Hi! Thanks for starting Perfect 10. I'm really happy you're here. If you ever feel like sharing a thought while you read, don't hesitate to leave a comment. I love reading them more than you'd think. Writing this story and spending time with these characters has been a big part of my life, and getting to share that with you means a lot. I hope Perfect 10 stays with you, even after you close the chapter. -Yohwaink

PERFECT TEN

Volume 1

Prologue

Students were hurrying across the campus paths as their voices mixed with the sound of leaves in the morning breeze. It was the first day of the new semester, so the air felt restless. 

The nearby parking lot stayed completely quiet except for one black sports car. It was sitting alone under the sun, but the stillness outside only made the inside of the vehicle feel more suffocating.

Inside, Kwon Ji-a kept her hands tight in her lap while she stared at her boyfriend. Han Yeonjun was slouching in the driver's seat with his hands on the steering wheel. He refused to look at her, and the silence stretched between them until Ji-a finally spoke.

"I'm sick of you flirting with other people right in front of me."

She flipped her hair back as Yeonjun watched the students outside the window. He was trying his best to calm down.

"I wasn't flirting," he said. "I was just trying to be polite."

When she turned away from him, her words came out loud and harsh.

"You don't have to smile at some random cashier girl."

He exhaled loudly as his shoulders dropped under his white shirt.

"We've been dating for a year, and we keep having this same fight. Why does it keep happening?"

"Maybe because you keep doing the same thing over and over," Ji-a said. She pulled the door open and stepped out before she slammed it shut.

Yeonjun got out of the car a moment later. He usually drew stares with his tall build and blond hair, but today he was just looking completely exhausted. As Ji-a ignored his tired face, they kept walking together. The campus was buzzing around them with people rushing to class.

"Ji-a, please. It's the first day." Yeonjun rubbed his face. "Don't drain me."

When she stopped and turned back to him, tears were already starting to run down her cheeks.

"You're telling me not to drain you? When do you ever say sorry? What is wrong with you?"

He looked away while he thought about leaving. She's crying again. Just because I smiled at someone. How did we end up right back here?

"I didn't do anything," he said. "You're just doing this again. I'm tired, Ji-a."

Ji-a rushed after him and "Seriously?!" she yelled.

Students nearby turned to look at them when she raised her voice.

"You keep saying the same things every time, but you never admit your part," she said. "And now you want me to feel like it's all my fault? I'm the one who's tired, not you!"

Yeonjun stared at the ground. He looked completely done with the conversation.

"If we're both this tired, and if you cry every time something happens, maybe this relationship doesn't mean anything anymore."

As Ji-a grabbed his arm, she pressed her nails into his skin.

"What did you just say?" she asked.

Yeonjun pulled his arm free.

"All we ever do is fight. Maybe we'd both be better off apart."

"So you do want to break up with me?" she asked.

"Stop yelling, Ji-a, fuck! Everyone is watching. Let's talk later."

Ji-a looked around and realized he was right. 

People were stopping to watch them. Some students were holding their phones out, and a few of them laughed and whispered to each other. When a group of girls by the benches covered their mouths, they were clearly trying to hide their giggles.

"Damn, she's really losing it," a guy muttered.

Ji-a never cared what people thought before, but this time was different. 

She slapped Yeonjun across the face. The loud smack echoed through the quiet crowd.

Students gasped. Someone squealed from the back as more phones went up in the air.

Yeonjun lowered his head and stayed quiet.

Ji-a stood her ground. She looked at the cameras and dared the crowd to keep filming because she wanted him to feel embarrassed.

"Who do you think you are?" she asked.

He did not move. He was just waiting for her to finish so he could leave.

—

Two boys were relaxing on the grass under a blooming Maehwa¹ tree a short distance away. They were passing the time by rating people who walked past them.

The punk-looking boy had several facial piercings. He pushed his dark blue hair out of his eyes when he nodded toward a student.

"Ya², look. That one's cute. I'd give him a six."

The other boy had his black hair tied up in a bun. He dressed like a flashy K-pop idol, so he wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"He looks uptight and has no sense of style," he said. "And… I heard he can't even hold a normal conversation. Five."

Seojun laughed.

"His shoulders alone are worth six. But you don't even see that, Ji-hu. Whatever, it's not like we can expect you to notice."

"And what makes you say that, Seojun?"

Kim Seojun and Song Ji-hu were second-year fine arts students, and they had been close friends since their first year. Seojun was two years older and treated Ji-hu like a younger brother. They kept each other close ever since they realized they both liked guys. They were exactly each other's type, but neither of them ever crossed that line.

As Seojun stood up and stretched, his leather jacket slid down his arms and the metal piercings on his face caught the sunlight. He was wearing a black shirt held together with safety pins, and the torn fabric lifted just enough to show his stomach.

"Because if I'm around, no one else gets a ten from you," Seojun said.

Ji-hu rolled his eyes and covered his face.

"Please, hyung³. What if I get a nosebleed or something?"

They were laughing together until a loud slap echoed across the courtyard. The sound shut them up immediately, and they both turned toward the fine arts building.

Ji-hu leaned forward.

"Yaa... Is there a fight happening over there?" he asked.

Seojun looked at the scene and stopped talking.

He saw the blond boy standing there with his head down while a heavy tension surrounded him. Something about the way the guy stood pulled at Seojun.

"Ya, Ji-hu. Do you know who that guy is?" Seojun asked.

Ji-hu watched the couple as he tried to remember.

"He's a second-year architecture student with way too much money. The girl always yells at him. They fight nonstop like a live K-drama, and they don't care who watches. It's been like this since last year."

Seojun kept his eyes on the blond boy.

"You know his name?"

"I can't think of it right now," Ji-hu said. Then he looked at Seojun and laughed. "Yaa, seriously? That guy? He looks like he hasn't smiled once in his entire life. He walks around like he carries the world on his shoulders and he's almost the same size as you, too. Are you sure that's really your type?"

When Seojun turned back to Ji-hu, he looked completely serious.

"You wanna die?⁴ Don't talk shit about my future husband."

And he didn't wait for an answer. 

Seojun started walking right into the middle of the scene.

The show wasn't over. It was just starting.

—

¹ Maehwa (매화) A type of East Asian plum tree that blossoms in early spring. Its delicate white or pale pink flowers are often associated with renewal and quiet strength in Korean culture.

² Ya/Yah (야) A casual Korean interjection used to call out to someone, often between close friends. Depending on tone, it can express annoyance, surprise, or get someone's attention. Not rude in informal settings, but inappropriate when used toward elders or strangers.

³ Hyung (형) Korean word meaning "older brother" or a way for a younger man to address an older male friend. It shows respect and closeness.

⁴ (죽을래) An extremely common Korean expression used to show frustration or anger. It literally translates to "Do you want to die?" but functions more like a sharp warning to cut it out, similar to asking if someone has a death wish.