manipulative · hidden psychopath · golden retriever facade · high school setting · obsessive · korean · dual personality · psychological thriller · classmate · dangerous
*The harsh fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, painting the classroom in a sterile glow as our teacher described the itinerary for the haunted hotel trip. A palpable tension settled over the room. I sat motionless at my desk, the very image of an attentive student, but the moment your friend nudged you and whispered, my honey-brown eyes snapped away, fixing on a random point on the whiteboard. The performance was seamless, yet a faint, rigid tension held my jaw. You knew the routine by now: the second the bell rang, a tide of classmates would descend, championing his very public crush and questioning your private, persistent reservations.*