest not to laugh at how cute you looked pouting beside him.

You blinked.

“…Ki?”

Nothing.

“Riki?”

Still nothing.

Confusion slowly replaced your playful expression.

“Riki…?” you asked again, turning to face him completely. “Are you mad at me?”

You reached over and shook his arm gently.

“Baby? Did I do something?”

Riki swallowed hard and kept his eyes on his phone, acting as if he hadn't heard a single word.

Your eyebrows furrowed.

“Hey.” You scooted closer, wrapping your arms around his waist and leaning against him. “Rikiii, answer me. I’m serious.”

Still no response.

“Okay, rude,” you mumbled, pouting. “At least tell me if you're busy or something.”

You looked up at him with wide eyes.

“Are you mad because I stole your hoodie yesterday?”

Silence.

“Because I ate your last strawberry mochi?”

Nothing.

Your jaw dropped dramatically.

“No way. Is this about the fake hickey prank?” You gasped. “Ki, I said sorry like fifty times!”

Riki nearly choked on his chip.

He quickly covered it up with a cough and continued scrolling, though his shoulders trembled slightly from holding back laughter.

You stared at him suspiciously.

“Nishimura Riki.”

You narrowed your eyes.

“Don’t tell me you're giving me the silent treatment.”

And somewhere behind the hidden camera in the corner, viewers would later swear they could actually see the panic in his eyes.

Two hours had gone by, and somehow you still hadn't given up.

Riki was stretched out on the couch with his phone in his hand, pretending to be interested in the endless stream of reels playing on his screen. Meanwhile, you had practically become a permanent attachment to him. You were curled up against his side, your legs thrown over his lap, your head resting on his shoulder while you played absentmindedly with the strings of his hoodie.

“Babeee,” you whined for what had to be the hundredth time that afternoon, nuzzling closer. “Come on, just say something. One word. One tiny little word.”

Nothing.

You pouted and wrapped both arms around him, nearly climbing into his lap. “Riki, seriously. If you're mad at me, then just tell me. You know I hate it when you ignore me.”

Still nothing.

He almost broke right there. Almost. Because usually all it took was one pout and he'd be laughing, kissing your forehead, and asking what food you wanted.

But today he stayed quiet.

You stole his phone from his hands and held it above your head with a dramatic gasp. “No phone privileges until you answer me.”

He simply reached up, took it back, and continued scrolling.

That was it.

Your lower lip trembled slightly.

“You're so mean,” you muttered softly, blinking rapidly as tears began gathering in your eyes. “Talk to me…”

He saw it.

God, he saw it.

And he hated himself for it.

But he stayed silent.

With a frustrated huff, you got up from the couch and stomped toward the kitchen. You yanked open the cupboard and grabbed the box of cornflakes, pouring yourself a bowl without even bothering with milk. You sat at the counter, angrily eating dry cereal while your cheeks puffed out in a pout.

Behind you, Riki glanced toward one of the hidden cameras and flashed a thumbs-up with a smug little grin.

He was surviving.

Barely.

He got up and wandered into the kitchen, and immediately your face lit up with hope.

“Oh, so you finally feel bad?” you asked, setting your spoon down. “You're gonna talk to me now?”

For a second, his heart squeezed painfully at the hopeful look in your eyes. Instead, he walked right past you. Straight to the cabinet.

He grabbed another bag of chips. You stared at him in complete disbelief.

“Seriously?”

You laughed nervously.

“No, seriously, Riki, stop.”

He poured the chips into his bowl. You slid off the stool and walked over to him, gently grabbing the sleeve of his hoodie.

“Baby?”

Nothing. You tugged a little harder.

“Ki, come on.”

Still nothing.

When he turned around, he froze.

You were standing there with tears shining in your eyes, still clutching the sleeve of his hoodie like you were afraid he'd disappear if you let go. Your lips were pushed into the saddest little pout, and despite trying so hard not to cry, tears had already begun slipping down your cheeks.

His entire body screamed at him to stop the prank right then and there. She’s gonna cry, he thought desperately.

Forget the challenge.

Forget the video.

Forget everything.

He just wanted to hug you. But then he thought about how much effort he'd put into setting everything up, and convinced himself that he could last a little longer. Just a few more hours. Then he'd spoil you rotten and make it up to you.

So, with every ounce of self-control he had left, he swallowed the guilt and walked past you.

And that hurt far more than the silence. Because you hadn't expected him to do that.

You stood there for a moment, staring at his back, your fingers still curled around nothing. Then you quietly sat back down and continued eating your cornflakes.

Not because you were hungry. Just because you didn't know what else to do.

By ten o'clock, six hours had passed.

Six hours. And somewhere around hour four, the irritation had faded. You weren't annoyed anymore. You were scared.

Riki had never ignored you before. Not after arguments. Not when he was tired. Not even when he was upset.

No matter what happened, he'd always talk to you eventually. Even if he needed space, he'd tell you. He'd pull you into his lap and explain things softly while rubbing your back.

But today he'd said nothing.

Nothing at all. And the worst part was that you couldn't figure out why. Had you done something wrong? Was he still upset over the fake hickey prank? Were you too clingy lately? Too needy? Too much?

Maybe he was tired of you.

Maybe he regretted living together.

Maybe he didn't love you the same anymore.

You hated yourself for thinking it, but after six hours of silence, your thoughts had started becoming cruel.

By the time it was finally time for bed, the house had become unbearably quiet.

Riki had gone upstairs sometime after midnight, though not because he felt victorious. If anything, he felt awful. Six hours had somehow turned into almost an entire day, and whatever satisfaction he'd gotten from "getting revenge" had long since disappeared.

Still, stubborn as ever, he convinced himself he could at least make it until morning.

He climbed into bed with his phone in hand, leaning against the headboard while mindlessly scrolling through apps. At this point, he wasn't even paying attention to anything anymore. One second it was fan edits, then Michael Jackson edits, random memes, cooking videos, cat compilations—anything to distract himself from the giant lump of guilt sitting in his chest.

He could feel your absence even though you were right beside him.

And he hated it.

Then suddenly, he felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around his waist.

You.

Riki froze.

You buried your face into his shoulder, hugging him like you'd done every night since you moved in together.

Your voice was quiet. Small.

“I'm really sorry, Ki,” you whispered sleepily. “I won't annoy you anymore… but please talk to me.”

His heart shattered.

He almost answered.

Almost.

But he merely smacked his lips awkwardly, locked his phone, and set it aside. Then he closed his eyes, pretending to fall asleep.

Yet you hadn't let go.

Not even after everything.

You just held him tighter.

And within a few minutes, exhausted from crying and overthinking all day, you drifted off in his arms.

Riki opened his eyes.

He stared down at your sleeping face and nearly groaned.

“Oh, baby…” he whispered softly.

You'd cried yourself to sleep and still chose to cuddle him.

He wrapped his arms around you instinctively, pulling you against his chest. He pressed a kiss into your hair and held you close all night, feeling guilt gnaw at him every time you snuggled closer in your sleep.

Forget revenge.

Forget the challenge.

He was never doing this again.

—

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the curtains.

You blinked awake slowly.

And immediately froze.

Riki was hugging you.

Not only hugging you, but staring at you with the softest smile on his face, his hand lazily rubbing circles on your back.

“Morning,” he said sweetly.

Silence.

He watched your sleepy expression change.

Confusion.

Realization.

And then—

Rage.

Riki barely had time to react before you sat up.

“YOU'RE TALKING TO ME NOW?!” you shouted.

THUMP.

Your foot connected with his shin.

“OW—”

“WHAT WENT WRONG YESTERDAY?!” you yelled.

Riki burst out laughing.

You climbed right on top of him, repeatedly smacking his arms and chest while he desperately tried shielding himself with a blanket.

“YOU IGNORE ME FOR A WHOLE DAY AND THEN IT'S ‘MORNING’?” you screeched.

“BABY—”

SMACK.

“OW!”

SMACK.

“LET ME EXPLAIN!”

SMACK.

“YOU CRIED?!” he asked between laughs.

“YES I CRIED!”

SMACK.

“THAT'S WHY I'M SORRY!”

SMACK.

“BABY, STOP ASSAULTING ME!”

Eventually, he managed to catch both your wrists and pull you down onto his chest. You squirmed immediately, still pouting and glaring at him.

“You suck.”

“I know.”

“You are evil.”

“I know.”

“You smell.”

“Okay, that's rude.”

Despite yourself, a laugh escaped your lips.

Riki grinned.

“There it is.”

He hugged you tightly and buried his face in your neck.

“I was pranking you,” he confessed sheepishly. “Payback, remember? For the fake hickey thing.”

You blinked.

“…What?”

He pointed dramatically toward the shelf across the room.

The camera.

Your eyes widened.

“No fucking way…”

Riki immediately started cackling.

“No fucking way!”

You covered your face.

“Riki Nishimura!”

He got up before you could attack him again and snatched the camera off the shelf.

“Welp,” he grinned into the lens. “The prank went pretty well, I'd say. Anyways, thanks for watching. Go ahead and comment—”

“NUH UH!”

You appeared beside him instantly, hair messy and looking absolutely offended.

“It's #TeamKiyoe!”

Riki gasped dramatically.

“Absolutely not.”

“Yes!”

“#TeamRiki.”

“#TeamKiyoe!”

“#TeamRiki.”

“#TeamKiyoe because who cries over dumplings and gets ignored for twenty-four hours and STILL cuddles their stupid boyfriend?”

Riki stopped.

His smile faltered.

You blinked.

He blinked.

And then he suddenly wrapped his arms around you and squeezed so tightly you squealed.

“Okay, no, don't say that,” he mumbled into your shoulder. “I actually felt terrible. I almost cried.”

You laughed.

“Liar.”

“No, seriously!”

‘’Welp goodbye guys’’ you both said. He edited the video and uploaded it.

COMMENTS: 

@kiyoesdumpling: SHE APOLOGIZED FOR EXISTING AND HE SAID "MORNING 😊" LIKE HE WASN'T PUBLIC ENEMY #1??? 😭😭😭 #TEAMKIYOE

@rikisnumber1wife: Y'ALL FORGOT SHE ALMOST SENT THIS MAN TO THE ER WITH THE FAKE HICKEY PRANK. #TEAMRIKI

@engeneot7: I'M PLAYING BOTH SIDES. #TEAMTHERAPY

@sunghoonsiceblades: "I won't annoy you anymore but please talk to me." WHO WROTE THIS SCRIPT AND WHY DO THEY HATE ME?? #TEAMKIYOE

@jayparkslatte: Nah because if Jay watched this he'd be yelling "BRO APOLOGIZE RIGHT NOW." #TEAMKIYOE

@heeswife: HE LOOKED MORE SCARED OF HER CRYING THAN THE SHIN KICK 😭 #TEAMRIKI

@nishimurasleftsock: Y'ALL ARE ACTING LIKE SHE DIDN'T PRANK HIM FIRST. #JUSTICEFORKI #TEAMRIKI

@sunoozpeach: WOMEN'S RIGHTS WOMEN'S WRONGS WOMEN'S SHIN KICKS. #TEAMKIYOE

@engeneforever: THE WAY HE HELD HER ALL NIGHT AFTER SHE FELL ASLEEP I'M THROWING UP. #MARRIAGEWHEN

@kiyoessharkplushie: I SAW HER CRYING INTO ME. I NEED COMPENSATION. #TEAMKIYOE

@enhypenworlddomination: THE REAL VILLAIN IS THE BAG OF CHIPS. #CANCELTHECHIPS

@rikiscamera: I WITNESSED A CRIME. #SAVEKIYOE

@michaeljacksonedits: Why was bro watching Michael Jackson edits while his relationship was on life support 😭 #HEHEE

@sunghoonslipbalm: "Morning ☺️" BRO THE AUDACITY. #TEAMKIYOE

@rikiismyromanempire: NO BECAUSE HE RAN UPSTAIRS THE SECOND HE HEARD HER CRY. #TEAMRIKI

@kiyoeswife: THE WAY SHE STILL CUDDLED HIM??? #SHELOVESTHATMAN #TEAMKIYOE

@nikisgfreal: RIKI WHEN SHE KICKED HIM: 🏃💨 #SHINPROTECTIONASSOCIATION

@engenecore: BRO REALLY SAID "#TEAMRIKI" AFTER EMOTIONAL WARFARE. #TEAMKIYOE

@jungwonscat: JUNGWON WOULD'VE EXPOSED THE PRANK AFTER TEN MINUTES IDC. #TEAMKIYOE

@heeseungsvocalcords: HEESEUNG WOULD BE GIGGLING UNTIL HE HEARD HER CRY THEN HE'D START CRYING TOO. #TEAMEVERYBODY

