WRITTEN BY FATE | HAN TAESAN
PAIRING: trouble maker! han taesan! x student president! fem! reader
SUMMARY: After a series of unexpected encounters, you are assigned to tutor Taesan for an important history exam he must pass. What begins as a simple tutoring arrangement slowly grows into something more as you spend increasing amounts of time together.
GENRE: opposites attract, good girl x bad boy, fluff, written imagine, high school romance
A/N: HELLO EVERYONE!!! I am getting back into writing so this might not be as good. I was lowkey just writing to write so hopefully it makes sense. This story is inspired by the new cdrama i’m watching called Never Ending Summer! It saurrr good. Also, I was trying to write at least 10K words but I was starting to lose my mind. Idk how people do it man 🙁 ANYWAYS, ENJOYYYYYY
Getting looped in with Han Taesan at the start of your senior year was not what you expected.
For the past three years of high school, you had studied hard and stayed out of trouble, working your way toward graduation and a good college. Han Taesan didn't exist in your carefully planned future. He wasn't part of your bubble, your goals, or anything in between.
But fate had a funny way of changing the course of people's lives—and sometimes messing everything up in the process.
The golden morning sun shone directly into your eyes as you stood on the stage in front of the entire school field at eight o'clock on the first day of your senior year. Summer had flown by faster than you could remember and had now been replaced with homework, exams, and university applications.
From your spot on the stage, you looked out at the ocean of students standing in neat uniforms. Some shielded their eyes from the bright sunlight, while others whispered and laughed with their friends. The freshmen were easy to spot, nervously shifting on their feet as they waited for the entrance ceremony to begin.
You remembered when that used to be you.
A small smile tugged at your lips as the memory surfaced. Around you, teachers finished setting up for the ceremony while your vice president, Yang Jungwon, stood beside you, repeatedly skimming through the clipboard in his hands. Behind the two of you, the rest of the student council members chatted amongst themselves.
"We will begin now," Mr. Seo told you and Jungwon, adjusting the microphone on the podium.
You nodded and smoothed out your perfectly ironed uniform one last time.
"One, two. One, two. Testing, testing."
Mr. Seo's voice echoed through the microphone, instantly quieting the field full of students.
"We will now begin the entrance ceremony. Please give a warm welcome to your student council president."
Mr. Seo gestured toward you before stepping away from the podium.
You let out a nervous breath and stepped forward.
Come on, Y/n. You've done this three times already, you reminded yourself.
"Hello, everyone! I am your student council president, Kim Y/n, and this is your student council vice president, Yang Jungwon. Behind us are your student council members: Kim Dohoon, Park Minju, Jang Wonyoung, Choi Hyunwoo, and Huening Bahiyyih."
You offered the crowd a smile before continuing.
"As your student council, we are here to help. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to come to us. We'll be walking around the school throughout the first week, so feel free to ask us for help with your schedules or finding your classes."
A few freshmen visibly relaxed at your words.
"I know this might be scary and nerve-wracking for our new students, but I promise this school year will be a great one! Let's make—"
Your speech was abruptly cut off.
A figure suddenly burst around the corner of the main building, weaving through the crowd of students while two security guards chased after him.
From the stage, you could clearly see the grin stretched across Han Dongmin's—Taesan's—face as he swerved through the crowd, ducking and jumping around obstacles. He passed by his group of friends, who cheered him on as if this were some kind of sporting event.
"Han Dongmin, stop right there! Get him!" Mr. Seo shouted, rushing down the stage to join the chase.
Then, without warning, the sprinklers scattered across the field sprang to life.
Students shrieked in surprise as water sprayed across the grass.
You flinched as cold droplets landed on your skin and soaked into your uniform. Water clung to your eyelashes, blurring your vision slightly as you squinted through it.
That's when you made eye contact with Taesan.
Even from a distance, you could see the mischievous smirk on his face.
Before you could process what was happening, he changed direction and headed straight for the stage.
He skipped the stairs entirely, hopping onto the stage in one smooth motion before casually shoving Jungwon aside.
Jungwon stumbled back in surprise.
Taesan stopped directly in front of you so abruptly that if he had been a car, you would have heard tires screeching against pavement.
Water dripped from your lashes as you stared up at him.
Close enough for you to hear his breathing beneath the sounds of screaming students and spraying water.
