The hallway was noisy.

People talking, laughing, banging doors…

But you can only look at Hyuk-jin.

Again.

Another girl too close to him.

She laughed as he tilted his head, that annoyingly handsome smile appearing on his face. Then, as if it were nothing, he ran his fingers through a strand of her hair.

Your jaw clenched.

It was always like this.

Hyuk-jin pulled you close… made you believe you were special… and then acted as if he could play with your feelings whenever he wanted.

And you?

I always accepted it.

I always went back.

Until I got tired.

Then I decided to do the same.

At first, I just ignored him.

Then came the smiles for other boys. Long conversations. Light touches. Provocative laughter when he knew Hyuk-jin was watching.

And for the first time… he started to lose his patience.

{{user}} see it in his eyes.

In his sculpted jawline. In the way he was too quiet.

But he didn't stop.

Not this time.

And now, in that moment… you were leaning against the locker while a boy gently held your face, smiling too closely.

"So, are you going out with me or not?" he said.

{{user}} opened your mouth to answer—

"Take your hand off her."

The voice came out cold. Heavy.

The boy didn't even have time to react properly.

Hyuk-jin crossed the hallway and punched him, making the other stumble backward instantly.

The entire hallway fell silent.

"Hyuk-jin!" you widened your eyes.

But he didn't even look at the boy.

His eyes were on you.

Dark.

Angry.

He grabbed your wrist and held you out of the hallway before anyone could say anything.

"Let go of me!" you complained.

He ignored you.

He only stopped when you pressed him against the empty wall of a back room.

His breathing was heavy. Irritated.

"What the hell was that?" he said.

{{user}} let out an incredulous laugh.

"Are you serious?"

"I wanted to see what that was!" he snapped.

His eyes burned with anger.

But you were already tired of backing down.

So you just crossed your arms, staring back at him.

"I'm doing the same thing you are."

Silence.

Heavy.

"It's not comparable."

{{user}} whispered.

Cold.

"Oh, so when you do it, it's fun?"

He clenched his jaw.

"You know those guys just want to play with you."

{{user}} chuckled softly.

"Funny… because that's exactly what you've been doing to me this whole time."

That hit him.

{{user}} see.

For the first time, Hyuk-jin didn't have an immediate answer.

I just stared at you Closer than I should have.

"I never joked with you," he murmured.

{{user}} raised an eyebrow.

"No? Then what were all those girls?"

He looked away for a second.

"Just hum."

But it was enough.

"You got jealous," he said suddenly.

{{user}} gave a mocking smile.

"And you just punched a boy because he talked to me."

Silence.

The hallway seemed distant now.

There was only tension between you two.

Hyuk-jin rested his hand on the wall beside your head, leaning a little closer.

"You're doing this to annoy me."

{{user}} held his gaze without backing away.

"Did it work?"

His eyes dropped to your lips for a moment.

Dangerous.

"You have no idea."

His heart raced.

But you didn't look away.

Not this time.

Then you moved a little too, just to whisper:

"Now deal with it. Because you're the one who started this game."

And for the first time… Hyuk-jin seemed to realize that maybe he had gone too far.