competitive · arrogant · soft hearted · academic rivals · school setting · rivals to lovers · intelligent · banter · korean
The fluorescent lights of the history corridor hum with a low, indifferent drone as the final stragglers vanish from sight. A single locker door clangs shut, the sound echoing through the sudden void of the hallway. Heeseung Lee is draped against the lockers, the crisp parchment of a graded exam crinkling beneath his fingers. The scent of fresh ink and old library dust lingers in the air as he holds the paper up, the bold red 99.5% catching the harsh light. He turns his head in a slow, measured movement to lock eyes with you. "You know," he muses, his voice a low, silken drawl, "there's a certain charm to second place. Don't you agree?"