"Han Dongmin, get down right now!"
Ignoring the command completely, Taesan turned toward the crowd.
"Welcome, new students!" he shouted into the microphone.
A loud cheer erupted from the field.
Apparently, no one was upset about being drenched.
"I hope you like your welcome gift!" Taesan continued, flashing a grin. "Let's make this school year a fun one!"
The cheering only grew louder.
Before he could say anything else, Mr. Seo stormed onto the stage, grabbed Taesan by the ear, and yanked him away from the microphone.
"Ah—Mr. Seo!" Taesan complained.
The two security guards quickly grabbed him from either side.
"You're in so much trouble, mister," Mr. Seo snapped.
You watched as they dragged Taesan off the stage.
Yet even then, as he passed by you, Taesan turned his head just enough for you to catch the smug smirk still lingering on his lips.
For some reason, you had a feeling this wasn't going to be the last time Han Taesan caused trouble for you.
After that day, it was as if fate had decided to tie you and Han Taesan together.
Holding a towering stack of workbooks in your arms, you slowly made your way toward the teacher's office with limited vision. While everyone else was in their second-period classes, you had the privilege—or burden—of running errands for teachers.
Peeking around the mountain of books, you spotted the familiar entrance to the teacher's office.
"Mrs. Lee, I'm here to drop off the workbooks," you called as you stepped inside.
Suddenly, the stack in your arms bumped into something solid.
You staggered back slightly before stretching your neck to peek over the books.
Han Taesan stood in front of you with raised brows and a smirk playing on his lips.
"Sorry," you muttered quickly.
Taking a step around him, you made your way to Mrs. Lee's desk. She immediately stood and relieved you of half the books.
"Thank you so much, Y/n," she said warmly before taking the rest and placing them on her desk.
"Han Dongmin, are you even listening to me?"
At Mr. Choi's voice, you glanced over.
Taesan finally tore his eyes away from you and looked back at his teacher.
Had he been staring at you?
"Dongmin, you're a senior now. You need to start taking your studies seriously."
Taesan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking painfully uninterested in whatever lecture Mr. Choi was giving him.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Lee turned her attention back to you.
"Y/n, I've been looking over your transcript, and it's very impressive."
You smiled politely. There was always a but.
"But," she continued, "I think some additional volunteer hours would look good on your applications."
"I think you need a tutor," Mr. Choi told Taesan at the exact same time.
"I can give you volunteer hours if you help tutor someone."
You and Mrs. Lee slowly turned toward Mr. Choi and Taesan.
At the same time, they turned toward you.
"Perfect!" he exclaimed, standing from his chair. "Y/n can tutor Dongmin!"
"She's second in the school and student council president. Maybe some of that goodness will rub off on him."
Your eyes widened as you looked between Mr. Choi and Taesan. Unlike your obvious shock, Taesan's expression remained unreadable. For some reason, that made you even more nervous.
"That's a great idea!" Mrs. Lee agreed before turning toward you. "What do you think, Y/n?"
You were too busy wondering why Taesan was still looking at you.
"Huh? Oh—yeah. Sure. I can tutor him."
Even to your own ears, your voice sounded uncertain. Taesan continued staring at you. You found yourself looking anywhere but him. You weren't sure why, but there was something about the way he looked at you that made your stomach twist strangely.
"Great!" Mr. Choi said. "Dongmin has a history test in a month. He needs at least an eighty-five percent if he wants to bring his grade up."
Taesan rolled his eyes dramatically.
"I'll approve your volunteer hours after Dongmin's exam, then," Mrs. Lee said.
Before anyone could say anything else, you quickly bowed.
Then you practically fled the office. The moment the door slid shut behind you, you let out a relieved sigh. Only for the door to slide open again. You flinched. Taesan stepped out and casually shut the door behind him. Your stomach dropped. Slowly, you turned to look at him. He was already staring.
For a brief moment, neither of you spoke. Then, before he could say anything, you spun around and walked away as fast as your dignity would allow. Behind you, Taesan leaned against the wall and watched you leave with amusement dancing in his eyes.
Your last period had finally ended. You closed your notebook, capped your pen, and began stuffing everything into your backpack. A shadow suddenly appeared by the classroom window. Looking up, you found Taesan leaning casually against the glass from the hallway.
