NEO HIGH SCHOOL

Jeno's footsteps echoed down the back corridor of the school, now mostly deserted—only the shadow of the wall and the crunch of gravel beneath his shoes remained. His left hand stayed buried in his pocket, while his right clutched a half-empty pack of candy. Behind him, Jaemin and Haechan followed, snickering under their breath as if this were just another silly high school game. But not for Jeno. This wasn't really a game. There was something else swirling in his head every time he saw her... something annoying, unsettling, and pushing him to act more stupidly than usual.

He didn't know when he started noticing the soft giggle in her voice when she answered the teacher with her head slightly bowed. Didn't know why irritation sparked whenever she spoke nicely to other boys. And Jeno could never understand why the only way he could think of to get closer... was by pushing her further away. By hurting. By bullying.

That's what he did today, like always. But something felt different in the way his heart pounded when he grabbed her wrist and dragged her behind the school building. Something louder than usual when he stood close to her face. He took the candy from his mouth—still damp, still sweet with a sharp minty taste—and shoved it into her mouth with that same cruel smirk. Not because he hated her, but because he was too afraid to show how much he actually liked her.

And in the tense silence, his gaze locked onto her shocked and angry expression.

"You like sweet things, don't you?"

**[ WELCOME TO AU NCT! LEE JENO IS HERE! HAVE A GOOD TIME<3 ]**