Seungmin's POV... 

Three essays. Three? How did I get three behind? And two lectures?? 

My eyes unfocused, and I was no longer reading the literature in my hands. I sighed and leaned my head back against the aisle of books behind me as my mind spiraled into the depths of stress. 

I had always been on top of my classes, considered the smart kid, the one who always reminded the teacher to collect homework, the know-it-all. Everybody disliked me for it, but I didn't and still don't care. All I cared about was getting good grades, preferably the best. 

Grades were all I had, but even that was taken away. 

By 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 

I rolled my eyes just at the thought, closing the book in my lap and admitting that I wouldn't actually be reading it any time soon, now that my thoughts had already started down the rabbit hole of frustration. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 frustrated me.

She had taken my place at the top of the class so easily when she came. She studied almost as hard as I did, but she was nothing like me. She was so light and carefree, she didn't worry about schoolwork, it seemed as if she didn't even have to try. She was just naturally pretty and amazing and good at everything... 

Was... Was I jealous? 

I tilted my head to think and gazed out into the distance, staring at a dark book on the opposite shelf. 

No, how could I be jealous of someone so... 𝘰𝘣𝘯𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴?

It was her fault that I was behind. Everytime I tried to carry out my consistent schedule of studying at the library since she came, she would burst in with her rowdy friends and disrupt me. The librarian would side-eye her with a raised brow in warning, and she would split off from her friends to study at the desk near the window. 

But even then, when they all finally quieted and she sat down and pulled out her books, I still couldn't focus. 

I covered my face with my hands, tangling my fingers in my hair as I gritted my teeth. 

God, just because she 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 I couldn't focus. What was wrong with me?? 

The now familiar noise of the library doors being thrown open rattled me from my thoughts. I looked up to see Y/N burst in with her friends, her laughter immediately filling the room, her smile taking over my mind. She was, as always, the center of attention, standing between her two classmates as they entered. 

I sighed, leaning my head back again in defeat. "Well, speak of the devil..."

Y/N caught my eye as she walked by the aisle I was sitting in and waved politely. That was new. 

I narrowed my eyes at her, watching her with suspicion, hesitating to wave back. 

Smiling at me, she continued on her way to her designated desk by the window, slinging her backpack off her shoulder as she sat down. My breath seemed to catch at her smile, and my heart almost skipped a beat. But I swallowed down the lump in my throat and shrugged off the weird feeling. 

Watching her for a moment, her hair shining golden under the rays of sun pouring down from the window beside her, I made a decision. 

They say 'If you can't beat them, join them'. 

And today was the day. 

Standing up from my seat on the floor in the history aisle and approaching her desk, I pulled out the chair opposite her. Thankfully, it didn't make a sound due to the plush carpet under us. I hated when chairs screeched. 

Y/N glanced up at me as I sat down. "Hi, Seungmin."

"You know my name?" I questioned. She nodded, lifting her eyes from her books to meet mine. 

"Of course," A chuckle tumbled from her lips, and her eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Was my heart playing hopscotch today? "You're one of the smartest students here."

I thought about her words carefully as she smiled again at me, and I felt my cheeks heating. It was definitely flattering that she thought so highly of me, but I couldn't bask in her compliments. Being "one of" the smartest students here wasn't enough, and she was my rival.

I learned forward on the desk, keeping a blank face despite the new emotions I was feeling — a rising giddiness mixed with a mindset of competiveness.  "That's what I want to talk about."

"Hmm?" Y/N arched a brow, curious and ready to listen. One of her redeeming qualities, despite how annoying she was, was that she always seemed genuinely interested and ready to take in everything you wanted to say. I didn't realize how comfortable I felt talking to her until I had to consciously remind myself that I disliked her.

"You stole my place at the top of the class," I explained, sitting back and crossing my arms. "Tell me how you did it. I want studying tips, I want your regimen; I'll take notes if I have to." I tapped a finger on the table to emphasize my words. Y/N's eyes darted up to meet mine, then to stare at my fingers, then back up to my face.