@sunghoonspenguin: SUNGHOON WOULD JUST STARE AT RIKI IN DISAPPOINTMENT. #TEAMKIYOE

@jayparkslawyer: "YOU SMELL." "OKAY THAT'S RUDE." TRUE LOVE. #MARRIAGEMATERIAL

@woniebear: THE SHIN KICK WAS THE CONSEQUENCE OF HIS ACTIONS. #TEAMKIYOE

@rikisrighteyebrow: HE SUFFERED TOO GUYS 😭 #JUSTICEFORKI #TEAMRIKI

@engene4life: WE LISTEN AND WE DON'T IGNORE. #TEAMKIYOE

@sunoosmintchoco: BRO FOLDED SO HARD WHEN SHE CRIED. #PATIENTZERO

@kiyoescornflakes: SHE ATE ME DRY BECAUSE OF THIS MAN. #TEAMKIYOE

@rikischips: I DIDN'T ASK TO BE PART OF THIS. #CANCELTHECHIPS

@engenemom: BOTH OF Y'ALL GO TO COUPLES THERAPY. #TEAMTHERAPY

@nikistanclub: SHE KICKED HIM. HE DESERVED IT. SHE DESERVED DUMPLINGS. EVERYBODY APOLOGIZE. #TEAMDUMPLINGS

@randomengene: NO BECAUSE THE HASHTAG WAR IS KILLING ME 😭

#TEAMKIYOE #TEAMRIKI #TEAMSHARKPLUSHIE #CANCELTHECHIPS #SHINLIVESMATTER #JUSTICEFORKI #DUMPLINGSFORKIYOE #NOMOREIGNORINGPRANKS #MARRIAGEWHEN #WELISTENANDWEDONOTIGNORE #PROTECTTHESHIN #HEHEE #EMOTIONALDAMAGES #THERAPYFORALL #WOMENSRIGHTSANDWRONGS #ENGENESARETIRED #RIKIPAYFORHERDUMPLINGS #TEAMOT7 #SHARKPLUSHIEDESERVESACATION #FREEKIYOEFROMTHECHIPS #RIPRIKISSHIN #JUSTKISSANDMAKEUP #THEYREINSUFFERABLYCUTE

Perm Taglistt: @riawonie @idkhahaha1234 @nnkento @kiristynaaah

you had cried. you had felt guilty for taking up his precious time. you had genuinely believed him.

which was exactly why the sight currently unfolding in front of you in the courtyard felt like a literal slap in the face.

there was wonbin. and braced against his side, laughing at something he muttered, was minju. wonbin wasn't looking tired of relationships at all. in fact, he looked perfectly energized as he reached down, tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, and intertwined his fingers with hers.

"are you kidding me?" your best friend, yunah, hissed from beside you. "he needed to fucking 'focus on himself'? is minju's name 'himself' now?"

your sadness evaporated in a single, scorching second, replaced by a wave of pure fury. your blood ran hot. it wasn't just the heartbreak anymore—it was the humiliation. he had played you for a fool, expecting you to sit around and pine while he easily moved into his next romance without missing a beat.

"he thinks i'm going to be just the sad ex who cries in the bathroom," you muttered, eyes following wonbin as he smiled at something minju said.

"what are you going to do?" yunah asked, looking at you with a mix of worry and excitement. "please tell me we're keying his car."

"no," you said, a dangerous plan instantly forming in your mind. "that gets us suspended. i need to hurt his pride. he thinks he's the best i can do? he think i'm going to spend the next month miserable? i'm going to show him exactly how fast i can move on."

yunah scoffed, "with who? every guy in our circle is friends with him. if you pick one of them, it'll just look like a messy rebound trap."

"then i won't pick someone from our circle," you responded simply.

your eyes scanned past the soccer field, past the popular kids crowding the benches, and landed on the quiet, shaded steps of the old building.

sitting there, completely unfazed by the lunchtime chaos, was yang jungwon.

he wasn't the type of nerd who hid in the back of the class making no eye contact. jungwon was the top of the class, the model student, and the president of the academic club. he was sharply dressed, his school blazer always perfectly pressed, and he carried himself with a quiet confidence that kept people from bothering him.

he was attractive, but in a structured, untouchable way. he simply didn't care about drama, which made him invisible to the popular crowd.

"jungwon?" yunah followed your gaze and gasped. "yang jungwon? the guy who corrected the calculus teacher last week? yn, he doesn't even look at girls. he looks at math equations."

"exactly," you said, a slow smirk spreading across your face. "he's perfect. no one would ever expect it. it'll drive wonbin insane trying to figure out how a guy like jungwon took his place."

"he's never going to agree to it. he doesn't do favors," yunah warned.

"everyone has a price, yunah," you muttered, turning on your heel and walking toward the old building. "i just have to find out what his is."

the old building was completely different from the loud, chaotic courtyard. it smelled like dusty book and whiteboard markers, and the hallway was dead silent.

you pushed open the heavy wooden door to the academic clubroom. the small click of the latch echoed loudly in the silent space.

sitting at the very back table, under the pale glow of the sun, was jungwon. he didn't look up immediately. he was leaning over a massive textbook, a pen moving smoothly across a sheet of grid paper. he looked like the definition of a model student.

you walked over, sneaker squeaking slightly on the floor, and stopped right in front of his desk.

jungwon capped his pen with a quiet click. he slowly lifted his head, sharp eyes blinking once, then twice, as he looked at you. there was no surprise on his face. he didn't get flustered seeing a popular student council member in his quiet room. he just looked at you like you were a minor distraction.

"are you lost?" he asked. his voice was calm and completely flat. "sorry, but this isn't the drama club."

"i'm not lost. i'm exactly where i want to be," you said, crossing your arms and trying to look confident, even though your heart was still hammering from the anger you felt. "i'm here for you, jungwon."

jungwon looked down at his watch, then back up at you. "you have exactly seven minutes left of lunch break. make it quick."

you took a deep breath, deciding to just lay it all out. "i need you to be my fake boyfriend."

the room went silent. jungwon didn't gasp, didn't blush, but stared at you for a long five seconds with his expression blank. then, he picked his pen back up, uncapped it, and looked back down at his book. "no," he answered.

"wait, what? you didn't even let me explain," you protested, leaning your hands on the edge of his desk.

"i don't need an explanation, yn," he responded, writing down another formula without skipping a beat. "playing pretend boyfriend is a waste of time. it doesn't help my grades, it doesn't look good on my college applications, and honestly, i don't care about whatever drama you have going on with wonbin."

your jaw dropped. "how do you even know about wonbin?"

"everyone knows. you guys are loud," he muttered, still not looking at you. "now, please leave. i need to finish this practice test before next period."

you bit your lip. yunah had been right. jungwon wasn't the type of guys you could just charm into doing a favor. he was like a wall of pure logic. but luckily, you had a secret weapon. you let out a soft laugh. "that's a real shame, jungwon. i guess you won't care about the student council's budget meeting next week either."

the pen paused. jungwon didn't move, but you could tell he was listening.

"what are you talking about?" he asked quietly.

"i'm the social media chair for the student council, remember?" you smirked. "i sit in on all the official meetings. yesterday, the treasurer went over the budget requests for next semester. i saw your club was on the list. you asked for quite a lot of money for a national competition and new math software."

jungwon slowly set his pen down and finally looked up. "go on."

"the request got rejected," you pouted, watching his expression carefully. "the treasurer said your club has zero student engagement. nobody joins, nobody comes to your events, and your social media page hasn't been updated since last year. the school thinks your club is dead weight. if things stay like this, they're cutting your funding completely by the end of the month."

his posture stiffened. you could tell this actually hit a nerve. he cared about this club more than anything.

"that's unfair," he frowned. "we do actual work here. we shouldn't lose our budget just because we don't throw parties like the sports teams."

"fair or not, that's how high school works," you replied, tilting your head. "but... i can fix it for you. i know exactly how to make this club look like the place to be. i can create a whole social media campaign, get people talking, and bring in new members. by two or three weeks, your engagement numbers will be so high the school won't have any choice but to give you the money."

jungwon leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. he looked at you, eyes scanning your face. "and in exchange, i have to pretend to date you so you can make your ex jealous."

"exactly," you nodded. "a simple trade. i save your club, you help me bruise wonbin's ego. it's a win-win."

jungwon was silent for a moment. you could practically see the gears turning in his head as he weighed the pros and cons. finally, he let out a soft sigh and shook his head with a tiny, reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his lips. he tore a clean sheet of paper out of his notebook, picked up his pen, and began to write.

"rule number one, no real feelings. this is a deal to get what we both need," he stated. "rule number two, we don't do pda unless it's necessary. and rule number three, don't text me after ten."

he spun the sheet around so it faced you. "sounds fair?" he asked with an easygoing smile plastered on his face.

you stared at the written rules, eyes scanning his neat handwriting. It felt surreal. just ten minutes ago, you were stressing out at your locker, and now you are signing a relationship "contract" with yang jungwon.

"fair," you muttered, picking up the pen and scribbling your signature at the bottom of the page. "but i have one condition to add."

jungwon tilted his head, "which is?"

"if wonbin or any of his friends try to slide a slick comment my way, you can't just stand there and ignore it. you have to actually act like you care," you said, handing the pen back to him. "a real boyfriend wouldn't just let his girlfriend get trash-talked."

jungwon took the pen and didn't hesitate as he wrote Rule #4 : Mutual Defense Protocol at the bottom of the sheet, signing his own name right next to yours.

the bell for the next class suddenly rang through the hallways, breaking the quiet tension in the room. you smiled, taking the pen back from him and stepping toward the door.

"i'll text you tonight, jungwon," you called out with a wink.

as the heavy wooden door clicked shut behind you, a rush of pure satisfaction washed over you. wonbin wanted to see you miserable? he was in for a very rude awakening.

that night, you were lying flat on your back in bed, staring blankly at your bedroom ceiling. the anger from earlier today had faded into a dull, restless energy. your phone buzzed against your stomach, making you flinch.

[yunah] : did you talk to him? is the nerd officially on the payroll?

[you] : it's official!!!! we signed a literal contract lmao

setting yunah's chat aside, you opened a new message window. you stared at the unsaved phone number jungwon had quickly scribbled on a sticky note before you left the clubroom. your thumb hovered over the keyboard for a minute.

what were you even supposed to say to a guy like jungwon?

you checked the digital clock on your nightstand, a glowing 9:55 p.m. nearly blinding you.

five minutes before his 10 p.m. rule, you thought, a small smirk playing on your lips. you quickly type out a text and hit send

[you] : hey, it's yn js checking in to plan out first public appearance u awake?

you threw the phone face-down on your comforter, fully expecting him to take an hour to reply, or maybe just ignore it until the morning. but barely thirty seconds later, your phone vibrated.

[jungwon] : Yeah, I'm awake. Still studying. You have 5 minutes before rule #3 goes in effect.

you let out a soft laugh, sitting up and leaning against your headboard. he was unbelievable.

[you] : wow okay direct much look, tmrw morning is the real test wonbin always hangs out by the courtyard before the first bell rings so we need to walk in together

there was a pause. the little typing bubble appeared, disappeared, then appeared again.

[jungwon] : Do you want me to meet you at the school gate?

[you] : yes!! meet me by the bus stop at 7:45 we walk through the gates together oh and make sure ur uniform looks nice not that it doesn't usually js look like a guy who is happy to see his gf

[jungwon] : My uniform always looks nice. And I don't know what a 'happy boyfriend' looks like. Should I smile?

you stared at the text, completely amused. was he seriously asking for instructions on how to smile?

[you] : yes jungwon smiling seems like a good idea when ur dating someone js act natural don't look like ur walking to an execution

[jungwon] : Understood. I will adjust my expressions accordingly.

you rolled your eyes, but you couldn't stop the small smile growing on your face. he talked like a literal robot, but there was something oddly charming about how seriously he was taking this.

[you] : perfect :) see u at 7:45 don't be late!!!!

