Song Chokha

My fics:

50 Shades Of Scarlet

Fandom: Love&Deepspace/Sylus

Plot: An ordinary girl who had no idea about her family was drawn into an expensive, criminal life. A life full of money, riches, and silk. All for the sake of one man who promised to protect her.

Status: Ended Rate: R

Pt1 pt2 pt3_pt4_pt5_pt.6_pt7_Epilogue

I Never Die

Fandom: John Wick

Plot: She lost her mother when she was 5 years old. Her father tried to shut her out from his world, and he succeeded. Sometimes she would ask him, "Let's shoot at the cans again?", thanks to which she knows how to wield weapons. Now, at the age of 18, she is a sought-after singer among teenagers. But what happens if, after one incident, she finally follows in her father's footsteps?

Status: Processed

Rate: R

Ch1_Ch2_Ch3_Ch4

Rose (Insp. NANA)

Yuta from NCT as Nana Osaki and OFC (Original Female Character) as Nana "Hachi" Komatsu

Summary: The train to Tokyo was supposed to be the starting point of two completely different souls, two people with different aspirations. But that was their special feature.

Status: Processed

Rate: PG-13

Pt1_Pt2_Insert for chapter 2_Pt3_Pt4_pt5_pt6_pt7_pt8

Stay in my life (School 2026)/ Plave Eunho

Summary: An ordinary Korean school. Everything looks quite simple, with students having their own desires and aspirations, some even with unique stories and secrets.

Tags: Slow Burn, High School AU, artist OFC (Original Female Character)/Chaebol heir Eunho, Eunho is transfer student, Soft romance, Slice of Life

Emotional tags: Quiet love, Unspoken Feelings, Learnings to be yourself, found comfort

Rate: PG-13 Status: Ongoing

Chapter1_Chapter2_Chapter3_Chapter4_Chapter5

Messy/Yuta from k-pop group NCT x F1

Summary: AU, In which Yuta is a successful racer who aspires to occupy the podium of the king of Japanese racing, but a young singer and a rising racing star from America appears on his way, who is also half Japanese

Rate: NC-17

Status: Freezed

After breakfast, I immediately sat down with my sketchbook and started drawing. The plot had already been written down in my story notebook, so all I had to do was bring it to life on paper.

Soobin took one last look at me before leaving for work with Mom. He also checked whether there was enough food in the refrigerator for me to make lunch and dinner.

Then he left.

And I spent the entire day drawing. Sometimes I took breaks to walk around the neighborhood, but most of the day passed with me sitting over my sketchbook. Then, a message from Sunghoon appeared.

Sunghoon: Everyone’s already gathered on Hongdae to watch my cover. You can film the fancam, so we’re waiting for you. You have half an hour before we start.

That was not a suggestion. So I called a taxi. While I was waiting, I sprayed some dry shampoo into my hair, put on some makeup, and changed clothes. Jeans. A shirt with hedgehogs printed on it. And a fluffy cardigan.

When the taxi arrived, I climbed into the back seat and headed toward Hongdae. By the time I arrived, the group Sunghoon was performing with was already there, along with our friends.

The girls hugged me first. Then Eunho hugged me.

“Is everyone here?” the leader of the group asked.

Sunghoon handed me his phone so I could film his fancam. He wanted to watch it later and see how he had performed.

“One, two, three!”

“Dream Team! Fighting!”

The music started. Just like Sunghoon had told me, he was performing Yeonjun’s part. And he was incredible. He flirted with the camera, played with his expressions, and every now and then, his eyes drifted toward Minji. I had a feeling he was pretending to be her idol. He really was meant to shine on stage. He was meant to perform.

After three takes, the team took a break. Everyone gathered around to watch the footage and see how each of them had done.

Meanwhile, the rest of us kept an eye on Sunghoon.

“Should we go to Mrs. Lee’s restaurant after the shoot?” Minji suggested.

Sunghoon immediately agreed. “I’m in. Besides, Eunho has never tried her tteokbokki. No one makes it better than Sooyeon’s mom.”

So, after another three successful takes, we packed up our things and started walking.

“Should we take another picture for memories?” Minji suggested.

First, we took a photo of our group.