A moment of quiet lingered between us before it was suddenly broken by a burst of her laughter.

I smiled, but not completely without reason. Although I was confused as to what exactly she found funny, her whimsical laughter was subconsciously charming me.

"You...You, Kim Seungmin, want studying tips from me??" Y/N pointed at me, then back to herself. I nodded slowly, a slight grin still etched onto my lips.

She laughed again, and I scoffed, not seeing what was so funny. Then again, she did have a questionable sense of humor, but I wasn't complaining — I liked hearing her laugh whether something was actually humorous or not.

Wiping an imaginary tear from her eye, she sighed, "That's a great joke. You're, like, the most amazing, smart and hardworking student here — I'm definitely not qualified to give you studying tips."

I shook my head to contradict her firmly. "You usurped my position at the top of the—"

"Usurped?" Y/N interrupted me to snicker. "Who uses that word anymore, that's so 1700s."

Rolling my eyes, I rephrased, "You stole my position at the top of the class. Better?" I spat with annoyance.

She nodded, holding up an okay sign. "Perfect vocab, however, that's false. I didn't steal your title." She shrugged carelessly, which made my blood boil. "You just kinda... gave it to me."

I had to consciously loosen my jaw and exhale the frustration in an attempt to remain cool-headed. "It was in no way my intention to just concede my position to you so easily—"

"Here we go with the Victorian Era lingo," Y/N sighed, rolling her eyes.

Catching myself before I slammed my fist on the desk, I took another deep breath. Why, how was she being so frustrating?? She wasn't even trying, but she did something to me. It made my heart race and my mind swirl — from anger or something else, I couldn't tell.

"Just tell me what you're doing," I hissed through my teeth, my eyes shut tightly as I struggled to keep my voice even.

A beat passed between us, and I looked up to see her leaning back in her chair, arms crossed and deep eyes watching me with amusement. "You wanna know how I prep for studying?" She mused with a smirk.

I nodded.

Suddenly standing up, Y/N grabbed my wrist and dragged me to stand up with her. Before I could get my feet under me, she was towing me across the library and towards the double-door exit. I almost yelped at her spontaneous movements, and because I almost tripped as she dragged me behind her, but the librarian gave us a look, and I stayed quiet.

"Where are you taking me??" I whispered at her, my voice low enough to not disturb the other students. But we quickly left the library, and she spoke in a normal tone with a giggle dancing on her breath. "To one of my favorite places."

As she continued to drag me off campus, I stumbled behind her, being towed with a firm grip on my hand. It was only then that I realized she was actually holding my hand — our fingers interlaced and our palms together.

My face heated again as I stared at the connection of our hands, but before long she let go, running ahead of me.

Shaking myself out of the daze induced by our skin contact, I looked around and noticed that she had brought me to a park. It was just off campus, in fact, it was so close to the University that the library we had come from was still towering in the distance.

Y/N cheerfully patted a patch of ground beside her as she sat under a blossoming cherry tree, and I hesitantly approached to sit next to her. She watched me with an inviting smile as I sat down.

"Beautiful, right?" She prompted. I took another look around the vibrant park and nodded in agreement.

 Although we were alone, the park didn't feel empty. Tall, blossoming trees lined the perimeters of the landscape, and a field sprinkled with colorful flowers lay before us, the perfect view for such a sunny, clear-skied day. 

Glancing up at the expanse of blue above us, there were no clouds in sight, and warm, golden rays caressed Y/N's face as she lay down beside me, crossing her arms behind her head.

She stared up at the sky as well, before heaving a contented sigh. "I come here when I'm worried or stressed, and it helps melt everything away."

I listened closely and nodded — I saw what she meant. 

Lately, I had been so caught up in studying, so infatuated with how to regain my place at the top of the class, that I had forgotten what was around me. Taking a deep breath and inhaling in the crisp scents of spring air and flowers, I admitted that I was grateful to Y/N for reminding me how healing nature could be.