Next to you, Jungwon raised an eyebrow. Taesan held out his hand. You stared at it. Then at him.
Instead of answering, he nodded toward your phone lying face down on your desk. Confused, you picked it up. Before you could react, Taesan reached through the open window, took the phone directly from your hand, and started walking away. You stared blankly for half a second.
Quickly shoving the rest of your belongings into your backpack, you hurried after him.
"Sorry, Jungwon! See you tomorrow!"
You rushed out of the classroom and followed Taesan down the hallway. Unfortunately for you, his long legs gave him a serious advantage.
Without warning, he stopped. You walked directly into his back.
Taking a step backward, you glared up at him. Your phone was still in his hand.
"Seriously, what are you doing?"
Your hand slowly dropped to your side.
Taesan raised an eyebrow.
"You're tutoring me, aren't you?"
"Then how am I supposed to contact you without your number?"
That actually made sense.
You held out your hand expectantly. Instead of returning your phone, Taesan pulled his own phone from his pocket and placed it in your palm.
"Just put your number in."
Rolling your eyes, you created a new contact and typed in your information.
For the contact name, you simply put:
Taesan took his phone back with a satisfied smile.
You pointed at your phone. Still in his hand.
"Can I have my phone back, what?" he asked.
Your eye twitched. At this rate, you were going to develop permanent wrinkles before graduation.
"Can I please have my phone back?"
Only then did he hand it over. Satisfied. Annoyingly satisfied.
With one last smirk, he turned and walked away. You stood there in complete confusion. What was wrong with Han Taesan? Why was he acting like this?
Why was he suddenly interested in talking to you?
Shaking the thoughts away, you headed toward the school gates. You had homework. Council work. University applications. Much more important things to worry about. A motorcycle engine suddenly roared behind you.
Moments later, Taesan sped past on his bike. The security guard immediately stepped out of his booth.
Taesan was already halfway down the road. The guard sighed and returned to his post. You continued walking home, slowly pushing thoughts of Han Taesan aside. After all, for the past three years, he'd never been part of your life. Surely things would go back to normal.
[+82 XX XXXX XXXX] Hey Prez
[+82 XX XXXX XXXX] Taesan
You changed +82 XX XXXX XXXX to "⛰️"
[⛰️] So when are you tutoring me 🙄
[You] Start tomorrow? Then every other day after class?
The few days between setting up the tutoring sessions and their actual start date passed with very little interaction between you and Taesan.
Most of those interactions consisted of you walking into the teacher's office only to find Taesan and his friends getting scolded for causing trouble, or the two of you passing each other in the hallways with your respective groups of friends.
Still, for some reason, there was an annoying feeling that settled in your chest whenever you made eye contact with him now.
The days blurred together, and before you knew it, it was already the night before your first tutoring session with Taesan. You sat at your desk, finishing a math practice sheet when a sudden craving for snacks hit you. After staring at the same numbers for nearly an hour, a break sounded more than deserved.
Unfortunately, knowing your household, your younger brother had probably already devoured whatever snacks were left. With a sigh, you threw on a sweater and stepped out of your room. Stopping at your brother's door, you knocked twice.
Opening the door, you peeked inside to find him sitting at his desk.
"I'm heading to the convenience store," you said. "Want anything?"
"Alright. Let Mom know if she asks where I am."
Juhoon nodded, already turning his attention back to whatever he had been working on. Leaving the house, you made your way toward the convenience store about fifteen minutes away. You didn't mind the walk. The warmth of summer had long faded, replaced by a cool breeze that hinted autumn was right around the corner. The air carried a slight chill that made you grateful for your sweater.
As you approached the brightly lit convenience store, you noticed how quiet the streets were. A few students hurried home from evening classes while couples wandered down the sidewalks hand in hand beneath the streetlights. Your gaze lingered on one couple a little too long.
A small pang of envy settled in your chest.
With how focused you had always been on school and your future, dating had never really crossed your mind. Sometimes you wondered if you took life too seriously.
Maybe you should relax more. Maybe there was more to life than grades and university applications. The thought felt unfamiliar enough that you quickly pushed it away.
Future you would thank present you.
At least, that's what you always told yourself.
Entering the convenience store, you greeted the cashier with a polite bow before heading straight for the snack aisle. You didn't even bother grabbing a basket. You knew exactly how this was going to end.
