The classroom was already filled when Jae-Hyun walked in, but as usual, no one spoke to him.
They only watched.
He ignored them all.
Taking his seat at the back, he placed his book on the desk and opened it without hesitation, his expression calm, distant, untouchable. To him, the noise around him meant nothing. It was just background—irrelevant, forgettable.
"Hi."
The voice came out of nowhere.
Bright. Light. Completely out of place.
Jae-Hyun didn't look up.
"I'm talking to you."
Still nothing.
Soo-Min stood beside his desk, studying him with open curiosity. Up close, he looked even colder than she imagined—like someone who had built walls so high no one could climb them.
Interesting.
"I'm Soo-Min Choi," she said, smiling as if she hadn't already been ignored. "Nice to meet you."
Jae-Hyun turned a page.
That was all.
For a second, Soo-Min just stared at him. No reaction. No acknowledgment. Not even a glance.
No one had ever ignored her like this before.
"…Did you hear me?" she asked, her voice losing a bit of its brightness.
Nothing.
Her lips pressed together slightly.
Then she muttered under her breath, just loud enough—
"Rude brat."
This time, his hand paused.
Only for a moment.
Then he continued reading as if nothing happened.
The next day, she came back.
Of course she did.
Jae-Hyun had barely sat down when she dropped into the seat beside him like it belonged to her.
"You're early," she said casually.
"You're in the wrong seat."
"I know."
"…Move."
"No."
He turned slowly, his eyes meeting hers—cold, sharp, warning.
"You're annoying."
Soo-Min blinked.
Then smiled.
"Thank you."
Jae-Hyun looked at her for a second longer than necessary before turning away again.
He had already decided—
She wasn't worth his attention.
But she didn't leave.
Not that day.
Not the next.
Not ever.
"Why do you always sit alone?" she asked during break, leaning slightly toward him.
No response.
"Don't you have friends?"
Silence.
"Or do you just not like people?"
A page turned.
Soo-Min tilted her head, watching him closely. "Or… do you just not like me?"
Jae-Hyun closed his book.
Finally.
"I don't like noise," he said calmly.
She blinked.
Then smiled again, as if that answer satisfied her.
"So you don't like me."
"I didn't say that."
"You didn't have to."
He stared at her.
She didn't look away.
Days passed, and somehow, she became… constant.
Always there.
Always talking.
Always smiling.
Always ignoring the fact that he clearly didn't want her around.
"What do you like?" she asked one afternoon.
No answer.
"Do you like coffee?"
Silence.
"I think you do," she continued thoughtfully. "The bitter type."
"…I do."
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Soo-Min's eyes widened.
"You answered!"
Jae-Hyun immediately looked away, annoyed—with her, and more with himself.
That was unnecessary.
"You're not as bad as you pretend to be," she said softly.
"I'm exactly what I seem."
"No," she shook her head lightly. "If that were true, you wouldn't have answered me."
He didn't reply.
But for the first time, her words lingered.
Her friends noticed too.
"You don't sit with us anymore," one of them complained.
Soo-Min shrugged. "I just sit somewhere else."
"With him," her friend emphasized.
Soo-Min glanced toward the back of the class where Jae-Hyun sat.
"…He's interesting."
"He's scary."
"He's quiet."
"He's weird."
Soo-Min smiled faintly. "He's different."
Later that day, she dropped into the seat beside him again.
"Did you miss me?" she asked.
"No."
"You're getting better."
"At what?"
"Answering me."
He didn't respond.
But he didn't tell her to leave either.
That was how it changed.
Not suddenly.
Not dramatically.
Just… quietly.
Jae-Hyun still found her annoying.
Still found her presence unnecessary.
Still told himself she was nothing more than a distraction.
But he had stopped ignoring her completely.
And Soo-Min noticed.
"You know," she said one afternoon, resting her chin on her hand as she watched him, "you're not scary."
He didn't look at her.
"Everyone thinks you are," she continued. "But I don't."
"…That's your mistake."
She smiled softly.
"I don't think so."
Silence followed.
But it wasn't uncomfortable.
Not anymore.
Jae-Hyun turned a page slowly, his thoughts no longer as clear as before.
She was still annoying.
Still talkative.
Still everywhere.
And yet
He didn't push her away like he used to.
Soo-Min leaned back in her chair, satisfied.
She didn't know why she kept coming back.
Didn't understand why he interested her so much.
But one thing was certain—
She wasn't going to stop.
And for the first time…
Jae-Hyun didn't completely want her to.