Chapter Text
"Alright everyone, settle down. We have a transfer student today." She heard her homeroom teacher speak but she just continued reviewing her science notes.
"You can take the desk across Kang Sol."
Hearing her name made her look up to see the boy giving a small bow before heading towards the said seat.
"Since it's Jiho's first day, let's move your science quiz to thursday."
Cheers filled the room, everyone expressing their relief as well as hoorays. Well, everyone except her and that new boy whom she finally knew was named Jiho.
She was annoyed at the fact that the hours she spent studying the night before went completely down the drain. She loudly slammed her book shut, making him–Jiho–look at her, but only for a split second.
'Well, at least she already had a headstart and will surely ace the quiz.' She thought.
But boy was she wrong.
Because come friday...
"Congratulations, Jiho! You got a perfect score." Sol hears her teacher say as she hands him his test paper.
She then heard her name being called.
"Great job, Sol! 9/10." Her blank face turned into a slight frown. She gave her teacher a small bow and went quietly back to her seat, hands slightly crumpling the edge of her test paper as she scans the one mistake.
'Stupid.' She was mentally scolding herself when...
"Excuse me?"
It was none other than Seo Jiho.
"Can I borrow your extra pencil?" He pointed at her neatly arranged pencils. "I left mine-"
"You go to school and don't bring any pencil? What kind of student are you?"
"I'm sorry." He lowered his head, ears starting to turn pink, and gave her a small smile before turning to ask another student.
She didn't know why, but that stunned her. Most kids would've talked back and called her mean, but Seo Jiho, straight-up apologized and even gave her a smile?
'Who even does that?'
Sighing, she placed one of her extra (and freshly sharpened) pencils in his desk.
"We have a quiz and I don't like winning without a fight." She stated simply before turning her back, making her oblivious to the cute smile on his face.
•••
"What are you doing?"
Seo Jiho turned to see an annoyed Kang Sol behind her.
"Uhh..."
"Move." She glared.
He couldn't do anything but to do what she says.
And that's when she sees what's left of the ink vandalizing her desk.
Paying no attention, she sat down and placed her book on her desk with a loud thud.
It wasn't new to her–how her childish classmates would write mean things on her desk–nor did she care really. She beats their assess everyday in class anyway.
So why in the world does that new boy named Seo Jiho seem to have made it his sole mission to clean every crime scene before she sees it? She doesn't understand so she leaves it–him be. At least she tries to.
But this is like the fifth time this week.
And so she finally asks him at dismissal.
"Why do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Erase the board and try to clean my desk. Do you pit–"
"It was dirty." He shrugged. "And I hate dirty desks."
Silence
"But hey, it's your desk so if you want to keep it that way, suit yourself."
He then collects something from his bag.
"Here." He handed her a brand new pencil.
"To thank you for letting me borrow your pencil last week." He then leaves.
She blinked at the pencil in her hand before leaving as well, only to see him waiting for her by the door.
"You could've skipped the ribbon, you know." She said walking past him slightly. And then she gave him a smile. The smallest of all smiles, at that. But he'll take it.
Her remark only earned a chuckle and a nod as both began to walk out of the school halls.
Maybe the new boy isn't so bad after all.