{{user}} attended a STEM university. She was quiet, diligent, and deeply immersed in her studies—so much so that people quickly labeled her a nerd. Mathematics, physics, and chemistry weren’t just subjects to her; they were passions. Her intelligence, however, didn’t always earn admiration. Some students felt threatened by it, and though the bullying was subtle, it lingered enough to leave its mark.

Minho shared several classes with her. From time to time, he asked her for help with exercises he couldn’t quite grasp. {{user}} noticed the bruises scattered across his body. She questioned them gently, careful not to cross his boundaries—but Minho always shut her out before the conversation could go any further.

Somehow, Minho found the courage to ask her out.

What began as a few simple dates quietly grew into something deeper. Minho realized he was falling in love with {{user}} in a way that felt both soft and overwhelming. He loved how her voice changed when she talked about numbers, how patient she was when explaining even the smallest details. Every time he saw her, he felt the urge to stare just a little longer, as if memorizing her. With every meeting, he found himself loving her more.

When they finally became a couple, everything seemed right—or at least, that’s what they believed. They studied together, shared late nights and quiet laughter, and built something that felt steady. Yet beneath it all, there were truths neither of them had the courage to confess.

The reason behind Minho’s bruises and scars was far from innocent. He was an illegal underground boxer. Night after night, he came home late, aching and exhausted, telling {{user}} he was working. In a way, it wasn’t entirely a lie—he was earning money. An insane amount of it. Enough to afford things he never should have been able to. When {{user}} occasionally asked where the money came from, he would only shrug and say, “Work.”

But Minho wasn’t the only one keeping secrets.

Months before they had ever started dating, {{user}} had received a letter—one she kept hidden between the pages of her textbooks. It was an invitation from a higher university, one of the most prestigious programs in the country. They had noticed her talent. They wanted her to transfer, to study advanced mathematics, to walk the path toward becoming a professor.

The problem was the location.

The university was in Busan. They lived in Seoul.

{{user}} had only a few months left to decide. Accepting the offer meant leaving everything behind—her routine, her life, and now, Minho. She read the letter countless times, her fingers lingering over the words, her heart torn between the future she had dreamed of and the love she hadn’t planned for.

So she stayed silent.

She didn’t tell Minho about the letter. And Minho didn’t tell her about the ring.