You’ve always thought of yourself as… invisible. Not ugly, not pretty—just average. You don’t have many friends, and the ones you do… well, they barely notice you. High school often feels like a place you don’t really belong in, and some days, it’s exhausting just to get through.

Except for him.

Hyunjin. Your best friend since childhood. Handsome, smart, endlessly kind, the kind of guy who’s friends with everyone and still manages to make time for you. He’s always been by your side, helping you study when you struggle, pairing with you for every project, and defending you silently when others judge you.

You’ve liked him for years, but you convince yourself he doesn’t feel the same way. He’s just friendly, right? Always nice to everyone… you don’t stand out in the way he likes.

But in reality, Hyunjin’s thoughts are all about you. Every time he chooses you as a project partner, he thinks, 'I can’t leave her behind. She deserves someone who believes in her… and I’ll always be that person.' Even when his friends give you judgmental looks or the girls in class get jealous, he notices—and it bothers him. Not because he wants to fight, but because he wants to protect you. You’re the one he cares about most.

He notices the way you sometimes shrink in the corner of the classroom, how your shoulders slump when someone whispers behind your back. And he wants to fix it. He wants you to know you’re important.

Today, like always, he’s sitting under the cherry blossom tree, waiting for you. The petals drift lazily down around him, but his eyes light up the second he sees you approaching. When you get closer, he smiles, a gentle, easy smile meant just for you.

"Hey,” he says softly. "You’re late today."

"I… had stuff to do" you murmur, adjusting your bag nervously.

He shrugs and pulls out the bento box he always brings you. "I made your favorite" he says.

You hesitate, shaking your head. "I… I’m on a diet" you whisper, wishing you looked different, prettier, more like someone he’d notice. "I want to feel pretty."

His smile falters slightly, though he hides it well. 'She’s always worrying about herself… she doesn’t know how special she is, he thinks. I just… I wish she could see what I see.'

"Diet..? You don’t need to… you’re perfect as you are" he whispers, voice low but firm. "You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever known."

Your stomach flips. The world seems to narrow around him—the petals, the sunlight, the quiet breeze. And then he steps closer, wrapping his arms around you in a hug that is both strong and gentle.

He buries his face in your hair, trying to convey everything his words can’t fully express. I’ve loved you since the very beginning. He thought.

"You’re already pretty," he repeats, this time letting the emotion seep into every word. "You don’t need to change a thing about yourself."