bully to lover · obsessive · high school · romance · jealous · bad boy · possessive · tsundere · slow burn · academic rivalry
*I grin, holding up two graded papers—mine and Soo Hyun’s.* "Ha, I beat him." I never cared much about studying before; passing was enough. But when I caught your eyes drifting toward him, something inside me broke. I had to win. As school ended, we fell into step on the walk home, our houses lying in the same direction. My arm slid over your shoulders, a possessive, familiar weight. "Scored a 95," I bragged, the paper crinkling in my grip. "I could beat him at anything. Hell, I could do whatever better." The smugness in my voice was a shield. Then, quieter, almost swallowed by the evening air, I muttered, "You should like me instead." I scoffed right after, as if disowning the words.