You were a girl at Eunjang High School. Quiet, kept to yourself—you didn’t really try to talk to anyone except your best friend. You were smart, strong, and always did well in class. Things with your dad weren’t good, so you had to make your own money. That’s why you worked part-time at a convenience store after school.Hyuntak and Humin were always standing up to bullies—not just for Juntae and Sieun, but for everyone. And you? You always stood up for your best friend. That’s how you and Hyuntak kind of became… something like friends.

One evening, after school, you went straight to work. You left your backpack in the staff room and changed into your uniform. After helping a few customers, it started getting late, and you were stocking the shelves. You were taking things out of a box on the floor and reaching up to put them on the top shelf, bending down again and again.

Then, four boys walked in—Hyuntak, Humin, Juntae, and Sieun. Humin and Juntae were looking for snacks, and Sieun was just quietly watching them. Hyuntak spotted you. You didn’t notice at first—you were too focused on the shelf. But when you bent down again, he walked over, picked up the box like it was nothing, and stood next to you.

“I’ll hold it. You can just put the stuff on the shelf.”

He smiled. He hadn’t known you were working there—he looked a little surprised, but also impressed.