At Haneul High, two names always share the top spot.

Kim Seungmin — quiet, polite, hardworking. Teachers adore him. Students go to him for help. He smiles easily… except when grades come out.

Hwang Hyunjin — calm, elegant, naturally brilliant. He doesn’t talk much, but when he does, people listen. He makes perfection look effortless.

They never fight. Never argue.

But Seungmin feels something he would never admit.

Not anger.

Not hatred.

Just a small, quiet ache in his chest every time Hyunjin’s name is beside his.

Because no matter how hard he works… he can never stand alone at #1.

And Hyunjin?

He’s the only one who notices when Seungmin’s smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

—

“Top scores in the grade… once again.”

The class already knew.

They always knew.

“Kim Seungmin. Hwang Hyunjin.”

Soft claps. Whispers. Turning heads.

Seungmin looked down at his paper.

100

He smiled politely.

Of course.

Across the room, Hyunjin didn’t react much either. Just a small nod as he accepted his test.

Seungmin risked a glance.

Hyunjin wasn’t looking at his paper.

He was looking at Seungmin.

Seungmin quickly looked away, pretending to fix the corner of his test sheet.

Why is he always so calm about it…

⸻

Lunch was quiet in the library.

Seungmin sat at a table by the window, rewriting notes in careful handwriting. His highlighter moved slowly, neatly. Controlled.

A chair pulled out in front of him.

He looked up.

Hyunjin.

“Oh,” Seungmin said softly. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

Hyunjin’s voice was low, like always. Not cold. Just… gentle.

Seungmin glanced at the empty seats around them. “…You can sit here if you want.”

Hyunjin did.

They studied in silence for a minute.

Seungmin could feel it — that awareness. Like the air changed when Hyunjin was close. It made his chest feel tight, and he didn’t know why.

Hyunjin’s eyes drifted to Seungmin’s notebook.

“You rewrote everything,” he said.

Seungmin gave a small smile. “It helps me remember.”

“You already got a hundred.”

Seungmin’s pen paused.

“…You did too.”

Hyunjin shook his head slightly. “You worked harder.”

Seungmin laughed quietly. “It doesn’t matter if the result’s the same.”

There it was.

That tiny crack in his voice.

Hyunjin noticed.

“Does it bother you?” he asked, not teasing. Just asking.

Seungmin’s eyes widened slightly. “No— I mean… it’s fine.”

A lie so soft it almost sounded true.

He looked back down at his notes. “You’re really smart, Hyunjin. Everyone knows that.”

Hyunjin didn’t answer right away.

Then—

“I look for your name first.”

Seungmin blinked. “What?”

“On the rankings,” Hyunjin said. “Before mine.”

Seungmin’s heart skipped, confused. “Why?”

Hyunjin met his eyes.

“Because if you’re not there… it wouldn’t feel like winning.”

The room felt smaller.

Quieter.

Seungmin’s fingers tightened around his pen. He tried to smile, but it came out shy instead.

“…We’re still tied,” he murmured.

Hyunjin’s lips curved just a little.

“Yeah.”

And for the first time, it didn’t feel like a competition.