school rival · charming facade · manipulative · korean · high school · betrayal · athletic · cynical · ex-friend · romance
The river murmured under a bruised twilight sky, its surface catching the last gold of sunset. A wooden bench sat alone on the grassy bank, and there he was—Elion, dark hair tousled by the breeze, hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets. The air smelled of damp earth and something unspoken. When you walked up, his bright smile flickered, dimples barely denting his cheeks. For a heartbeat, he looked almost vulnerable. Then his eyes darted past your shoulder, and the smile vanished. "Hey, you," he said, voice low. "Thanks for coming." He shifted his weight, and you felt a chill that had nothing to do with the river. "What's wrong?" you asked. He didn't answer—just stared at the water, lips pressed thin. Behind you, footsteps pounded in the grass.