The classroom door creaked open again, and a sharp gust of wind shot through the corridor. Papers flew, windows rattled, and a few students looked up in irritation.
Seo-Jin didn't bother. He hated noise. He kept scribbling in his notebook until something—he didn't even know what—made him glance toward the door.
She stood there.
Not smiling. Not glowing. Just... standing. Her expression unreadable, like she was already tired of everything around her.
The wind tugged at her uniform and hair like it was trying to pull her back, but she didn't flinch. Her eyes scanned the room briefly—and then landed on him.
Their eyes locked. Cold. Blank. No warmth, no flutter, just a strange moment that felt too long for strangers.
Seo-Jin narrowed his eyes slightly, then looked away like nothing happened.
So-yeon raised an eyebrow. Rude, she thought.
She stepped inside with Joon, ignoring the stares.
But in that one moment, both had silently decided something:
Stay out of my way.
The classroom settled as the teacher walked in, pushing his glasses up and holding the attendance register.
"Settle down, everyone. Let's begin."
He started calling out names one by one. Voices responded, some loud, some half-asleep.
But So-yeon… her eyes were still on Seo-Jin.
He sat there like he didn't care about anything—staring straight ahead, not talking, not moving, not even blinking much. Just cold. Untouchable.
How can someone be that rude and still so calm? she thought.
"Lee So-yeon," the teacher called.
She didn't respond.
"Lee So-yeon!" he repeated, a bit louder.
Still no answer.
Joon nudged her arm slightly, whispering, "Yah, he's calling you."
But she didn't even hear him. Her focus was locked. Seo-Jin hadn't even glanced at her again. It was like she didn't exist—and somehow, that annoyed her.
"LEE SO-YEON!" the teacher shouted.
So-yeon flinched. "Yes, sir!"
The room went silent for a second. The teacher narrowed his eyes.
"Where's your mind, miss? This is not a playground. First day and already distracted?"
So-yeon stood up quickly. "Sorry, sir. It won't happen again."
"Better not," he said sharply. "Sit down."
Joon leaned over and whispered with a smirk, "Great. First day and you already got scolded. Impressive."
She rolled her eyes, opened her notebook—and still, at the corner of her vision, she could see Seo-Jin.
Not looking at her. Not reacting. Nothing.
And that somehow made her more curious than she wanted to admit.
The bell rang, ending the first period. Students began stretching, chatting, and turning around in their seats.
So-yeon was still quietly scribbling in her notebook, trying to focus and ignore the lingering embarrassment from being scolded.
Just then, a familiar voice called out from beside her.
"Well well… looks like someone's already lost in Seo-Jin land," the girl from the couple smirked, leaning on So-yeon's desk.
So-yeon looked up, confused. "Huh?"
The girl grinned. "Don't act innocent. You were staring at him the whole time. Don't tell me you also started liking Seo-Jin... just like half the school?"
So-yeon blinked. "What? No! I was just... surprised by how rude he is. That's all."
The boy from the couple joined in, smirking too. "That's how it starts. First, you find him rude... then he ignores you… and next thing you know—you're writing his name in your notebook."
So-yeon gave him a look. "Please. I barely know him."
"Exactly," the girl said with a teasing tone. "Nobody really knows him. That's the problem. The more distant he is, the more people obsess over him."
Joon, sitting beside So-yeon, chuckled. "Relax, guys. She doesn't even like that cold guy. Right, So-yeon?"
So-yeon nodded firmly. "Right."
But deep down, something felt strange.
Not attraction. Not a crush.
Just… a question that refused to leave her mind:
What's he hiding behind that emotionless face?
After two long, boring periods full of equations and yawns, So-yeon and Joon finally sat under the tree near the garden for lunch.
"This school is too much," Joon muttered with a mouth full of rice. "Even the teachers sound like they're bored of teaching."
So-yeon laughed softly, picking at her food. "True. I don't even remember what subject we just studied."
A few minutes passed before she stood up. "I'll be back. Restroom."
"Don't get lost," Joon teased.
As she walked back through the corridor, her mind was drifting somewhere else—maybe to Seo-Jin's cold stare, maybe to the weird way people acted around him.
That's when she heard it—a loud shout.
"HEADS UP!"
She turned just in time to see a basketball flying straight toward her face—too fast to dodge.
Before she could even blink, someone stepped in front of her like a shield, catching the ball one-handed.
A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she stumbled back slightly.
"You okay?" the boy asked, looking at her with a calm smile.
She looked up—and paused.
Tall. Athletic. Hair slightly messy like he just came from practice. A confident smirk playing on his lips.
"I hope you didn't get hurt," he said smoothly. "It would be a crime to let such a fairy-looking girl get hit."
So-yeon blinked. Did he just flirt with me?
Before she could respond, a group of girls standing behind him—cheer team maybe—started whispering harshly, giving her dirty looks.
"Tch. She's new and already acting special."
"She doesn't even know who he is, does she?"
So-yeon glanced around, confused. The energy had suddenly shifted. Everyone was looking at her—no, at him.
She turned to the boy again. "Uhm… thanks. And... who are you exactly?"
He gave a crooked smile, tossing the ball in the air and catching it again. "Name's Ryu. Captain of the basketball team. And now… maybe your guardian angel?"
He winked and walked off casually, the girls still whispering angrily behind him.
So-yeon stood frozen, thoughts swirling.
Who is he? Why did all the girls look ready to fight me?
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