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The air at Sunshine High was thick with the scent of street-foods, sparking sparklers, and the hum of a thousand excited students. The Summer Festival had officially begun, and the courtyard was a sea of GenZ Styles and school uniforms.
But the real ‘main event’ wasn't the talent show—it was the arrival of the Former President.
EuiJoo was at the main gate, frantically checking a radio headset, when a sleek, dark car pulled up. Out stepped Maki.
He looked every bit the elite university student—wearing a navy-blue Korea University (KU) Varsity Jacket over a crisp white shirt. He looked taller, more composed, and radiated a ‘genius’ aura that made the underclassmen part like the Red Sea.
"Sunbaenim!" Euijoo stood up straight, his ‘Presidential’ posture snapping into place out of habit. "Welcome back. I... I hope everything is to your satisfaction."
Maki gave a small, dignified nod, his eyes scanning the decorations. "You’ve done well, EuiJoo. The lighting on the main stage is much more efficient than last year."
Before EuiJoo could respond, a blur of energy collided with Maki’s side. Harua had appeared, throwing his arms around the older boy's waist without a single care for Presidential decorum.
"Maki-kun! You’re late! I almost let Nico-hyung eat all the strawberry skewers!" Harua complained, looking up with a face full of pure, unadulterated adoration.
Maki’s stoic expression melted instantly into a fond, private smile. He reached down, ruffling Harua’s hair. "The traffic from Seoul was heavy. I brought you the books you wanted, little bird."
Nicholas arrived a moment later, carrying a tray of snacks. He stopped, looking at Maki with genuine respect. "Maki-hyung. Good to see you. I heard you're top of your class in International Relations."
"And I heard you're the most improved artist in the senior wing, Nicholas," Maki replied, offering a firm handshake. "It seems love has been good for your productivity."
Nicholas flushed, pulling his hood up slightly. "Yeah. Something like that."
The four of them began to navigate the crowded festival stalls. It was a sight to behold.
EuiJoo, the current School President, is leading the way with a clipboard, trying to look professional. Nicholas is following close to EuiJoo, eyes sharp for any "Taki-like" intruders.
Maki, the Former School President, is walking calmly beside EuiJoo, giving quiet advice on "crowd management." Meanwhile Harua is skipping between all of them, bragging to every freshman they passed that he was the one who "tamed the genius."
As they reached the food court, the group sat at a reserved table. Harua was leaning heavily on Maki, stealing bites of his takoyaki, while Nicholas was carefully breaking a strawberry skewer in half to share with EuiJoo.
"So, Maki-sunbae," EuiJoo said, his voice a mix of curiosity and nerves. "How is university? Is it... as intense as they say?"
"It’s challenging," Maki said, looking at Harua, who was currently trying to balance a chopstick on his nose. "But it makes the time I spend back here, in this 'chaos,' much more valuable."
Harua stopped his chopstick trick and poked Maki’s cheek. "Hear that, EuiJoo-ya? He likes my chaos. He says it's 'refreshing' compared to his boring professors."
Maki just laughed softly, catching Harua’s hand and holding it under the table—a move that Nicholas and EuiJoo mirrored instinctively.
As the fireworks began to crackle over the school roof, the four of them stood on the balcony overlooking the field.
"You know," Maki said, standing between Harua and EuiJoo. "The school looks different when you're not the one in charge of it. It looks... like a place where people actually fall in love."
"It took us long enough," Nicholas muttered, leaning his shoulder against Euijoo’s.
"Well," Harua chimed in, leaning his head on Maki’s KU jacket. "I’d say the 'Nico-Juju' and 'Haru-Maki' legends are going to be the gold standard for Sunshine High for a long time. Right, Maki?-kun"
Maki didn't say a word. He just pulled Harua closer and looked at EuiJoo and Nicholas with a look of genuine approval. "I think you’re right, Harua. The heart of the school is in good hands.”
-
The neon lights of the ‘Moonlight Noraebang’ flickered against the humid summer pavement as the four of them tumbled into a private room, smelling of sparkler smoke and strawberry soda. The high-stakes pressure of the festival was finally over, and the ‘Presidential’ decorum had been left at the school gates.
The small, dim room was a chaotic sanctuary. Harua immediately snatched the remote, his eyes scanning the "Popular Hits" list like a predator, while Maki sat composed in the corner, his KU varsity jacket draped over the back of the sofa. Nicholas and EuiJoo huddled together on the other side, sharing a single tambourine.