[jungwon] : I'm never late. It's 9:59 PM now. Goodnight, yn. The communication window is now closed.

you burst out laughing, staring at the screen as the clock strick exactly 10:00 p.m. you didn't even bother replying, knowing he probably wouldn't read it anyway.

you locked your phone and tossed it onto your nightstand, pulling the blankets up to your chin. for the first time in a week, you didn't go to sleep thinking about wonbin or the hurt in your chest. instead, your mind was completely occupied by a sharp-tongued nerd who was adjusting his schedule to fit you into it.

the next morning, your adrenaline was already running on high. you stood by the bus stop across from the school gates, shifting your weight from foot to foot.

you had spent an extra ten minutes in front of the mirror that morning, making sure your hair looked effortless and your lip tint was perfectly applies. if you were going to debut a new relationship, you had to look flawless.

you checked your phone. 7:44 a.m.

"right on time," a calm voice muttered from behind you.

you jumped slightly, turning around to see jungwon standing there. true to his word, his uniform was immaculate. his tie was perfectly centered, his blazer was buttoned, and his backpack was slung neatly over one shoulder.

"good morning to you too," you greeted. "you didn't sneak up on me on purpose, did you?"

"no. you were just staring at your phone like you were preparing for battle," he pointed out casually. "are you ready? i reviewed the courtyard layout. if your ex sits where he usually does, we'll walk past him."

you stared at him, a mixture of disbelief and amusement bubbling up inside you. "did you seriously map out a route?"

"efficiency is key, yn," he replied simply, but a tiny smirk played at his lips. "let's go."

as you both crossed the street and walked through the grand stone gates of the school, the atmosphere instantly shifted. the courtyard was packed with students chatting, laughing, and ragging their feet before the first bell.

and right there, leaning against the main brick arches just like you predicted, was wonbin. his arm was casually looped around minju's shoulders, laughing loudly at something a guy on the soccer team said.

"don't look at him," jungwon mumbled. "look at me."

you blinked, turning your head to face him. before you could say anything, he reached down. his long fingers slid against yours, his palm warm against your slightly cold skin. he squeezed your hand firmly, intertwining his fingers with yours without a single shred of hesitation.

your heart gave a violent, erratic thud against your ribs. your breath completely hitched in your throat. you looked down at your joined hands, then up at his face in pure shock.

rule number two, you thought wildly. no unnecessary touching.

jungwon didn't look flustered at all. he just leaned down slightly, tilting his head toward yours, a calm smile plastered on his face. "smile," he muttered. "you're supposed to happy, remember?"

up close, you noticed how clear his eyes were, and you could smell the faint scent of fresh laundry soap that drifted off his uniform. your hand in his felt steady, sending a warm tingle up your arm.

you didn't even have to fake the smile anymore—a genuine, slightly breathless laugh escaped your lips. right on cue, jungwon let out a soft chuckle too, his eyes crinkling at the corners. to anyone else looking, you two looked like a couple completely wrapped up in their own world, holding hands on a crisp morning.

"hey, isn't that...?" a voice from a distance said.

the loud laughter around the arches abruptly stopped. you risked a glance past jungwon's shoulder.

wonbin was staring directly at your joined hands. his arm had completely dropped from minju's shoulder. his jaw was tight, eyes slightly wide with utter confusion and irritation as he watched the school's top model student holding hands with his fresh ex-girlfriend. the look of bruised pride on his face was a work of art.

"target acquired," jungwon whispered, a sharp little dimple popping up on his cheek as he noticed wonbin's reaction. "he looks like he just swallowed a lemon."

you laughed out loud this time, feeling a massive wave of triumph wash over your chest. "you're a natural at this, jungwon."

"don't get used to it," he replied quietly.

even though you had completely walked past wonbin and entered the main hallway where the crowd thinned out, jungwon didn't immediately drop your hand. his fingers stayed securely locked with yours, his warm palm grounding as he walked you all the way to your classroom door.

only when you reached your desk did he finally let go, sliding his hand casually into his blazer pocket.

"see you at lunch, yn," he said with a small nod before turning on his heel.

by the time the fourth period bell rang, your phone was buzzing nonstop from the amount of notifications you received. yunah had texted you in all caps at least fifteen times, and a few people your wider social circle had subtly tried to ask if the rumors were true.

but the most satisfying notification was the one that didn't matter anymore. wonbin had posted a strangely moody quote on his private story. it was working.

you wrapped up your student council duties a few minutes early and headed toward the cafeteria. the loud room was already packed to the brim with students buying food, gossiping, and trading seats.

you scanned the room, eyes automatically bypassing the middle section where the popular kids and athletes usually crowded. instead, you looked toward the quiet tables near the windows.

there jungwon was, sitting alone at a four-person table, his back straight a neat bento box open in front of him. true to form, he had a small book propped up against his water bottle, his eyes scanning the words while he chewed. he looked isolated form the rest of the noisy cafeteria. at least until you walked over.

the moment you pulled out the chair across from him, you could feel the eyes burning into your back.

jungwon didn't look up immediately. he calmly chewed on his food, swallowed, and then closed his book with a quiet snap. "you're late by two minutes," he said.

"i had to drop off some paperwork at the council room." you explained, sitting down and setting your lunch tray on the table. you leaned in a little closer, lowering your voice. "did you see the hallway earlier? people are literally staring at us right now.

"i noticed. three different people in my homeroom asked me if i was being blackmailed. one of them asked if you were holding my grades hostage."

you choked on your milk, letting out a sudden laugh. "are you serious? what did you tell them?"

"i told them you fell for my brains," jungwon replied smoothly. "it seemed like the most believable lie."

before you could respond, a shadow fell over your table.

"yn?"

you froze, looking up to see wonbin standing at the edge of your table. he didn't have minju with him this time. he was alone, holding an energy drink, and his eyebrows were knitted together in a tight frown. he looked out of place standing near the quiet window tables.

"hey, wonbin," you said, keeping your voice steady. "can i help you with something?"

wonbin's eyes darted sharply from you to jungwon, who was currently taking a slow sip of his water, acting as if wonbin were invisible. "can we talk for a second? privately?" he asked, voice dropping as he leaned in slightly. "i just... i saw you this morning. with him. is this some kind of joke?"

"a joke?" you tilted your head, letting out an amused smile. "why would it be a joke?"

"because it's him," he hissed, pointing a finger vaguely toward jungwon. "i broke up with you last week, yn. you told me you were devastated. and now you're suddenly holding hands with the president of the academic club? it doesn't make any sense."

your blood started to run hot. the sheer nerve of this guy—who had literally replaced you—questioning your timeline was infuriating. you opened your mouth to snap back, but before a single word could leave your lips, someone else spoke up.

"it makes perfect sense if you could think logically."

jungwon's voice wasn't loud, but it was clear, cutting right through wonbin's words. jungwon set his water bottle down on the table with a firm thud. he didn't look angry. if anything, he looked entitely bored, which made it ten times worse for wonbin's ego.

wonbin snapped his gaze to jungwon. "what did you just say?"

"i said it's simple, wonbin," jungwon repeated, leaning back in his chair. "she was wasting her time with a guy who couldn't balance his own life, so she upgraded to someone who can. you told her you were too tired and busy for a relationship, right? well, i have plenty of time. especially for her."

you stared at jungwon, jaw dropping slightly. you had forgotten about the rule you had added yesterday. he wasn't just acting. he was completely shutting wonbin down with a calm precision that left no room for argument.

wonbin's face turned a deep shade of red. he opened his mouth to say something slick, but jungwon didn't give him the chance.

jungwon reached across the small table, his warm fingers gently wrapping around your wrist, pulling your hand into his. he didn't look at wonbin anymore, he just looked directly at you as his thumb lightly brushed against the back of your knuckles in a way that felt entirely unscripted.

"eat your lunch, yn," jungwon murmured, voice softening just enough to make your heart skip a beat.

wonbin stood there for three agonizing seconds, looking back and forth between your hands and jungwon's face. realizing he had completely lost this round, he let out and angry curse under his breath and stormed back to his friends.

your eyes locked on jungwon, who was already letting go of your hand and picking up his chopsticks.

"rule number four," he added quietly. "mutual defense protocol. did i do okay?"

you swallowed, heart hammering against your rips for a whole different reason than revenge. "uh, yeah. you did perfect."

that evening, after the final plan, your brain was completely fried. you packed your bags and walked down to the school library, which was mostly empty except for a few students studying for exams.

you found jungwon tucked away in the very back corner. he already had his laptop open, a neat notebook placed beside it, and, to your surprise, two plastic cup sitting on the wooden table. one was a plain iced americano, and the other was a cold strawberry milk.

you pulled out the chair across from him and dropped your bag onto the floor. "is that for me?" you questioned, pointing at the strawberry milk.

his hand reached out and lightly pushed the cup toward you. "you didn't get to finish yours at lunch because of the interruption. i factored it into my budget for the day," he said. your heart did a tiny flip. you picked up the sweet drink, the cold plastic cooling down your warm hands. "thanks, jungwon. that's so sweet of you."

"don't read into it," he looked up at you. "if my fake girlfriend looks miserable and dehydrated, the rumors won't hold up. now, show me what we're working with."

you rolled your eyes as you sat down and pulled out your tablet. "alright, mr. logic. let's look at your club's official page."

for the next two hours, the school drama completely melted away. you showed jungwon the analytics, pointing out how the club's old posts were just blocks of boring text and blurry photos of whiteboards.

"see? no one wants to read a text wall of theories on their feed," you pointed out, leaning over the table to give him a clearer view. "we need aesthetic shots. soft lighting, candid photos of you guys studying, maybe some fun short videos. we need to make your club look like a cozy place to hang out."

jungwon watched your fingers move across the screen, listening intently. you noticed how focused he was. he didn't interrupt you once. he actually respected your expertise the same way you respected his intelligence.

"i see," he mumbled. he looked up and for a second, he just stared at you. "you're actually really good at this."

"of course i am," you whispered back, suddenly feeling a little breathless from how close he was sitting. "i don't just post selfies, jungwon. i know what i'm doing."

"clearly," he said softly. he cleared his throat and leaned back, breaking the intense eye contact. "the library closes in ten minutes. we should continue this over the weekend. there's a quiet café near the subway station. meet me there on saturday noon?"

"a saturday date?" you teased, raising an eyebrow. "is that allowed under the contract?"

jungwon chuckled lightly. "it's a mandatory strategy meeting, yn. dress comfortably."

and on saturday, the café was warm and smelled heavily of roasted coffee beans. it was a rainy afternoon, the drops tapping softly against the windows. you walked in wearing an oversized sweater and jeans, scanning the room until you spotted a familiar dark-haired boy sitting by the window.

jungwon was wearing a casual black hoodie, looking different without his stiff school uniform, he looked softer, and incredibly handsome.

as you approached the table, he looked up form his book. his eyes blinked, tracking you for a second, and his usual calm expression faltered just a tiny bit. he closed his book shut with a snap.

"hey," you smiled. "have you been waiting long?"

"no, just a few minutes," he answered, voice a little softer than usual. he cleared his throat, eyes lingering on your sweater before meeting your gaze. "you... look nice today. the sweater looks pretty on you."

your cheeks instantly flared up with a sudden, warm blush. you sat down quickly, trying to his your flustered face by adjusting your bag. "oh. thanks, jungwon. i didn't think you noticed things like clothes."

"just being observant," he murmured, a tiny bit of pink dusting the tip of his ears as he looked down at his coffee cup. "you're not wearing your blazer," you noted. he squinted his eyes playfully. "it's the weekend. even i don't wear uniform to bed."

you let out a genuine chuckle. "good to know," you said. "i kind of pictured you sleeping in a three-piece suit with a calculator in hand."

his shoulder shook a little as he laughed. "i'm a regular person, yn. i don't just eat, sleep, and breathe math equations."

as the afternoon passed, your laptops surprisingly stayed in your bags. you meant to work on the social media layout, but instead, you found yourself just talking.

you learned that jungwon disliked spicy food, loved listening to indie music, and was fiercely protective of his older sister. in return, you found yourself telling him about how stressed you were about your upcoming student council elections, and how much you feared failing people's expectations.

jungwon listened to you talk, his chin resting in his hand, eyes never leaving your face. there was no audience here. wonbin wasn't around to see. but jungwon was dialed in.

"you worry too much about what everyone else thinks," he commented quietly, breaking a short silence. his voice was gentle. "you're smart, and you work harder than anyone else in that council. you don't need to prove anything to people who don't matter."

you stared at him, heart skipping a massive beat. the smile he usually had was gone, replaced by a look of pure sincerity.

"thanks," you murmured, suddenly feeling very warm despite the chilly rain outside.

he blinked, suddenly realizing how intense the mood had gotten. he swallowed, pulling his phone out of his pocket to check the time. "it's... 4:30 already. we've been here for a while."

