The morning sun poured through the classroom windows in warm golden streams, bathing rows of desks in soft light and filling the room with the comfortable chaos that always came before first period.
The classroom was already alive. A group of boys had somehow turned a crumpled worksheet into a basketball and were taking turns shooting it into the recycling bin.
"Three-pointer!"
"It doesn't count! You crossed the imaginary line!"
"There is no imaginary line!"
Laughter erupted as the paper ball bounced off the rim of the bin and smacked one of them squarely in the forehead.
Near the windows, several girls were gathered around a phone, squealing over something one of them insisted was "absolutely not edited."
Across the room, someone was speed-copying homework while the original owner stood over him with his arms folded, one foot tapping impatiently against the floor.
"You've got thirty seconds," he said, glancing at the clock above the whiteboard.
"I'm writing as fast as I can!" the other boy shot back without looking up, his pen racing across the page.
"That's still not fast enough," he replied.
The boy copying the homework finally looked up, exasperated. "Can you stop breathing down my neck?"
"I can." A grin tugged at the corner of the owner's mouth. "I just won't."
The usual morning noise filled every corner of the classroom—chairs scraping, books opening, conversations weaving together into one endless stream of laughter and complaints.
Jae-Hyun sat on the edge of Jae-Suk's desk, absentmindedly spinning a pen between his fingers while Tae-Ho enthusiastically recounted what sounded like the greatest tragedy of his week.
"...I'm telling you, it wasn't my fault."
Jae-Suk didn't even look up from the stack of papers he was sorting on his desk. "You dropped your camera," he said, sliding another sheet neatly into place.
"I slipped," Tae-Ho replied, waving a dismissive hand as though that explained everything.
"Because you were walking backwards."
"I was looking for inspiration."
Jae-Suk finally paused what he was doing and looked up at him. "You were looking at your own reflection in the glass."
Tae-Ho placed a hand over his chest, looking mildly offended. "I was appreciating beauty."
Jae-Hyun chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't know why you even bother arguing with him anymore."
Before Tae-Ho could fire back, someone hurried over from the classroom door.
"Jae-Suk."
Jae-Suk looked up. "Hm?"
"Mr. Choi's asking for you."
"Our homeroom teacher?"
The classmate nodded. "He said to come to the staff office immediately."
Jae-Suk let out a quiet sigh. "I'll be right there."
He gathered the papers on his desk into a neat pile before looking at the two of them. "Try not to destroy the classroom while I'm gone."
Tae-Ho looked offended. "You make me sound irresponsible."
Jae-Suk raised an eyebrow. "Last week you somehow got a football stuck in the ceiling fan."
"...That was a physics experiment. And I'm not the only one in this class that's always up to something." Tae,-Ho mumbled, pouting.
Jae-Suk chuckled under his breath before walking toward the door.
As soon as he disappeared into the hallway, Tae-Ho leaned back dramatically. "Seriously..."
Jae-Hyun glanced sideways. "What?"
"Hasn't he been insanely busy lately?" Tae-Ho said as he counted on his fingers. "Class president, student council, honor committee meetings, school events. He practically lives in meetings now."
"He seems fine."
Tae-Ho threw both hands into the air. "Of course he seems fine. I'm just worried about him."
Jae-Hyun gave him a sidelong glance. "He seems to enjoy it. What about you?"
"Hm?"
"The photography club."
At the mention of it, Tae-Ho visibly brightened. "Oh. It's been awesome. We've been learning composition, natural lighting, shutter speed..."
He became increasingly animated the more he spoke, using both hands to explain invisible camera angles. "I didn't realize photography was this deep. You notice things differently. The way shadows fall, the timing, the smallest details."
He grinned. "I've improved a lot. I'd even say I'm one of the best photographers in the club now."
Jae-Hyun looked at him for a moment. "That's impressive."
Tae-Ho scratched the back of his neck before laughing. "Yeah… but I'm not the best. Ri-Na is."
