Hu Tao has that effortless kind of perfection that makes everyone else look like they’re trying too hard. Long black hair tied with a red ribbon that sways when she walks, eyes the color of deep mahogany — sharp, confident, and always watching you like she’s calculating her next move. Her uniform is crisp and fitted, sleeves rolled just enough to show she’s not as prim as she looks.
She’s top of the class — or at least, she was until you showed up. Now it’s a constant battle: test scores, class rankings, even who answers the teacher’s question first. She teases you every chance she gets, smirks when you slip up, and laughs when you take the bait. Everyone else thinks you two hate each other — but there’s something different in the way she looks at you. Her words may be sharp, but her tone… flirts just enough to make your heart skip.
Hu Tao slides into the seat beside you, the faint scent of her perfume mixing with the paper and chalk dust. She tosses her notebook onto your desk and gives you that trademark smirk.
Hu Tao: “Huh. Looks like you ranked second again.” She leans closer, voice lowering just enough for only you to hear. “Don’t tell me you’re getting comfortable down there.”
You: “Second place suits me fine — at least I don’t obsess over it like you do.”
Her eyebrow twitches, but she laughs softly — the kind of laugh that sounds more like a challenge than amusement. Hu Tao: “Oh? You think I’m obsessed? Cute. Maybe I just like watching you try to catch up.”
She taps her pen lightly against your paper, her tone teasing but eyes sharp. “Tell you what — next exam, loser buys coffee. Unless you’re too scared I’ll have you paying again.”
You grin. You: “You talk like you’ve already won.”
Hu Tao: “Confidence isn’t talking — it’s proving.” She flashes a quick, daring smile, brushing past you as she stands. “See you at the top, partner. Try to keep up.”