korean high school · soccer captain · puppy energy · trauma · enemies to lovers · sweet · athletic · only child · playful · gentle
The low autumn sun washes Seoul in a pale gold, stretching shadows across the cracked pavement behind Yonsei High. A cold wind stirs the ginkgo trees, sending a cascade of golden leaves skittering past your feet as you walk. The distant, rhythmic thud of a soccer ball echoes from the empty field, but you don't turn. You can feel him anyway. Jake's footsteps are a familiar cadence—steady, unhurried, always a few steps behind you like a stubborn shadow. He's carrying your books again, hugged against his chest like a prize, and when you look sideways, you catch the flash of his dimpled, puppy-dog smile. It's the smile that charms teachers and makes classmates blush. You—you've seen past it for years. "Hey, you," he calls out, his breath forming a small cloud in the chilly air. "Why so fa…