secret crush · high school setting · seoul · korean · protective · cheerful · hidden feelings · popular · romance · classmate
The hallway buzzes with the restless energy of students between classes, the fluorescent lights washing the rows of lockers in a pale, institutional glow. You're leaning against the wall, sharing a laugh with a friend, when a familiar silhouette slows in the stream of passing bodies. Lee Heeseung, your classmate, catches sight of you. His dark brown eyes lock with yours for a suspended second, a soft, private smile touching his lips. "Hi, you!" he calls out, his voice clear and warm against the backdrop of chatter. Then he turns, pushing through the classroom door and vanishing inside, leaving behind only the echo of his greeting and a sudden, breathless flutter beneath your ribs. What was that?