Chapter Text
The first thing Park Wonbin learned about Jung Sungchan was that money could make a person extraordinarily careless. The second thing he learned was that being handsome did not automatically make someone intelligent.
The third thing—something he would discover much later—was that the most frustrating person he'd ever met would eventually become the person he loved most. But on the afternoon they met, Wonbin had absolutely no idea any of that was coming.
---
The university campus was unusually noisy that Friday. Students crowded around the main entrance, some heading toward the library, others rushing toward clubs and organizations. A few football players were gathered near the athletic center, still wearing their training clothes. Then an engine roared. Heads turned.
A sleek black sports car rolled through the university gates. It stopped near the student parking area. The driver's door opened. Jung Sungchan stepped out.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Messy dark hair. Expensive watch. Designer sneakers. Football jacket thrown casually over his shoulders. He looked exactly like the kind of student people whispered about.
Sungchan was the son of Jung Taesoo, the CEO of one of the country's largest corporations. Everyone knew. He was also the star player of the university's varsity football team.
Everyone knew that too. And judging from the crowd of students gathering around him, everyone was interested.
"Sungchan!"
"Are you coming to the party tonight?"
"Your team won again!"
"Can I get a picture?"
Sungchan smiled and waved.
"Tonight. Same place."
The girls screamed. His teammates laughed. Eunseok slapped his shoulder. "You're hosting again?"
Sungchan tossed his car keys toward him. "Obviously."
Anton shook his head. "You realize normal students don't casually throw parties at rented villas every weekend?"
Sungchan shrugged. "Then it's good I'm not normal."
Shotaro laughed. "That's the most Sungchan answer ever. Where the hell is Sohee?"
Seunghan walked beside them. "Your father called."
Sungchan's smile disappeared. "What did he say?"
"Something about your grades." Seunghan's lips twisted.
Sungchan groaned. "Don't remind me."
Eunseok raised an eyebrow. "How bad?"
Sungchan pulled out his phone. "Apparently, I scored twenty-nine."
"Out of?" Sohee already appearing beside them with snacks on his hand.
"One hundred." Sungchan dead panned.
Everyone went silent.
Then Sohee burst out laughing. "You're dead."
Sungchan shoved him. "Shut up."
Everyone laughed as they headed towards inside of the building.
---
Across campus, Wonbin sat alone in the library. His laptop was open. Three textbooks were stacked beside him. A notebook filled with neat handwriting lay in front of him. He was working through a complicated statistics problem when his phone vibrated.
**HOSPITAL**
Wonbin immediately answered. "Hello?"
His mother's nurse was calling. Wonbin's expression changed as he listened. "Her therapy was moved?"
A pause. "How much?"
His fingers tightened around his pen. "Okay."
Another pause. "I'll find it."
He ended the call. For several seconds, he stared at the screen. His mother's treatment expenses had increased again. She had been fighting her illness for months, and although she tried to hide how exhausted she was, Wonbin could see it. His mother was his entire family. He never learned who his father was. They were abandoned when he was very young. And lately, he had been doing everything he could to keep her treatment going.
Weekdays were for university. Weekends were for tutoring children from nearby families. Whenever he had free time, he took small academic jobs. He rarely bought anything for himself. His clothes were simple. His phone was old. His meals were usually cheap.
But whenever his mother asked if he was tired, he always smiled."I'm okay, Mom."
He wasn't. But he couldn't afford not to be. His phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from one of the families he tutored.
**Can you teach Saturday and Sunday this week? We'll increase your payment.**
Wonbin immediately replied.
**Yes. Thank you.**
He closed his eyes. Just a little more. He only needed a little more.
---
That evening, Sungchan arrived home later than usual. The Jung family mansion was enormous. A long driveway led to a modern glass-and-stone house surrounded by perfectly maintained gardens. His father's car was already there. Sungchan sighed. He knew what was coming.
Inside, his father was sitting in the study. A report was open on the desk.
Sungchan stopped at the doorway. "You're home."
His father didn't look up. "Sit."
Sungchan sat.
His father finally raised his eyes. "Twenty-nine."
Sungchan remained silent.
"Do you know what the average score is?" his father asks.
"No." Sungchan replied.
"Eighty-three."
Sungchan rubbed his forehead. "I'm not good at that subject."
"That's not an excuse."
"I'll improve." He promised.
"You've said that three times." Sungchan looked away.
His father pushed another paper across the desk. "You have one semester left before the college entrance exam."
"I know." Sungchan went silent.
"If you fail again, forget about entering the university program you want."