Then we set up a tripod and took one with ASTER, Sunghoon's group.

“ASTER! Shine!”

The photo was taken. The walk from Hongdae’s main square to our restaurant didn’t take long.

Then Minji suddenly stopped. “Wait here.” She disappeared into Daiso. Five minutes later, she came back holding a plush wolf keychain. And handed it to Eunho. I immediately understood what she was trying to say. “You’re officially part of our friend group now!” Minji announced. “Everyone has a keychain on their bag. I picked them all out myself.”

Eunho looked at our bags. Mine had a small palette. Sunghoon’s had a rabbit and a star. Minji had a little sun. And Haneul had a cloud, which was a reference to her name. Every single one of us had one.

“You can hang it up later,” Minji added quickly. “You don’t have to do it right away.”

Eunho smiled and nodded gratefully. A few minutes later, the rest of group joined us. I blinked when I saw them.

“You guys are coming too?”

“We always stop here for food on weekends,” Minho explained. “Sooyeon, don’t be surprised.”

Sunghoon simply nodded.

The moment we all walked into the restaurant, Mom greeted us from behind the counter.

“Sooyeon-ah…” She came around and hugged me. Then she looked at the entire crowd behind me. “Come in. I just finished preparing your order.”

I stared at her.

“Your order?”

Sunghoon answered before I could ask. “Three of us came here before rehearsal and ordered tteokbokki. We’re also going to sit at one of the grill tables. I really want samgyeopsal.”

Minji and I burst out laughing. We both knew exactly how much Sunghoon loved meat. He would probably give up almost anything for samgyeopsal or bulgogi.

Soon, everyone gathered around one of the tables with a built-in grill. I carried over the meat and all the grill sides. Minji brought the banchan. And Eunho, who had insisted on helping, carried over the tteokbokki, eomuk, kimbap, and sundae that ASTER had ordered.

Then everyone simply ate whatever they wanted. Woobin watched the meat on the grill. Minho filmed everything and kept making jokes. And Sunghoon was already devouring the freshly cooked samgyeopsal.

I looked around the table. At my friends. At the members of ASTER. At the food, the laughter, the smoke rising from the grill. And suddenly, I realized how much I loved my life. I loved my friends. Every one of us had our own goals. Our own ambitions. Our own future waiting for us. But in moments like this, we could forget about all of it. We could simply live. Just be young.

“Ajumoni…” Taeyoon called. Mom looked over. “Can we have some more soju?”

Mom smiled and reached into the refrigerator, pulling out two more bottles. I brought them over to the table. For the younger members, I poured Coke into their glasses instead.

Soon, we were all laughing, singing songs from our favorite groups, and enjoying the evening.

Closer to closing time, Sunghoon called their manager to come pick up the members of ASTER and take them back to the dorm. He was staying with us. Haneul had already gone home because she had to leave early the next morning with her parents for a hearing. The rest of us helped Mom clean up before closing. Soobin, Minji, Eunho, and I washed dishes and carried things around the restaurant. Sunghoon waited for us near the bus stop.

Eventually, Minji headed home in her own direction. Mom, Soobin, and I got into the car. Sunghoon fell asleep with his head on my shoulder in the back seat. I knew he was exhausted. He had spent the entire day training, performing, and then staying up with us afterward. He would probably fall asleep in class tomorrow.

Mom handed me a container of tteokbokki and sundae. “Give this to Sunghoon.”

On the way, we stumbled upon a street food stand, and we each grabbed a skewer of omuk. A little further on, a few blocks away and almost right next to Hongdae, we stumbled upon another stand, but this one only sold bingsu. That’s when the debate started about who liked what. I got one with beans, Minji got one with strawberries, Seong-hoon got one with grapes, and to everyone’s surprise, Eun-ho got one with mint chocolate.

“Mint chocolate? Seriously?” Minji reacted, since she can’t stand it.

“Are you trying to be cool?”

“I don’t mind it.”

Everyone looked at Sunghoon, who had said that.

“Once, on Minho’s birthday—I’m in training with him—we bought a mint chocolate cake, and a lot of people got to try it. So I recommend you try it, too. Except for Minji, of course.”