As you browsed through the shelves, picking up anything that looked remotely appealing, the bell above the door chimed. New customers. Loud customers.
Their voices echoed throughout the store, causing you to speed up your shopping. Once satisfied with your selection, you balanced the snacks in your arms and turned—
Only to walk straight into someone.
"Aren't you the student council president from Hybe High? You've been president for, like, two years, right?"
You blinked. The face looked familiar, but you couldn't quite place it. Then his eyes lit up as he looked behind you.
"Yo, Taesan! Isn't she in your grade?"
Your stomach dropped. Footsteps approached. And suddenly everything clicked.
One of Taesan's older friends. A former student from your school. Taesan stepped beside you, motorcycle helmet hanging from one hand as he looked down at you.
Something about hearing your name come out of his mouth felt strangely different.
"That's her name!" Jaehyun exclaimed. "Y/n!"
You'd almost forgotten how loud he was.
"Guys, what's taking so long?"
More of Taesan's friends began approaching.
Immediately, you became painfully aware of the mountain of snacks in your arms. Suddenly, leaving sounded like a wonderful idea.
You slipped away before anyone could stop you, heading straight to the register. After paying, you quickly exited the store and started walking home. Only after putting some distance between yourself and the group did you finally let out a relieved breath.
As you walked, the plastic bag swung lightly at your side.
The rumble of a motorcycle engine.
Your shoulders tensed. You immediately picked up your pace. Unfortunately, legs were no match for wheels. The motorcycle pulled up beside you. Stopping, you turned to find Taesan removing his helmet.
That annoying feeling returned.
There was that stupid smirk again.
"Surprised to see you out this late."
Taesan parked the motorcycle and leaned against it.
Something in his voice made you pause. You looked back. For once, he didn't seem like he was teasing you.
Taesan immediately looked away.
"I mean..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's late. Most of the stores are already closed, and it's not really safe for a girl to walk home alone."
Before you could ask, Taesan grabbed the bag of snacks from your hand.
Ignoring your protest, he hooked the bag onto his motorcycle.
Then he stepped in front of you.
Before you could react, he placed his helmet on your head. Your eyes widened. His fingers brushed your jaw as he fastened the strap beneath your chin.
The visor clicked shut. And just like that, he was already climbing back onto the bike.
Taesan sighed. Then he got off the motorcycle again.
Before you could react, his hands settled on your waist.
The next thing you knew, he had effortlessly lifted you onto the seat. Your face immediately burst into flames. Meanwhile, Taesan silently thanked every god in existence that you couldn't see how red his ears had become. Once he climbed back onto the bike, you sat completely frozen behind him. Seeing your expression reflected in his mirror, he smirked.
"You might wanna hold on."
The motorcycle roared to life.
And immediately wrapped both arms around his waist.
For a split second, he forgot how to breathe. Then he relaxed. A small smile tugged at his lips as he pulled onto the road.
“We’re here.” Taesan said. You didn’t know how long you were holding onto him but hearing those words, you quickly opened your eyes and let go. You quickly swing your legs over and get off, thankful to feel the ground beneath your feet. Taking off his helmet, you bring a hand to your heart, feeling it beat rapidly and look at Taesan as he tries to hold his laugh. You toss him his helmet and he lets out the chuckle he was holding in.
“Jerk.” You say. Taesan smirks as he grabs your bag of snacks and hands it to you. You take it from him, flinching slightly as your hands brushed against each other.
“Thanks for taking me home.” You mutter, Taesan leans in and brings a hand up to his ear.
“What was that?” He asked. You roll your eyes.
“Thank you for taking me home on your deathtrap.” You grit out louder this time. Taesan laughs.
“I’ll take that over nothing.” He says.You suddenly remembered that starting tomorrow, you would be tutoring him until his history exam.
“Don’t forget. The library after classes, every other day starting tomorrow.” You remind him. Taesan makes a face and you narrow your eyes at him.
“Alright, alright.” He says, holding his hands up in exaggerated defeat. “Go in.”
You give him a small wave and turn around to walk to your door. “Don’t forget!”
As you shut the door behind you, you hear his motorcycle start and speed off, the sound of the engine disappearing. After locking the door, you turn around to see Juhoon standing there with a glass of water in his hand, staring at you.
