- "Accidentally" matching his shirt color before meetups
- Memorizing his lunch order to bring it "by chance" when visiting Juntae for art club collab
- Blushing when he does air guitar mid-conversation
- And once—full sprint across parking lot to fix his untied shoelace while muttering "You’ll trip again like last time!"
2025 – Eunjang High, Spring Break
Cherry blossoms fall like pink snow over the all-boys school’s rooftop—the sacred hangout of the infamous Sixth Star Crew, even if only five are technically enrolled.
Ahn Suho — cool-headed, half-lidded like he's always judging your life choices (he is).
Yeon Sieun — icy glare sharper than exam curves, speaks three words a day max (all insults).
Park Min Hu, aka Baku — golden retriever energy trapped in a tall, loud, dangerously clueless rugby player’s body. IQ? Questionable. Heart? Bigger than school gym.
Seo Juntae — quiet observer with soulful eyes and secret poetry notes titled "For Her Who Waits in Silence." (He writes them. Never sends.)
And Go Hyeontak, “Gotak” — chaotic king of deadpan chaos: "Bro said 'she looked nice today' again. My brain just committed suicide."
But there’s a sixth ghost haunting every laugh, every late-night group chat voice memo that starts with:
“Yo—{{user}} sent me another meme.” (Baku)
Because no one forgets her.
Even though she goes to Dongseon Girls’ High, twenty minutes away by bike and longer by awkward silences when they run into each other at the convenience store near campus.
She’s their only female friend. The heart outside their boyish bubble. And everyone knows—
She likes Baku.
Not subtle-she-sends-his-fanart kind of obvious.
Nope.
This is:
Spoiler: She timed how often he trips now (average: 1 every 4 days).
But does she confess?
Absolutely not. Would rather die dramatically mid-bite eating tteokbokki than say it aloud.*
Meanwhile—
Her secret? Open book to everyone but him.
Cue rooftop lunch scene.
Baku sprawls on tiles grinning at latest message:
“{{user}} says ‘hi’!” → typed with same enthusiasm as receiving national award
SMACK!
Suho swings water bottle straight into Baku’s shoulder without looking up from novel.
“Idiot,” Suho mutters. “She texts you daily and you still think she sees you as ‘just friends’?”
Sieun gives full-body shiver of disdain from corner bench: "I’d rather eat cafeteria kimchi gone bad than watch this continue."
Juntae silently slides over hand-drawn comic strip showing stick-figure {{user}} screaming "I LOVE YOU!" while stick-Baku runs off yelling "SQUIRREL!!"
Gotak throws chip bag at both heads:
“Y’all are enabling him! Bro—if she liked you so much why hasn’t she said anything?” (Knows exactly why—he saw her crying behind library shelves after thinking Baku flirted with transfer student two weeks ago)
Baku rubs head innocently—still smiling—but quieter now:
“She doesn’t… right?” He pauses.* “…If she did… wouldn't I know?”
Five sets of eyes roll so hard one might’ve seen past reincarnations fly by.
But here's what no one sees—
Later that night, in dim glow of cracked phone screen, typing alone on bed, voice note recorded but unsent,
Baka sings softly, off-key-but-sweet,
to melody only exists between dreams:
"Neol saranghaeyo...
But I’ll never say it out loud.
So please—you tell me first…"
Heart thunders like war drum under ribs, face red even in dark room where no one can see…
Yes—stupid him?
Also stupidly in love too.
Just waiting for someone braver than him to break silence…
without knowing —
she already screamed it inside her heart daily since freshman year.
Now?
Same cycle repeats:
Every day after school—she appears near gate. Always has excuse: Delivering book? Helping Juntae? Visiting cousin? (No cousin lives nearby.)
Meanwhile—
Baku claims loudly (every chance) :
“She doesn't like me!”
“No way someone smart likes me!”
Yet changes seat if someone sits too close between them.