Talking

Lee Min wasn’t impressed.

“They’re just rich guys,” he said while sitting in class.

Min-so gasped dramatically.

“Just rich guys? Ye-jun is literally every girl’s dream.”

Jin-sa nodded.

“And every boy’s too.”

Lee Min rolled his eyes.

“They’re probably all arrogant.”

⸻

That afternoon, fate decided to prove him wrong.

Lee Min rushed through the library carrying three textbooks, his laptop, and an iced coffee.

His phone buzzed.

Manager: Can you cover tonight?

“No…”

He sighed while typing a reply.

Without looking where he was going—

Crash.

Books scattered across the floor.

Coffee spilled everywhere.

Lee Min froze.

“Oh no…”

A pair of expensive black shoes stopped in front of him.

He slowly looked up.

Ye-jun.

The entire library seemed to go silent.

Lee Min wanted the floor to swallow him whole.

“I-I’m so sorry.”

Instead of getting angry, Ye-jun crouched down and quietly helped pick up the books.

One by one.

Neither of them spoke.

When they both reached for the same notebook, their fingers brushed.

Lee Min quickly pulled his hand back.

“Sorry.”

Ye-jun looked at him for a second before handing him the notebook.

“You didn’t spill the coffee on purpose.”

His voice was calm.

Nothing like the cold rumors everyone spread.

“Still… thanks.”

Ye-jun nodded once before walking away.

Lee Min stared after him.

“…He’s nicer than I expected.”

⸻

Meanwhile…

Ha-jun leaned against the library entrance with a grin.

“So…”

Ye-jun raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“You smiled.”

“I did not.”

“You absolutely did.”

Do-yun laughed.

“I haven’t seen you smile at anyone in months.”

Ye-jun looked away.

“He just looked stressed.”

Ha-jun smirked.

“Sure.”

⸻

That evening, Lee Min started his shift at the café just outside campus.

Halfway through his shift, the bell above the door rang.

Three customers walked in.

Ha-jun.

Do-yun.

And…

Ye-jun.

Lee Min nearly dropped a cup.

Seriously?

He forced a smile.

“Welcome. What can I get for you?”

Ha-jun immediately recognized him.

“Oh! You’re Library Guy.”

Lee Min blinked.

“…Library Guy?”

“The one who attacked Ye-jun with coffee.”

“I did not attack him!”

Do-yun laughed so hard he nearly spilled his drink.

Even Ye-jun’s lips twitched into the smallest smile.

Lee Min noticed it.

For just a second.

And somehow…

It made his heart beat a little faster.

⸻

Outside the café, rain began falling.

Neither of them knew it yet.

But that accidental collision in the library was the beginning of a story that would change both of their lives.

The next morning, Lee Min was already regretting staying up until three in the morning.

After finishing his shift at the café, he had spent another hour studying before finally collapsing into bed.

Unfortunately, his alarm didn’t care.

“Wake up!”

Min-so pulled the blanket off him.

Lee Min groaned.

“I hate mornings…”

“You hate every time of day.”

“That’s also true.”

Jin-sa laughed from the kitchen.

“If you don’t leave now, you’re going to be late for Professor Kim’s class.”

Lee Min jumped out of bed.

“I’m awake!”

⸻

Across campus…

Ye-jun was already sitting in the front row of the lecture hall.

As always, students whispered the moment he walked in.

“He’s here.”

“I heard he rejected another confession yesterday.”

“My cousin says his family owns half the city.”

Ye-jun ignored every word.

He opened his laptop and waited for class to begin.

Then…

The classroom door burst open.

“I’m so sorry!”

Lee Min hurried inside, breathing heavily.

Every seat was taken.

Except…

The empty seat beside Ye-jun.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The professor looked at him.

“Mr. Lee?”

“Yes?”

“Take the empty seat.”

Lee Min slowly walked over while everyone stared.

He sat down awkwardly.

“Morning,” he whispered.

Ye-jun looked at him.

“Morning.”

That was it.

No attitude.

No sarcasm.

Just one quiet word.

⸻

Halfway through class…

The professor announced a new project.

“This assignment will be completed in pairs.”

Immediately, everyone started talking.

“You may choose your own partner.”

Lee Min turned toward Min-so.

Before he could say anything—

“I’m sorry,” Min-so said.

“I already promised Jin-sa we’d work together.”

Lee Min froze.

“…Traitors.”

The professor looked around the room.

“If you don’t have a partner by the end of class, I’ll assign one.”

Lee Min sighed.

Great.

⸻

When class ended, nearly everyone had already paired up.

Only two students remained.

Lee Min.

Ye-jun.

The professor smiled.

“Looks like fate has decided.”

Lee Min almost laughed.

“This doesn’t feel like fate.”

Ye-jun simply nodded.

“I don’t mind.”

Lee Min stared.

“You…don’t?”

“I’ve worked alone before.”

“…So have I.”

“Then we’ll figure it out together.”

⸻

Outside the classroom…

Ha-jun nearly choked on his drink.

“They’re partners?”

Do-yun looked equally shocked.

“I thought Ye-jun hated group projects.”

“He does.”

“So why didn’t he refuse?”

Ha-jun smiled.

“I think our friend is becoming interesting.”

Ye-jun walked past them.

“Stop talking.”

Ha-jun laughed.

“You smiled again.”

“I didn’t.”

“You definitely did.”

⸻

Later that afternoon…

Lee Min hurried to his café shift.

The restaurant was unusually busy.

He barely had time to breathe before the front door opened.

Of course.

It was the three seniors again.

Ha-jun waved excitedly.

“Library Guy!”

Lee Min sighed.

“My name is Lee Min.”

“Close enough.”

Do-yun chuckled.

“We’ll remember it eventually.”

Ye-jun quietly stepped forward.

“One iced americano.”

Lee Min smiled politely.

“Coming right up.”

As he handed over the drink, Ye-jun noticed something.

A small bandage wrapped around Lee Min’s hand.

“What happened?”

Lee Min looked down.

“Oh… I burned it making coffee yesterday.”

“You should be more careful.”

Lee Min blinked.

Was…

Was Ye-jun worried?

“I’m fine.”

Ye-jun didn’t look convinced.

⸻

That evening…

Rain poured harder than expected.

When Lee Min finally finished work, he realized the last bus had already left.

“…Seriously?”

He checked his phone.

1% battery.

Perfect.

Just as he started walking into the rain…

A black car slowly stopped beside him.

The passenger window rolled down.

Ye-jun looked at him.

“Get in.”

Lee Min blinked.

“What?”

“I’ll drive you home.”

“I couldn’t.”

“You’ll get sick.”

“I don’t even know you.”

Ye-jun gave him a small smile.

“We’re project partners.”

Lee Min couldn’t argue with that.

After a moment of hesitation…

He opened the door and climbed in.

Neither of them noticed Ha-jun and Do-yun watching from another car nearby.

Ha-jun grinned.

“I’ll give them two weeks.”

Do-yun laughed.

“I’ll say one.”

Meanwhile, inside the quiet car, neither Lee Min nor Ye-jun knew what to say.

But for the first time…

The silence didn’t feel awkward.

It felt comfortable.

And somewhere beneath the sound of the rain, something new was beginning.

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