He leaned forward conspiratorially. "I swear she's ridiculous. I'll spend twenty minutes setting up a shot, thinking I've finally nailed it... then she walks over, takes the same picture in five seconds, and somehow hers looks better."
He sighed dramatically. "No matter how much I practice, she always notices something I don't.
Jae-Hyun nodded once. "Maybe because she's better."
Tae-Ho looked at him as though betrayed. "Who's side are you on?"
"Yours."
"It doesn't seem like it." Tae-Ho let out another dramatic sigh. "I've even asked her to teach me but she keeps refusing."
"What did she say?"
Tae-Ho's shoulders slumped as he mimicked her, raising two fingers in quote. "'You're annoying.'"
Jae-Hyun considered that. "She has a point."
"I knew you were going to say that!"
"I wasn't finished."
Tae-Ho's eyes lit up. "Oh?"
"I was going to say she understated it."
"You know what?" Tae-Ho pointed a finger at him. "I've decided you're a terrible friend."
"You'll change your mind again."
Tae-Ho continued, ignoring Jae-Hyun. "I even offered to buy her lunch. I offered coffee too. I even offered to carry her camera bag."
Jae-Hyun looked genuinely surprised at the last statement. "You really offered to carry her bag?"
"For a whole month. I was that desperate. But guess what she said."
"What?"
"She told me she'd rather carry two bags."
Jae-Hyun looked away. His shoulders moved ever so slightly.
Tae-Ho narrowed his eyes. "...Did you just laugh?"
Before Jae-Hyun could deny it, Tae-Ho froze, his eyes suddenly widened.
He grabbed Jae-Hyun's sleeve with surprising force. "There!"
"Hm?"
"There!" He pointed excitedly toward the classroom entrance.
Ri-Na had just walked in. She stepped through the doorway absentmindedly, her attention fixed on a single sheet of paper in her hand as she walked toward her desk, brows drawn together ever so slightly as she read.
Tae-Ho's grin spread instantly. "Perfect timing."
Jae-Hyun followed his gaze for a second before looking back at him. "What?"
"What do you mean 'what'?" Tae-Ho asked, as though the answer was painfully obvious. "Come with me."
Jae-Hyun didn't even hesitate. "No."
"You don't even know what I'm asking."
"I have a rough idea."
Tae-Ho frowned. "What rough idea? You could be wrong."
"You've been complaining about Ri-Na for five minutes." Jae-Hyun folded his arms casually. "So naturally you've decided this is somehow my problem."
Tae-Ho blinked once before breaking into a sheepish laugh. "...Okay, maybe you know me a little too well. So you'll help?"
"I won't."
Tae-Ho clicked his tongue. "You didn't even think about it."
"I did."
"When?"
"While you were talking."
Tae-Ho looked genuinely disappointed. "Come on, Jae-Hyun." He leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "She'll listen to you."
"What makes you so sure?"
"You helped her out before."
Jae-Hyun looked at him blankly.
"With Min-Seok." Tae-Ho continued, "The basketball game. You stepped in when everyone else was just standing there. She'll definitely hear you out. She owes you"
Jae-Hyun blinked. "That doesn't mean she owes me."
Tae-Ho clasped his hands together, refusing to give up. "She even thanked you afterwards. I'm sure she'd love a chance to return the favor."
"I doubt that's what she had in mind."
"You don't know until you ask."
"I have a feeling I already do."
Tae-Ho groaned, then, without another word, grabbed Jae-Hyun by the wrist. "Come on."
Jae-Hyun didn't budge. "I'm not getting involved."
"You already are."
Before Jae-Hyun could protest again, Tae-Ho had already started dragging him across the classroom.
Several classmates looked up from their conversations, some grinning knowingly as Tae-Ho all but towed his friend along.
Jae-Hyun glanced down at the hand around his wrist before looking back at Tae-Ho. "You know this is kidnapping."
Tae-Ho didn't even slow down. "It'll only be kidnapping if I don't bring you back."
