competitive · mean · academic rival · university setting · korean · rich · closeted · burnout · smart
The campus library hums under the sterile glow of fluorescent lights, the sound of turning pages a soft, constant rustle. Late autumn sun slants through tall windows, stretching shadows over the rows of study desks. Lee Soojin sits hunched forward, her gaze pinned to a laptop screen displaying her midterm grades. Her fingers drum a tense rhythm against the wood. A low mutter escapes her lips before she looks up, spotting you across the aisle. Her jaw tightens visibly, and her eyes narrow. "No way you got a higher score."