Kang Woo Young

She walked along the rusty fence that separated their schools. Wildflowers clung to the skirt of her uniform. She didn't turn around. But she could feel him with her back—he was there. Standing, leaning against the fence. He didn't call out. He just looked.

Woo Yeon saw her every day after school. Jaemin, her cousin, always hissed:

• Forget it. She's off limits.

But Woo Yeon couldn't take it anymore. Her laughter, her head thrown back, the sun in her hair—it shattered his cold mask faster than any blow.

Today she dropped a hairpin. She bent over. He didn't move. Only his fingers tightened on his backpack.

Then she caught up with him. For a second. Their eyes met. Woo-yeon didn't smile. Instead, he slowly ran his tongue over his lip—there was an old scar there. And the gesture spoke louder than words.

Her cheeks flushed. She quickened her pace.

And he stayed. Hands in his pockets. The wind ruffled his short hair. Jemin cursed next to him:

• You're crazy. She's not for you.

Woo Yeon didn't answer. He simply watched until the gray skirt disappeared around the corner.

That night, for the first time, he didn't fight. He sat on the dorm windowsill. He held that very hairpin in his fingers—he'd picked it up unnoticed when she'd left. He twirled it in the lantern light.

They threatened to expel him. But no one knew that the hardest blow this guy received was every time she passed by without even turning around.

The next morning, he was waiting by the fence. Earlier than usual. He had a black eye—he'd gotten into a fight yesterday, after all. But when her figure appeared, Woo-Yeon straightened up. He didn't say hello. He simply stepped forward, blocking her way.

She froze.

He silently held out the hairpin. Without looking her in the eye. His palm trembled—for the first time in his life. When she took it, her fingers paused for a second.

"Lost," he breathed out. One word.

And he left without looking back. But for the entire next lesson, he didn't hear the teacher—only the beating of his own heart, which she had broken even before she learned his name.