Eyes on the new boys

The morning air clung to their blazers as Jisoo and Minjun stepped past the worn iron gates of Hwayang High, where the old stone walls had soaked in generations of teenage secrets. The cherry blossoms, already pale with the season's fading chill, rustled overhead as if murmuring about the newcomers. Minjun glanced up with a curious half-smile. "Looks kind of... nostalgic, doesn't it?" Jisoo didn't answer. His eyes were locked on the main building, three stories of glass and brick, standing like a quiet judge waiting to evaluate him. His grip on the strap of his backpack tightened. Their presence was immediately felt. Students in navy uniforms whispered in small huddles, stealing glances as the twins passed. It wasn't just that they were new. It was the symmetry of their faces, the unsettling way Jisoo's unreadable gaze mirrored Minjun's gentle one, like the same painting lit from opposite sides. "Class 2-3," Minjun murmured as they reached the hallway. His tone was light, but he caught a flicker in Jisoo's reflection in the window, tension held back like breath in cold air.  

 On the third floor, Haerin and her best friend Nana watched the twins walk past the courtyard below, their steps in sync like a mirror reflection. "They look like copy-paste," Nana whispered, leaning slightly over the railing. "But the one on the left? His eyes... kind of scary." Haerin tilted her head, studying both. "They're twins, but not equal. The smiling one... his energy feels different. Warmer." "Yeah," Nana said, squinting. "The intense one? Definitely has secret villain vibes." Haerin gave a quiet laugh. "Or he's just misunderstood." "You always say that," Nana smirked. "Bet one of them ends up in love with you by midterms." Haerin didn't respond immediately. Her gaze lingered on Jisoo, the serious one, whose stare hadn't wavered since stepping onto the school grounds.

  The classroom buzzed with the soft hum of new beginnings. Chalk scratched against the board, papers shuffled, and yet Nana's voice sliced through the background like it had its own spotlight. "I swear, the serious one... ? He looks like he walked out of a drama," Nana whispered loudly, leaning closer to Haerin. "But the cute one... that smile? He could totally be in a skincare ad." "Nana," Haerin hissed, eyes darting forward. "They can probably hear you." "Oh come on," she grinned. "I'm just admiring. You can't blame me... look at them. Matching jawlines? Dreamy eyes? It's genetic injustice." Minjun shifted. Haerin froze. Nana stopped mid-whisper as Minjun turned around, slow and calm, his gaze soft but unmistakably direct. His eyes met Haerin's first. "Is class distracting?" Nana bit her lip, caught between embarrassment and delight. Haerin blinked. "A little," she said, almost inaudibly. Minjun's smile was quiet, barely there. "Sorry about that," he said, and turned back around. Nana let out a strangled squeal. "Did you hear that? Apologized like a gentleman," she whispered. "You're done for." Haerin stared at the back of his head. Maybe she was.

 The teacher glanced down at the attendance sheet, then looked up, voice projecting gently above the quiet hum of classroom chatter. "We have two new students joining us today. Why don't you both introduce yourselves?" Minjun stood first, with an effortless smile. His blazer hung comfortably off one shoulder, and he tucked his hands casually into his pockets before turning to face the class. "Hey," he said, voice light. "I'm Minjun. I just transferred here with my brother. I like soccer, good food, and I'm pretty decent at math... when I try." A few giggles bubbled through the room. Nana's jaw practically unhinged. "He has a voice like honey," she whispered dramatically to Haerin. "No. Syrup. Like sweet maple syrup on a cold morning." Haerin gave her a sharp nudge. Then Jisoo stood. He didn't smile. Dark eyes scanning the room, he gave a short nod and said simply, "Jisoo." No hobbies. No charm. Just his name, cut clean from the air. Silence held for one second. Then the classroom broke. A wave of excited whispers, gasps, and spontaneous applause spread like wildfire, especially among the girls. "That's him," one whispered. "The hot one." "He's so hot and mysterious," another sighed. Minjun sat back down, his smile more sheepish now. Jisoo remained upright for a moment longer, eyes focused ahead, untouched by the noise. Then he sat, gaze blank and posture rigid. Behind them, Nana was clutching Haerin's sleeve with both hands. "I can't take this. We are not surviving this semester." Haerin watched the back of Jisoo's head. She wasn't sure she wanted to.

 Toward the back of the classroom, where sunlight pooled lazily across glossy shoes and pristine blazers, Sooyeon, known across campus as the perfect storm of beauty and brilliance, twirled her pen between her fingers like it was part of her charm ritual. Her long ash-brown hair glinted with subtle copper in the light, and her reputation practically walked ahead of her. She leaned slightly toward her sidekick, Mijin, who'd been scribbling stars in the corner of her notebook while sneakily scanning the new twins. "I like the intense one," Sooyeon whispered, lips barely moving. "That stare? Definitely my type." Mijin blinked, then nodded with urgent devotion. "He looks like he never smiles. So elite." Sooyeon smirked, propping her chin on her hand. "He won't be easy. Which makes it interesting." 

 From across the classroom, she twirled her pen and narrowed her eyes toward the seats behind the twins, where Haerin and Nana sat giggling under their breath. "Look at them," she said, voice dipped in velvet disdain. "Silly girls. I don't know how they ended up in this school." Mijin leaned closer, lips curling into a smirk. "Classless," she whispered with a dry laugh, loud enough for the remark to echo but subtle enough to feign innocence. Sooyeon didn't blink. "Let's see how long they last." Nana, oblivious, poked Haerin's arm again and whispered something about Minjun's shoulders being broad enough to block out the sun. But Haerin's gaze lingered on Sooyeon, noticing the way her mouth moved and her expression tightened. She didn't say anything.

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