And while we were eating our bingsu, we walked to Hongdae, where the dancers were already performing. It was a cover of IVE by the girls, and then, as I understood, the guys were supposed to record their own cover. We stood off to the side and watched them record their covers, and that’s when the conversation turned to Sunghoon.

“What song are you guys doing for your group’s cover?” Haneul asked.

“Blue Hour. I’m dancing as Yeonjun hyun.”

And he winked at Min-ji, knowing she has a crush on Yeonjun. I just watched with a smile and took a picture of them.

“Hey! Were you taking pictures of us again?”

“It’s good reference material for the webtoon!”

Minji chased after me, wanting me to let her see the shot, but I didn’t let her—I wanted to keep the suspense. I planned to sketch it out in my sketchbook first, then redraw it on my tablet at home and post it. Everyone else laughed at that, and then Eun-ho caught me in his arms. He held me gently, but firmly enough that I couldn’t break free.

“Gotcha.”

I felt my breath catch. Not from running. For a second, it got too quiet—despite the music all around us.

“Let me go,” I said quietly.

He didn’t let go right away. Then he slowly loosened his grip.

Minji finally snatched the phone.

“Finally!”

I took a step back. Too quickly.

“Not bad,” said Haneul, looking at the photo.

“I knew it turned out well.”

I nodded. But I wasn’t really listening. I could still feel… where he’d been holding me. And it felt strange.

I felt embarrassed, while Sunghoon was trying his best not to spoil the cover for Minji himself.

POV Sunghoon

I noticed it before they did. She was laughing. Running away from Minji, clutching her phone to her chest. Just like always. And I already knew how it would end. But I didn’t have time to say anything. He caught her first. I stopped. It was too… natural. As if he always did that. She froze for a second. Less than that. But it was enough. He was holding her. Not too tightly. But he wasn’t letting go right away either.

He let her go. Minji had already taken her phone. Everyone started laughing again. As if nothing had happened. I smiled, too.

“Should we keep going?”

They agreed. Minji was already saying something—loudly, as always. I looked at her. She was laughing, as if nothing had happened, as if everything was fine.

And for some reason… it felt easier. I exhaled.

“Are you coming or not?”

She turned to face me.

“I’m coming.”

End POV

Later, we recorded a few dances and a short random clip. We were walking more quietly now. The music ended. So did the conversations. Everyone was a little tired. Minji was telling Haneul something. Sunghoon was walking beside us. I was a little behind. Eunho was next to me. The headlights appeared before the sound did. A car drove past us. Too fast. Too… expensive. I almost didn’t notice. But Eunho stopped. Barely noticeably. I turned toward him. He was watching the car drive away. Too intently. For a second, his face changed. It became harder. More tense. As if he’d recognized her. And didn’t want to.

“Eunho?”

He blinked. Too quickly. “Everything’s fine.”

He said it right away. Without a pause. Too quickly. He took a step forward. As if nothing had happened. I didn’t ask any questions. But for some reason… I remembered it. Very clearly. On the way home, we walked each other home. First Haneul, then Minji. When we reached the house where Sunghoon and I lived, Sunghoon went ahead. And Eunho and I were left alone.

“See you tomorrow at school?”

One morning I had a day off. I was surprised I had slept until nine. Yuta had left a note by my side of the bed.

Back late tonight. Writing new songs.

I had wanted to make him breakfast.

So I decided to make up for it.

I tied my hair into a ponytail and started cleaning the entire apartment. I organized the shelves in my room, scrubbed the bathroom until it shone, washed all our clothes. As I hung everything on the line, I suddenly saw myself as his wife. Mom had been like this during maternity leave with me—waiting for Dad to come home from the jewelry company, while Akira and I helped her clean.

What if one day Yuta and I were like that?

When I finished cooking dinner, I heard the door unlock.

“I’m home!” he called.

“Welcome back!” I answered from the kitchen.

“Looks like your day off did you good.”

He immediately noticed how the apartment sparkled, walked into the kitchen, wrapped his arms around me, and kissed my shoulder.

“Okonomiyaki? Just like in my hometown, Osaka. And a whole pot of rice again. Then let me treat you too.”

He took the apron off me and put it on himself. I saw him take out the octopus he had bought “to spoil my Achi.”