"I’m starting!" Harua declared, punching in a high-energy idol track. "This is for the 'School President' who survived his first festival without a mental breakdown!"
Harua didn't just sing; he performed. He used the microphone stand as a prop, pointing it at Maki during the high notes and winking so shamelessly that even the stoic university student had to cover his face to hide a blush.
"He’s... very energetic," Nicholas whispered to EuiJoo, mesmerized by the sheer volume Harua was producing.
"He’s a nightmare," EuiJoo laughed, finally letting his guard down. "But he’s our nightmare."
Then, it was Maki’s turn. Harua forced the mic into his hand, and the room went silent. To everyone’s shock, the "Genius Scholar" chose a deep, soulful ballad in perfect English. His voice was steady and rich, filling the small room with a level of sophistication that made Nicholas stop mid-tambourine shake.
"Wow," Nicholas muttered, genuinely impressed. "He really is a language master."
Harua sat at Maki’s feet, looking up with a face of pure, quiet pride. The ‘Sassy Puppet Master’ was gone, replaced by a boy who was clearly, deeply in love with the man who read him poetry.
"Your turn, Nico," EuiJoo teased, nudging Nicholas’s shoulder. "Show the Former President what the 3rd-year 'Reaper' can do."
Nicholas groaned, his ears turning pink. "I don't sing, Juju. I draw. That’s the deal."
"Please?" EuiJoo pleaded, leaning in until their foreheads touched, his ‘Angel’ eyes doing that specific, irresistible shimmer. "Just one song. For me. To celebrate surviving the 'Taki Incident'."
Nicholas huffed, but as always, he was a ‘loser in love’. He took the mic and punched in a classic, soft rock track. As the melody started, he didn't look at the screen—he looked at EuiJoo. His voice was a bit husky, a bit shy, but every lyric felt like a private letter.
EuiJoo didn't wait for the chorus. He grabbed the second mic and joined in, their voices blending in a way that was imperfect but incredibly sweet.
As the timer on the machine ticked down to its last five minutes, they all sat huddled on the velvet sofa, passing around a plate of cold fries and lukewarm sodas.
"To the best Summer Festival in Luna Sunshine history," Maki said, raising his paper cup. "And to the fact that I don't have to organize the next one."
"To Harua for not actually blowing up the stage," EuiJoo added, dodging a playful kick from the freshman.
"And to Nico-hyung," Harua chimed in, leaning against Maki’s shoulder. "For finally letting us see the 'Soft-Boy' behind the leather jacket. You’re a much better singer than you are a delinquent, Hyung."
Nicholas smiled, leaning his head back against the wall, his hand firmly locked with EuiJoo’s. "To the summer," he whispered. "And to whatever comes next."
The machine flashed ‘TIME EXPIRED’ in bright red letters, but no one moved. In the quiet after the music, with the hum of the air conditioner and the scent of their shared youth, the four of them stayed just like that—a legend of the school, finally at peace.
The Han River at midnight was a sprawling canvas of city lights reflecting on the water. The heat of the day had finally broken, leaving a cool, rhythmic breeze that made the four of them feel like they were the only people left in Seoul.
While Nicholas and Harua headed toward the convenience store for the mandatory ‘Han River Ramyun’, EuiJoo and Maki stayed behind, sitting on a wooden bench with their legs dangling like tired children.
Euijoo leaned back, looking at the stars. "Maki-sunbae... how did you do it? Last year, when you were buried in books for Korea University, how did you keep Harua from feeling like he was second place to your exams?"
Maki watched the water, his expression unreadable but soft. "I didn't," he admitted quietly. "Harua felt it. He’s sensitive, even if he hides it behind sass. But I realized that I didn't need to give him quantity of time, just quality. I’d send him one voice note of me reading a poem before I slept. It took thirty seconds, but to him, it meant I was still thinking of him in the middle of the 'war'."
EuiJoo nodded, his ‘Angel’ mask completely down. "Nicholas is going to be so busy. I want to be his sanctuary, not another 'duty' on his to-do list. But sometimes I get so caught up in the Council... I worry I'm too loud for his quiet study time."
"Then be his silence," Maki advised, turning to EuiJoo. "Don't ask him how the mock exam went. Just bring him a strawberry milk, sit next to him, and don't say a word. Let him find his way back to you when the ink dries."