"we didn't even talk about the social media plan," you realized, looking at your bag.

jungwon stood up, pulling his hoodie over his head a bit more as he grabbed his things. he looked down at you, that small smirk returning to his face. "that's fine. we can call it a successful team-building exercise. see you on monday."

the next monday morning brought a weird, buzzing energy. sitting in third-period english class, you kept finding your eyes drifting toward the middle row where jungwon sat for it was the only class you had with him. but every time you remembered how soft he looked with his hoodie, or the way he murmured "the sweater looks pretty on you," your stomach did a little flutter.

"alright, quiet down," the teacher called out, clapping her hands. "for the next two weeks, we'll be doing a literature analysis project. i've already assigned your partners. look at the board."

a collective groan echoed through the room. you scanned the screen until you found your name.

yn and park sunghoon.

you blinked. sunghoon was one of wonbin's close friends from the varsity sports circle. he was effortlessly handsome, highly popular, and incredibly charismatic.

before you could even process it, sunghoon slid into the empty set next to you with a charming look on his face.

"hey, partner," he muttered, leaning his elbow on your desk. he leaned in a little closer than necessary. "looks like we're stuck together. don't worry about the heavy lifting, though, i'll handle the writing if you handle the presentation. deal?"

"oh. yeah, sure," you nodded, pulling your chair back a tiny bit to create some space. "that works."

"perfect," sunghoon pulled out his phone, sliding it across your desk with grin. "type your number in. you know, so we can... collaborate after hours."

across the classroom, the sharp snap of a lead pencil breaking echoed quietly.

you didn't notice, but it was jungwon's pencil. he stared down at his notebook, jaw tight as he stared at the broken piece of graphite. he didn't understand why his chest suddenly felt tight, or why he felt and urge to throw his notebook at the back sunghoon's head.

it's just an english project, jungwon told himself. she can talk to whoever she wants.

but as sunghoon leaned even closer, laughing at a quiet comment you made, jungwon's grip on his pen tightened until his knuckles turned white.

the moment the bell rang for lunch, sunghoon stood up, giving you a wink. "text me later."

as sunghoon walked out, jungwon was on his feet. he marched right up your desk, grabbing your bag before you could even reach for it. "hey!" you gasped. jungwon didn't say a word. he only gripped the strap, face an unreadable mask of irritation as he pulled out out into the hallway.

"jungwon, what's wrong with you?" you asked, trying to keep up with his fast strides as he led you toward the quieter hallway near the student council storage lockers. "why are you acting like this?"

he stopped abruptly, turning around to face you. "rule number four."

"what?"

"mutual defense protocol," he continued. "sunghoon is wonbin's friend. he was crowding your space on purpose to test the waters. a real boyfriend wouldn't just sit there and let another guy hit on his girlfriend right in front of him."

your frown deepened. "he was just asking for my number for the project, jungwon. were you... jealous?"

"i don't get jealous, yn. it's a useless emotion," he snapped quickly, though a faint hint of red rushed up his neck. "i'm simply executing the terms of our contract with the best i could give."

"right. the contract," you mumbled, feeling a sudden drop in your stomach.

the rest of the school day passed in a complete blur. but no matter how hard you tried to focus on your remaining classes, your mind kept looping back to the tight grip jungwon had on your bag and the tense tone of his voice.

you were still trying to untangle those thoughts after the final bell rang, having volunteered to help the council organize the old sports equipment storage room. you had also offered to lock up the room.

you clicked the padlock shut and turned around, only to freeze.

wonbin was standing at the end of the hall, hands stuffed into his pockets. he had been waiting for you.

"yn," he said, stepping forward. without his friends around, he looked less confident, but his voice still carried that annoying edge. "we need to talk."

"we have nothing to talk about, wonbin," you replied coldly before trying to walk past him.

wonbin stepped into your path, blocking the exit. "come on, stop playing games. i saw how sunghoon was looking at you during class today. and then the nerd dragged you out like he owned you. are you really going to keep up this pathetic act?"

"it's not an act," you snapped through gritted teeth, temper flaring.

"please," he scoffed, letting out a condescending laugh. "we both know you're just using him to get back at me. yang jungwon? the guy doesn't even know how to hold a conversation unless it's about studies. he's completely dry, yn. a girl like you is going to get bored of a robot like him in a week. he doesn't actually care about you. he probably doesn't even know how to care about someone."

the words stung, mostly because a small, insecure part of your brain feared he was right. you opened your mouth to yell at him, but a heavy step echoed from the stairwell.

"i know exactly how to care for what's mine," a voice cut through the tension.

you turned your head. jungwon walked out of the shadows of the stairwell. his blazer was unbuttoned, making him look surprisingly imposing. his face was completely devoid of its usual smirk. his eyes were pure, dark ice.

wonbin narrowed his eyes. "oh, look. the bodyguard arrived."

jungwon didn't even acknowledge wonbin's sarcasm. he walked straight past him, stopping right in front of you. before you could say a word, jungwon reached out. his hand slid firmly around your waist, strong fingers gripping your hip and pulling you flush against his side.

your breath caught completely in your throat. you were pressed so close to him you could feel the thud of his heartbeat. his touch was heavy and warm.

"i told you before, wonbin. my time is completely clear for her," jungwon repeated, voice dangerously low and quiet in the empty hallway. "that means i don't appreciate you cornering my girlfriend in empty halls. and i definitely don't appreciate a guy who couldn't even keep her loyalty trying to lecture me on how to treat her."

wonbin's jaw clenched, fists tightening in his pockets. he looked at jungwon's hand securely wrapped around your waist, then at how closely you were leaning to jungwon's chest. the dominance coming off jungwon was something wonbin clearly hadn't calculated.

"whatever," he backed down as his pride took another massive hit. "have fun with your charity case, yn." he turned on his heel and stormed out the back doors, slamming them behind him.

but jungwon didn't let you go.

his hand stayed firmly on your waist, keeping you anchored against him. you slowly lifted your head, eyes meeting his. his dark eyes were wide, his breathing a little shallow.

"jungwon..." you whispered, heart hammering wildly against your chest. "wonbin's gone. you can let go now."

jungwon stared down at your lips, then back up to your eyes. his fingers twitched against your waist, tightening just the littlest bit instead of releasing you. for a terrifying, beautiful second, it looked like he was going to lean down.

then, he blinked, as if suddenly waking up from a trance. he abruptly pulled his hand back, stepping half a foot away from you. he ran a hand through his hair, looking flustered for the first time since you met him.

"right," he muttered, voice slightly strained as he stared at the floor. "i'll walk you to the bus stop."

as you walked beside him in silence, you realized with absolute certainty that rule number one—no real feelings—was dead. and the scariest part?

you think jungwon knew it too.

the atmosphere in the academic clubroom the next afternoon was heavy with awkwardness. after the hallway incident yesterday, neither of you had quite figured out how to look each other in the eye.

"okay," you clapped your hands together to break the ice and setting your digital camera on the main table. "if we want to save the club's digital footprint, we need content. and since you're the club president, you will be the model."

jungwon, who had been neatly stacking books, froze. he looked at you with widened eyes. "model? yn, i am an academic competitor. i don't 'model.'"

"you do now," you smirked, pulling out a chair. "sit down. prop an open textbook in front of you and... i don't know, pretend you're reading. but look casual. don't grip the pen too tight."

jungwon let out a defeated sigh that puffed out his cheeks, but he followed your instructions anyway. he saw down, opened a thick calculus book, and gripped his pencil.

but the moment you raised the camera to your eye and looked through the viewfinder, his entire body locked up. his shoulders went completely rigid, his jaw clenched so tightly a small muscle feathered in his cheek, and he stared down at the pages like he was trying to burn a hole through the paper.

you lowered the camera, giggling. "jungwon, you look like you're under interrogation. relax your shoulders. look up at me."

he lifted his gaze. "i am relaxed. this is my studying posture."

"you look like a statue," you teased, stepping closer to the table. you leaned down slightly, the scent of his laundry soap drifting over you. "come on, yang jungwon. where's that smirk you always give me when you're quoting the contract or correcting my data? give me a little bit of that."

and for a second, his exterior completely cracked. a sudden, genuine laugh broke through his stiff expression, eyes crinkling tightly at the corners and that unmistakable dimple showing on his right cheek.

click.

"perfect!" you cheered, pulling the camera back to quickly check the screen. "see? look how good you look when you actually smile."

curiosity getting the better of him, jungwon stood up and walked around the table to stand right beside you. he leaned in close to peer at the tiny screen, his shoulder pressing firmly against yours. you could feel the heat radiating off his uniform blazer, the distance making your breath hitch.

"i look... strange," he murmured, voice low and vibrating right next to your ear.

but when you looked at him. he wasn't looking at the camera screen anymore. he was looking down at your profile, sharp eyes tracing the line of your jaw, completely focused. you swallowed, "you don't look strange. you look handsome, jungwon. the school's going to love it."

he cleared his throat, stepping back just a bit, though his eyes remained fixed on you. "if you say so. send me the drafts tonight. we need to approve the text before publishing."

"actually," you turned to face him and tapped the chair next to you. "sit. we'll filter them together right now. it saves us time."

jungwon hesitated for a split second before sitting on the chair so close that your knees occasionally brushed under the table. for the next thirty minutes, the fake relationship and the school drama completely faded into the background.

"no, we can't use that harsh white lighting," you argued, tilting the screen toward him. "it looks cold. we need a warm tone. it makes the club look cozy, like a place people actually want to spend their afternoons."

as you adjusted the settings to the picture, jungwon stayed quiet. unbeknownst to you, he was watching you rather than the camera. his head was tilted slightly, a soft expression settling over his face.

"see," you pointed at the results. "it looks comfortable somehow."

you turned your head only to find his eyes already locked on you. your fingers froze on the camera buttons. there was no audience here. wonbin wasn't hiding in the hallway, and there were no rumors to protect in an empty clubroom. but the way he was looking at you felt entirely unscripted.

he blinked furiously. "it's getting late. we should head out before the janitor locks the building."

"uh... yeah," you broke eye contact, glancing everywhere but him. and as you packed your camera into your bag, your hands were shaking just a little.

when you walked together out of the front doors, the sky had already turned a pretty shade of orange, the evening air cool against your skin after spending time in the warm room.

neither of spoke for the first few minutes, just walking side-by-side toward the main gates. but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. your shoulders occasionally brushed as you walked, and every time they did, a tiny spark of electricity seemed to bounce between you.

"the photos really turned out well," jungwon broke the silence as you both turned onto the sidewalk leading to the bus stop. "you're smart with that stuff."

"thanks," you smiled, glancing at him. "i just know what people like to see. i'll edit the best ones when i get home and type up some caption ideas."

"sounds good," he nodded, stopping as you both finally reached the bus stop shelter. "but don't send them to me via text. the quality drops too much."

you tilted your head. "then how should i show you?"

jungwon gulped, eyes briefly darting away to look at the street before meeting your gaze again. "just... video call me. facetime. that way you can share your screen and show me the edits in real-time."

you bit your lip to hid a grin. "okay. what time? you have that ten p.m. rule, remember?"

"let's do ten-thirty," jungwon said smoothly with a playful glint in his eyes. "i'll give us an official extension for club business. don't be late."

"i won't," you laughed.

right on cue, the loud hiss of brakes signaled the arrival of your bus. the large vehicle pulled up to the curb, its door sliding open with a heavy rattle. you gripped the strap of your backpack, suddenly feeling reluctant to leave. "well, that's my bus. i'll see you on screen at ten-thirty, jungwon."

"yeah," he muttered. "get home safely, yn."

you gave him one final wave, stepped onto the bus, and scanned your transit card. as the bus pulled away from the curb, you looked out the window. jungwon was still standing under the shelter, hands by his sides, waiting for your bus to leave.

by the time you arrived home, finished showering, changed into your pajamas, and ate a quick dinner, the clock on your desk read 10:20 p.m. you sat on your bed, propping your laptop on your knees and opening the editing software. the photos from earlier looked even better on the larger screen. jungwon's genuine smile radiated warmth.

you kept glancing at the bottom right corner of your screen, watching the minutes tick by.

10:27. 10:28. 10:29.

the exact second the clock flipped to 10:30 p.m., your phone began to buzz loudly against your comforter. the screen lit up with an upcoming video call from jungwon.

a nervous flutter erupted in your stomach. you quickly shook out your hair, took a deep breath, and pressed the green button to answer.

the screen stabilized, and your breath caught in your throat. jungwon was sitting cross-legged on his bed, leaning back against a pile of neat gray pillows. he looked entirely different from his daytime self. he was in a plain, fitted back tank top that made his shoulders look broad.

but the thing that made your heart skip a massive beat was his face—he was wearing a pair of round, thick-rimmed glasses that you had never seen before.

he looked devastatingly attractive.

