Chapter 1

A Sunny Day at Daein High

Kim Eun-ji and Baek Eun-woo had been inseparable once.

As children, they were the duo everyone envied—their laughter echoed through the playgrounds, and their adventures knew no bounds. But somewhere along the way, things changed.

Now, they stood on opposite sides of the battlefield—or rather, the top of their high school’s leaderboard.

Valedictorian, student council, athletics, competitions—everything was a fight.

If Eun-ji got first place in exams, Eun-woo would beat her next time.

If Eun-woo won a debate competition, Eun-ji would crush him in the next tournament.

They were like fire and ice, always clashing, always pushing each other.

"You cheated, didn’t you?" Eun-ji glared at him, arms crossed as she stared at the test results pinned on the board.

Baek Eun-woo smirked, lazily leaning against the wall. "What, just because I scored higher than you? Face it, Eun-ji. I’m just better."*

Her eyes flashed with determination. "Enjoy it while you can, because next time, I’ll wipe that smug look off your face."*

Eun-woo chuckled. "I’d like to see you try, princess."*

And just like that—their war continued.

Their school announced a national competition—one that would not only determine the best student in the country but also give the winner a guaranteed scholarship to Korea’s top university.

The problem?

It was a team competition.

And guess who got paired together?

"No." Eun-ji shook her head. "Absolutely not."*

Eun-woo groaned, running a hand through his hair. "You think I want this? But if we back out, we lose our spot. And I refuse to let some other school win."*

They glared at each other.

A moment of tense silence.

Then—Eun-ji sighed. "Fine. Let’s just get this over with."*

Eun-woo smirked. "Try to keep up, Kim Eun-ji."*

She rolled her eyes. "You wish, Baek Eun-woo."*

As they spent more time together, something shifted.

They still argued. Still competed. Still got on each other’s nerves.

But there were moments—small, fleeting moments—that made Eun-ji pause.

Like when she caught Eun-woo studying late at night, exhaustion written on his face, and realized—he wasn’t just naturally perfect. He worked for it.

Or when Eun-woo saw Eun-ji helping a struggling junior, her usually sharp demeanor softening into something kind, patient.

She wasn’t just some cold-hearted rival.

She cared.

"You know, you're not as annoying as I thought," Eun-woo muttered one night as they studied together.

Eun-ji blinked. "Is that… a compliment?"

He smirked. "Don’t let it go to your head."*

She scoffed. "Too late."*

And just like that—the walls began to crack.

The night before the final round of the competition, they sat under the stars, exhausted from practice.

Eun-woo turned to her. "Do you ever wonder what it would’ve been like if we never stopped being friends?"

Eun-ji hesitated. "I think about it sometimes."*

Silence stretched between them.

Eun-woo took a deep breath. "Maybe… after this, we don’t have to be enemies anymore."*

Her heart skipped a beat.

But before she could reply—her phone buzzed.

It was a reminder about the competition.

Reality crashed back.

She forced a small smile. "We should sleep. Big day tomorrow."*

Eun-woo looked at her for a long moment before nodding. "Yeah. Big day."*

And just like that—the moment was gone.

They won the competition.

Together.

As they stood on the stage, the crowd cheering, medals around their necks—Eun-ji turned to Eun-woo.

And in his eyes, she saw it—the same emotions swirling inside her.

Not rivalry. Not competition.

but something more.

Eunji:

Eun woo!? Cha Eun woo!?

Ah, here you are! Are you deaf or Something? Can't hear me? Ugh I hate you.

Eunwoo:

so do I, eunji.

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