Thorns and Petals

Eve’s classroom smelled faintly of chalk and instant noodles. The seats were arranged in perfect rows, and the chatter among students never seemed to stop. Whispers followed her as she stepped inside—some curious, some dismissive, all of them unsettling.

“Is she the transfer?”

“She looks like a teacher’s pet.”

“Why does she wear her skirt that long?”

Eve kept her gaze low and moved to the only empty seat near the window. It was always the quietest spot—far from the chaos, close to the sky. She placed her bag down, carefully smoothing her skirt as she sat. She didn’t mind being unnoticed. It was safer that way.

Then, the classroom door swung open with a bang.

Han Jin strolled in, not even trying to be on time. His blazer was still off. His shoes made a lazy thud as he walked down the aisle, ignoring the teacher's narrowed eyes. Girls straightened their posture. Some boys rolled their eyes. He didn’t care.

He walked straight toward the back—toward her.

Eve froze.

No way.

He dropped into the seat right behind her, stretched out his legs like he owned the space. She could feel the weight of his stare on the back of her neck.

Of all the empty desks…

“Rabbit,” he said, low enough for only her to hear. “Try not to be so tense. You’ll give yourself a neck spasm.”

She turned slightly, her eyes wide. “Can you not call me that?”

Han Jin leaned forward, elbow on the desk. “Why? It suits you.”

“I have a name.”

He smirked. “Yeah, Eve. Like the girl who ate the forbidden fruit, right?”

She turned away, cheeks burning.

Why was he like this?

---

The first class was math. Mr. Kwon droned on about variables, but Eve struggled to focus. She had always liked math—its rules, its logic—but her mind kept drifting backward. To Han Jin. To the way his voice curled around her name. He was unpredictable, and that scared her.

During a break, a girl with fiery red highlights leaned over Eve’s desk.

“Don’t get too cosy with Han Jin,” she said flatly. “He doesn’t do sweet. And he breaks things.”

Eve blinked. “I wasn’t—”

“Whatever.” The girl flipped her hair and walked away, but the warning clung to Eve like cold air.

---

By lunchtime, she found the library and curled up in a corner between bookshelves. It was quiet there. Safe. She read for a while, slowly calming down—until someone dropped a juice box on the table in front of her.

She looked up.

Han Jin.

“Lunch,” he said simply.

“I didn’t ask—”

“You looked like you forgot to eat.”

Eve frowned. “Are you always this… weird?”

He shrugged. “Only when I’m bored.”

She stared at the orange juice, unsure whether to thank him or throw it back.

He sat across from her, resting his chin on one hand, watching her with unreadable eyes.

“You’re different,” he said finally.

“That’s not a compliment, is it?”

He gave her a half-smile. “It’s just true.”