(req) - san oneshot, cliché enemies to lovers
word count: 2.6k

The thought of school often made you feel sick to your stomach. Not that you had no friends nor enjoyed being there, but sometimes you wished the institution wasn't so lenient about the harsh reality for the not-so-popular students.

There would surely come a day where you would snap, and it just so happened that you did in fact wake up on the wrong side of your bed this morning.

"Calm down, will you?" Your best friend called after you, your footsteps loud in the empty halls.

"'Calm down'?" You asked, dumbfounded, nonetheless still strutting on your feet. "It can't keep happening, Hyejoo."

The girl sighed, realising that there was no stopping you now. She knew it was unfair, she just wasn't half as brave as you could be when you were angry.

She watched as you opened the office door as soon as you knocked once, sucking in a deep breath to follow you. She would support you, even if this was something that would get you in trouble.

"Hi, Mrs Gwan," you started nicely, a sour smile on your face. "Do you have time to chat?"

The teacher looked towards the seats before her, none other than Choi San sitting smugly upon the rather comfortable looking chair.

After all, he was a favourite, you knew that much. Yet something about his intimidating glance and permanent smirk that wore upon his face made you more inclined to speak up.

"I see, you're doing nothing important," you started again, completely ignoring the boy as best as you could. "It's regarding the scholarships."

"What about them?" The woman asked, leaning back in her chair slightly.

Her ignorance towards the decisions she had made was enough to further anger you. How could someone be so calm about favouring less deserving students based on their families?

"Need I show you my grades until this date?" You almost scoffed, eyes shifting towards the boy who sat in pure amusement.

You two had never once gotten on. It didn't bother either of you that much, yet both of you felt like the tension of hating one another would fizzle out one day.

Into nothing, you imagined, yet you still anticipated it.

Not so much when he would try and make a fool out of you in class debates or in front of his friends who had equally as horrible personas as he had, yet part of you knew that wasn't the real him.

He had just yet to show it. Maybe he would grow out of it in a few years, and you wouldn't be around to see it.

"And I hate to pinpoint or bring up names," you started, rhyming off the list in your head. "But the likes of Park Jinae, and even Choi San, have been favoured multiple times yet have poorer grades than myself."

The boy sat up at the mention of his name, his eyes narrowing as he saw the anger on your face.

"Well," Mrs Gwan stuttered, glancing over at the boy. "There is more things to consider than grades, Y/n."

"Like family backgrounds, let's say?" You asked somewhat sarcastically. "Power within institutions, is that what it is?"

The head teacher stayed silent, watching as San scoffed a little with a chuckle, not speaking a word. His breaths broke the silence, glancing over at your best friend who hung awkwardly at the door.

"Then what is it?" You asked again, growing impatient.

"Well, grades are one thing," the woman coughed. "Social status is another. We need to consider how well you would get on within the scholarship with the likes of other people."

It was your turn to scoff, watching as San nodded smugly in agreement.

"You think I'm socially awkward or something?" You asked, baffled. "I have friends, I get on with everyone-"

"Not everyone," San spoke up, shrugging as you sent him a glare before continuing.

"I just refuse to associate with those who get everything handed to them," you spat, feeling yourself rile up with even more anger. "You're telling me I'll suffer because I don't come from a particular background?"

Again, silence consumed the room. A part of you wanted to desperately to scream and cry, but the disbelief that overcame you was enough to keep you silenced too.

"Great," you muttered, your eyes drifting to the boy who no longer sat smugly, instead his eyes fixated on the carpet below him. "That's just great."

You turned around as quickly as you could, gently grabbing Hyejoo's arm as you walked down the corridor, the door slamming after you.

"Are you okay?" The girl asked, squeezing your hand.

With the tears finally coming to your eyes, brimming yet not falling, you smiled weakly. "I'm not, but I will be."

Your final exams came quicker than expected, you fired through each and every one and did the best that you could.

Scholarship or not, you would make it work. Something lit a fire beneath you and encouraged you to do better.

Maybe it was because you knew your family wasn't the wealthiest, or maybe because you just wanted to make them proud. Either way, you tried hard, everyone could see that.