“I know we don’t have the proper mold, but I did my best,” he said, placing the plate on the table.

“Takoyaki!” I exclaimed.

“I’ve loved them since childhood. Back when Hiromu and I were just starting to write music together, I lived off these from street stalls near my house. Then I learned to cook them myself.”

Dinner felt warm—almost like we were already married.

Afterward, Yuta insisted on washing the dishes and told me to go to bed early since I had work and classes the next day.

That night, I imagined our future—a small house in the suburbs, me sewing custom clothes, Yuta writing songs. I had a feeling he imagined it too.

The next day at the atelier, a bride came for a fitting. Tsubaki-san personally adjusted the dress into a masterpiece.

“You’ll look beautiful at your wedding,” she told the customer.

After the client left, Tsubaki-san suddenly turned to me.

“Ayako-chan, try it on.”

“Me?”

“Try it.”

When I looked at myself in the mirror, I didn’t just see myself. I saw a bride marrying for love.

Immediately, I began sketching a wedding outfit for Yuta. I imagined he might prefer a leather jacket instead of a traditional blazer, so I drew two options.

At college, I kept working on those sketches. In the workshop, I crafted metal embellishments like my father had taught me.

Ayato once again tried to get my attention.

“Why do you need that punk? Don’t your parents want a proper husband for you?”

I ignored him, put on my headphones, and listened to Black Stones.

When I returned home that evening, exhausted from climbing to the fifth floor, Yuta opened the door before I could knock.

“Ayako-chan!”

“Yuta? Why are you so happy?”

“The label approved us to perform at Zepp Tokyo! Forty-five minutes!”

I smiled and hugged him as he spun me around. I asked Tsubaki-san for time off to finish his stage outfit, and she agreed. I threw myself into preparation.

It was early May. I was finishing Yuta’s costume while sewing my own dress.

I worked endlessly in my room, painting secondhand trousers for his outfit and perfecting his jacket. While working, I wondered who I could attend the concert with—most people preferred famous bands or Western rock.

Then, while sketching in the college courtyard, Rina approached me.

“I heard you’re looking for company for the concert?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll go with you. I’d like to meet that guy too.”

I was relieved not to go alone.

On the day of the concert, I double-checked everything, zipped Yuta’s costume into its protective cover, while he checked his bag—though I thought all he needed was water, perfume, and cigarettes.

“Ready for the biggest concert of your life, Achi?”

“More than ever.”

We took a taxi, listening to songs on his player.

“If we’re talking about our rock scene, I mostly listen to visual kei,” he said. “You can tell from my style.”

Then “Honey” by L’Arc-En-Ciel started playing.

“Your favorite?”

“The band I try to measure up to. Maybe one day I’ll open for them.”

He tried to hit Hyde’s high note as we left the taxi—but his voice, a couple tones lower, wouldn’t reach it.

“You’ll impress them one day,” I said while adjusting his costume in the dressing room.

On stage before us performed a young idol group—Ichigo Milk.

Each member had her own color. The audience glowed with light sticks—mostly pink.

The face of the group: Fujiiwara Sachiko.

They sang a cheerful love song, but I sensed a hidden layer beneath it—especially ironic considering the youngest member, Hinata, was still underage.

Then the screen displayed Sachiko alone.

“Sachiko, we love you!”

She appeared in a soft pink dress, backed by a live band—guitar, bass, drums.

Was she trying to copy Yuta?

Pink lights swayed to the rhythm.

I glanced at him. His mood had shifted.

“Are you okay?” I asked quietly.

“Yes,” he replied. “I’m ready.”

Sachiko. Fujiiwara Sachiko. The face of Ichigo Milk.

A girl who sold her soul to producers for fame. I knew what she was really like back in Osaka.

When it was our turn, I adjusted the mic.

“Good evening! We’re Black Stones! You just saw polished idols—only one side of the coin. Now you’ll hear real words. Real pain behind the masks.”

We played Off The Mask—written a week after I broke up with her.

Then Prisoner. And for Ayako, Possibo-hoo.

“Thank you for these forty-five minutes!”

Back in the dressing room, I drank water and stepped outside for a cigarette. As I lit it, Sachiko approached.

“Long time no see.”