EuiJoo sighed, a small smile forming. "Thanks, Sunbae. Also... how do you deal with him? Harua, I mean. He’s been a nightmare all summer. He practically lives to provoke Nicholas."
Maki let out a rare, genuine laugh. "He provokes the people he loves the most, EuiJoo. If he’s teasing you, it means he thinks you’re family. Just ignore the words and look at the fact that he spent three hours making sure your favorite snacks were at the noraebang."
Meanwhile, the smell of spicy broth and steam filled the air as Nicholas and Harua waited for the foil trays to boil.
"Harua," Nicholas said, his voice low. "You’re a junior. If I’m stuck in the library until 10:00 PM every night... does that make me a bad boyfriend? From your side of things, does it feel like the seniors are just 'leaving' you behind?"
Harua stopped poking at the noodles. He looked at Nicholas, his usual playful spark replaced by something surprisingly mature. "Nico-hyung, we know you're leaving. We’ve known since the day we met you. But being a 'junior' doesn't mean we're fragile."
He leaned against the counter, watching the bubbles. "EuiJoo is the President. He’s strong. But he’s also a 'Loser in Love.' He doesn't need you to be 'available' 24/7. He just needs to know that when you do have a gap in your schedule, he’s the first person you run to. Even if it’s just for five minutes at the gate."
Harua looked at Nicholas and grinned. "Don't overthink it, Hyung. Just keep being the guy who lets him be 'Juju' instead of 'The President.' That’s all he really wants. And maybe... buy him those matching winter things again. He practically lives for the 'property of' aesthetic."
The four of them met back at the picnic blanket, the steaming ramyun trays acting as a centerpiece.
Nicholas sat down next to EuiJoo, and without saying a word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, chilled strawberry milk he’d grabbed at the last second. He set it quietly in front of Euijoo and gave his hand a squeeze.
EuiJoo looked at the milk, then at Maki, who gave a subtle, knowing nod.
"Everything okay at the store?" EuiJoo asked softly.
"Yeah," Nicholas replied, his eyes steady and warm. "Just making sure the President is hydrated."
Across from them, Harua was already halfway through his noodles, leaning his head on Maki’s KU jacket. "Gross. You guys are doing that 'silent communication' thing again. Maki-kun, feed me a radish before I pass out from the cheesiness."
Maki complied with a fond roll of his eyes, and under the vast Seoul sky, the two couples sat in a perfect, fragile balance of the present and the future.
-
The library at Sunshine High was nearly empty, the air heavy with the scent of old paper and the low, constant hum of the ventilation system. It was 11:30 PM. Nicholas was at his usual corner desk, surrounded by a fortress of past exam papers, three different colored highlighters, and a cold cup of coffee.
His eyes were bloodshot, his shoulders hunched in a way that made him look less like a ‘Reaper’ and more like a boy carrying the weight of his entire future.
Nicholas didn’t hear the footsteps—they were too light, too practiced. He only realized he wasn't alone when a small, chilled bottle of strawberry milk was placed quietly on the edge of his desk.
He looked up, expecting the librarian to tell him it was closing time. Instead, he saw EuiJoo.
EuiJoo didn't say "How’s the studying?" or "Are you tired?" Remembering Maki’s advice, he didn't ask a single question that required Nicholas to use his brain. Instead, EuiJoo pulled out a chair and sat down next to him. He didn't look at the exam papers; he just took out his own book—a Student Council budget report—and began to read silently.
The message was clear: I am here. You are not alone. You don't have to entertain me.
Nicholas felt a knot in his chest loosen. He reached out, his hand trembling slightly from too much caffeine, and covered Euijoo’s hand with his own. Euijoo squeezed back, a firm, grounding pressure, before turning back to his report.
At midnight, the security guard flicked the lights, and the two of them stepped out into the biting November air. The CSAT was only two days away.
"I'm walking you all the way tonight," EuiJoo said, tucking Nicholas's cold hand into his coat pocket—the same way they had done during the first snow. "No arguments. The 'Private Consultant' needs to conserve his energy."
As they walked through the quiet, dim streets, EuiJoo broke the silence. "Nico, on the morning of the exam, I’m coming to your house. I’m walking you to the testing center. I’ve already looked up the best brain-boosting foods. I’m making you a special lunch bento—no greasy stuff, just the things you like."