Funnily, no one saw it any more than Choi San.

He would watch you sticking around in the library until late at night, your head never out of your books with your eyebrows furrowed.

He would find himself not studying just to watch your face light up whenever you remembered something, or how your nose would scrunch when you felt like giving up, just like now.

"Don't give up," he found himself muttering as you stared at the page in confusion. "You've got this."

If any of his friends were here, he would surely receive a smack to the top of his head. They wouldn't let him hear the end of it.

Yet he done this every time he saw you, and as much as he wished that Yunho would be there to put him back in his place, he was glad he wasn't.

"What has gotten into you?" He mumbled to himself, turning his attention back to the book.

What had gotten into him? He worried that he had strayed from where he belonged, and that was far away from you.

"Anyone sitting here?" A female voice spoke rather loudly, even catching your attention as you looked up, rolling your eyes at the sight of the two.

"No," San answered with a whisper, reluctantly moving his bag. "No one."

Jinae sat beside him, rather innocently, yet he had wished he had just said no. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"Kinda," he answered quickly, turning to look at the girl who looked at her books in a confused manner. "I don't really want to talk-"

"I'm doing great," she replied unnecessarily, San's eyes diverting up to see your own looking back at the two. Oh, how you'd wish she would shut up. "It doesn't matter much to us anyways, we have that scholarship regardless-"

"Shhh," the boy hushed the girl, not only because she was far too loud in the library, but even the mere mention of that scholarship was enough to make him feel riddled with guilt. "We might disturb people."

"I'm barely loud," she answered, looking around before catching a glimpse of you with your head down. "Ah, Y/n? We aren't disturbing her. That nerd could pass this exam with her eyes closed."

San raised an eyebrow, not quite sure if her words were a compliment or not. Funnily, you weren't sure either.

"Nerd?" You asked from across the room, not caring about the attention you were probably gathering. "For being smart?"

Jinae remained slightly gobsmacked that you had answered her back, her mouth agape. "That's what I said, yeah."

"Cool," you nodded slowly, packing your things away whilst San edged off his seat, wanting to talk but his mouth wouldn't let him. "I'll be on my way."

Jinae smiled sourly, nodding as she looked back at her book then at San for some form of a approval. "As I said, you don't even need to study."

"That's right," you returned the fake smile, walking over to their desk as San never took his eyes from you. "I'm clever, I would say it's a shame you aren't but in this world you can be as dumb as bat shit and be handed your life on a plate."

The anger in your chest only built more when you saw the boy beside her smirking, taking his smug expression to be one that was simply out to mock you.

Yet it wasn't. He was simply in amusement again, this time he admired you.

"Enjoy your scholarship," you spat sourly, looking between the two of them. "I know who will be happier in life."

With that, you walked away, almost shaking your head at how dramatic you had just been.

Yet no sense of relief came from your words, walking further away from the building before reaching the nearest bus stop.

You let out a scream, passerby's looking at you as though you were crazy. And funnily, you felt like you were.

These last few weeks saw you consumed with work, the idea of making your life better to beat these people who were just simply more fortunate.

You called the world unfair, remaining bitter about the popular kids being given what you wanted. You had never once were jealous of them, why did you start now?

Another scream left your throat, stomping your feet like a child as your hands flew to cover your face. "What is wrong with me?"

"I don't know either," a voice said from behind you, making you slowly draw your hands away. "You should work on managing your anger better."

"Go away," you spat again, disregarding the boys words as you began to walk. You heard the pattering of his shoes from behind you, making you scoff. "I told you, go away."

"You have an attitude," San continued carelessly, smiling to himself slightly at the thought of what had just took place. "That side to you is cool, you know."

"I don't care what you think," you said, turning on your heels to look at him. "Haven't I made that clear?"

"What you do care about is that I was chosen and you weren't," he replied casually, stalling before you as he looked at your face. "Do you hate me that much?"

You paused for a second, scoffing before trying to turn away. "I don't hate you, I don't hate anyone. What I hate is that privilege exists in our school system."

"Okay, and?" He questioned, you turning back no quicker than you just did. "Do something about it."

