╔. ■ .══════════════════════════════════════╗

╚══════════════════════════════════════. ■ .╝

THE BELL'S SHARP CRY ECHOED THROUGH THE CORRIDORS, cutting through the clamor of students like a siren. y/n sighed, pulling the edges of the oversized, dusty hoodie tighter around her shoulders. It clung to her skin, stifling and worn, but it was better than the cold coffee-stained uniform she had stashed in her bag. Lunch had been the only reprieve of her day so far. The cafeteria's bustle was a comfort, an almost protective hum of noise that allowed her to slip into anonymity. The warm, hearty meals served were enough to make her feel grounded, even if only for a while. Sharing a meal with the quiet girl she'd grown used to sitting with—a girl who rarely spoke but always traded white rice for black, and pickled radish for seaweed—was the closest thing the y/h/c-haired girl had to companionship in this strange, new chapter of her life.

A full stomach gave her a rare moment of contentment, but that feeling was fleeting. She still had to face chemistry. The mere thought made her gut twist, dread prickling up her spine. It was bad enough last year, with Yoo-mi's eyes always glinting with malice from across the room. y/n prayed silently as she walked down the hallway, hoping the roster might have changed, that maybe she'd be spared this year. But deep down, she knew better. Some things didn't change that easily.

As she trudged into the classroom, the whispers and suppressed giggles that rippled through a corner told her everything she needed to know before she even glanced up. Three minutes late. Her pulse quickened as Mr. Kang, her perpetually stern chemistry teacher, shot her a hard look over the rim of his glasses.

"You're late, Miss l/n," he said, voice crisp and unforgiving.

"Sorry, Mr. Kang," she mumbled, eyes downcast as she moved past him, feeling the burn of judgmental stares following her every step. She found her assigned seat—a table at the back next to the window, the late afternoon sun casting lines of light across the worn wood. Beside her, a girl she didn't recognize, with soft eyes and a warm smile, nodded in greeting as y/n slid into the seat.

Y/n's momentary relief was shattered by the snickering that erupted a few tables over. Yoo-mi, her hair perfectly sleek, sat perched like a queen beside Kwon. He looked as unimpressed and distant as ever, leaning back with an expression that screamed boredom. But Yoo-mi, oh, she was having the time of her life. Her eyes darted over to y/n's hoodie, and a slow, mocking smile spread across her lips.

"Nice outfit," she smirked, faux-concern dripping from her tone. "Did you raid the school's donation bin, or did the thrift store reject it first?"

A chorus of giggles broke out from her entourage, each sound a needle prick under y/n's skin. She clenched her jaw, rolling her eyes as she took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus on the chipping paint on the windowsill instead of the smug look on Yoo-mi's face. Silence. Keep silent.

"Enough," Mr. Kang's voice cracked through the room like a whip, and the laughter stopped abruptly. y/n glanced sideways; even Kwon's indifferent expression flickered for just a moment, his eyes narrowing as he looked between Yoo-mi and y/n. It wasn't pity, nor was it concern, but a glimmer of something that didn't fit with the cold, unbothered mask he usually wore.

Y/n exhaled, shoulders slowly releasing their tension as the classroom fell into a quieter state. The girl next to her shuffled her papers and smiled again, an unspoken reassurance in her eyes. managing a weak smile in return, she was grateful for the tiny act of kindness. It was enough to pull her back from the edge of the anger simmering within, enough to make her sit a little straighter.

The lesson began, Mr. Kang droning on about preparation of organic compounds, as chalk screeched across the board. And as everyone scribbled their notes, y/n felt the sting of embarrassment fade, replaced by the determination that had carried her through far worse days. She wasn't here to make friends or enemies; she was here to survive, hoodie and all.

The second half of chemistry class buzzed with focused energy as Mr. Kang moved into practical work. The task: preparing a series of organic compounds. y/n and her partner, Eun-ji, settled into a seamless rhythm. Eun-ji was sharp, her steady hands pouring measured drops as y/n lit the Bunsen burner with a practiced flick. The two exchanged nods, an unspoken understanding as their experiment bubbled to life perfectly, the solution a satisfying shade of green. y/n allowed herself a rare, small smile as Eun-ji muttered, "Nice job," giving her a high-five.