"This place makes me think of you," Y/N suddenly blurted out, and I turned to stare at her, her own gaze still focused on the sky.

"Wh-What?" I stuttered, taken aback. She smiled slightly, tearing her eyes from the sky to meet mine.

"I used to like  you, and I came here a lot back then." She revealed it so calmly and nonchalantly that I coughed, choking on my spit as I was caught off guard.

My cheeks started to heat again, and my heartbeat sped up. "You... used to like me?"

She nodded. "I thought you were smart, and funny and cute." She giggled, reminiscing a past feeling. "I liked that you were persistent and ambitious, too."

I felt my whole body heating as my ears reddened. Trying to comprehend that she used to like me, I suddenly realized her choice of words, and my heart unexpectedly fell with my spirits.

"You 'used' to like me?" I turned to look at her with furrowed brows as she lay on her back next to me. Why was I suddenly feeling sad? Did I want her to still like me?

Was it because I liked her, too?

Y/N nodded shamelessly, and a lump formed in my throat. 

"I used to like you. But now I have a crush on you," She continued, and I swear my heart skipped multiple beats.

Whipping around to look down at her again, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight with courage, my mouth dropped open. "You do?"

She nodded again with a laugh at my reaction as a soft, pink petal drifted down from the tree above us and settled on her cheek.

Both of us eyed the petal with surprise for a moment before I chuckled and leaned over her to take it off. My fingers brushed her cheek, now dusted with blush, and her sparkling eyes watched my slow movements.

I eventually forgot about the petal as I gazed back into her eyes. "You're pretty."

She blinked at me, and it was her turn to be shocked by my sudden statement. "What?"

Leaning closer and brushing my hand against her cheek again, I repeated softly, "You're beautiful. And kind, and outgoing, and gentle, and brave. And you were smart enough to overtake me in all of our classes."

I paused for a moment, carefully searching my feelings to confirm my next words. I spoke as soon as I knew that my heart agreed. "No wonder I like you."

With wide eyes, she tried to process what I had said. Apparently when she suddenly confessed to me, she didn't expect me to reciprocate her feelings. But I did — after months of my heart fluttering and my mind spinning every time I was near her, I finally knew what that feeling was.

I lowered my face to meet hers, our lips joining and moulding together like a puzzle that was meant to be. She tilted her head to lock our mouths together, and my stomach fluttered again. The warmth of her lips on mine was never a feeling I thought I would want or enjoy, but after this, I knew that I would crave it from now on.

My heart was playing hopscotch again, and our lips separated too soon as we both drew back to catch our breath.

Smiling up at me, Y/N reached up to run a hand through my hair, her face red. "Seungmin, I didn't know you liked me," She said, a content grin slowly twisting the lips I had just kissed.

"Ever since you stole my title as the smartest student on campus," I scowled, pretending to be mad as I narrowed my eyes at her.

Laughing again, she teased, "You'll just have to take it back from me, then!"

"Oh, I will," I promised, my upset facade breaking, and I dipped my head to kiss her cheek. "I'll take what's mine."

"Good luck with that," She rolled her eyes. "I'm too smart for you."

"No, I should wear the smarty pants in this relationship," I insisted, gesturing to myself with a responsible air. "It's only right."

Arching a brow in question, she repeated, "This relationship?"

I nodded to confirm. "Y/N, will you date me?"

With another smile, the petals of the cherry tree falling like snow around us, she agreed. "Yes, I will—" She squinted at me, pointing a finger in my face. "If only to distract you from taking my newly-won title."

I playfully slapped her hand away and retorted, "Ha, good luck with that. The title of Smartest Kid on Campus is mine."

She scoffed, sitting up to stare at me with feigned incredulity. "Oh, you're on."

I playfully drew a finger across my neck with a slow, deliberate movement to show that she was going down as I held intense eye contact with her.

"You're on."