"And how could I eradicate something that's so heavily embedded?" You almost let out a laugh, the boy sending you the first warm smile you had ever seen on his lips before.

"I don't know how, but I don't doubt that you could do it," San said gently, your face washing over in confusion.

"When did this happen?" You asked with another scoff, a hum leaving his lips as he leaned forward in confusion. "Why are you being so nice? Do you pity me that much?"

"Not at all, actually," he answered honestly, your eyes examining his face as he looked soft for the first time. "You told me to enjoy my scholarship."

You let out a laugh, shaking your head as you looked at him in disbelief. "That wasn't me being nice."

"I know," he nodded slowly, his hands intertwining behind his back. His nervous habit. "It's just that I don't have a scholarship anymore, so - I can't enjoy it."

Disbelief was written across your face, your slightly wide eyes making the boy chuckle. "Why not?"

"Because of you," he shrugged, feeling his palms sweat. "I realised that in all my years of knowing you, I've never seen you react that way about anything in that place."

"Oh," your lips formed a pouty shape, unsure of what else to say. It was fair to say that you were slightly embarrassed at how you once acted.

"When you see someone at their worst, I think it gives you a better understanding of them," San continued, his heart fluttering slightly in his chest when you looked up at him. "I realised something. That seeing you at your worst helped me see not only the real you, but the reality for me too."

You nodded with a slight smile, the embarrassment you once held now felt somewhat useful. "Uh, I'm glad."

"I'm just one of the lucky ones," he shrugged. "And as much as I don't deserve that scholarship, I don't want it."

"Really?" You gawked, shaking your head slightly. "I would have loved the chance..."

"Then I won't be ungrateful," San chuckled, your eyes meeting his again. "But hey, what happened to eradicating the privilege?"

You let out a laugh, one that you were surprised to hear for yourself in response to the words of Choi San. "Will you help me?"

"Huh?" He asked dumbfounded, his eyes widening as he looked at you in confusion. "How?"

"I don't know," you shrugged, sending him a smile. "We'll figure it out."

"You think I'm capable?" San asked, a hand to his chest.

"We'll figure it out," you reiterated jokingly, the boy chuckling as you watched him for a second, a smile spreading on your face too. It felt nice, that was the only way you could describe it. "Deal?"

You held out your hand which he took gladly, sending shivers up his spine as it strangely tingled you too.

"Deal," he nodded contently, feeling your hand slide away from his which only spurred on his moment of madness.

He never let your hand go, pulling you back gently as he leaned down, planting a kiss on your cheek.

He lingered there for a moment, his cheeks flushing and eyes squeezing shut at the realisation of what he had just done.

You remained just in just as much shock as he did, watching as he pulled away, his eyes wide. "Sorry."

"It's okay," you nodded slightly awkwardly, the kiss still lingering on your cheek as your hands remained held. "Why?"

"Huh?" He let out a strange noise, his voice croaking slightly at the end which made you chuckle nervously.

"Why did you kiss me?" You asked shyly, looking at the boy who once angered you at the mere sight or mention of his name.

He wanted to lie, to say he didn't actually know why. But when he remembered the nights he had spent watching your eyes twinkle when you looked down at your books, he realised that he didn't have much to lose.

"I said I realised something," San started, giving you a warm smile. "It wasn't only one thing, though."

You nodded slowly, a smile creeping up on your face. "I see."

"Yeah..." he smiled awkwardly, pursing his lips as his dimples popped out. Things like this you never noticed about him only became clear under this light, and maybe under the new light you saw him in. "You don't live far, right?"

"No," you shook your head, eyes never shifting from his. "You do, though."

"I'll walk you home," he suggested casually, standing for a moment before slowly walking backwards, anticipating you joining him. "Is that okay?"

You took a deep breath, wondering how your world could change within just hours.

The boy before you being one you once loathed for all he had and all he was, but he was the boy who was more than just his fortune. And that, you could appreciate.

Your new partner in changing what once was, was the one you least expected - but that was okay.

Because as Choi San's smile faded when he thought you wouldn't be joining him, a part of you strangely wanted to put that smile back on his face.

"Sure," you nodded, watching as he slowly grinned again. "I'd like that."