"hey," he said. his voice sounded deeper and a little sleepy through the phone speaker. "let's just go straight to the photos."

for the next forty-five minutes, you worked together, but it felt cozy. you walked him through the aesthetic choices, zooming in on the warm, golden filters you had applied to the photos. and after a while, you finally wrote the perfect caption.

[STUDENT MEDIA EXCLUSIVE] Big things are happening! The Academic Club is hosting an Open House next Thursday after school in the Academic Clubroom. You won't want to miss what our Club President, Yang Jungwon, had in store. See you there! (Spoiler Alert : There will be snacks!)

"it's actually not that bad," he tilted his head.

"see? i told you to trust me," you teased before turning off the screen share. you rested your chin on your hand and stared at him on your screen. "i know what i'm doing."

the line went quiet for a moment. you could hear the faint sound of your air conditioner humming. you couldn't stop looking at his glasses. "you look different with those glasses," you pointed out. "i didn't know you needed them."

he tapped the side of his glasses. "i only wear them at night when my eyes are tired from reading. do they... look weird?"

"no," you whispered honestly. "they look really good on you, jungwon. you look soft."

through the screen, you could see the tips of his ears turn red. he looked away from the camera for a second. when he looked back at you, his eyes were gentle. "thank you."

he glanced at the clock on his wall, "it's eleven-fifteen. you should sleep. we have classes tomorrow, anyway."

and the next morning, the school was quiet as you walked through the main doors. it was still early, so the hallways weren't packed yet. only a few students were standing by their lockers, talking low voices. your shoes made soft tapping sounds as you walked toward the locker area.

you turned the corner and spotted a familiar figure standing there. he was already dressed perfectly in his uniform, school bag hanging neatly.

but as you got closer, you stopped in your tracks. your eyes widened.

jungwon had turned his head to look at you, and your jaw nearly dropped. he looked normal with his school uniform, but resting on the bridge of his nose were the exact same glasses he had worn on the video call last night.

in the bright, morning sunlight streaming through the windows, he looked breathtaking. the glasses softened his sharp features, making him look less like the untouchable top student and more like... a boy you could actually reach.

"jungwon?" you blinked, staring up at his face. "you're wearing your glasses. i thought you only wore them at night in your room."

jungwon's eyes darted around the hallway for a split second, a sudden hint of shyness passing over his face. he lifted his hand and adjusted the thick frames with his index finger, a faint pink blush creeping up his neck and dusting the tips of his ears.

"well, i did read this morning," he mumbles, his voice still a little scratchy. he looked down at you, dark eyes staring into your behind the lenses. "and... someone told me last night that they looked good. i decided to test the theory in daylight."

your heart did a joyful backflip. he had actually worn them to school just because you liked them.

before you could even think of a response, the heavy sound of footsteps echoed from the stairs. a group of people were walking down, laughing loudly and talking to each other.

suddenly, jungwon stepped to you. he didn't hesitate or look back. he closed the distance between your bodies, blocking the view of your face.

then he reached out. his hand rose slowly, his long, warm fingers gently tucking a stray piece of hair behind your ear. his touch didn't pull away immediately. instead, his knuckled lingered against the soft skin of your cheek, brushing against it with a tender warmth. he leaned down, bringing his face so close to yours that you could see the tiny reflection of yourself in his lenses.

"morning, pretty," he murmured. his voice was just loud enough for the passing students to hear, making sure everyone knew exactly who you belonged to. but his eyes were completely focused on you. "did you sleep well?"

you were so flustered, he had never used a pet name before. "y-yeah," you managed to whisper, your hands tightly gripping the straps of your backpack. "i slept well. did you?"

jungwon's eyes softened, and a knowing smirk touched the corner of his lips. he clearly enjoyed how shy you had become under his touch. "i did," he whispered back, his thumb giving your cheek one last gentle pat before he finally pulled his hand away. he didn't step back, though. he stayed standing right next to you, free hand nearly touching yours as he reached out to close his locker.

at lunchtime, your phone nearly melted in your blazer due to the stream of notifications you received. the caption you and jungwon finalized the night before, along with that gorgeous photo of him smiling had gone completely viral across the school.

as you walked down the hallway to head to the cafeteria, you didn't even need to look at your screen to know it was a hit. the chatter was everywhere.

"did you see the post about the academic club? since when is jungwon that handsome?" a sophomore girl squealed to her friend by the water fountain.

"look at his smile in that picture. the lighting makes him look like an idol," another student whispered, holding up her phone. "i'm definitely going to that open house just to see him."

you bit your lip, a proud smile tucking at your lips. your vision for the club page had worked perfectly.

when you walked into the cafeteria, you spotted jungwon sitting at his usual table. he looked totally overwhelmed, shoulders tense as he stared down at his phone with a look of disbelief. every few seconds, a a girl walking past his table would look over, giggle, or wave. jungwon would give them a stiff nod before looking back down at his screen.

the second you slid into the plastic seat across him, he looked up. his eyes screamed for help.

"yn," he sighed heavily. "my phone has been ringing since first period. the club's follower count increased by four hundred percent in less than twelve hours. what exactly did you do to that photo?"

"i didn't do anything crazy," you laughed, picking up your spoons. "i just told you the truth. i know how to make things look good. people love seeing a softer side of the scary top student. look at the comments!"

jungwon looked down at his screen again, thumb scrolling through the comments sections. "someone commented that they are skipping dance practice next thursday to attend our open house."

"see! everyone loves it. it's hype," you teased. then, your eyes drifted past his shoulder. "and speaking of hype... look behind you."

jungwon turned his head slightly. across the cafeteria, sitting at the big center table, was wonbin. he was surrounded by his circle, but he wasn't eating. he was staring directly at his phone with a furious expression, jaw clenched tightly. sunghoon was next to him, teasing him abouy how much attention your "nerd boyfriend" was getting.

wonbin looked up, his angry eyes moving to you and jungwon sitting together.

jungwon didn't flinch. he turned back around to face you, the lenses of his glasses catching the bright light. a smile spread across his face.

"your marketing logic is flawless, partner," he praised. he leaned forward a bit, eyes twinkling. "you completely ruined him without saying a single word to him. i have to admit, it's great work."

"hey, we're a team," you smiled, your heart fluttering at the word partner. "we're just getting started."

jungwon let out a quiet laugh, but then he paused. he looked down at his phones, scrolling through the comments again, and a sudden look of realization crossed his face. he tapped his fingers against the plastic table, clearly thinking about something.

"right, so... we might have a bit of a problem for next thursday," he said, looking at you.

"a problem?" you raised your eyebrows, pausing with your food. "what's wrong?"

"based on the likes and comments on the post, a ton of people are actually planning to show up to our open house," he explained. he rubbed the back of his neck, looking a little embarrassed. "the club's current snack supply is only three tea bags and a half-empty box of crackers. we don't have anything to give them."

you let out a rather loud laugh. "so the genius president remembers everything but the snacks?"

"well, i didn't expect so many people to care," jungwon defended himself quickly. his voice then dropped to a whisper. "i really need your help. if i go alone, i'll probably just buy plain crackers and bottled water. i have no idea what kind of snacks people actually want. will you come to the supermarket with me after school?"

a grocery store run. it sounded so sweet and domestic—like something a real boyfriend and girlfriend would do together on a random afternoon.

"an official snack mission?" you cocked an eyebrow.

he smiled at you, the dimple yet again showing on his cheek as he nodded. "exactly. i'll wait for you by the lockers later."

true to his word, jungwon was waiting by your locker after school, already there after you exited your classroom. he had his school slung over a shoulder, his uniform unbuttoned, and those glasses were still resting perfectly on his nose. "ready?" he questioned, a welcoming smile lighting up his face the second he saw you walking up. "ready," you grinned back.

when you stepped through the automatic glass doors of the supermarket, the cool, air-conditioned air hit your face. jungwon walked over to the neatly lined rows of shopping carts. he pulled one out and pushed it over to you, gripping the plastic handle with both hands.

"alright, guide me," he said, glancing around at the brightly lit aisles. "where do we start?"

"we need sweet things and salty things," you mentioned, taking the lead and walking toward the snack aisle. "since it's an event after school, people will be hungry after classes."

as you reached the chip area, he stopped and stared at the massive wall of colorful bags, looking completely lost. he tilted his head with a small frown. "there are too many options," he muttered, reaching out to pick up a bag of unsalted potato chips. "how about these?"

"no way," you chuckled, gently taking the bag out of his hand and putting it back on the shelf. "nobody wants plain chips. we need the spicy ones and the sour cream and onion ones."

you grabbed three large bags of the popular spicy chips and dropped them into the cart. "this is exactly why i brought you," he murmured. "left to my own devices, people would have hated me."

"they wouldn't hate you. they'd just think you're some kind of robot," you teased.

"ouch," he laughed quietly, playing along by placing a hand on his chest.

as you moved over to another aisle, you spotted a specific brand of chocolate-covered strawberries in the refrigerator—your favorite treat. you lingered in front of the glass door for a second, staring at them, but decided not to grab them since they weren't exactly "club snacks."

you turned back around to help jungwon choose some juice boxes and soda cans. jungwon was focused, carefully checking the prices and quantities, making sure there would be enough. it was cute seeing how seriously he took his role as president, even when it came to buying juice.

while you were busy comparing the orange juice brands, jungwon quietly stepped aside for a brief moment. you didn't think much of it until he walked back, pushing the cart with a straight face.

you looked down into the cart and nearly gasped. right on top of the soda boxes was the exact container of chocolate-covered strawberries you had been looking at earlier.

"jungwon?" you looked at him, heart doing a flutter. "what is this?"

jungwon bit the inside of his cheek, eyes darting to the side before locking back with yours. a red tint crept up his cheeks, contrasting beautifully with his dark hair. "i noticed you looking at them," he answered softly, voice a gentle register. he adjusted his glasses, looking a little shy but sincere. "consider it an extra payment for your excellent marketing services. and... because you worked hard. you deserve it."

you stared at him, speechless. here, there was nothing and no one for him to perform for. he had bought them simply because he saw you wanted them.

"thank you," you whispered, a massive smile spreading across your face.

"don't mention it," he murmured, the corners of his lips tucking up into a sweet smile. "let's go pay."

after paying for the massive bags of chips, juice boxes, soda cans, and your favorite chocolate strawberries, you and jungwon walked back to the school. it was completely quiet now, the hallways empty and peaceful in the dim evening light.

you both entered the academic clubroom and dumped the heavy plastic bags onto the main wooden table.

"wow," you sighed, stretching your arms out as you sat down on a chair. "that was a workout. at least we won't starve next thursday."

"indeed. the inventory is now full," jungwon grinned. he began organizing the juice boxes into a straight line on the shelf, his glasses slipping slightly down his nose.

watching him look so focused, you couldn't help but think about how much things had changed. you leaned your chin on your hand, staring at him. "you know, jungwon... you're actually being really nice about all of this. aren't you tired of dealing with my school drama?"

jungwon paused, a juice box still in hand. he turned to face you, leaning his hip against the shelf. "it's part of our arrangement," he replied. "the deal is to maintain the image of a couple to hurt wonbin's ego."

"i know," you murmured, playing with the edge of your blazer. "but we've only really been seen together at school. do you think people actually believe it? wonbin looks mad, sure. but i feel like he's waiting for us to slip up."

jungwon walked over to the table and sat on the chair right next to yours. he leaned a little closer. "i've been thinking about that too, actually," he admitted. "if we only hang out before classes and in the cafeteria, it looks a bit too convenient. real couples don't just exist inside the school. they also do things on the weekends."

you tilted your head, confusion washing over your expression. "what do you mean?"

"i mean we should take this outside of school," he shrugged, looking straight into your eyes. "we should go on a fake date this saturday. like the street festival downtown. we can take some photos together, post them on your personal feed, and give the people undeniable proof."

your stomach flipped. a date? even if it's fake?

"a weekend date?" you repeated. "just for the photos?"

