ker

you, on the other hand, are content staying out of the spotlight. you’d rather sit in the back of the classroom, sketching absentmindedly in your notebook or staring out the window, than be anywhere near the kind of social whirlwind jaehee lives in. the two of you have never spoken. not once. not even a “hey” in passing.

still, you’d be lying if you said you’ve never noticed him.

how could you not? the way he laughs—carefree and warm, like he’s never had to fake it. the way his hair falls into his eyes when he’s focused, or how he always holds the door open for others without making a big deal out of it.

you wouldn’t call it a crush, not really. just a little eye candy. something harmless to look at when the school day drags on.

when your homeroom teacher announced the class field trip to the amusement park, you didn’t expect much. you figured it’d be a day of avoiding crowds, sticking close to your tiny circle of friends, and maybe trying a few rides if the lines weren’t too bad. nothing life-changing.

but as the days ticked down, the buzz in class grew louder.

everyone was talking about it—what they were going to buy, who they’d sit with on the bus, which roller coasters they were going to hit first. there were whispers of outfit matching and “accidental” pair-ups. even the shyest students were making plans.

you listened from the sidelines, quietly amused by the excitement. it felt like everyone had a role already, a scene they were stepping into. you were content staying in the background, maybe tagging along for some cotton candy, maybe hiding in the arcade when things got overwhelming.

the day of the trip finally arrives, warm and golden with early sunlight, the kind that makes everything feel just a little more exciting. the parking lot outside the school buzzes with energy—people laughing, comparing snacks, snapping blurry photos while they wait for the bus doors to open.

there’s a nervous kind of giddiness in the air, the kind that only comes with the promise of skipping class and spending the day somewhere far from routine.

you stand quietly near the edge of the group, backpack slung over your shoulder, watching the way the morning light hits the pavement. yoonchae nudges your arm gently, pulling you back to the present.

“are you sure you’re okay sitting alone?” she asks, brows drawn with a hint of concern. her other hand is already looped around megan’s arm.

you smile at her, soft and reassuring. “i’ll be okay. seriously.”

she studies you for a second longer, then nods. “okay. but text me if someone weird sits next to you.”

you huff out a laugh. “noted.”

the teacher starts calling everyone to board, clipboard in hand, and there’s a shuffle as students start climbing up the steps. you’re somewhere in the middle of the line, and when you finally step onto the bus, the cool blast of the AC hits your face.

you glance around and immediately spot an empty seat near the back, by the window—perfect.

you slide in, settling your bag at your feet, already turning your face to the glass as the world outside continues to blur with movement. you can hear the low murmur of conversations all around, laughter echoing faintly from the front, and yoonchae and megan’s voices chatting just in front of you.

you don’t expect anyone to sit next to you. honestly, you’re kind of looking forward to the solitude.

that is, until you hear someone clear their throat.

you blink, turning your head—only for your breath to hitch just slightly when you see jaehee standing there, backpack slung over one shoulder, a hand gripping the seat.

he gives you a hesitant, almost sheepish smile, his voice casual but a little too careful. “is anyone sitting here?”

you shake your head automatically, heart skipping a beat. “no. go ahead.”

he slides in beside you, the space between your arms almost non-existent in the tight bus seat. his leg brushes yours, warm even through the fabric, and you try not to stiffen. your fingers twitch slightly on your lap.

“i thought you’d sit with your friends or something,” you say, the words out before you can stop them.

jaehee chuckles, reaching up to ruffle his hair, like he’s trying to laugh off how awkward he feels. “riku said he’s sitting with someone else. totally ditched me.”

you hum, trying not to focus too hard on the way his shoulder leans just a little toward yours. “you could’ve sat with anyone.”

he tilts his head, eyes on you now. “why? do i make you uncomfortable?”

you turn to face him fully, eyes wide. “what?! no!” you shake your head quickly, cheeks heating. “i just… didn’t expect you to sit here, that’s all.”

he watches you for a second, like he’s trying to figure you out. then he smiles, a little more confident this time. “expect the unexpected.”

you laugh under your breath, tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear. there’s a beat of silence—comfortable, but charged—and you reach into your pocket, searching for something.

your fingers come up empty.

