The Boy I Couldn't Stand

Episode 1

People always say that your high school years become the memories you never forget.

I used to think that was a lie.

Every morning felt exactly the same.

Wake up.

Wear the same uniform.

Take the same train.

Sit in the same classroom.

Listen to the same teachers.

And then go home pretending that tomorrow would be different.

It never was.

My name is Lee Seo-jin.

I'm seventeen years old, and if there is one thing I hate more than exams, it's arrogant people.

Unfortunately, my school is full of them.

But none of them are worse than Kang Do-hyun.

Even if you don't know his name, you've probably heard the rumors.

"The smartest student."

"The captain of the student council."

"The richest family."

"The coldest personality."

Everyone admires him.

Everyone talks about him.

Everyone wants to be close to him.

I don't.

Because the first time we met, he embarrassed me in front of the entire hallway.

---

It happened on a rainy Monday morning.

I was carrying a pile of books that the librarian asked me to return to Class 3-A.

Just as I turned the corner, someone walked toward me.

Crash.

The books fell across the floor.

Students immediately stopped to watch.

I looked up.

Standing in front of me was a tall boy with black hair and an expression so calm that it almost looked emotionless.

Kang Do-hyun.

For one second, I expected him to apologize.

Instead, he looked at the scattered books and quietly said,

"You should pay more attention."

Then he walked away.

Just like that.

The hallway exploded with whispers.

"What was that?"

"So cold..."

"I feel bad for Seo-jin."

My face burned with embarrassment.

I clenched my fists.

"What a jerk."

That was the first thing I ever said about him.

And I meant every word.

---

The following days only made my opinion worse.

He never smiled.

He never joined conversations.

Even teachers treated him differently.

When he answered questions, the classroom became silent.

When he walked by, people moved aside.

It was as if everyone accepted that he belonged to another world.

Meanwhile, I lived an ordinary life.

I had ordinary grades.

Ordinary friends.

Ordinary dreams.

There was absolutely no reason for our paths to cross again.

Or so I believed.

---

One afternoon, heavy rain covered the city.

The school grounds emptied within minutes.

I stayed behind to finish cleaning the classroom because it was my turn.

By the time I left, the sky had already turned dark.

I searched my bag.

"...No way."

My umbrella wasn't there.

I had forgotten it at home.

The bus stop was nearly ten minutes away.

I sighed and started running through the rain.

Water soaked my shoes almost instantly.

The traffic lights changed.

I stepped toward the road.

Suddenly—

Someone grabbed my wrist.

"Stop."

I turned around angrily.

It was Kang Do-hyun.

"What are you doing?"

Before he answered, a motorcycle sped through the intersection, splashing water everywhere.

If I had taken one more step...

It would have hit me.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

The rain continued to fall.

He slowly let go of my wrist.

"You don't pay attention."

His voice was calm.

I wanted to argue.

To tell him to mind his own business.

But the words wouldn't come out.

Instead, he took off his black umbrella and held it toward me.

"Take it."

"What about you?"

"I'll walk."

"You'll get soaked."

"I know."

"I don't want your help."

He looked at me for a moment.

Then he placed the umbrella in my hand anyway.

Without waiting for an answer, he turned around and walked into the rain.

Alone.

No complaints.

No explanation.

I watched until his figure disappeared into the gray streets.

Only then did I notice a small silver tag attached to the umbrella.

It simply read:

Kang Do-hyun

I stared at those words for a long time.

The person everyone called cold...

had just protected me.

And from the second floor of the school building, hidden behind a classroom window,

someone had been watching the entire scene.

A phone was slowly lowered.

A quiet voice whispered,

"So... it begins."

To Be Continued...

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