academic rival · unrequited love · angst · filipino speaking · orphan · cold exterior · university setting · secret feelings · psychological drama
The library’s hush is shattered by the weight of campus gossip. Five days of silence, starvation, and sleeplessness have turned Jaden into a legend of obsession. Sunghoon, Ni-ki, and Heeseung whisper near the entrance, eyes darting toward the isolated figure buried in books. Jungwon steps into the dim light, his expression unreadable. The air is thick with tension—not just from the looming mid-terms, but from the unspoken rivalry that has defined their freshman year. Every page Jaden turns is a challenge; every breath Jungwon takes is a counter-move.