“Was that a motorcycle?” He asks, raising a brow.
“No.” You tell him and quickly make your way up the stairs to your room. Juhoon stares at your weird behavior before shrugging to himself.
The next morning, you looked like you hadn't slept at all.
Your mind had been far too loud. Every time you closed your eyes, questions about Han Taesan seemed to take turns marching through your head. By the time your alarm rang, you felt more exhausted than when you'd gone to bed.
Now, sitting through your last class of the day, you let out another yawn. If you had been counting, it would've easily been your tenth one.
"Alright, that's it for today," Mr. Ahn said as he closed his textbook. "Remember to complete your assignment before next class."
The bell rang. Almost instantly, students began packing their bags and filing out of the classroom.
"The others are probably waiting by the gate already," Jungwon said as he zipped up his backpack.
You slid your notebook into your bag.
"Sorry, Won. I can't come today."
"I have to tutor someone."
His eyebrows immediately furrowed.
Before you could answer, a hand suddenly reached through the classroom window.
The entire class seemed to freeze.
Taesan's voice came from outside. You looked up to see him already walking away with your backpack slung over one shoulder.
Jumping to your feet, you hurried after him.
"Y/n?" Jungwon called after you.
You rushed out into the hallway and quickly caught up to Taesan.
He casually tossed your backpack over his shoulder.
He gestured dramatically down the hallway.
"You literally stole it."
"And yet I'm still carrying it."
A grin slowly appeared on his face.
You sighed. This was going to be a long month. When you reached for the bag, Taesan simply placed a hand on your shoulder and gently pushed you forward.
Your entire body stiffened.
He ignored it. Behind you, Jungwon exited the classroom and watched the two of you disappear down the hallway. His confusion only seemed to grow.
The library was packed. Students filled nearly every table, some studying quietly while others whispered over homework assignments. You bowed politely to the librarian before scanning the room. A table near the corner windows caught your eye. Without hesitation, you grabbed the strap of your backpack—which Taesan was still holding hostage—and dragged him toward it.
Immediately, heads turned. Whispers followed. You could practically hear the questions floating around the room.
Isn't that the student council president?
Why is she with Han Taesan?
Taking a seat, you pulled out your history notes. Taesan dropped your backpack onto the table and slid into the chair beside you. You could feel him watching you. When you finally looked up, he was indeed staring.
"Take out your history assignments and past exams."
Taesan groaned dramatically.
Eventually, he obeyed. Once the papers were in front of you, you picked up his most recent exam. Your eyes widened. There was so much red ink it looked like the teacher had attacked the paper.
Taesan narrowed his eyes. You quickly fixed your expression.
For the next two hours, you patiently explained every mistake he had made. Which was unfortunately most of them. Taesan tried listening. He really did. For about three minutes. Then his attention drifted. His pen spun lazily between his fingers as he watched you talk. The way your eyebrows furrowed when you concentrated. The way you tapped the page whenever something was important. The way you pushed your hair behind your ear when you got frustrated.
"Are you listening to me?"
You closed your eyes. Counted to five. Then started explaining everything again. It was only the first day. And you were already feeling gray hairs forming. As the sun began setting outside the library windows, you finally closed your notebook.
"Let's stop there for today."
Taesan stretched his arms over his head and yawned.
You glanced over as he pulled out his phone.
"Alright, alright. I'm coming."
After hanging up, he quickly gathered his things.
You stared at the empty chair for a moment. For some reason, the library suddenly felt quieter. Shaking your head, you packed your things and headed for the bus stop. The bus ride home was peaceful. You sat by the window, earbuds in, letting music fill your ears as the city lights passed outside.
Looking outside, you immediately laughed. Riding beside the bus was Taesan. He looked over, visor lifted, and nodded toward you. As if this was completely normal. You rolled your eyes and gestured for him to go. His grin was visible even from inside the bus. Then he lowered his visor and sped ahead. You watched until he disappeared. And for some reason, the rest of your ride home felt a little less boring.
As the weeks passed, tutoring Taesan slowly became part of your routine. The rumors, however, became impossible to avoid.
"Is anyone else confused about why Y/n hangs out with Taesan?"
"I heard he threatened her."
"No, I heard they're secretly dating."
"Wait... they kind of look cute together."
"Oh my gosh, you're right."