Nicholas stopped under a flickering streetlight. He looked at EuiJoo—his Juju, the boy who was juggling the presidency and his own exams, yet was planning out Nicholas’s lunch menu down to the last calorie.
"You don't have to do all that," Nicholas whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
"I want to," EuiJoo insisted, his ‘Mad Man’ eyes showing that stubborn, fierce devotion. "You’ve worked harder than anyone I know. I can’t take the test for you, but I can make sure you don't have to worry about anything else."
They reached Nicholas’s gate. The porch light cast a warm, golden glow over them.
"Thank you, Juju," Nicholas said, pulling EuiJoo into a deep, lingering hug. He buried his face in the charcoal wool of EuiJoo’s coat, breathing in the scent of home. "I don't know what I’d do without you."
As EuiJoo waved goodbye and started his walk back, Nicholas stood by the gate, watching his boyfriend's silhouette disappear into the night. He felt a wave of gratitude so intense it almost hurt.
Just two more days, Nicholas promised himself. After the CSAT is over, I’m done being the 'Busy Senior.' I’m going to spend every second making sure he feels as loved as he makes me feel. I’ll be the one bringing the milk. I’ll be the one waiting at the gate.
He touched the cold bottle of strawberry milk in his bag and smiled. The Reaper was ready for his final battle, but for the first time, he wasn't fighting it alone.
-
The morning of the CSAT was painted in a pale, freezing blue. The city of Seoul seemed to hold its breath, the usual roar of traffic replaced by a heavy, expectant silence. At 6:30 AM, the streetlights were still humming when EuiJoo arrived at Nicholas’s gate, his breath blooming in thick white clouds.
He wasn't wearing his Student Council badge today. He was just "Juju," wrapped in his heavy charcoal coat, clutching a thermal bag like it contained the most precious cargo in the world.
Nicholas stepped out a moment later. He looked sharp but pale, his fingers twitching slightly against the straps of his backpack. The ‘Reaper’ was locked in a mental cage of formulas and art history dates.
"You're shaking," EuiJoo noted softly, immediately reaching out to take Nicholas’s hand. He didn't just hold it; he tucked it into his own pocket, skin-to-skin. "Don't. You’ve done the work, Nico. Today is just the victory lap."
They walked in a comfortable, rhythmic silence. Every few blocks, they passed other seniors being fussed over by parents, but Nicholas only had eyes for the boy beside him. The steady warmth of EuiJoo’s hand was the only anchor keeping him from drifting into a sea of panic.
As the testing center gates came into view—swarmed by cheering juniors and anxious teachers—EuiJoo stopped. He pulled the insulated thermal bag from under his arm.
"Here," EuiJoo said, his voice firm and grounding. "Inside is the honey-ginger tea for your throat, the salmon bento for energy, and I tucked a small piece of dark chocolate in the side pocket for the afternoon slump. Eat all of it. Every bite."
Nicholas took the bag, the weight of it feeling like a physical manifestation of EuiJoo’s love. "You didn't sleep much, did you?"
"I slept enough," EuiJoo lied, though the slight shadow under his eyes suggested he’d been up since 4:00 AM perfecting the egg rolls. He reached out and straightened Nicholas’s collar one last time. "You’re going to be brilliant. Don't think about the score. Just think about the drawings you're going to make once this is over."
The proctors began signaling for the students to enter. The atmosphere was high-tension, a thousand futures hanging in the balance. The first bell rang—a sharp, mechanical sound that signaled the start of the lockdown.
"I have to go in," Nicholas whispered. The reality of the next eight hours finally hit him, and for a second, the ‘Reaper’ looked genuinely small.
Nicholas turned to go, his heart hammering against his ribs, but Euijoo caught his sleeve.
"Nico. Look at me."
Euijoo didn't hesitate. Ignoring the hundreds of students, the teachers, and even a stray news camera nearby, he stepped into Nicholas’s space. He grabbed the lapels of Nicholas’s navy coat and pulled him up, pressing a firm, lingering kiss to his lips.
It wasn't the shy, hidden kiss of the storage room; it was a bold, desperate wish for luck, flavored with the cold morning air and strawberry lip balm.
It wasn't a "shout-from-the-rooftops" kiss. It was a "come-back-to-me" kiss—warm, steady, and full of the promise of a future beyond the exam hall.
"Go win," Euijoo whispered against his lips, his eyes fierce and bright. "I’ll be right here when the bells ring. I’m not moving an inch until you walk back through those gates."