Across the room however, the scene was chaos with a capital C. Yoo-mi's giggles cut through the hum of focused chatter, leaning into Kwon with an exaggerated sway of her hair. "You're really gonna do all this by yourself, huh?" she cooed, eyelashes batting like moth wings. Kwon's expression was as dead as it came, eyes fixed on the test tubes in front of him. He barely acknowledged her, offering only the occasional non-committal nod. His silence, coupled with the rhythmic clink of glass against metal, made y/n's teeth clench, though she wasn't entirely sure why.

Focus, she told herself, adjusting the flame under her beaker. But her eyes slid back to Kwon's table, watching his hands move with a precision she hadn't expected. It wasn't until the liquid in his test tube turned a startling dark blue—a shade that definitely wasn't part of today's procedure—that y/n's heart skipped a beat. Before she could react, Kwon placed the tube on the rack with a subtle smirk and stepped back just as the glass cracked and an audible pop sent acid spraying into the air.

Screams erupted around them. Yoo-mi shrieked, leaping backward, her manicured hands flailing as the chemicals splattered across her skirt, the fabric hissing as bleach-white patches spread like a disease. The shock on her face would have been priceless if it wasn't drowned out by her high-pitched cries. Kwon's laugh, low and amused, caught y/n off guard. It wasn't loud, but it carried—a sharp, cold note that silenced the room for a second before more students cackled behind cupped hands.

Mr. Kang slammed his hands down on his desk, eyes bulging. "Enough! Everyone shut up! This is a classroom, not a circus!" The laughter died as fast as it started. He turned to Kwon, fury etched across his face. "You, Kwon Jae-sung, stay after class and clean this mess up. If I see one more incident, you're out."

Kwon's expression didn't flinch. "Sure," he drawled, leaning back in his seat like he hadn't just bathed his partner in acid. Yoo-mi, now a mixture of rage and tears, stomped out of the classroom without a backward glance, the mottled skirt flapping as she moved. y/n bit her lip to stop herself from laughing, glancing at Eun-ji, who raised an eyebrow with a small, knowing grin.

As the girl returned her gaze to Kwon, their eyes met for a fraction of a second. His face was unreadable, but something glimmered there, an intent that made her shiver—not with fear, but with something unsettlingly warm. She tore her eyes away and forced herself to scribble notes until Mr. Kang resumed his lecture. The rest of the class dragged on, the air thick with subdued whispers and the occasional glance toward the back where Kwon sat, twirling a pencil like he couldn't care less. When the bell finally rang, students flooded out, the noise an avalanche of chairs scraping and rushed conversations. 

Kwon stayed put, shoulders loose and hands tucked into the pockets of his rumpled blazer as he waited for the room to empty. y/n hesitated and Eun-ji gave her a quizzical look but said nothing as she left. Once the room had cleared, she approached Kwon, fingers smoothing over the edge of her notebook. He sensed her approach, shoulder's perking with mild interest, but he kept his eyes fixed on the broken shards of the test tubes he collected.

"Thanks," she said, breaking the silence.

Kwon kept his head down, fingers working deftly. "For what?" His voice was casual, but there was a gleam behind the mask.

She exhaled, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "For just being yourself, I guess," she murmured, the irony not lost on either of them.

A shadow of a smile crossed Kwon's mouth, so brief she almost doubted she saw it. He bent down, picking up a rag to start wiping down the table. "You're welcome, I suppose," he muttered, tone cryptic.

The silence stretched for a beat before y/n rolled her eyes, the earlier amusement curdling into annoyance. "You know, we're going to have to work twice as hard during tutoring now. You suck at chemistry. Bad enough to blow things up."

Kwon's gaze shot up, his smirk deepening. "Or smart enough to know what works..." He said, voice low and taunting. The implication made her pause, fingers tightening around her pen as her brows knit together.

"What do you-" She started, but he was already ignoring her, focusing on scrubbing away the last of the spilled solution.

They cleaned in relative silence, the clinking of glass and the soft scratch of cloth against the lab bench the only sounds between them. When the last beaker was back in place and the room looked passably neat, the girl slung her bag over her shoulder. And as they both turned toward the door, the space between them seemed thicker, buzzing with something unspoken. She cleared her throat, forcing her voice to stay even. "Don't be late for tutoring. We've got a lot to go over." He snorted, his smirk lazy. "Wouldn't dream of it," he replied, voice dipped in sarcasm. "Wouldn't want to disappoint my favorite tutor." The words dripped with mockery.

Y/n simply rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips despite herself as they parted ways...

1.6k words