I nodded.

“You still smoke?”

“You still lie on camera.”

I crushed the cigarette and returned inside.

Ayako was sitting there, sketching. I sat beside her and wrapped an arm around her.

“Ichigo Milk made a serious mistake making Fujiiwara Sachiko the face of their group.”

“Why?”

We ran onto the court as the first notes of Hollaback Girl filled the gym. The lights were bright. The crowd cheered. And somehow, all the nerves disappeared.

One step. Two steps. Turn. Jump. Everything we'd practiced finally came together. On the other side of the court, the basketball team was taking a break.

Caleb sat with a water bottle in his hands, barely listening to his coach. Until he looked up. And saw me.

"Hey, Xia" one of his teammates nudged him. "That's your sister, right?"

"Yeah."

"She's pretty good."

Caleb didn't answer. He just kept watching.

I made the mistake of looking toward the bench. There he was. Smiling. That smile. The one that always meant trouble. Then he gave me a thumbs-up. Right in the middle of the routine. I nearly laughed.

"Dude," another teammate whispered. "You're smiling."

"So?"

"You're proud of her."

"I'm not."

"Really?"

"..."

"You're about to say it, aren't you?"

Caleb sighed. "She's worked really hard."

"There it is."

"And she's talented."

"There it is again."

"You done?"

"Nope."

"...Yeah."

"...That's my sister."

When the performance ended, the whole gym applauded.

Backstage, my phone buzzed.

🍎 Caleb

Not bad.

A second message appeared almost immediately.

🍎 Caleb

Still not as cool as basketball though :)

"CALEB!"

Even across the gym, I could see him laughing. And I couldn't stop smiling.

When Caleb's team won the championship, he picked me up before I could even protest. The whole walk home, he carried me in his arms while I proudly held a tiny replica of the school's trophy.

After all... We both won that day.

"The season is officially over!" Caleb announced dramatically.

I laughed.

"And now the school has to face a terrible truth."

"Oh?"

"Their biggest basketball star is graduating."

I pretended to think about it. It was true. Soon, I'd still be walking through those hallways. And Caleb would be off to Flight Academy. For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then he gently adjusted the trophy in my hands.

"You know," he said, "you're going to have to cheer twice as loud next season."

I smiled.

"Only if you promise to come watch."

"As if I'd miss it."

And I knew he meant it. No matter how busy he'd become... He'd still drive me to school whenever he could. We'd still take random detours around the city. We'd still argue over music while waiting for our food at our favorite diner. We'd still laugh at the same old jokes.

I've been putting this AU together in my head for a long time and finally decided to make it into a full-fledged story. This is not an attempt to rewrite the canon, but rather my personal interpretation of the MC and Caleb relationship, with an emphasis on family and a sense of home.

If there is a tragedy in the canon, then I will name it as the tragedy in ZZZ, that is, "The Fall of the Old Capital." MC was three years old at the time, since then Caleb had to grow up earlier, and the two of them start living with their grandmother.

He starts taking care of MC, not noticing how sometimes his brother's care becomes a duty.

They grew up in the same house, and he spent most of his time in his room. She would sit next to him while he played, getting in his way, and he would get annoyed when she took his things, but he still loved her.

It was one of those evenings at home. Grandma was cooking dinner while Caleb and I were in his room, and I was watching him play video games. I asked him a question.

"Can I have one too?"

Caleb just looked at me and said. "You're not old enough for these games, Pipsqueak."

I pouted, but then he gave me the controller and started teaching me. When I was 13 and he was 18, he bought me games I'd been wanting to play, and it was better than the flowers that boys in our neighborhood gave to girls.

Caleb is still the same brother who constantly makes fun of her, tells absurd stories from his childhood, or recounts recent events to Zayne when he and his parents visit them.

It was when I was seven years old. Mr. and Mrs. Lee came to visit us again, along with Zayne. We were in my room, which was quiet for such evenings. We always chose my room as a neutral option, because knowing Caleb's relationship with Zayne, Zayne would probably say something about Caleb's interests, so we sat in my room.

"Grandma let us have some cookies!" I entered the room with a bowl of cookies. They were my favorite, with chocolate chips.

"Just watch how much you eat." Zayne.

