Chapter Text
"Why do I always get stuck doing the worst fucking chores?" Minseok muttered, pouting.
He was at the back of the school garden, holding a black trash bag that was about to rip open. Today was the school mandatory cleanup day. Minseok actually had a group. But his shitty group member all dipped the second the teacher turned around, leaving him with all the heavy lifting. .
At least the garden was quiet. It was at the edge of the school, far from the classrooms, so no one ever came down here. The old gardener kept the plants looking nice, and there was even a small koi pond in the corner.
Minseok walked over to the water, watching the orange and white fish swim around. He noticed one really fat koi pushing past all the others.
"Must be the boss. Eating everyone else's food," Minseok said to himself.
He paused, realizing how stupid it was to judge a fish. He laughed quietly, letting himself relax for a second.
He looked up. The sun was setting, making the sky turn a soft golden color. Great. He was stuck here past the final bell. He tied the bag into a tight knot and started walking toward the dumpsters behind the school.
But as he rounded the corner, he stopped dead.
Two people were standing way too close to each other by the old trash shed. Minseok raised an eyebrow. Who hangs out by the school dumpsters at this hour?
"Suhwan-ah... I really like you. Will you go out with me?"
A girl’s shaking voice broke the quiet. Minseok’s eyes went wide. Are you fucking serious? A garbage dump for a confession? How romantic.
Wait. Suhwan? Why did that name make him freeze? Minseok thought about it for a second.
Oh. Kim Suhwan.
The class president. The golden boy. The popular guy that literally everyone in school knew.
Minseok immediately wanted to die. If there was one person in this school he actively tried to stay the fuck away from, it was this guy. Popular kids are always a magnet for stupid drama, and Minseok just wanted to do his chores and go home.
He wanted to sprint in the opposite direction, but he was completely trapped. The gravel on the ground was way too loud, and if he moved even an inch, they’d definitely spot his giant bright black trash bag. If he got caught eavesdropping on a private confession, he'd look like a total psycho. So, he just pressed his back against the brick wall, freezing like a statue. He had to pray they’d wrap this shit up fast so he could escape.
"I'm sorry, Jihyeon-ah. I really appreciate it, but I can't."
Even with Suhwan’s back turned, Minseok could picture his face. He was definitely using that nice, polite tone he always used. Getting rejected by Kim Suhwan was pretty normal at this school. Minseok had lost count of how many girls he'd turned down. The funny part? No one ever got mad at him for it. It just made him more popular. Minseok wondered if he should start breaking hearts just to get people to like him.
"B-But why? Can you at least tell me why?" the girl asked. She sounded like she was going to cry.
Minseok winced. He hated drama, and watching this was getting painful.
Suhwan went quiet. The silence dragged on for a few seconds.
"If I tell you... you have to promise to keep it a secret, okay?" Suhwan’s voice dropped to a low whisper.
Oh, hell no. Minseok swore in his head. He did not want to get involved in Kim Suhwan’s life. He didn't want to know any secrets about the school's favorite boy. He just wanted a normal, stress-free life.
Holding his breath, Minseok slowly shifted his feet. He needed to get the fuck out of here before he got caught.
Then Suhwan spoke again. The words made Minseok freeze completely.
"I'm gay, Jihyeon-ah."
.
.
.
Kim Suhwan.
In their school, the guy was a saint. Perfect grades, perfect manners, perfect record. The exact son parents used to lecture their own kids. He was nice to everyone, respected the teachers, and everyone loved him.
He looked like a model, too. Tall, sharp features, clear skin, and nice eyes. To make things worse, he was also a champion swimmer. He was basically untouchable.
"Suhwan-ah, can you help me with this?" "Suhwan-ah, the teacher wants you—"
It was always Suhwan. The guy never said no to anyone. It was annoying as hell.
Minseok and Suhwan had been in the same class for a year, but they had never spoken. Not even once. They lived in different worlds. Suhwan was loved by everyone. Minseok? People knew him, but he wasn't popular like that.
Actually, most students were a bit scared of Minseok. He was known for being intense on the volleyball court. He had a soft face, but during a game, he was aggressive. As the team's Libero, he had a short temper. He was strict with his teammates if they fucked up because who love losing? Nobody really came up to talk to him casually, but he didn't care.
And honestly, he liked it better that way. His main goal in life was just to keep his distance and never interact with Suhwan, ever. It should’ve been easy since they had zero reasons to talk.
But now, Minseok was stuck with a massive secret. He had major dirt on the school’s golden boy. And the guy was gay
Minseok didn't actually give a shit about that part. People can like whoever they want. You like guys? Cool. You like girls? Fine. It wasn't his business. Minseok liked girls, and he never really thought deeper about it.
But knowing that Suhwan was hiding this? It felt heavy. What if Minseok accidentally said it out loud? The outcome would be insane. Minseok didn't care, but the rest of the school definitely would.
Minseok buried his face in his arms on his desk, sighing. He turned his head slightly, looking toward Suhwan’s desk at the back.
Of course, the guy was surrounded. A bunch of people were crowding his desk, pretending they had early morning questions about homework. Because Suhwan was too nice, he sat there answering every single one.
Yeah right, like you guys actually give a fuck about studying.
Suhwan was leaning over, showing a math problem to a girl. But she wasn't even looking at the paper. She was just staring at his face and giggling.
Minseok shook his head and looked away. People like Suhwan annoyed him. How hard is it to just say no?
But Minseok had looked a second too long. He didn't realize Suhwan had looked up.
Suddenly, their eyes met.
Minseok’s heart skipped a beat. Fuck. I'm dead. He got caught staring like a weirdo. Does he know? Did he see me last night?!
Panicking, Minseok snapped his head back around. He shut his eyes tight, pretending he was fast asleep.
A very long, quiet minute passed.
Minseok slowly peeked out from his arms again. He let out a breath. Suhwan was looking at his textbook again, talking to the girl.
Minseok relaxed his shoulders. It was just an accident. Just normal eye contact. Nothing to worry about. Yeah