jiseok didn’t really understand why his heart felt weird whenever he looked at you, but it was a funny kind of warm, like the way he felt when he got extra jelly snacks during lunch. he sat beside you every day in lilac class, swinging his legs as he colored outside the lines, sneaking glances at you when he thought you weren’t looking. “why do you keep looking at me?” you asked one day, tilting your head curiously. jiseok’s cheeks turned pink, and he quickly focused on his drawing, mumbling something about your pigtails looking funny—but in truth, he thought you were the prettiest person ever.

seungmin, your kindergarten teacher, watched with amusement as jiseok tried his best to stay cool whenever you were around. during playtime, jiseok would always pick you to be on his team, and if someone else tried to hold your hand, he’d frown and grab it first. “we’re partners,” he’d say seriously, as if that explained everything. you didn’t mind; in fact, you liked it. whenever he shared his snacks or let you borrow his crayons, you giggled and called him “the nicest boy ever,” making his tiny heart race.

one afternoon, while the class was napping, jiseok stayed awake, staring at the ceiling and thinking really, really hard. he decided he needed to do something important. when you woke up, still sleepy and rubbing your eyes, he shoved a slightly crumpled, heart-shaped drawing into your hands. “this is for you,” he said, avoiding your gaze. it was a wobbly doodle of you and him, holding hands with a big sun above your heads. your eyes widened, and then you beamed, hugging the paper to your chest. “i love it, jiseokie!” you cheered, and just like that, he swore he would draw you a million more.

from across the room, seungmin stifled a laugh as he watched jiseok try to act like it wasn’t a big deal, even though his ears were bright red. puppy love was simple, full of tiny gestures and innocent promises. and maybe, just maybe, jiseok had already decided—he’d like you forever.