“ugh,” you mutter.

jaehee glances over. “something wrong?”

“i think i forgot my earphones,” you sigh, leaning back against the seat. “guess i’ll just stare out the window dramatically for the next hour.”

he grins, pulling his own earphones from his pocket and holding them out to you. “we could share,” he says, eyes bright with something unspoken.

you look at him, surprised, heart fluttering at the simplicity of the offer—and how close he suddenly feels.

“only if you’re okay with me judging your playlist,” you tease, reaching for one of the buds.

“fair,” jaehee laughs, handing one over, your fingers brushing for a brief second too long.

as the bus rumbles to life and pulls away from the school, you settle into your seat with one earbud in, your shoulder barely brushing his. outside the window, the world blurs past in streaks of sun and motion.

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when you step off the bus, the air hits you like a rush of freedom—warm, sweet, and humming with the scent of popcorn and something deep-fried. you stretch your limbs, arms high above your head, shaking off the stiffness from the ride.

all around you, students are laughing, forming little groups, already pointing excitedly at roller coasters twisting through the sky.

your teacher stands at the front of the group, trying to wrangle everyone’s attention with a loud clap. “alright, listen up! stay in groups, don’t wander off alone, and for the love of all things holy, don’t do anything that’ll get the school banned from coming back!”

a few kids laugh. someone whoops. the moment feels light, buzzing.

you’re about to follow the flow of people heading toward the park entrance when you hear your name.

“y/n!”

you turn on instinct, blinking as jaehee jogs up to you, a little breathless, like he’d been debating whether to say anything at all. his hair's slightly windblown from the bus ride, his backpack slung haphazardly over one shoulder, and for a second, he looks less like the golden boy everyone admires and more like a regular teenager—nervous, hopeful, real.

“uh,” he starts, rubbing the back of his neck. “i—if you don’t mind… do you wanna hang out with me today?”

you stare at him for a beat too long, brain struggling to catch up. the background noise of your classmates seems to fade out a little, replaced with the thundering of your own heartbeat.

did jaehee just…?

you clear your throat quickly, hoping you don’t sound as flustered as you feel. “sure. i don’t mind.”

his eyes light up instantly, and it’s so obvious—so bright and boyish—it knocks the air out of you for a second. he looks like a puppy who just got told he’s a good boy.

you giggle, trying to hide how much your heart is doing somersaults. “we should get headbands to start off,” you say, voice playful. “you can’t go to an amusement park without something ridiculous on your head.”

he laughs, more relaxed now, and lets you tug him toward the gift shop just near the entrance. the door chimes as you step inside, the air cool and filled with the scent of cheap candy and fabric softener. shelves are lined with silly accessories—glittery devil horns, floppy bunny ears, headbands with bouncy antennae and neon flowers.

you glance at him over your shoulder, already grinning. “pick your poison.”

he raises an eyebrow. “you’re not going to choose for me?”

“you’re brave enough to ask me to hang out. you can handle picking a headband.”

he chuckles under his breath, and for a second, your fingers brush as you reach for the same headband—a pair of soft puppy ears. you both pause, and you feel the air shift, just slightly. the kind of moment that lingers longer than it should.

“we could match,” he offers, voice a little softer now, his eyes on yours.

you look down at the ears in your hand, then back at him. “matching puppy ears. that’s dangerously close to couple-core.”

jaehee tilts his head, lips curving into something playful. “is that a bad thing?”

your heart skips. you don’t answer. not really.

you just hand him the second pair.

the two of you shuffle up to the counter, mid-argument about who should pay—jaehee dramatically clutching his chest like you’ve just insulted his honor, and you insisting it’s only fair to split.

