Daesu never really cared much for archery. Bows, arrows, aiming—it was all a little too serious for him. But Hari was competing today, and that was enough reason for him to show up after ditching school.

And, of course, he had to come along with Woojin, which made it all the more fun.

The two of them sat in the audience, watching as the competitors took turns. Daesu leaned back in his seat, arms crossed behind his head, a smug grin tugging at his lips as he glanced at Woojin.

“She looks cool, doesn’t she?” Daesu mused, nodding toward the archery range where Hari was adjusting her stance.

Woojin didn’t even look at him. “Shut up.”

Daesu chuckled. “What? I’m just saying. Look at her—so graceful, so focused. My heart can barely take it.”

Woojin’s jaw twitched. “I swear, if you don’t—”

“Oh no, she’s drawing the bow now.” Daesu clutched his chest dramatically. “It’s like watching a goddess at work.”

That was it.

Woojin smacked the back of Daesu’s head, making him nearly choke on his own laughter. “Ow! Dude, that hurt!”

“Good,” Woojin muttered, crossing his arms. “Maybe next time, you’ll think before opening your mouth.”

Daesu rubbed his head, but the grin never left his face. Teasing Woojin about his love for Hari was one of life’s greatest joys. The guy was so overprotective, it was hilarious.

As if to prove Daesu’s point, Woojin was watching the competition with sharp eyes, analyzing every move Hari made. She was up against some tough competitors today, and though she looked calm, Woojin could tell she was feeling the pressure.

“She’s gonna win,” Woojin muttered.

Daesu smirked. “Obviously. There’s no way my future wife would—”

Smack.

“OW! AGAIN?!” Daesu yelped, dodging the second hit just in time. “Man, your hands are fast.”

“So is my fist,” Woojin deadpanned.

Daesu snickered but quieted down as Hari stepped up for her turn. The stadium fell silent. Hari raised her bow, her expression unreadable as she took aim.

A beat.

A sharp exhale.

And then—THWACK.

The arrow hit the target dead center.

The crowd erupted into cheers, and Daesu was on his feet instantly, clapping as loudly as he could. “THAT’S MY GIRL—”

Woojin grabbed the back of his hoodie and yanked him down before he could finish. “Sit. Down.”

Daesu coughed, patting his chest dramatically. “Wow, such violence. Is this jealousy I sense?”

Woojin rolled his eyes but said nothing. Hari had another round to go, and both of them were watching intently.

By the time the competition was over, Hari had secured second place—not what she wanted, but still impressive given the competition. As she walked over to them, Daesu was the first to jump up.

“Hari!” He grinned. “You were amazing out there.”

She sighed, wiping sweat off her forehead. “Thanks. But I could’ve done better.”

“Better? Pfft. That was already perfection.” Daesu gave her a dramatic thumbs-up. “If it were up to me, you’d have won first place just for looking cool.”

Hari rolled her eyes but smiled. “Thanks, Daesu.”

Woojin, however, narrowed his eyes. “Don’t encourage him.”

Daesu threw an arm around Woojin’s shoulder. “C’mon, man. I’m just appreciating talent.”

Woojin shoved him off immediately. “Hands off.”

Daesu laughed, but before he could say something else, Hari turned to Woojin. “Did you record my rounds?”

Woojin nodded, handing over his phone. “Yeah. We’ll review it later.”

Daesu gasped. “Whoa, where’s my personal replay? Shouldn’t my opinion matter too?”

Hari shot him a look. “No.”

Woojin smirked. “See? She knows.”

Daesu held a hand over his heart, pretending to be wounded. “Betrayed by my own love. This is tragic.”

Woojin raised a fist, and Daesu immediately took a step back. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop.”

Hari just shook her head, amused. “You two never change.”

And Daesu wouldn’t have it any other way.

---

The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a warm glow over the quiet streets as Cheongsan and Onjo strolled side by side. The two had successfully ditched school—a rare act of rebellion that neither of them was entirely used to, but today felt special.

Onjo stretched her arms above her head, letting out a satisfied sigh. “Ahh, this feels so much better than sitting in class.”

Cheongsan smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Told you. Sometimes you just gotta break the rules a little.”

She shot him a playful look. “Oh, so now you’re a bad boy?”

He shrugged. “I wouldn’t say that, but if skipping school means I get to hang out with you, I don’t mind.”

Onjo rolled her eyes but felt her cheeks warm a little.

They ended up at a quiet little café, far enough from school that they wouldn’t run into any teachers or nosy classmates. Cheongsan ordered an iced coffee while Onjo got something sweeter. They grabbed a table by the window, watching people pass by as they sipped their drinks.

Onjo tapped her straw against the rim of her cup. “You think we’ll get caught?”

Cheongsan leaned back, completely unfazed. “Probably. But we’ll deal with that later.”

She scoffed. “Easy for you to say. My dad will kill me.”

“Then I’ll take the blame.”

Onjo blinked at him. “Huh?”

He shrugged, stirring his coffee. “If we get caught, just say it was my idea. I can handle a little scolding.”

She stared at him for a second before smiling. “You’re so dumb.”

“And yet, you’re here with me.”

Onjo shook her head, laughing. She had to admit—it was fun. The thrill of skipping school, the way Cheongsan always made her laugh, the little moments where he looked at her like she was the only person in the world.

She got on her tiptoe and gave him a little kiss.

The day wasn’t over yet, and she already knew it was one she wouldn’t forget.

---

Gyeongsu adjusted the strap of his tennis bag as he walked, his steps light but purposeful. The court wasn’t far, but his usual shortcut took him past "Residents Only"—the upscale neighborhood where people like Nayeon lived.

He never liked passing through here. Not because he felt out of place, but because he always ran the risk of running into her.

And, of course, today was his unlucky day.

“Wow, look who we have here.”

Gyeongsu didn’t even need to turn around to know that voice.

Nayeon.

He sighed and kept walking, pretending not to hear. But Nayeon was never one to let things slide.

“Shouldn’t you be, like, outside the gates, Welfie?” she called out, her tone dripping with amusement. “This area isn’t exactly… for people like you.”

Gyeongsu gritted his teeth. He stopped, turning just slightly to glance at her. She stood near the entrance of her house, arms crossed, her expensive bag hanging off one shoulder. She looked as smug as ever.

“Relax,” he said flatly. “I’m just passing by.”

Nayeon tilted her head, feigning innocence. “Oh, I’m not stopping you. Just wondering how it feels, y’know… walking past a place you’ll never belong to.”

Gyeongsu clenched his jaw. He knew she was trying to get a reaction out of him. She always did. And yet, no matter how much he tried to ignore her, it still got under his skin.

“Must be sad,” she continued with a fake pout. “Knowing you’ll never have a place like this. Never be able to afford—”

“Do you ever shut up?” Gyeongsu cut in, his patience running thin.

Nayeon blinked, caught off guard for a second before scoffing. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” He adjusted his grip on his bag and took a step forward, now facing her fully. “For someone who claims not to care about me, you sure spend a lot of time talking to me.”

Nayeon opened her mouth, then closed it. She frowned, but there was something unreadable in her eyes for a split second before she rolled them.

“Tch. Whatever,” she muttered, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Just don’t ruin the view around here.”

Gyeongsu smirked slightly, shaking his head as he turned away. “Yeah, yeah. See you later, princess.”

And he didn't have to turn around to know that she was scowling.