"Agreed, or you'll turn into chocolate." Caleb teased me as always.

"What are we watching?" I asked, taking a cookie.

"Remember how you hid behind me after the horror movie?" Caleb reminded me of that moment. Even though Zane was in the room with us.

"You made me watch it!" I said in response.

Because you said, "I'm an adult now."

Caleb himself remains the same as in the canon. That is: Protects MC, sometimes teases her, is very attentive to her, constantly makes fun of her and takes a lot of responsibility for her. After all, "If I don't protect her, no one will." Further on the original plot, Caleb goes to the DAA and becomes a pilot, and MC gives him a necklace with a badge, and this is his anchor, which helps him to feel her near, despite the distance. When Caleb returns after a long separation, MC understands: this is still her brother. But at the same time, he's a different person. But he still: Wears the pendant she gave him, remembers her habits, knows when she's lying, and continues to care about her even when he pretends to be indifferent. And of course, he still calls her "Pipsqueak."

This story is not about romance. It's about: An older brother who always comes home A sister who grew up with him Habits that don't disappear even after years And people who know each other too well

The exam started after our fourth class. I was really hoping for a good result. We'd studied together for days, and Haneul's older sister had even helped us prepare. As soon as the papers were handed out, I got to work. Some of the problems were easier if I translated them into what I liked to call "the Lee family language"—turning them into situations from our restaurant. Somehow, that always made things simpler.

I finished in half an hour. For the rest of the exam, I looked around the classroom. Minji was secretly checking her cheat sheet. Haneul was filling page after page of rough work. Sunghoon was doing his best not to fall asleep. And Eunho… Eunho stayed focused from beginning to end. He finished on time as well.

"Shim Sunghoon." The teacher called his name.

Sunghoon jerked awake. "I'm sorry. I'm working on it."

The teacher smiled. "I'll try not to be too harsh."

I couldn't help smiling too. Sunghoon spent almost every afternoon training at his agency. It wasn't surprising that he was exhausted. After the exam, I found him in the gym. His phone was attached to a tripod, playing a dance practice video while he repeated the choreography.

"Practicing?"

"A TXT sunbae cover. We're preparing one."

I nodded.

At that moment, our KakaoTalk chat started buzzing.

Eunho: Where are you guys? I'm thinking about stopping by the convenience store.

Minji: I have classroom duty. Sunghoon, you're helping me today.

Haneul: I'm heading home early. My parents need help at work.

I typed my reply.

Soyeon: I'll go with you if you don't mind.

A peach sticker with little hearts popped up almost instantly.

"I should go help Minji," Sunghoon said, packing his bag.

Then he headed back to the classroom.

Sunghoon's POV

I told them I had to help with classroom duty. Honestly… I just needed to leave. The music was still ringing in my ears. Counting. Steps. Repeats. Over and over again. I'd messed up the choreography earlier than I should have. And I hadn't even tried to start again.

My phone was still sitting on the tripod. The video kept playing. I just stood there. I should've kept practicing. But my body wouldn't listen.

I rubbed my face. Slowly. Too slowly. Exams. Training. Another exam. And somewhere between all of that… Soyeon. She offered to help like it was nothing. Like she had all the time in the world. I laughed quietly. She was always like that. Doing things for people… And never making a big deal out of them. Like yesterday. I tightened my grip on my backpack strap. I still hadn't thanked her properly.

My phone vibrated. The class chat. Eunho. I thought about him for a second. Too composed. I picked up my bag.

"…I'd better go help Minji."

I met Eunho outside the school gates. Together, we headed to the nearest convenience store. The cashier greeted us, and we split up to look around. Without thinking, I grabbed a pack of Chapagetti, some kimchi, and a carton of orange juice. At the register, I noticed Eunho's choices. Cheese Samyang ramen. Buldak kimbap. A can of coffee. We prepared our ramen and pressed the lids down with chopsticks. I noticed Eunho doing exactly the same thing.

"Three minutes."

"You timed it?"

"I just know."

He nodded and poured his coffee into a paper cup.

"Do you always drink coffee?"

"It's a habit."

"A very grown-up habit."

He smiled a little. "It makes you stand out."