"You've already planned the return trip."
"I always think ahead."
"I'm beginning to worry about what else you've planned."
By then, they'd reached Ri-Na's desk. She was still looking down at the sheet of paper she'd brought in with her, her brows faintly knitted together.
"Ri-Naaaaa!" Tae-Ho called out.
She let out a long, quiet sigh before she even looked up.
Without missing a beat, she folded the paper neatly in half and slipped it into the notebook resting on her desk. Then she looked up with the patient expression of someone who'd already guessed exactly why she'd been called. "...Morning, Tae-Ho."
"Good morning!" Tae-Ho said brightly, completely oblivious to the sigh she'd just let out.
"You sound happy."
"I am."
She rested one hand lightly on her desk before glancing toward Jae-Hyun. "Good morning."
Jae-Hyun gave a small nod. "Morning."
Her eyes shifted back to Tae-Ho.
"So..."
She smiled knowingly. "What do you want this time?"
Tae-Ho looked genuinely offended. "Why do you assume I want something?"
"You always want something."
He laughed sheepishly before rubbing the back of his neck. "Actually... I've been thinking."
"I know," Ri-Na replied. "That's usually how your problems begin. What do you want to offer this time? Carrying all my books for the month?"
Tae-Ho turned to Jae-Hyun as he pointed at her. "See? This is exactly why I need your help. You have to help me convince her."
Ri-Na sighed. "Seriously... you brought reinforcements?"
"Come on. Just this time. I promise I'd be the best student..."
"No."
"You didn't even let me finish."
"You'd still be annoying."
"I promise not to. I'd even run errands for you if you want."
"No."
Tae-Ho looked toward Jae-Hyun with the expression of someone seeking justice. "Don't just stand there. Help me out."
"I understand why she says no."
Tae-Ho stared at him in disbelief. "I brought you here to help me."
Ri-Na folded her arms, clearly enjoying the exchange. She looked at Jae-Hyun who was clearly fed-up of the banter.
Jae-Hyun sighed quietly, already accepting that there was no escaping this. He turned to Ri-Na "Tae-Ho is remarkably persistent. He believes you'd be willing to teach him."
"I do." Tae-Ho blurted.
Jae-Hyun continued as though Tae-Ho hadn't interrupted. "He won't stop until you eventually give in."
Ri-Na couldn't help smiling. "You're right."
Jae-Hyun glanced toward Tae-Ho, who looked entirely unapologetic. "If you ever decide you don't mind showing him a few things..." He gestured lightly toward Tae-Ho. "...I'd appreciate it."
There was a brief silence.
Ri-Na looked between the two of them before shaking her head with a small laugh. "You didn't actually want to ask that."
"No. I was dragged against my will."
Ri-Na laughed. "Ok. I'll think about it."
Tae-Ho's eyes widened. "Wait... really? You didn't say no."
"I said I'd think about it."
"That's progress!" He said beaming. Then he turned to Jae-Hyun. "See? I told you she'd agree if you asked."
Then almost immediately, Tae-Ho remembered something else. "Oh!"
He reached for his phone. "Jae-Hyun, tell her."
"Tell her what?"
He tapped Ri-Na excited, "Show him."
Ri-Na blinked. "...Show him what?"
"The hallway photo. The one from last week, remember?"
She looked at him suspiciously. "You've been complaining about that picture for four days."
"Because yours somehow came out better."
Ri-Na unlocked her phone before opening her gallery. "You've become strangely competitive over one picture."
She held her phone toward Jae-Hyun. "What do you think?"
Almost at the same time, Tae-Ho pulled out his own phone. "Look at mine too. They're the same shot."
Jae-Hyun accepted both phones. For several quiet seconds, his eyes moved between the two photographs.
Neither Tae-Ho nor Ri-Na spoke. They simply waited. Finally...
Tae-Ho stood with his arms folded, trying very hard to look confident despite stealing the occasional nervous glance at Jae-Hyun's face. Across from him, Ri-Na simply leaned against her desk, waiting patiently, the corners of her mouth already threatening to curl upward.