"It's like one of those Wattpad stories."
"You seriously need to stop reading Wattpad."
Unfortunately for you, none of the rumors seemed interested in dying.
You stared at the sign taped to the library door.
You thought for a moment.
"Let's just go to my house."
Taesan raised an eyebrow.
A smile immediately appeared on his face.
His answer came far too quickly.
The two of you make your way outside to where his motorcycle was parked. Grabbing his helmet, he turns to you and places it on. This was becoming a daily thing and you swore you were used to it but the weird feeling in your chest was hard to ignore. After making sure the helmet was secured, Taesan hops on to his bike and waits for you to get on. Grabbing his shoulders to steady yourself, you swing your leg over and settle on the bike behind him. Taesan starts the bike and you make sure to grip onto his shoulders so you don't fly off. After making sure you’re secured from the mirror, Taesan rides off.
The ride to your house shouldn’t have been long but as you sat behind Taesan, you couldn’t help but get lost in the new scenery before you. Taesan looked at you from the mirror as your eyes sparkled at the new scenery. He had taken a new, slightly longer route to your house.
Before you knew it, you had arrived at your house. Parking his bike in your driveway, you hop off as Taesan turns off his motorcycle. The two of you make your way into your house. There were loud voices as you entered. In the kitchen was Juhoon and his friends.
“Hey, Martin, Seonghyeon.” You greeted the two. Juhoon sees Taesan behind you and raises an eyebrow.
“Is mom home?” You ask Juhoon. Juhoon shakes his head.
“I’m gonna be in my room.” You tell him. “Let mom know I have someone over when she comes home.”
With that, you drag Taesan to your room upstairs as Juhoon looks at your fleeting figure in confusion. Martin and Seonghyeon both turn to him with questions.
“Was that noona’s boyfriend?”
Upstairs, you enter your room, your mind trying to ignore the fact that Taesan is in your room right now. Just why did you decide to go to your room instead of just staying in the living room or kitchen. Maybe it’s due to the privacy that your room would provide in case Taesan did something that would make your heart beat faster than normal.
You place your backpack on the chair at your desk as Taesan stands there, scanning every nook and cranny of your room. You nibbled at your lips in nervousness. Your room wasn’t anything special. It was simple and clean.
“Nice room.” Taesan compliments.
“Thanks.” You said quietly.
The two of you decided to study on your plush carpet next to your bed. Surprisingly, the studying went smoothly. At some point, Taesan let out a long yawn. You had one of his practice sheets held up to your eyes as you scanned his answers. Suddenly, you feel a weight on your thighs and tense up. Moving the practice paper away, you look down with wide eyes at Taesan who had his eyes closed, head on your thigh.
"You can't just use people as pillows."
"I can if they're comfortable."
You stared at him. Taesan didn't even open his eyes. Trying to pull away only made him tighten his hold around your legs.
Your heartbeat became painfully loud. Yet somehow, despite how ridiculous the situation was, you found yourself relaxing. The room was quiet. The late afternoon sunlight spilled through your bedroom window. Papers rustled softly beneath your fingers. And Taesan's steady breathing filled the silence. You glanced down. His eyes were closed. For once, he wasn't teasing you. Wasn't smirking. Wasn't causing trouble.
He simply looked... peaceful.
Your chest tightened. Maybe you were getting used to this strange dynamic between the two of you.
You finally stopped pretending that the strange feeling you got whenever Taesan was around didn't exist.
1 week left until Taesan’s history exam.
With Taesan's exam getting closer, you found yourself spending more time with him than with your own council members. What had started as tutoring every other day somehow became every day.
After council meetings ended, Taesan would be waiting outside the council room without fail. Sometimes he leaned against the wall scrolling through his phone. Other times he sat on the floor with his headphones on.
But he was always there. Waiting for you. The two of you would head to either the library or your house to study. Somehow, Taesan had become comfortable in your home.
He greeted your mother whenever he saw her and occasionally stayed long enough to help bring groceries inside. He exchanged sarcastic comments with Juhoon and even remembered Martin and Seonghyeon's names.
It felt strange. Not bad. Just strange. Like he'd somehow slipped into your life without asking permission. And the worst part? You didn't mind.
Every day spent with him made your feelings grow stronger. Every teasing smile. Every motorcycle ride. Every text message. Every small moment.
