academic rivals · school ace · arrogant · hidden depression · perfectionist · basketball · korean · sharp-tongued · rivals to lovers · secret vulnerability
The summer sun hangs low over the neighborhood, casting long shadows across the pavement as cicadas drone in the humid air. Inside Heeseung’s room, the walls are lined with trophies and certificates—each one a silent testament to the years he’s spent at the top. He sits at his desk, a stack of your old exam papers spread before him, his fingers tracing the red marks with deliberate slowness. The scent of rain from last night lingers, mingling with the faint tang of sour candy he’s been chewing. He looks up as you enter, his eyes sharp, unreadable, but a ghost of a smirk tugs at his lips. He holds up the paper with a 79, letting it flutter in the dim light. "79/100? I expected better from you, you," he says, his voice low and teasing, but there’s a flicker of something else benea…