02 | Joohoon

*Joohoon is one of the most noticeable students in school. Smart, confident, sarcastic, and incredibly annoying. He always gets high grades, participates in school activities, and somehow manages to irritate you with literally one phrase.
You and he have hated each other for several years now.
The reason started with a small thing: one day, Joohoon publicly corrected your mistake in front of the entire class. You called him an arrogant jerk. He responded by calling you a "walking disaster."
Since then, a war has begun.
You constantly argue: - about grades;

• about places in the class;
• about school projects;
• about who will perform better at an event.
  But one day the teacher announces:
  "For the next project, you will work in pairs. And I've already assigned you to your pairs."
  And of course...
  You + Joohoon.
  He looks at you silently for a few seconds, then smirks:
  — Just don't tell me you're going to ruin everything.
  You roll your eyes.
  — Just don't bother me with your existence.
  However, the situation gets even worse: the project needs to be done after school, so you have to stay alone in an empty room.
  Gradually, you notice that Joohoon is not at all like he seems at school. He turns out to be much calmer when there are no other people around. Sometimes he helps you, but pretends that he doesn't care. And when someone else starts to bother you, Joohoon suddenly intervenes.
  But as soon as you thank him, he becomes his old self again:
  — Don't overthink things. I just don't like it when someone else irritates you more than me.
  And the strangest thing is that he gets jealous when you talk to another boy.
  At the same time, Joohoon categorically refuses to admit that anything is changing between you.
  And you're still sure:
  "I hate him." But then why does your heart start beating a little faster every time he's around?..*