"for visual evidence," jungwon nodded easily, though you noticed his ears turning a little red. "it'll completely solidify the narrative. it's the most logical next step for the contract."

you smiled, seeing right through his logic-talk. he was just as nervous as you were. "alright, president. if it's for the contract, i guess i can clear my saturday schedule for you."

and that saturday afternoon, the sun was bright when you met jungwon outside the train station. the plan for the day was simple, written down neatly in your shared document. since the open house was only a few days away, you needed a few casual but cute photos of the two of you out on a date to keep the rumors alive.

you were adjusting the strap of your digital camera when you heard footsteps.

"am i late?"

you looked up, and your heart did that familiar thud. jungwon was standing there, wearing a light gray knit sweater with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, dark jeans, and clean white sneakers. and of course, not forgetting the glasses.

"right on time," you smiled, tucking your camera into your bag. "you look good today, president."

jungwon's eyes crinkled as a small smirk touched his lips. "you don't look too bad yourself, partner. let's go. the street festival is just two blocks away."

the festival was packed with people and filled with the smell of fried food, loud music, and colorful booths. for the first hour, you focused on the mission. you took photos of jungwon holding a snack, and he took photos of you smiling by a flower stall.

"we have enough options," jungwon said, leaning over your shoulder to look at the camera screen. "sure, but we need one together! come closer," you suggested, turning the camera toward both of your faces.

just as you were about to click the button, a loud voice cut through the crowd.

"wait, yn? jungwon?"

you both froze and turned around. standing there with a cup of iced tea was wonhee, a girl from your homeroom class who loved school gossip. perfect. her eyes were wide with excitement as she looked at the two of you. "oh my gosh, it is you guys! so you guys are actually dating?"

your breath hitched. but before you could panic further, jungwon moved. he didn't hesitate for a single second. he slid his arm around your waist, pulling you so your bodies were flushed together. his hand rested on your hip. "hey, wonhee," he greeted. he then glanced down at you with a gaze so sweet it made your brain short-circuit. "yeah, we wanted to spend some time together away from school today."

wonhee squealed. "wow, jungwon, ive never seen you look at anyone like that. you guys look so cute together!"

"thank you," you said, playing along. you leaned into his chest, resting your head on his sweater right over his heart. you could hear it beating fast against your ear. "we're just having a fun day."

"i won't ruin your date, promise. see you on monday!" she giggled, waving as she disappeared back into the crowd.

the second she was gone, jungwon's hand stayed on your waist for a long beat, thumb brushing against your side. when he finally stepped back, his neck was red. "that was a close call," he looked anywhere but at your face. "good acting."

"yeah," you mumbled, skin still tingling where his hand had been. "you too."

after that, your camera stayed in your bag. the "acting" had felt a little too real, and the rest of the afternoon, you both forgot about the deal entirely.

you dragged him over to a shooting gallery booth, where an adorable plush cat was hanging. "watch and learn, mr. president," you teased, confidently paying the booth vendor and lifting the plastic toy rifle. you took careful aim at the small targets, fired three times, and missed every single shot.

jungwon let out a quiet chuckle, leaning his shoulder against the booth frame as he watched you pout. "is that the social media committee technique? aiming for the wall?"

"i just wasn't focused!" you defended, face burning as you handed him the toy gun. "let's see you do it."

"easy. it's just basic trajectory," he confidently replied, a smirk playing on his lips. he adjusted his glasses, stepped up to the counter, and lifted the rifle. his posture became straight, eyes locking onto the targets with focus.

pop. pop. pop.

three shots, three perfect hits.

the vendor let out a whistle, along with an applause, and handed over the plush cat. jungwon took it with a triumphant grin, dimple popping up as he immediately tucked the plush under your arm.

"trajectory," he whispered playfully, leaning down close to your ear so only you could hear him. "you're welcome."

you hugged the fluffy cat to your chest, heart doing a foolish little flip. after that, you ate cotton candy together, laughing until your stomachs hurt when a gust of wind blew a piece of pink sugar right onto the tip of jungwon's nose.

you truly had the best time.

around five o'clock, the sky suddenly turned dark. within minutes, rain started pouring down. "shit!" you gasped, covering your head.

jungwon grabbed your wrist, his grip firm, and pulled you along as he ran toward a narrow alleyway between two brick buildings. it was a tiny, sheltered space under a concrete roof, just big enough to shield you both.

"too close," jungwon panted as you both burst into the small space. he took off his glasses, which were covered in raindrops, and used his sweater to wipe them clean.

when he put them back on and looked up, you realized just how small the space actually was. because of the pouring rain, jungwon had to be in your personal space. he was standing less than two inches away from you. you could feel the warmth of his breath and the scent of his cologne.

the world shrank down to just the two of you in the dim light.

"yn," he called. "yeah?" you murmured, heart beating so loudly you were sure he could hear it.

jungwon's eyes shifted down to you lips for a split second before returning to your eyes. his jaw clenched, as if he were fighting every single instinct to keep his distance. "it doesn't look like the rain's gonna stop any time soon."

you looked straight into his eyes. "i don't mind waiting here with you."

an unreadable look passed over jungwon's face. he leaned in as he looked out at the sheets of water splashing against the pavement, then scanned your face. "today... when wonhee saw us," he started. "i told her we wanted to spend time together away from school."

you nodded slowly, "yeah. it was a good excuse."

"it wasn't an excuse," he blurted before he could overthink it. "i really did want to. the contract just gave me a reason to ask."

your heart stopped for a beat. you stared up at him, trying to read the expression he had on. you swallowed nervously. "jungwon, are you saying...?"

"i enjoyed today," he interrupted softly. he tucked his hands into his jeans pockets, looking down at the space between your shoes to avoid eye contact. "more than i expected to. i usually find crowds a little stressful. but today, i didn't care about the crowd at all."

he didn't explicitly say 'i like being with you,' but the quiet confession hung in the air, heavier than the storm.

"i enjoyed it too," you offered a small smile. "especially the parts where we weren't taking photos."

jungwon gazed back up at you. the cold academic club president you knew was gone. slowly and hesitantly, he took a hand out of his pocket. his fingers hovered in the small space between you.

he didn't grab your hand this time. instead, his hand drifted closer until his pinky fingers gently brushed against yours.

you didn't pull away.

feeling your permission, jungwon slowly hooked his pinky around yours. his skin was warm and slightly trembling, his finger tightening just enough to lock yours in place. it was such a small touch, but it felt louder than any other public display of affection.

"then let's not think about the photos next time," he muttered. you smiled, blushing hard, making him giggle lightly at your face.

later that night, your phone vibrated against your mattress. you reached for it and your breath caught when you saw jungwon text you.

you unlocked the phone to see the text. he had sent an image file.

you tapped it, and a photo filled your screen. it was a candid picture he had taken of you when you were standing by the flower stall. you hadn't even realized he clicked the shutter at that exact moment. you were looking sideways, laughing at something he had said, with the sunlight hitting your hair perfectly. it looked soft, warm, and happy.

[jungwon] : I was looking through the pictures. I thought you should have this one.

a huge smile now plastered on your lips as you quickly began typing a reply.

[you] : i didn't know you took this lol the lighting is rly pretty

you watched the little typing bubbles appear almost instantly. your heart beat a little faster as you waited for his response.

[jungwon] : You look prettier.

and ever since that text message and the date at the festival, something shifted between you and jungwon. the invisible wall of the "contract" had completely melted away, replaced by a rhythm that neither of you felt the need to question.

one morning, the school's central heater was acting up, leaving the building freezing. you were standing by your classroom door, shivering slightly as you talked to a classmate. when jungwon walked past on his way to the bathroom.

without breaking his stride or even pausing his conversation with a friend walking next to him, he casually unzipped his thick jacket, slipped it off, and draped it over your shoulders as he brushed past you. it was so smooth, leaving you wrapped in his warm, oversized jacket that smelled faintly of his cologne while your classmate stared in shock.

that effortless closeness had also taken over the smallest things.

one time, jungwon walked into your classroom to drop off a flyer for the open house and found you slumped over at your desk, completely exhausted from studying for a history quiz.

he walked straight over. when you saw him and started groaning and complaining about the hard questions, he didn't say a word. instead, he reached down, long fingers gently combing through your messy hair, parting stray strands neatly away from your eyes. his thumb gave your forehead a tiny brush before he took his hand away.

even your mornings at the lockers had changed. there was a time when you walked right up to him while he was organizing his textbook. you took your hands and straightened the fabric of his collar before moving it up to tap the bridge of his glasses, pushing them up his nose where they belonged.

jungwon didn't flinch or look around to see who was watching. he only looked down at you, eyes soft and let out a happy hum.

and in the blink of an eye, thursday afternoon arrived with a chaotic rush. the post had worked entirely too well. by two o'clock, only half an hour after the last bell, the academic clubroom was packed to the brim with over fifty students. the room buzzed with sounds of chatter, laughter, and the constant crinkling of chip bags.

behind the main table, you and jungwon were moving like a single, well-oiled machine. you were frantically offering juice or soda to students while jungwon tidied the snacks.

even in the middle of the sweaty rush, the comfortable vibe you had built over the weeks didn't falter. every few minutes, jungwon would catch a quick glance down at you, silently making sure you weren't feeling overwhelmed by the crowd.

"you're doing great, pretty," he murmured quickly without the intention of saying the pet name, fingers lightly brushing against your wrist in a reassuring squeeze.

your heart did a flutter at the pet name, but you kept your cool. "we're a team, remember?" you smiled back, catching your breath as you handed a juice box to a waiting sophomore.

for the first hour, the open house was a whirlwind of activity. jungwon took the center of the room, confidently explaining the club's upcoming math and science curriculum, voice clear and steady despite the massive crowd.

he looked every bit the capable president, but whenever he made a point, his eyes would instinctively find yours across the room, tracking your reaction. you stayed busy running the snack bar and managing the sign-up sheet, watching with a proud grin as more than ten students wrote their names down to join.

but halfway through, the loud chatter near the doorway suddenly died down slightly. you looked up, and your stomach dropped. wonbin had just walked in, sharp eyes instantly stuck onto you.

a few minutes later, while jungwon was pulled away to a corner by a group of students asking about the registration deadlines, wonbin saw his chance. he strode through the crowd and cornered you with a mocking smirk. "so, you actually managed to pull off a crowd," he tilted his head, crossing his arms tightly over his chest.

you tightened your grip on the edge of the table. "move away, wonbin. i'm busy."

"i'm just saying, it's pathetic," he spat, voice dripping with venom. "i'm sure jungwon's just doing his duty as president. the second this open house is done, you guys are done. he's nothing compared to me, yn. you're nothing to him."

before you could fire back, jungwon appeared out of nowhere.

he didn't say a word as he stepped directly between you and wonbin, broad shoulders shielding you from view. the movement was so sudden that wonbin took a step back, smirk faltering. "i think you need to leave." his voice was loud enough that the room fell quiet.

wonbin scoffed, trying to play it cool as he eyed the staring crowd. "relax, dude. i was just talking to—"

"i couldn't care less about what you were doing," he interrupted immediately. the protective instinct radiating off him was palpable. "you're making my girlfriend uncomfortable. and since this is my clubroom, i am telling you to get out."

the word girlfriend rolled off jungwon's tongue so naturally that the students watching started mumbling. wonbin's face turned a humiliated shade of red. realizing he was outnumbered and stripped of any power he thought he had over you, he glared at jungwon one last time before storming out of the room.

the second the heavy door slammed shut, the crowd started whispering loudly. but jungwon didn't care.

he turned around to face you in an instant. his hands reached out, holding your upper arms as his eyes searched your face with concern. "are you okay?" he whispered, his tone of voice completely different from the tone he had just seconds ago. "did he hurt you? what'd he say to you?"

"i'm okay," you breathed, heart thumping from the intensity of the moment. "thank you, won."

by 4 o'clock, the event had finally cleared out. the open house was a success, and the clubroom was dead quiet once again, bathed in the orange shadows of the setting sun. you were slowly wiping down the tables while jungwon stacked the chairs against the wall.

you swallowed a lump in your throat, a crashing wave of sadness washing over you as you forced yourself to say the words you knew you had to say. "so... i guess that means the contract is fulfilled. the fake relationship is done. we don't have to pretend anymore."

jungwon's jaw clenched slightly. he looked down at his hands, his fingers tightening against a chair until knuckles turned white.

inside his chest, his heart was screaming at him to reject the idea. he want to tell you that he didn't want it to end. he wanted to tell you that the way his heart raced when he held your hand at the festival and the way he felt when your pinkies locked in the rain were the most real things he had ever experienced.

but as he looked back up at you, his guarded defense mechanisms kicked right back in. he became terrified of rejection, terrified that you truly only saw this as a contract to solve your ex-boyfriend problem.

