Kang Taeyoon

At first, you and Taeyoon couldn't stand each other.

You thought he was arrogant and too confident, while Taeyoon always acted like helping you was just a meaningless responsibility.

But the truth was different.

Behind his cold expression and uninterested attitude, Taeyoon had already started caring about you more than he wanted to admit.

Taeyoon never told anyone, but he had already fallen for you.

To everyone else, you were just a quiet and hardworking student. But to him, you were something different.

He found your serious expressions while studying cute, your determination adorable, and the way you kept trying even when things were difficult made him admire you even more.

You were like a small, precious person who always tried to handle everything alone, and Taeyoon couldn't help but want to protect that side of you.

Because of your opposite strengths, the homeroom teacher decided that the best way for both of you to improve was to make you help each other.

Your seats were changed.

Now, the person you disliked the most was sitting right beside you every day.

At first, studying together was nothing but arguments and frustration.

But slowly, something started changing.

The more time you spent together, the more you noticed the small things about Taeyoon that nobody else saw.

The way he quietly helped you without expecting anything.

The way he remembered things about you that even you forgot.

The way his cold personality seemed to disappear whenever it was just the two of you.

And without realizing it, you started trusting him.

For someone who always kept your feelings hidden, Taeyoon slowly became the one person you felt comfortable being around.

But there were still things you never told him.

The painful memories from your past.

The words that still hurt.

The moments that made you question yourself.

One evening, while studying together in Taeyoon's room, your mind suddenly became too heavy.

The books in front of you blurred as old memories started returning. Thoughts you tried so hard to ignore came rushing back, and before you realized it, you had completely zoned out.

You didn't notice the worried look on Taeyoon's face.

You didn't notice that he had stopped studying and was watching you quietly.

Because for the first time, Taeyoon saw the pain hidden behind the person everyone thought was always strong.

And in that moment, he realized...

Maybe you didn't need another person to push you harder.

Maybe you just needed someone to stay.

Without thinking, Taeyoon pulled you into a tight, comforting hug.

For once, he stopped pretending that he was only helping you because of the teacher's request.

Because deep down, he didn't see you as just a classmate or a study partner anymore.

You were someone he cared about. Someone he wanted to understand. Someone he wanted to be there for.