“absolutely not,” he says, already fishing his wallet out like it’s a race against time. before you can protest, he slaps the cash down like he’s winning a game show.

you sigh, defeated but amused. “fine. next time, i’m paying. no arguments.”

“mmm, we’ll see,” jaehee says with a cheeky grin, adjusting his headband like it’s some sort of crown. “now then… where to, my loyal sidekick?”

you snort. “loyal sidekick?"

“exactly,” he chirps, skipping ahead like this was all part of his master plan.

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the day’s a blur of rides and sugar—jaehee whining about the rollercoasters like they personally offended him, until you bribe him with snacks. lots of snacks. enough to feed a small village. or a very ambitious picnic.

“you’re evil,” he says, halfway through a corn dog. “you love it,” you grin, handing him a drink like the enabler you are.

by 4:30, your phone buzzes with a teacher’s message: be back by 5 or suffer unspecified consequences. so, with sticky fingers and stuffed pockets, the two of you start to wander aimlessly, cotton candy in hand.

“jaehee,” you say through a mouthful of sugar, your words slightly muffled.

he hums in response, licking powdered sugar off his thumb.

“why’d you hang out with me today?”

he freezes, like someone just paused his internal wifi. a faint pink creeps up his neck.

he clears his throat and mutters something that sounds like... a dying bee?

“sorry, what?” you ask, lips twitching into a smile at the sight of flustered jaehee, who is now aggressively pretending to be very interested in the ground.

you can’t help it—he looks so much like a kicked puppy that your heart actually squeezes.

“i thought,” he starts, louder now, “that this would be a good chance.”

you blink. “a good chance for what—?”

he exhales like he’s about to perform surgery. “i like you, y/n.”

you stop dead in your tracks. blink once. twice.

meanwhile, jaehee is firmly looking anywhere but at you. the sky. a trash bin. the back of his own hand.

you let out a soft chuckle and reach over, slipping your hand into his. jaehee’s breath hitches—his eyes dart down like he’s making sure it’s real—and for a second, he looks like he might just pass out right then and there.

but then, slowly, he laces his fingers with yours, his lips curling into the tiniest, sweetest smile. the air between you shifts—lighter and brighter, like something new and soft has finally settled in place.

you walk back toward the main plaza, still hand-in-hand, your steps a little slower now. neither of you says anything, but the silence is comfortable—like walking inside a shared secret.

you spot a photo booth tucked beside a drink stall, the kind with faded stickers on the side and flashing LED hearts around the frame.

“hey,” you nudge him, nodding toward it. “wanna take a picture?”

jaehee hesitates, eyes flicking between you and the booth like it might swallow him whole. but then he nods, cheeks a little pink. “only if you’re in it with me.”

inside, it’s cramped and warm, the kind of warm that makes your knees bump and shoulders touch. you’re quicker this time, sliding a coin into the slot before jaehee can even reach for his wallet.

the first picture catches you both mid-laugh, heads thrown back, joy written all over your faces. the second is a disaster—jaehee blinks too early and ends up with one eye half-open. the third is softer: you're leaning into each other, grinning, your cheeks still pink but your eyes bright.

and the fourth—he turns his head to look at you just as the camera flashes, catching him mid-gaze, eyes full of something you can’t quite name but feel all the same.

when you step out, your hands brush as you reach for the photo strip. you both go for the same corner, fingers barely touching, but the way your hands linger says everything.

“we look good,” you murmur, eyes scanning the tiny photos.

jaehee glances over, voice a little quieter. “we look like a couple.”

you smile, tilting your head toward him. “maybe that’s ‘cause we kinda are now.”

he looks at you, really looks at you, and then he laughs, soft and breathless, like he’s been holding it in for hours. “i can’t believe you said it first.”

you laugh too. “you confessed first.”

he shakes his head, the grin on his face wide and a little helpless. “we’re a mess.”

“a cute mess,” you correct.

and right there, under the golden light of a setting sun and the flickering neon hearts, he leans in—not quite a kiss, not yet—but his forehead rests gently against yours.