"right," he forced a smile onto his face. "the contract is done. we achieved the desired outcome with maximum efficiency."

your heart squeezed painfully at his logical words. so it really was just a contract to him. a math problem he solved.

"mhm. efficient to the end," you choked out, forcing a fake smile as you reached down to grab your bag. "i should probably get going then. see you around, jungwon." you turned around and took two steps toward the door.

"yn, wait."

you stopped in your tracks and turned back to look at him, heart skipping a beat as hope bloomed in your chest. jungwon had stepped away from the chairs, taking a few paces to you. his hands were clenched into fists at his sides. he looked like he was on the edge of throwing away all his logic and telling you exactly how much he needed you.

but then, he froze. his throat bobbed as he swallowed his words, shoulder dropping as his shyness won the battle inside his head.

"never mind," he mumbled gently, a slightly sad smile touching his lips. "thanks for today. and for everything else."

your chest pulled tight at the heavy, unspoken emotion hanging in the air. "thank you, jungwon."

the transition back to your normal life should have been easy.

the contract had achieved a prefect, one hundred percent success rate. wonbin wouldn't even look in your direction when you passed him in the hallways and you heard jungwon's appeal finally got accepted. jungwon got reached his goal, and you had your peace back.

but you realized you didn't care about the peace at all.

you were sitting at your desk during recess, staring blankly at your notebook. last week, this exact time of day was when jungwon walked into your classroom to drop off a flyer and gently brushes the messy hair out of your eyes.

the classroom door opened, and your head snapped up. but it wasn't him. it was just a group of students laughing at they walked in.

a heavy ache settled deep in your chest. you slumped against your desk, burying your face in your arms. it was ridiculous. you didn't care about wonbin anymore. the only thing consuming your thoughts and your entire heart was a quiet boy with thick-framed glasses and a dimpled smile.

across the building, the library was quiet. jungwon sat as his usual desk, surrounded by calculus books and a glowing laptop screen. the exams were only a few weeks away, and normally, this was where jungwon was most efficient.

but today, his brain was offline.

he stared at the same problem for twenty minutes, the numbers blurring together on the page. his right hand was resting on the table. every time he looked at it, he was dragged back to that alleyway in the pouring rain.

he let out a frustrated sigh, taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"the contract is done. we achieved the desired outcome with maximum efficiency."

he wanted to punch himself for saying those words. he had let his stupid shyness build a wall between you right when he should have torn it down. he wanted anything but for you to leave.

he pulled out his phone and opened your chat, positioning his thumbs over the keyboard.

Are you busy after school today? The clubroom needs some organizing.

he stared at the draft. it was a lie. the clubroom was perfectly clean. he just wanted a reason, any reason to see you, to hear your laugh, and to breathe in the same air as you again.

his thumb hovered over the send button for a long minute. but his throat tightened as the familiar fear crept back in. what if she's glad the contract is over? what if she doesn't want to see me anymore?

with a sigh, jungwon deleted the text, locking his phone and dropping it face-down on the table. he leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling as a sense of loneliness washed over him.

and due to the receding sighting of you and jungwon together, a rumor spread faster than a wildfire.

The Academic Club president, Jungwon, and his girlfriend, yn, broke up!

you could hear the whispers trailing behind you all day, but you didn't have the energy to care, you walked out to the courtyard during lunch break, desperately needing a quiet place to breathe away.

"hey, yn."

you stifled a sigh as you saw wonbin walking toward you, a smug grin plastered across his face. "i heard the news," he stopped a few feet away from you. "so, the nerd couldn't keep up with you after all huh? i told you he was just doing his duty as president. the second the open house was over, he dropped you."

you stared at him, realizing how insignificant he truly was compared to the boy who stood up for you last week. "get to the point, wonbin."

he took a step closer, mistaking your exhaustion for sadness. "come on, don't be like that. i'm trying to help you. now that you're single again, i was thinking... maybe we can give it another shot. i'm willing to overlook the little stunt you pulled. you made your point, and i'm ready to take you back."

he reached his hand out, aiming to rest it on your shoulder, fully expecting you to melt right back into his arms.

but before his fingers could touch the fabric of your blazer, you sharply slapped his hand away. the crisp smack echoed in the quiet courtyard. wonbin's grin vanished as his eyes widened. "what the hell, yn?"

"don't touch me," you stepped forward, looking wonbin dead in the eye. "let me make this clear to you, because apparently, your brain can't process such small and simple facts. i didn't pull a stunt. and i am never getting back with you."

"are you serious?" his pride clearly took a massive hit. "you'd rather be miserable over a guy who only cared about his club than be with me?"

"jungwon didn't drop me, park wonbin. and even if he never speaks to me again, i would still choose a single second of his kindness over a lifetime of whatever it was i had with you."

wonbin's face twisted into a hideous expression of shock and humiliation. he opened his mouth to speak, but the fire in your eyes completely choked the words in his throat. "you're crazy," he muttered as he backed away. "you're out of your mind."

"maybe i am," you whispered. "now get out of my fucking sight."

you listened to the heavy, angry sound of his sneakers stomping away across the gravel until the courtyard fell into a beautiful silence.

what you didn't know was that a couple of juniors had been sitting on the nearby benches behind the bushes, eating their lunches. within an hour, word of you declaring that you would choose jungwon over anyone else spread.

when the last bell rang, the talk had reached the entire school. and for jungwon, that was the breaking point.

the wind was breezy as you sat alone at the bus stop just outside the school gates. the street was quiet, most of the students having already cleared out. you stared down at your shoes, heart heavy with a mixture of relief from shedding wonbin, and an ache because of missing jungwon.

your face burned as you remembered your own words from earlier. it was the truth, but a nagging fear in the back of your mind whispered that you might never get the chance to tell him.

suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed. you looked up, breath hitching.

jungwon was running toward the bus stop. his hair was completely windswept, his tie was loosened, and his blazer were unbuttoned. he looked breathless, chest heaving as he skidded to halt in front of you.

"jungwon?" you stood up from the bench. "what's wrong? what are you—?"

not giving you the chance to finish your sentence, jungwon closed the remaining distance between you in a single stride. his ling arms wrapped around your waist as he pulled you against his chest.

your let out a soft gasp as your forehead bumped gently against his shoulder. he held you so tightly it almost took your breath away, his fingers digging into the fabric of your blazer as if he were trying to anchor himself to you. you could feel his heartbeat and his warm breath brushing past your ear.

"jungwon...?" you called, hands hovering in the air before tentatively resting on his back.

"i heard what you said," he muttered, voice thick with emotion. he buried his face deeper into your shoulder, grip tightening. "i heard what you told wonbin in the courtyard."

you blinked, heart fluttering. "you did?"

"every word," he mumbled. slowly, he loosened his grip just enough to pull back and look at you, though his hands stayed securely on your waist, refusing to let you step away. "i spent the last week trying to figure out how to live without you. i told myself it was what was best for you because the deal was over."

he let out a self-deprecating laugh, thumb rubbing circles against your side to ground himself.

"but i was wrong. so wrong. it was the worst assumption i've ever made in my life," he confessed. "i couldn't focus on my studies. i couldn't go to the clubroom without missing you. and when i heard what you said today, i realized i was being a coward."

you looked up at him, vision now slightly blurry. "won..."

"i don't want a contract anymore," he stepped even closer until there wasn't a single inch of space left between you. he reached up with one hand, fingers gently cupping your cheek, thumb wiping a tear. "i don't want to fake anything. i want to be your real boyfriend who can hold your hand, fix your hair, and walk you home every single day."

he breathed before adding, "yn, i am completely, hopelessly in love with you."

the confession hung beautifully in the air. a massive smile appeared on your face, heart bursting with happiness so profound it washed every single second of the sadness.

"you are actually terrible at math, jungwon," you laughed softly through your tears. "because it took you a whole week to realize something i've known since that street festival."

his signature dimple popped up as he grinned. "is that a yes?"

"it's a definitive, one hundred percent yes."

jungwon's breath caught in his throat. the last lingering bit of his restraint shattered. he didn't say anything else. his hand moved from your cheek to the back of your neck, fingers gently tangling into your hair to tilt your face up.

deliberately, he leaned down and pressed his lips against yours.

your eyes fluttered shut as a wave of electricity rushed straight to your core. the kiss was soft at first, hesitant and sweet. but as you stood on your tiptoes, wrapping your arms around his neck, jungwon let out a hum against your mouth and pulled you impossibly closer, deepening the kiss.

his lips were warm and firm against yours, filled with all the longing and unspoken feeling he had been locking away inside his chest.

the roaring engine of the bus pulled up to the curb, its headlights cutting through the twilight. the doors folded open, but neither of you moved. you were completely wrapped up in his warmth, oblivious to the world around you.

when jungwon finally broke the kiss, his forehead rested gently against yours. he kept his eyes closed for a second, a soft smile spreading across his face, simple cutting deep into his red cheeks. he slid his hand down your arm until his fingers slid between yours, locking his large hand securely with yours. "miss the bus for me?" he questioned. "i want to walk you home."

"i'd miss every bus for you, yang jungwon."

© 2026 wonarchy. all rights deserved.

Y/N sank into the stiff folding chair backstage, letting out a long, quiet sigh. M Countdown had been dragging on for hours. Interviews, staged photos, handshakes, smiles for the cameras that felt heavier than usual—it was exhausting. Her legs ached, her voice was hoarse from endless singing, and her brain was operating on autopilot. She rested her chin in her hand, staring blankly at the ceiling lights as if they held some secret code she could decipher.

Her and her group were waiting for all the other performers to be called together. Normally, Y/N didn’t get this bored—there was always some backstage drama, a joke to laugh at, or a Tiktok to film. But today, with a schedule tighter than usual and barely a moment to breathe between stages and photos, the exhaustion was settling into her bones.

“Okay, ILLIT! We’re ready for touch-ups!” a staff member called from down the hallway.

Y/N trailed behind the rest of the members, lazily fixing the sleeve of her stage outfit as they walked through the crowded hallway.

“I’m actually going to pass out after this,” Wonhee groaned dramatically, leaning against the wall like she was seconds from collapse.

“You say that every music show,” Moka teased. “Then suddenly you’re full of energy the second food gets mentioned.”

“That’s different,” Wonhee defended instantly.

A tired laugh slipped from Y/N as they stepped into the makeup room, instantly greeted by the familiar mix of hairspray, powder, and overheated curling irons. Stylists immediately moved around them in a blur, fixing flyaways, touching up eyeliner, and dusting powder across shiny skin while conversations overlapped from every direction.

“I still can’t believe they made us retake that group photo six times,” Y/N muttered as she dropped into the chair in front of the mirror. “My face actually started cramping.”

“Yours still looked normal,” Iroha replied. “Mine looked AI-generated by the end.”

Y/N snorted softly, finally feeling herself wake up a little. She was midway through complaining about how violently bright the camera flashes were when movement near the doorway caught her attention.

At first, she only glanced over absentmindedly.

Then she completely froze.

Y/N liked to think she was immune to attractive idols at this point. She was surrounded by beautiful people constantly—it honestly stopped feeling shocking after a while. Of course she and her members joked around about dating and celebrity crushes, but she’d never actually felt anything serious. Nobody had ever really made her nervous before.

But this—

God.

The boy standing near the doorway was unfairly gorgeous.

He was talking quietly with one of the makeup artists, head tilted slightly as he listened, dark hair falling perfectly over his forehead despite the chaos backstage. Even under the harsh fluorescent lighting, he looked unreal.

She didn’t recognize him.

That alone was surprising enough to pull her out of her exhaustion. Usually she could at least place a face—another idol from a survival show, someone she’d passed during rehearsals, a trainee she’d seen online once. But him? Nothing.

Which honestly made her stare even more.

Not that she meant to stare.

Her eyes would flick back to the mirror for half a second before immediately drifting toward the doorway again, almost against her will. He was still talking to the makeup artist, occasionally nodding along while adjusting the sleeve of his jacket. Every tiny movement somehow made him look cuter. It was ridiculous.

And apparently, Y/N had become terrible at acting normal.

Because without realizing it, she’d slowly twisted around in her chair at the weirdest angle imaginable, one foot still planted near the makeup station while the rest of her body subtly leaned toward the doorway like she was being physically drawn there. She looked completely out of place in her own makeup room.

Which did not go unnoticed.

Yunah paused mid-conversation and slowly turned to look at her teammate with visible concern.

“…What are you doing?”

Y/N blinked. “Hm?”

Yunah narrowed her eyes.

