Baek Eun-Woo stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

Should he comfort her?

Or would that only embarrass her even more?

For the first time in a long while, the usually composed class president found himself at a complete loss.

"...Um..."

He hesitated before speaking.

"It's okay."

His voice was as gentle as ever.

"I... saw what happened on the school's social page."

Sa-Rang froze.

Her already red face somehow became even redder.

Of all the people...

Why did it have to be him?

Out of everyone in the school, one of her crushes had witnessed the most humiliating day of her life.

"W-Wait... I..."

She lowered her head, unable to meet his eyes.

"I'm... I'm sorry."

"For bumping into you."

"And..."

She bit her lip.

"...for crying all over you."

Her voice became quieter with every word until it was barely audible.

Eun-Woo blinked before letting out a small laugh.

"It happens."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a neatly folded packet of tissues.

"Here."

Sa-Rang accepted it with both hands.

"T-Thank you..."

As she wiped away the remaining tears, she cautiously looked up.

Their eyes met.

Eun-Woo smiled.

It wasn't a dazzling smile.

Nor was it the kind that made people's hearts race because it was perfect.

It was simply...

Warm.

Gentle.

The sort of smile that quietly told someone everything would be okay.

Sa-Rang's heartbeat skipped.

*He's... really kind.*

She quickly looked away before her face became even hotter.

*How can someone smile so gently...?*

Seeing her avoid his gaze, Eun-Woo assumed she was still embarrassed about crying in front of him.

He decided not to bring it up again.

Instead, he sat down on the nearby bench.

After hesitating for a moment, Sa-Rang quietly sat beside him.

The silence between them wasn't awkward.

It was strangely comfortable.

They talked about ordinary things.

School.

Teachers.

Upcoming exams.

The cafeteria's terrible lunch.

For the first time that day, Sa-Rang found herself smiling.

Eventually, the conversation drifted toward grades.

She tilted her head.

"I've always wondered..."

"How do you keep your grades so high?"

"I hear a lot of students say their parents pressure them into studying all the time."

Eun-Woo smiled helplessly.

"I guess I'm a little different."

"My parents have never forced me to study."

"They're actually the ones telling me to take breaks."

Sa-Rang blinked.

"Really?"

He nodded.

"I study because I want to."

He rested his chin on one hand, looking up at the sky.

"And because I'm competitive and spiteful."

She couldn't help laughing.

"You?"

"The class president?"

"The nicest person in school?"

"You... competitive and spiteful?"

He chuckled.

"I know. It doesn't seem like it."

"But ever since middle school, there was someone who was always one step ahead of me."

"No matter how hard I studied..."

"I always came second."

His smile turned into one of quiet determination.

"I hated losing."

"So I kept trying."

"And somewhere along the way..."

"We became rivals."

Sa-Rang listened curiously.

"So... you two don't get along?"

"Hm?"

He laughed.

"Actually, we get along pretty well."

"We're rivals in class."

"But outside of class..."

"He's one of my closest friends."

"We still compete over every exam."

"Whoever loses usually ends up buying lunch."

Sa-Rang stared at him in disbelief.

"...Wait."

"You?"

She pointed at him dramatically.

"You actually have a rival?"

Eun-Woo looked at her for a second before laughing.

A genuine laugh this time.

"So that's the part you focused on?"

Sa-Rang scratched her cheek sheepishly.

"I mean..."

"You just don't look like the type."

"I thought everyone liked you."

His laughter grew a little louder.

For the first time that afternoon...

The heavy atmosphere surrounding them finally began to fade.