Nicholas felt a surge of heat rush through his body, chasing away the November chill. He adjusted his bag, gave Euijoo one final, intense look of gratitude, and turned toward the doors.
Nicholas nodded, a newfound fire replacing the nerves in his chest. He gripped the bento tight, turned, and walked toward the heavy school doors. He didn't look back. He didn't need to, but he could feel Euijoo’s gaze on his back like a shield.
Inside the bag, tucked under the chocolate bar, was a small sticky note in Euijoo’s neat, presidential handwriting:
“To my favorite artist: Today is just a few hours. I am for a lifetime. Good luck, Nico.”
As he took his seat in the exam hall and opened his pencil case, he found a small, hand-drawn sticky note Euijoo must have snuck in.
"You're the masterpiece. The paper is just the canvas. Love, Juju."
Nicholas took a deep breath, picked up his pen, and began.
-
The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting long, bruised shadows of purple and gold over the testing center. The atmosphere outside the gates had shifted from the morning’s tense silence to a chaotic, emotional roar. Parents were clutching bouquets, and juniors were chanting school cheers, but EuiJoo stood apart from the noise.
He hadn't moved. Just like he promised, he had been a silent sentinel at the gate for hours, his nose red from the cold and his hands buried deep in the pockets of his charcoal coat.
Then, the heavy doors groaned open.
A sea of exhausted seniors began to pour out. Some were crying, some were laughing hysterically, and some just looked like ghosts.
Nicholas was among the last to emerge.
He looked completely drained. His hair was a mess from running his fingers through it in stress, his eyes were shadowed, and his steps were heavy and mechanical. The ‘Reaper’ who usually walked with a sharp, intimidating stride was gone; in his place was a boy who had left every ounce of his energy on those exam papers.
He scanned the crowd, his vision slightly blurred from staring at black ink for nine hours. Then, he saw it—the familiar charcoal coat, the soft muffler, and the only face that mattered.
Nicholas didn't wave. He didn't smile. He just exhaled a breath he felt like he’d been holding since March. He stumbled forward, his backpack slipping off one shoulder, and practically fell into EuiJoo’s space.
EuiJoo didn't wait. He stepped into the impact, catching Nicholas against his chest. Nicholas let his forehead drop onto EuiJoo’s shoulder, his arms wrapping weakly around EuiJoo’s waist as he let his entire body weight lean into the younger boy.
"I’m done, Juju," Nicholas rasped, his voice cracked and raw. "It’s over. I can’t... I can’t think of a single word anymore."
EuiJoo held him tight, his arms locked around Nicholas’s back like a shield. He could feel Nicholas trembling—partly from the cold, partly from the sheer adrenaline crash. "I’ve got you, Nico. You did it. You’re safe. The world didn't end, and you're finally back."
Ignoring the hundreds of students and parents walking past them, EuiJoo pressed a firm, grounding kiss to the side of Nicholas’s head. He stayed there for a long minute, just letting Nicholas breathe in the familiar scent of his laundry detergent and the lingering warmth of his coat.
"Did you eat the bento?" EuiJoo whispered into his ear.
"Every bite," Nicholas murmured against his shoulder. "The note... the note was the only reason I didn't give up during the math section."
EuiJoo pulled back just enough to look at him, cupping Nicholas’s face with his hands. His palms were warm, thawing out Nicholas’s frozen cheeks. "You look like you're about to faint. Let’s get you home. I’ve already told your sister I’m staying over to make sure you actually sleep and don't try to look at a textbook for at least forty-eight hours."
Nicholas looked at EuiJoo—the boy who had been his peace in the middle of his most chaotic year. He remembered the promise he’d made to himself in the library.
"Juju," Nicholas said, his eyes finally regaining a bit of their usual sharp light. "From tomorrow... no more exams. No more library. It’s just us. I’m going to take you everywhere you want to go. I’m going to be the best-dressed 'Loser in Love' this city has ever seen."
EuiJoo laughed, a bright, melodic sound that seemed to officially end the winter of their stress. "I'll hold you to that, Nico. But for tonight... just let me take care of you."
“Love you so much Juju”
“Love you more, Nico. Let’s go”
As they walked away from the gates, Nicholas’s arm draped heavily but happily over Euijoo’s arm, the sunset finally faded into a clear, star-filled night. The ‘Reaper’ had survived the battle, and the ‘President’ was leading him home.