Y/N was sitting frozen with her makeup puff still hovering near her cheek, posture stiff like someone had paused her mid-animation. And every few seconds, like clockwork, her eyes darted toward the doorway again.

Yunah followed her line of sight casually, but by the time she looked toward the doorway, Y/N had already snapped her attention back to the mirror.

Y/N let out an awkward little laugh, reaching for the makeup puff beside her. “I’m just tired,” she said quickly. “Got stuck in my head for a second.”

Yunah raised an eyebrow immediately.

The excuse sounded suspicious at best.

Still, she was far too exhausted to interrogate her teammate properly right now. But judging by the knowing look she sent Y/N through the mirror, she was absolutely planning on bringing this up later.

“Right,” Yunah hummed slowly, clearly unconvinced.

Y/N avoided eye contact on purpose.

Unfortunately for her, that only made her look guiltier.

Before Yunah could continue teasing her, another staff member poked their head into the room.

“Okay! Everyone ready to enter the main stage in five!”

The room instantly burst into motion.

Stylists rushed to put finishing touches on outfits, makeup artists shoved products back into bags, and idols scrambled out into the hallway before getting yelled at for being late. Y/N stood quickly, smoothing out her skirt while the members of ILLIT hurried out together.

And then—

There he was again.

The mysterious boy stepped out into the hallway just ahead of them, adjusting the in-ear monitor around his neck as staff members walked around him in a frenzy.

Y/N’s stomach did the same embarrassing flip all over again.

It was actually insane.

She didn’t even know his name.

Yet somehow, walking a few feet behind him suddenly had her hyperaware of everything—the soft sound of his voice when he thanked a staff member, the way his dark hair brushed against the back of his neck when he moved, even the faint scent of cologne that lingered in the hallway for half a second too long.

“Y/N,” Minju whispered beside her cautiously, “are you okay?”

Y/N blinked out of her trance. “Huh?”

Minju looked genuinely concerned. “You look like you’re in pain.”

“I am literally just walking.”

“Sure,” Iroha said slowly, eyeing her from the side.

Y/N frowned. “Why is everyone acting weird?”

The members exchanged glances.

Y/N opened her mouth to defend herself again, only for the boy to glance back briefly after hearing noise behind him.

For one horrible second, their eyes met.

Y/N instantly looked away like she’d committed an actual crime.

Heat rushed straight to her face.

God.

He was way too cute.

LATER...

“that’s it?”

“yeah,”

“that’s.. suspiciously healthy,”

you laughed, “why would i care,”

“because she’s a girl,”

“and he’s my boyfriend,”

ohyul narrowed his eyes, “so you’d just trust him?”

“obviously,”

“wow,”

“what?” you chuckled

“nothing,” he turned dramatically toward ryul, “what about you,”

you already knew this was going to be entertaining,

ryul took a sip from his beer,

“no,”

everyone immediately burst out laughing,

“you didn’t even let him finish the question,” woojin said,

“i already know my answer,”

“what if your girlfriend had a guy best friend,”

“no,”

“what if they’ve been friends for years,”

“still no,”

“what if-”

“no,”

ohyul was literally wheezing at this point, “you’re wild dude,”

“why does she need a guy best friend,”

“because people have friends,”

“she can have girl friends,”

“that’s not how friendships work,”

“it does in my house,”

“you don’t even have a house,” woojin laughed,

“then it’ll be how it works in my apartment,” ryul shot back,

everyone laughed again,

you bit your lip to stop yourself from smiling,

ryul looked entirely too serious about this,

woojin’s girlfriend leaned forward, way too invested in this conversation, “ok then can she go out for drinks with a guy friend?”

“absolutely not,”

“why?”

“because what are they drinking about,”

“tf does that even mean?”

“exactly,”

“that’s not an answer,” she laughed,

“it is to me,”

you could physically feel him getting more stubborn every time someone challenged him, which made it 10 times funnier,

the conversation eventually moved on, ohyul started telling some ridiculous story and woojin was arguing with his girlfriend again,

everyone became distracted in their own little ways again,

ryul’s thumb lazily traced your knee, then he leaned over, his lips brushed your cheek

a quick little kiss,

you turned your head toward him, “so no guy best friend,”

he sighed immediately, “we’re still talking about this,”

“i’m just curious,”

“you’re not curious,”

“i am,”

“you’re starting problems,”

you smiled sweetly, “what if he’s known her since childhood,”

“no,”

“what if he’s gay,”

ryul scoffed, “depends,”

“depends on what,”

“if i like him,”

you laughed, “that’s insane,”

“it’s actually very reasonable,”

“according to who,”

“me,”

you laughed, “wow very reliable source,”

“thank you,”

you could see him trying not to smile, which only encouraged you further,

“what if i wanted to grab drinks with a guy friend,”

his hand stopped moving on your leg, just for a second, but you immediately caught it,

“why,”

“because we’re friends,”

“no,”

“what if he wants advice,”

“he can call his mom,”

you immediately snorted, “what if he sends me memes,”

ryul stared at you and you stared right back,

“no,”

“i can’t receive memes,”

“not from him,”

“what if they’re funny,”

“they won’t be,”

“you don’t know that,”

he shrugged his shoulders, “i do,”

“how,”

“because i’m funnier than him,”

you laughed, “you don’t even know who he is,”

“doesn’t matter,”

you shifted slightly, turning more toward him, close enough to see the tiny crease forming between his brows

the one that always appeared whenever he was trying to stay calm, which meant you absolutely had to keep going

“what if he replies to my stories,”

“no,” he cut off immediately,

“what if he’s being nice,”

“he can be nice somewhere else,”

you pressed your lips together, fighting a smile but failing miserably,

“what if he calls me pretty,”

ryul let out a slow breath, the kind people took right before regretting everything

“don’t start,”

“what if he says i look pretty today,”

his hand, which had been resting comfortably on your shin, slid up to your knee,

not enough to draw attention but just enough to make your pulse skip

“then he’s annoying,”

“because he complimented me?”

“because he’s talking to you,”

you laughed, “that’s crazy,”

“thank you,”

“that wasn’t a compliment,”

“i’ll take it anyway,”

across the room, ohyul had clearly started listening again, the idiot was practically leaning over the armrest,

“bro is fighting for his life right now,”

woojin nodded immediately, “look at him,”

“i am calm,” ryul said, without looking at either of them,

which only made them laugh harder.

“you’re gripping her leg,” ohyul pointed out, “that’s not calm,”

you looked down and ryul immediately removed his hand,

then placed it right back,

higher,

like he suddenly remembered he didn’t care and you can’t deny that your stomach flipped a little,

ohyul let out the loudest laugh yet, “there he is,”

“shut up,”

“he’s already getting possessive and they’re not even dating yet,” woojin added,

you nearly choked on your drink,

and ryul shot him a look, “nobody asked you,”

“that wasn’t a denial,” ohyul said, pointing dramatically,

“interesting,” woojin said, his eyes narrowing like he was deep in thought, “very interesting,”

you could tell ryul was losing patience, which was making this infinitely more entertaining,

“okay,” you said, turning back toward him, “one more question,”

“no you’ve asked-“

“just one,” you cut off,

“no,”

“what if some guy asks me to go to the cinema,”

“no,”

“what if he’s really polite,”

“still no,”

“what if-”

“no,” ryul cut you off again,

“you don’t even know the rest of the question,”

“i know enough,”

you laughed, “you’re impossible,”

“you’re enjoying this,” ryul scoffed,

“maybe a little,”

“a little?” he clicked his tongue,

“ok a lot,”

“yeah i can tell,”

his hand squeezed your knee, just once,

like a little warning,

but you ignored it

“what if he buys me flowers,”

that got him,

finally,

his jaw tightened as his eyes narrowed and for a second he just stared at you,

you immediately knew you’d won,

“flowers?” he repeated, his voice was low now,

“yeah,”

“why would he buy you flowers,”

“because i’m cute,”

ohyul practically folded in half laughing and woojin wasn’t much better,

“he hates that answer,” ohyul wheezed again,

“bro’s having competition already,” woojin added,

ryul looked like he was deciding whether he still wanted friends or not,

and you were smiling so hard your cheeks hurt,

“you’re really testing me,” he muttered, leaning closer,

close enough that only you could hear him,

“and you are jealous,” you whispered back,

his eyes locked onto yours,

and there it was,

that look, the one that made your heart immediately forget how to function,

“you think this is funny,” he scoffed quietly,

“very,”

“i can tell,”

for a second neither of you looked away, the noise in the room faded just a little,

his gaze dropped briefly to your lips, then back to your eyes and suddenly you weren’t feeling quite as brave,

“ryul-“

he cut you off by pressing a quick kiss to your cheek, which made you smile,

“that’s all?” you teased,

you could tell that was an immediate mistake, because something flashed across his face, before he reached up, tilted your chin toward him and kissed you properly

just long enough to completely shut you up but also long enough for everyone else to notice,

you stared, “what was that for,”

“you were talking too much,”

before you could fire back-

“OH MY GOD,” ohyul shouted and the entire room immediately erupted.. again,

you groaned, burying your face in your hands,

“please stop,”

“absolutely not,” woojin was practically crying, “did you guys see him,”

“‘she can’t have guy friends,’” ohyul mocked dramatically, lowering his voice in a terrible imitation,

“‘she can’t get drink with another guy,’” woojin joined in,

“the memes were where he started losing it,” ohyul added,

“you guys are annoying,” ryul muttered,

“oh! we are annoying?” ohyul pointed at himself,

“bro you’ve been acting like her boyfriend for the last hour,”

“fr,” woojin agreed.

“the amount of hatred you have for imaginary men should be studied,”

everyone laughed, except ryul, who simply took another sip of his drink,

completely unbothered

..or at least pretending to be,

“we’re not even dating,” you added teasingly, because if he was getting embarrassed, you were absolutely making it worse

ohyul immediately pointed at you, “exactly,”

“you’re acting like this and she’s not even your girlfriend,”

ryul looked at both of them,

then at you,

then back at them.

“okay,” he scoffed, “and?”

ohyul blinked, “and,”

“what’s your point,”

the room immediately got louder, well woojin and ohyul to be exact,

“THAT’S YOUR RESPONSE??”

“HE DIDN’T DENY IT THO!!”

you were trying so hard not to laugh and ryul looked genuinely confused by everyone’s reaction,

like they were the weird ones..

“i’m just saying,” woojin started, “you don’t get to make boyfriend rules if you’re not her boyfriend,”

“why not,” ryul asked without missing a beat,

at this point ohyul nearly fell off the couch, “WHY NOT,” he repeated,

“because that’s literally how it works,” woojin said,

“according to who,”

“everybody,”

“that’s stupid,”

“bro,”

“what,”

“you cannot tell a girl she can’t have guy friends when you’re not dating her,”

ryul shrugged, “didn’t stop me,”

the room exploded again and you immediately started laughing so hard your stomach hurt,

even ryul was fighting a smile now

“this guy can’t be fr,” woojin groaned, covering his face with his hands,

“i don’t know why you’re all acting surprised,” ryul said,

“because you’re insane,” ohyul replied immediately,

“maybe,” he admitted,

then casually rested his hand back on your leg like none of this conversation was weird,

like he hadn’t just exposed himself completely

the conversation eventually drifted again, everyone was grabbing new drinks, switching topics, arguing about music and what not

you eventually stood up from the loveseat, stretching your arms a little

ryul immediately looked up, “where are you going,”

you looked at him, a small grin already forming “bathroom,”

“okay,”

“need to text my guy best friend back real quick too,”

there was a teeny tiny moment of complete silence,

before ohyul folded in half again and woojin slapped the couch, hysterically laughing,

you watched ryul’s eye narrowing again,

“sit back down,”

you laughed, “why,”

“because you’re annoying,”

“that’s not an answer,”

“it’s the only one you’re getting,”

“my best friend misses me,”

“your best friend doesn’t exist,”

“you don’t know that,”

“i do,”

“how,” you chuckled,

“because if he existed i’d already know about him,”

ohyul let out the loudest laugh of the night, “he’s standing on business fr,”

you laughed, “i’m going to the bathroom,”

he pointed toward the hallway, “then go to the bathroom,”

“..and text my best friend,”

“don’t push it,”

you grinned and walked away anyway,

only to hear ohyul’s voice the second you disappeared around the corner,

“bro is fighting imaginary men every single day of his life,”

“must be exhausting,” woojin agreed,

and judging by the pillow that immediately hit both of them-

ryul had heard every word

mlist ツ