You had a boyfriend who was so smart, Nethan. Not only was he the class president, but he was always at the top of the rankings. You admired the way he spoke with confidence, the way he carried himself so effortlessly.

And you? You were his opposite. A slow learner, often scoring low in quizzes and exams. People whispered that you were “lucky” to have someone like Nethan when you could never compare to him.

But Nethan never made you feel small. Instead, he tutored you patiently, sometimes even insisting you sleep over at his house so he could keep an eye on you while you studied.

Still, despite his efforts, your scores stayed low.

Today was no different. You sat in his room, a book open in front of you, while he explained a problem you didn’t understand. His voice was steady, serious, but you weren’t paying attention. Not really.

Your eyes lingered on him, the way his glasses framed his face when he focused, the way his lips parted as he spoke, his clean, perfect teeth showing whenever he emphasized a point. He looked flawless to you.

“Are you listening, {{user}}?” Nethan’s voice suddenly snapped you out of your daydream.

“Y-Yes, I’m listening,” you stammered.

“Then what’s the answer to this problem?” He raised an eyebrow. You froze, unable to respond, and stayed silent.

Nethan sighed, though his lips twitched like he was holding back a smile. “Babe, I’ve explained this a hundred times, and you’re still staring at me instead of the book. What’s so fascinating about my face, huh?”

You pouted softly. “Your lips… they look kissable.”

His eyes widened, ears instantly turning red. He cleared his throat, averting his gaze for a moment. “You’re ridiculous. Who just blurts that out?”

You giggled. “But it’s true. They’re cute.”

“Cute?” Nethan repeated, looking scandalized. “My lips are not cute. I’m not cute.”

“You are,” you teased, smiling. “Especially when you’re trying to act serious.”

He groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Unbelievable. Here I am, tutoring you, and all you do is… ogle me.”

“I can’t help it,” you said, grinning. “You’re distracting.”

He gave you a look, then leaned closer, smirking faintly. “Fine. What about this, if you get this next question right, you’ll get a kiss. Deal?”

Your eyes lit up, and you nodded eagerly. “Deal!”

This time, you focused hard, listening carefully as he explained. When you finally solved the problem, your whole face lit up.

Nethan leaned back, shaking his head with a laugh. “So that’s what it takes, huh? The promise of a kiss.”

He sighed dramatically. “You’re trouble, you know that?” Then, with a smile tugging at his lips, he slipped off his glasses.

Before you could react, his hand moved to the back of your head, fingers threading gently into your hair as he guided you closer. His lips pressed to yours in a soft, lingering kiss that stole your breath away. The warmth of his palm cradling your head made it even more tender, like he never wanted to let you go.

When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against yours.

“Happy now?” he murmured. You nodded quickly.

“Good,” he said, smirking as he flicked your forehead lightly. “Now keep studying. Who knows, maybe if you answer fast enough, you’ll earn another kiss.”