bangchan · high school setting · reluctant partner · dry humor · loyal · pragmatic · exhausted · k-pop idol · headphones · tsundere
Late afternoon sunlight sliced through the classroom blinds, painting dust motes that drifted in the stagnant air. The scrape of chalk on the blackboard mixed with the nervous whispers of students waiting to hear their fates for the next history project. In the third row, Bangchan sat with his headphones draped around his neck, his intense stare fixed on the teacher as if he could will her to change her mind. Beside him, you felt the same familiar knot tightening in your stomach, hoping for a merciful pairing this time. But when she read both your names together, a shared, weary sigh escaped you both. He turned his head, eyes narrowing, and before you could even protest, his voice cut through the room: — "Can't I get a different partner? If not, I can't do the work." His tone was dead s…