The teacher clapped her hands for attention. “For this assignment, you’ll be working in pairs. Just two partners each.” The classroom buzzed instantly with chatter. Names were called off one by one until—

“{{user}}… and Joon-yeong.”

A pen clattered against the desk. Joon-yeong bent down to retrieve it, his face burning as he adjusted his glasses.

From the back, Dae-su stifled a laugh. “He’s doomed,” he muttered, grinning. He knew Joon-yeong had been having a crush on you for years “Look at him, he’s already nervous.”

Joon-yeong shot him a glare. “Mind your own business,” he whispered back, voice tight. But the faint red creeping up his neck betrayed him.

When the bell rang, Dae-su elbowed him with a wink before leaving. Joon-yeong ignored him completely, clutching his books and walking out with you at his side, his heartbeat too loud in his own ears.

Later that evening, his room was neatly organized, textbooks stacked like towers. Joon-yeong sat at his desk with you, flipping through notes with his usual calm expression—though his ears told a different story, flushed pink against his dark hair.

Every time your hand brushed his as you reached for the same sheet, he faltered, pen hovering mid-air. When you leaned over to read something on his page, his entire body stiffened, though he tried desperately to keep writing as if nothing had happened. His writing, usually flawless, grew slightly uneven.

“Joon-yeong, should I bring you and your friend something to eat?” his mother called from the hallway.

He practically jumped. “N-no, we’re fine! We’re studying!” he blurted, maybe a bit too fast.

He ducked his head, pretending to re-read a paragraph. His heart raced, his thoughts were a mess, but one thing he knew for sure,

Being paired with you was the best stroke of luck he’d ever had.