Finally, Jae-Hyun lowered both phones. "Ri-Na's is better."
He said it so matter-of-factly that it sounded less like an opinion and more like an observation before handing the phones back.
Tae-Ho looked at him in disbelief. "...You couldn't at least pretend to compare them a little longer?"
"I did compare them."
"It wasn't long enough." Tae-Ho leaned farther across the desk, pointing accusingly at him. "You barely looked at mine."
Jae-Hyun met his stare without the slightest change in expression. "I looked at it. Carefully."
"Then how did you decide so fast?"
"Because hers is obviously the better picture."
Tae-Ho clutched at his chest as though he'd just been personally attacked. "...Ouch."
"It's still a good photo," Jae-Hyun added calmly. "Ri-Na's is just better."
Ri-Na pressed her lips together, unsuccessfully hiding a pleased smile. "I told you."
Tae-Ho turned to her immediately. "You definitely edited it."
"I didn't."
"You did."
"I adjusted the exposure."
Tae-Ho pointed triumphantly, as if she'd just confessed to a crime. "Aha!"
Ri-Na rolled her eyes. "That's barely editing."
"It counts."
"No it doesn't."
Jae-Hyun watched the two continue bickering for another moment, his gaze moving lazily between them. When there seemed to be no end in sight, he quietly extended Tae-Ho's phone back toward its owner.
Instead of taking it, Tae-Ho casually nudged it back with a finger. "Edit it."
Jae-Hyun looked down at the phone, then back at Tae-Ho. "...No."
"Come on." Tae-Ho nudged.
"I don't edit pictures." Jae-Hyun stated matter-of-factly.
"But you're annoyingly good at everything."
"I still won't."
"You will." Then without waiting for permission, Tae-Ho tapped a few buttons.
Jae-Hyun's own phone vibrated almost instantly.
"There. I sent it."
Jae-Hyun looked at the notification before looking back at him. "I told you I wasn't editing it."
"I know. You already have it, so now you have to edit it."
"That's not how it works."
Tae-Ho folded his arms. "If it had been Raon asking..."
Jae-Hyun looked up.
"Ever since Raon joined to basketball club..." Tae-Ho sighed dramatically. "...you've changed."
Jae-Hyun said nothing. He only stared at him blankly.
"You don't look at me the same anymore."
"…"
"You don't share snacks."
"…"
"You don't even bully me anymore."
Jae-Hyun rubbed his temple. "I wasn't aware those were signs of affection."
"They are to me."
Ri-Na covered her mouth, laughing quietly.
Tae-Ho continued with complete sincerity. "I miss the old Jae-Hyun."
Jae-Hyun looked at the hopeful expression on Tae-Ho's face for a long moment.
Then he let out the kind of resigned sigh that only his closest friends ever managed to draw from him. "...I'll take a look."
Tae-Ho froze. "...Really?"
"I'm not making any promises."
"I don't care!" He pumped a fist into the air excitedly.
Jae-Hyun shook his head, unable to hide the faintest trace of amusement. "I've made a terrible decision."
"You won't regret it." Tae-Ho chimed.
Just then, the classroom door slid open. Jae-Suk walked back inside carrying a thick stack of papers against his chest.
The conversations around the room gradually softened as students noticed him.
Instead of returning to his seat, he walked straight to the front of the classroom and placed the stack neatly on the teacher's podium.
He flipped through the first few sheets before looking up. "The test results are out."
Almost instantly, the classroom erupted.
"What?!"
"Already?"
"What do you think you scored?"
"Nothing less than 95%."
"Yeah. I'm really confident I'm my results for this test."
"Oh no. I'm cooked."
Jae-Suk couldn't help smiling at the reaction. "One at a time."
He picked up the first paper. "When I call your name, come and collect it."
He glanced down.
"Park Ji-Min"
"Yoon In-Sol."
"Gang Seol-Gi..."