When the ramen was ready, I mixed in the sauce packets and took the first bite. Eunho reached for the kimbap. His expression changed immediately.

"Too spicy?"

"I'm fine."

He clearly wasn't. I held out my orange juice.

"It'll help."

He accepted it. Soon, we were both quietly eating.

"Do you always get this combination? Chapagetti, kimchi, and juice?"

I swallowed my food and smiled.

"It's the closest thing to what we make at home. Minji already told you, right? My mom owns a tteokbokki restaurant. But she also makes the best jajangmyeon ever."

I laughed.

"When you visit, you have to try it."

He nodded. Then I asked, "So… tell me more about yourself."

For a moment, his expression changed. There was hesitation. Then it disappeared. "My parents want me to be the best in the family," he said.

"So I study hard."

"I recently moved into an apartment near school. They help with the rent."

I nodded. Somehow… It didn't sound as ordinary as he wanted it to. We spent the rest of our meal talking about our hobbies. He already knew that I drew webtoons. Sunghoon was preparing to become an idol. Haneul came from a family of lawyers. Minji still hadn't decided what she wanted to do.

"What about you?" I asked.

This time, he answered easily. "I write music sometimes. And poetry. I play golf with my father on weekends. Being outside helps me think. You should try it sometime."

He was creative too? That was unexpected. After lunch, I packed my things.

"I should head to the bus stop."

"I'll walk you there."

I agreed.

We walked quietly, leaving a comfortable distance between us. We'd only known each other for two days. It felt safer that way.

"I don't have work today," I said.

"Maybe our group could hang out tonight? If Sunghoon gets off early."

"Sounds nice."

I nodded. Then suddenly— I stumbled. My shoelace had come undone.

"Here. Let me help."

He crouched down to tie it. For some reason… The moment felt like something out of a fairy tale. Before I could stop myself, I took out my phone and snapped a picture. The shutter clicked.

"You took a picture of me?"

"Why?"

"Inspiration struck."

He looked at me. Then he understood. The bus arrived a few minutes later.

"See you tonight?"

He nodded. The doors closed. I took my usual seat. A moment later, I felt something soft inside my backpack. I reached inside. A bungeoppang. I was sure I hadn't bought one. Did Eunho…? I smiled. I'd thank him later. For now… See you tonight.

Eunho's POV

The bus pulled away. I stayed at the stop. Quiet. I looked down at my hands. I could still remember tying her shoelace.

"…That was stupid."

I shouldn't have done that. People remembered little things like that. My phone buzzed. Messages. I ignored them. Instead, I went back into the convenience store. A warm bungeoppang sat in the display case. I picked one up. Paused. Then walked outside. She was already heading toward the bus stop. I caught up before I could change my mind. She didn't notice. I opened her backpack. Just for a second. That was enough. The bungeoppang slipped inside. Like it belonged there. I stepped back. She turned around too late to notice.

I smiled to myself. "…We're even."

“Class.” The teacher’s voice cut through the noise. “We have a new student.”

The door opened. And the moment he stepped inside, something in me froze. I had seen him before. Ash-gray hair, neatly styled. Calm posture. And his eyes— I tightened my grip on my pen. Too familiar. Like I had already drawn them.

“You can call me Eunho. I hope we get along.

His uniform looked… too perfect. No creases. Tie perfectly aligned. Everything about him felt controlled. Careful. Not like the version that kept appearing in my sketchbook.

I caught myself staring more than once during class. Each time, I forced myself to look down at my notes, pretending to write. When my name was called, I almost felt relieved.

“Lee Soyeon.”

I stood up and walked to the board. The problem was simple. Numbers always made sense to me—probably because of the restaurant. I unconsciously translated everything into something familiar, something practical. The answer came quickly.

“Excellent, as always.”

I nodded and returned to my seat. That’s when I noticed it. A bookmark.

I never left it there. I always marked the page I was currently working on. But this one was at the very beginning.

I opened the sketchbook. A note slipped out.

“The new guy was watching you solve the problem. — Sunghoon”

I glanced back. Eunho was already looking down at his notebook, rewriting the problem. As if nothing had happened.

