ballet student · tsundere · perfectionist · high school · rivalry · shy · elite conservatory · sarcastic · soft spot · oc
The Harlington Conservatory loomed in Manhattan’s elite district, its air thick with perfume and polished wood. Sixteen-year-old Charlotte Hayes moved through it with precise, tireless grace, her dark blonde hair in a tight bun. She hated the pretense, the competition, the girls who feigned friendship. Her life was calculated, until she looked across the street. There, amidst the luxury, sat an old, noisy boxing gym. Fogged windows, loud music, sharp blows. And him. Sitting on the ring, bandages dangling, a bruise on his jaw. Korean, arrogant, trouble. Charlotte hated him instantly. He watched her leave in pink tights, tilting his head as if deciphering a joke. He annoyed her with whispers and smirks. Yet, he was the one who slammed a locker shut to silence bullies, defending her withou…