My deskmate

The classroom was loud.

Too loud.

Chairs scraping, laughter echoing, students calling out to each other—it felt like chaos wrapped in routine.

But near the window—

Everything was calm.

Rosé sat quietly, her head slightly lowered as she copied notes neatly into her notebook. Her handwriting was soft and careful—just like her.

She didn’t talk much.

Didn’t laugh loudly.

Didn’t attract attention.

And she liked it that way.

Or at least…

She thought she did.

The classroom door slid open.

The noise dropped instantly.

Everyone turned.

Park Jimin walked in.

Calm. Silent. Distant.

There was something about him—something that made people stop talking.

Girls stared.

Boys avoided eye contact.

Whispers spread quickly.

“That’s him…”

“He transferred…”

“Don’t get involved…”

Jimin didn’t react.

Didn’t greet anyone.

Didn’t smile.

He just stood there, waiting.

The teacher spoke, “Take a seat. Rosé, shift your bag.”

Her pen froze mid-word.

“…M-me?” she whispered softly.

“Yes. He’ll sit beside you.”

Her heart skipped.

Slowly, she moved her bag, making space.

Jimin walked over.

Each step felt heavy in her ears.

Then—

He sat down beside her.

Close.

Too close.

Rosé straightened her back, her fingers tightening around her pen.

She didn’t look at him.

Not even once.

And he didn’t speak.

Minutes passed.

Only the sound of the teacher’s voice filled the room.

Rosé tried to focus.

But something felt… different.

She could feel his presence.

Quiet.

Still.

Unmoving.

Then—

A small sound.

She glanced sideways without thinking.

Jimin’s notebook was empty.

Completely blank.

He wasn’t writing anything.

Not even pretending.

She hesitated.

Looked back at her own notes.

Then at him again.

Should she…?

No.

Yes.

No—

Before she could decide—

Jimin spoke.

“…What page?”

Her breath caught.

It was the first time he spoke.

To her.

She quickly flipped her book.

“P-page 32…” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

A pause.

Then—

“…Thanks.”

That was it.

But somehow—

It didn’t feel cold.

Break time arrived.

The classroom exploded with noise again.

Rosé stayed in her seat, quietly erasing a mistake in her notebook.

Suddenly—

A group of girls approached.

One of them stepped forward confidently.

“Hi, Jimin,” she smiled brightly. “I’m Yuna. If you need help settling in, I can show you around.”

Rosé lowered her head slightly.

She didn’t want to be part of this.

Jimin didn’t answer.

Didn’t even look at her.

Instead—

His gaze shifted slightly.

Toward Rosé’s notebook.

“…That question,” he said.

Rosé blinked.

“…Huh?”

“You solved it wrong.”

Her eyes widened.

“I—I did?”

He leaned slightly closer.

Not too much.

But enough to make her freeze.

“You skipped a step,” he said calmly.

Then, without asking—

He took her pencil.

And corrected it.

Neatly.

Effortlessly.

Rosé stared at the page.

Then at him.

“…Thank you,” she whispered.

He nodded once.

And leaned back.

As if nothing happened.

Meanwhile—

Yuna stood there.

Ignored.

Again.

Her smile faded slightly.

The other girls exchanged looks.

“Did he just ignore her…?”

“For Rosé…?”

Yuna’s eyes shifted.

Landing on Rosé.

Observing.

Carefully.

The next few days were… strange.

Not in a loud way.

But in small, quiet moments.

“Page?” Jimin would ask.

Rosé would answer.

“…32.”

Sometimes—

He would tap her notebook lightly.

“…Let me see.”

And she would slide it toward him without a word.

No smiles.

No long conversations.

But something was building.

Slowly.

Naturally.

One afternoon—

During sports period—

Rosé sat on the bench, sketching quietly in her notebook.

The field was full of energy.

Students running, shouting, laughing.

On the basketball court—

Jimin.

Fast. Focused. Sharp.

Completely different from the silent boy in class.

Girls cheered loudly.

“Jimin!! Pass here!”

Yuna stood near the court, waving.

But he didn’t pass.

Not once.

Instead—

His gaze shifted.

Toward the bench.

Toward Rosé.

She didn’t notice at first.

Until—

Cheers got louder.

She looked up.

And their eyes met.

Her heart skipped.

She quickly looked down again, pretending to focus on her sketch.

But it was too late.

He had seen her.

And for a brief second—

His expression softened.

After school—

Rosé packed her bag quietly.

As always.

She stepped out of the classroom—

Walking alone through the corridor.

Until—

“…You walk slowly.”

She stopped.

Turned.

Jimin stood behind her.

Her heart started racing again.

“I—I don’t…” she said softly.

He looked at her.

Not cold.

Not distant.

Just… observing.

“You think too much,” he said.

Rosé blinked.

“…What?”

“You always look like you’re about to say something.”

She froze.

Because—

It was true.

A small silence passed.

Then—

“…You can say it,” he added.

Softly.

Rosé looked down, her fingers tightening around her bag.

“…I was just going to say…”

She hesitated.

“…Thank you. For helping me.”

Jimin stared at her for a moment.

Then—

“…You help me too.”

Her eyes lifted slightly.

“…I do?”

“You let me copy.”

A tiny pause.

And then—

The smallest hint of a smile.

Barely there.

But real.

Rosé’s lips curved slightly too.

And for the first time—

The silence between them…

Didn’t feel awkward.

From strangers…

To something unnamed.

A seat beside each other.

A quiet understanding.

A beginning—

They didn’t even realize yet.

✨ End of Episode 1

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