During the break, I opened my sketchbook again. My pencil moved almost on its own. Lines turned into shapes. A profile. Eyes. Details I didn’t remember deciding on. I tried to keep it subtle. It wasn’t easy.

Classes passed, but I couldn’t quite pull my attention away from him. Not completely. It wasn’t just curiosity anymore. It was something else. Something I didn’t want to name yet.

After school, I went to the back courtyard. It was quieter there. Easier to think. I took out my notebook—the one where I wrote my story. And for the first time, I hesitated. Why had I even decided that this character should be real?

“Have you been here long?”

I looked up. Eunho

“Since classes ended. I’m waiting for my brother.”

He nodded. Then paused. Like he was deciding something. He gestured lightly toward the space next to me. I gave a small nod. He sat down. Not too close. But not distant either.

“Did they already add you to the class chat?”

“Yeah. Minji did.”

A short pause. Of corse Minji. She’s is the main ringleader of our group, and of course, she's the first one to approach him. That's why she's the vice president of our class.

“We also have a separate chat. Just… our group.”

I wasn’t sure why I said it.

“Do you want me to add you?”

He looked at me more carefully this time.

“If that’s okay.”

I showed him the QR code for our KakaoTalk chat, and he joined.

Minji: 헐 he joined already??? Haneul: That was fast Minji: WELCOME 🔥🔥 Minji sent a sticker (a screaming peach character) Eunho: Hello Minji: omg he’s polite Haneul: Minji, behave Minji: I AM behaving

Right on time, my brother’s car pulled up. “I should go.” I quickly packed my things.

“See you tomorrow, Lee Soyeon.”

“See you.”

As soon as I got into the car, Soobin glanced at me through the mirror.

“Who was that?”

“The new student. He transferred today.”

He nodded. On the way, I opened our chat.

Me: If anyone wants, you can come by the restaurant later Haneul: I need to study for the exam Sunghoon: I have practice at the label today, not sure I’ll make it Minji: Sunghoon-ah, you’re always training 😭 take a day off Sunghoon: They’re not giving us days off right now. Sorry.

A new message appeared.

Eunho: What kind of restaurant?

I smiled. Maybe one day he really would come. It would be nice if he tried Mom’s tteokbokki.

Minji: Soyeon's mom owns a restaurant on Hongdae. Be sure to check it out.

The restaurant felt the same as always. Warm. Loud. Familiar. I changed into my work shirt—the one already stained with sauce—and got back to helping. It wasn’t too busy today. Mostly students. Regulars. Mom talked to them like they were family.

My phone buzzed in my apron pocket. I wiped my hands and checked.

Sunghoon: Thank you for the tteokbokki yesterday.

I paused. Something warm settled in my chest. But for some reason…my thoughts drifted somewhere else. Back to Eunho. The way he listened in class. The way he didn’t hesitate to help with cleaning duty—even on his first day. The way everything about him felt… composed. Too composed.

I picked up my sketchbook again. And added something new to the character. More restraint. Less freedom.

Later, on the bus, Sunghoon was asleep again. This time, I didn’t have a container with me. I just hoped he’d eat properly at home. When we got off, he spoke first.

“That new guy… he’s interesting.”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you see how focused he was? And how he volunteered to help Minji?”

I shrugged.

“Maybe he’s just well-raised.”

Even the way he wore his uniform said that much. Unlike Sunghoon, who often replaced his blazer with a cardigan, Eunho looked like someone who wouldn’t. Like someone who couldn’t.

“My mom says you should eat properly today,” I added. “Not just instant ramen. You know she treats you like you’re my brother too.”

He nodded. At home, I put on my headphones and cleaned my room before studying. Tomorrow was the law exam. I should review everything again. Minji would probably play audio notes in the background. Haneul had her sister to help.

And then I thought about Eunho. Was he ready? It was only his first day. I hesitated for a moment. Then sent the message anyway.

Me: We have a law exam tomorrow. Here are some notes from my notebook. It might help a little.

The reply came faster than I expected.

Eunho: Thank you.

I stared at the message for a second longer than necessary. Simple. Direct. No distance. Strange. But… not unpleasant. I sent a sticker in response—a small bear holding hearts. Probably better not to draw tonight. Not yet. I lay down, checked my planner, and closed my eyes.