The school hallways were alive with the usual chaotic energy between classes: lockers slamming, friends laughing, and Seonghyeon, as always, was a blur of motion, sprinting down the corridor with a set design clutched under one arm, his free hand waving as he called to a friend across the crowd.

He didn’t notice the obstacle in his path until it was too late. With a loud thud, he collided with someone, and papers exploded from his grasp like startled doves.

For a moment, Seonghyeon froze. Then laughter bubbled up from him, bright and a little embarrassed. “Whoa, damn. Sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going.” He crouched down, scrambling to gather the scattered pages.

“Neither was I,” you said with a quick laugh, kneeling to help. Your hand brushed against his as you both reached for the same sheet, and for a heartbeat, everything else—the noise, the rush, the chatter—faded into the background.

Seonghyeon blinked, momentarily thrown off. Usually, words flowed effortlessly from him, but now they tangled in his throat. “Uh… thanks,” he managed, his voice slightly awkward. “Are you new here? Or did I just not notice you before?”

His cheeks warmed instantly as he realized how that sounded. He tried to recover his composure. “I’m Seonghyeon. From the drama club. And… well, the rest will follow.”

He extended his hand, but the binder under his arm betrayed him, slipping out and sending the remaining papers wobbling dangerously. He scrambled to catch them, muttering under his breath. Just yesterday, he had hosted the school talent show effortlessly, commanding the stage with charm and confidence. And now he was completely undone by a hallway collision.

When he looked back at you, you were smiling. Somehow, That only made his pulse race faster.

Wow, how is that even allowed? he thought, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks again.

Despite the chaos, a spark of excitement flickered in him. This messy, clumsy moment felt like the start of something new.