The school atmosphere changed completely during the first term exams.
Every morning, all students were given one hour to revise in the corridors, classes, and under trees. Some panicked, some slept, some pretended to study but whispered gossip.
Y/n was revising seriously, sitting with her girl group on the stairs.
Jungkook stood far on the other side with his boy group — Taesung, Ryo, Minjae, Sungmin. He occasionally glanced at Y/n without realising he was doing it.
Sitting Arrangements
When the bell rang, teachers came with seating plans.
"Students of class 11 will sit in designated rooms separately."
Y/n's name was on the list in Room 203, mixed with seniors from 12th .
Jungkook was assigned to Room 108 with Sol Hee and Taesung.
Y/n's friends shouted:
"Y/n! You got 12th class room! So lucky!"
"Maybe you'll sit with that cute senior!"
Y/n just ignored and walked to her room.
IN ROOM 203
She entered quietly, scanning for her roll number.
And there he was —
the 12th senior she secretly had a crush on- Aarav.
He was calm, neat, focused.
And according to roll numbers, he was sitting right next to her.
The teacher ordered loudly:
"Keep bags in front and sit roll-number wise."
So Y/n sat beside Aarav.
Her heartbeat was steady but her face remained composed.
Aarav glanced once at her notebook and said softly:
"You write very neatly."
She nodded politely.
"Thank you."
No flirting.
No drama.
Just a respectful senior-student moment.
NEXT DAY — REVISION TIME AGAIN
During the one-hour revision break before the second exam, Y/n sat with her group on the ground floor steps.
They whispered and laughed about the seating arrangement.
One girl teased loudly:
"Y/n sat with Aarav! Senior crush moment!"
Another added:
"He even complimented her handwriting!"
Y/n rolled her eyes but didn't deny it.
Right at that moment…
Jungkook passed by with Taesung and stopped mid-step.
He didn't turn completely, but his expression tightened.
His shoulders stiffened.
His eyebrows lowered slightly.
He heard the entire conversation.
Taesung noticed Jungkook's reaction.
"Hey, let's go—" he began.
But Jungkook didn't move.
He kept staring ahead, pretending to be uninterested, yet listening to every word behind him.
THE DOUBT QUESTION SCENE
Later, Y/n got stuck on a difficult question while revising.
Everyone knew Taesung was a genius, so she walked over to ask him.
"Taesung, can you tell me this—"
Before Taesung could open his mouth, Jungkook replied sharply:
"It's wrong. You should use the other formula."
Y/n blinked at him.
"I wasn't asking you."
Taesung cleared his throat, "Actually, Jungkook is—"
Again Jungkook cut in.
"It won't work the way you're doing it."
Y/n's eyes narrowed.
She stared at him like she could set his hair on fire.
"Jungkook… stop interrupting."
But Jungkook didn't back off.
"You're doing the wrong method."
Y/n crossed her arms, irritated.
Taesung laughed awkwardly, caught between them.
After a moment of tense silence, Jungkook muttered under his breath:
"Ask Aarav then."
Y/n froze.
Her friends heard it too.
Her face went blank.
His eyes went cold.
The air thickened.
Y/n turned away without replying.
Jungkook clenched his jaw and walked off with Taesung.
PTM DAY — RESULTS & RANKS
The school buzzed with excitement and anxiety. Parents arrived, teachers displayed mark sheets, and students pretended they didn't care.
Y/n's ranking was announced:
2nd position in class.
Just 2 marks less than Rank 1.
Her girl group got Rank 1 and Rank 3.
Taesung got Rank 4.
Jungkook got Rank 5.
The teacher looked at Y/n and said:
"You almost got first position. Very impressive work."
Y/n smiled politely.
Jungkook, standing a few steps away, heard it.
He didn't show disappointment — instead, he looked at her with a strange expression.
Pride?
Annoyance?
Admiration?
Even he didn't know.
ANSWER SHEET COLLECTION
After the PTM, students were asked to return their answer sheets to ma'am's desk.
Sol Hee was helping the teacher collect them.
Jungkook suddenly walked to her and began helping without being asked.
Y/n noticed immediately.
Her stomach twisted.
Why was he helping Sol Hee?
She could easily do it herself.
Y/n looked away, irritated.
But the truth was —
Jungkook only helped because Sol Hee sat with Y/n, and helping her meant standing near Y/n… without making it obvious.
He kept glancing at Y/n secretly while collecting papers.
Sol Hee noticed and smiled knowingly.
She whispered:
"You can talk to her, you know."
Jungkook gave her a warning glare.
"I'm just helping with papers. Don't imagine things."
But his ears turned slightly red.
THE GROUP PHOTO
After the PTM, all toppers and winners were called for a group photograph.
There were multiple rows:
front sitting row middle row on chairs back standing row
Y/n chose to sit in the middle row, slightly elevated.
Sol Hee sat on her left.
Two girls from her group sat on her right.
The boys were standing behind the middle row.
Jungkook walked in with the boys, scanning the arrangement.
He looked at Y/n first.
Then he stepped forward and stood directly between Y/n and Sol Hee.
Y/n's heart dropped.
He didn't stand behind me…
He stood behind Sol Hee too.
It felt like a punch to the chest.
She kept her face composed, but inside:
I knew it…
He likes Sol Hee…
He always talks to her…
He helped her today…
The photographer asked everyone to smile.
Y/n smiled, but her eyes didn't.
Jungkook stood behind them, expression stiff, hands on his back.
His eyes stayed on Y/n's side profile the entire time.
But she didn't know.
She didn't look at him.
SEEING THE PHOTO LATER
After the shoot, the teacher sent the group photo on the class WhatsApp group.
Y/n opened it quietly.
There she was in the middle row.
Sol Hee on her left.
Jungkook standing exactly behind both of them — but slightly closer to Sol Hee.
Her breath caught for a second.
Her mind whispered:
So it's confirmed…
He must like her.
Her chest felt heavy, painfully heavy.
She put her phone down without saying anything.
Her friends asked:
"Y/n, why are you quiet?"
She just shook her head.
But inside, something had cracked quietly.
CLOSING SCENE — THE FINAL GLANCE
At dismissal, everyone walked toward the gate.
Y/n walked with Sol Hee and didn't say a word about the photo.
Behind them, Jungkook walked with his group.
He kept looking at Y/n, waiting for her to look back.
She didn't.
He frowned slightly.
Taesung nudged him, "Go say something."
Jungkook muttered, "She's ignoring me."
Taesung replied, "Then stop looking at her."
Jungkook didn't stop.
He watched her until she disappeared through the gate.
Something inside him tightened too.
Misunderstanding
is the strongest enemy
between two people who don't speak their feelings.
The term results had come out a few days ago.
Everyone in school was whispering the same question the moment you entered the corridor:
"Who got 1st rank this time?"
When the list was pinned, silence fell.
The 1st rank wasn't yours this time.
You were 2nd.
By just 5 marks.
Your classmates came to you one by one:
"Y/n you got only 2nd? How? You always get 1st!"
"Are you okay? You look upset…"
You smiled politely, but inside you felt a soft pinch.
Not because you lost the rank…
but because you thought:
"Now even Jungkook will think Sol Hee is better… maybe he likes her more."
You didn't want to think this way, but it happened automatically.