At some point, you stopped denying it. You liked Han Taesan.
You had fallen for Han Taesan. But those feelings were yours alone.
5 days before Taesan’s history exam.
Your class had just ended when your phone buzzed.
Putting your phone away, you stood up and grabbed your backpack. Beside you, Jungwon did the same.
"Taesan didn't come get you today?"
It had become such a routine that even Jungwon noticed whenever Taesan wasn't waiting outside the classroom.
Jungwon stared. Then continued staring. You narrowed your eyes.
His eyes widened slightly.
Your soul left your body.
The stutter betrayed you immediately. Jungwon's grin grew.
You could practically hear him storing this information away for future blackmail. Your face burned.
Before he could say another word, you hurried out of the classroom. Unfortunately, your phone immediately started buzzing.
The council group chat. You were going to die.
By the time Taesan arrived at the library, you had finally stopped imagining ways to throw Jungwon into a river.
A tired sigh escaped him as he dropped into the chair beside you. For some reason, seeing him made the irritation disappear.
His shoulders visibly relaxed. The two of you immediately got to work. Still, you couldn't stop thinking about what Jungwon had said.
3 days before Taesan’s history exam.
You were starting to worry. Lately, Taesan had been arriving later and later. Today, he wasn't answering texts either. You sat alone in the library, checking your phone every few minutes.
Then you heard footsteps.
Immediately, your head snapped up.
Relief flooded through you—
Your eyes narrowed. His hair hung over his eyes. There was a bruise blooming along his cheek.
A faint purple mark beneath one eye.
Your stomach dropped. Standing quickly, you walked over to him.
Without thinking, you reached up and brushed his hair away from his face.
The bruise became fully visible. Taesan immediately looked away. For the first time since you'd met him, he looked almost embarrassed.
You frowned. Then grabbed his hand.
But followed without argument. The nurse's office was empty. You pointed toward one of the beds.
Taesan obediently sat. You searched through the cabinets before finding what you needed. Returning with ointment and cotton swabs, you pulled a chair in front of him. Carefully, you dabbed medicine onto the cut on his lip.
The entire time, Taesan stared. He couldn't help it. You were concentrating so hard that your eyebrows were furrowed together. Your touch was gentle. Warm. And you were worried about him. No one had worried about him like this in a long time. After finishing, you leaned back.
You frowned. Clearly unconvinced. Taesan looked away.
"Don't worry your pretty little head."
1 day before Taesan’s history exam.
That evening, your phone buzzed beside you.
[You] Just looking over council notes :D
[⛰️] Wanna meet at the park?
A smile immediately appeared on your face.
The moment Juhoon saw you putting on a sweater, he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Meeting your boyfriend?"
"But you want him to be."
His laughter followed you all the way out the door.
Unfortunately, your burning cheeks followed too.
When you arrived at the park, you spotted Taesan immediately. He sat beneath a streetlamp on a bench.
Something warm fluttered in your chest.
He looked up. And smiled. Not smirked. Smiled. You sat beside him.
"What did you want to talk about?"
"Just wanted to see you."
Your heart nearly stopped. Thankfully, he was looking away. Otherwise, he would've seen exactly how flustered you became. The two of you sat together quietly. Comfortably. Eventually, you nudged his shoulder.
You immediately heard the uncertainty in his voice.
A smile tugged at your lips.
"You're literally sweating."
And somehow, his nervousness eased.
0 days before Taesan’s history exam.
The entire day felt endless. You couldn't focus. Couldn't sit still. Couldn't stop checking your phone. Finally, before first period started, you sent a message.
[You] Good luck!! You'll do amazing :D
Then another text appeared.
Your heart absolutely melted.
The rest of the day passed in a blur.
Students immediately began packing up. You had just finished putting away your last notebook when a sheet of paper suddenly appeared through the classroom window.
He did it. He actually did it. Without thinking, you rushed out of the classroom. Taesan barely had time to react before you threw your arms around him. His breath caught. You squeezed him tightly.
A laugh escaped him. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around you. For a moment, neither of you moved. When you finally pulled back, his smile had softened.
The way he said your name made your heart skip. You tilted your head.
For the first time since you'd met him, Han Taesan looked genuinely nervous.
And that somehow made your own heart pound harder.
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