Sungchan's jaw tightened. That was the one thing he cared about academically. He wanted to enter the university's prestigious sports management and business program after graduation. But his grades weren't even close to the required level.
His father leaned back. "You have access to everything."
Sungchan didn't answer. "Private coaches. Tutors. The best schools. The best resources."
His father pointed toward the paper. "And yet you don't study."
Sungchan stood. "I'll fix it."
"How?" His father stares at him.
"I'll find a tutor."
His father stared at him. "A serious one."
Sungchan nodded. "Fine."
"And if you fail?"
Sungchan hesitated. His father's voice became cold. "Then football will be the only thing you have left."
Sungchan walked out without answering.
---
That night, Sungchan sat in his bedroom and stared at his failing grades. He hated studying. He hated being told what to do. He hated sitting in front of textbooks for hours. But he hated the idea of losing his dream even more.
He opened his university student directory. He needed someone intelligent. Someone patient. Someone who wouldn't be intimidated by him. His eyes stopped at one name.
**Park Wonbin.**
Top of the class. Academic scholarship recipient. Multiple tutoring recommendations.
Sungchan vaguely remembered seeing him around campus. The quiet guy. The one who always carried books. The one who never attended parties.The one who once corrected a professor's calculation in front of an entire lecture hall.
Sungchan smiled. "Perfect."
---
The next morning, Wonbin was leaving the library when someone stepped in front of him. He looked up. Jung Sungchan.
Wonbin blinked. "Can I help you?"
"I need a tutor." Sungchan was desperate.
Wonbin looked behind him. "There's a tutoring center."
"I want you." Sungchan said almost immediately.
Wonbin stared. "Excuse me?"
"I heard you're the best." Sungchan eyes him.
"Who told you that?"
"Everyone."
Wonbin adjusted his backpack. "I'm expensive."
"I can afford you." That answer annoyed Wonbin so much. He knew who Sungchan was. Son of a billionaire.
"How much?" Sungchan named a figure.
Wonbin's eyes widened. It was significantly more than he made from an entire month of weekend tutoring. He immediately thought of the hospital. His mother's medicine. The unpaid treatment balance.
He swallowed. "What are the conditions?"
"Three days a week." Sungchan tells him.
"Four." Wonbin replied. That isn't fair for it's price, he thought.
Sungchan raised an eyebrow. "Four?"
"If you're serious about passing."
"Fine."
"Two hours minimum."
"Fine."
"No phones." Wonbin crosses his arms.
Sungchan looked offended. "That's unreasonable."
"Then fail."
Sungchan stared at him. Wonbin stared back. For the first time in his life, Sungchan had met someone who didn't care that he was rich.
"Okay," Sungchan finally said.
Wonbin held out his hand. "Deal."
Sungchan shook it.
"You're really serious."
"I'm serious about my work." Wonbin remarked.
"Good."
"When do we start?" Wonbin asks.
"Today." Sungchan nodded.
Wonbin blinked. "Today?"
"Yes. My mansion."
Wonbin hesitated.
Sungchan noticed. "I'll pick you up after class."
"I can take the bus."
"No." Sungchan immediately rejects.
"Why?"
"Because it's far. You'll only waste time on waiting for the bus.
Wonbin frowned. "You don't have to—"
"I already said I'll pick you up."
And before Wonbin could argue, Sungchan walked away.
Wonbin stared after him. "Arrogant."
---
At exactly six o'clock, a black sports car stopped outside the university. Students immediately began whispering. Wonbin stood at the entrance with his backpack.
Sungchan rolled down the window. Wonbin hates to admit but Sungchan was ridiculously handsome. Especially when he is driving.
"Get in."
Wonbin looked at the car. Then at Sungchan.
"Is this necessary?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I don't want my tutor arriving late."
Wonbin sighed and opened the passenger door. The interior smelled like leather and expensive cologne. He carefully placed his backpack on his lap. Sungchan glanced at him.
"Relax."
"I'm perfectly relaxed."
"You're sitting like you're afraid to touch anything."
"I am."
Sungchan laughed. Wonbin looked out the window.
After a few minutes, Sungchan spoke.
"So."
"So?"
"What do you do outside school?"
"Study."
"That's depressing."
"I tutor."
"That's even more depressing."
Wonbin looked at him.
"What do you do?"
"Football."
"And?"
"Parties."
"And?"
"Drive."
Wonbin raised an eyebrow.
"That's your entire life?"
"Pretty much."
Wonbin shook his head.
"I already understand why you're failing."
Sungchan laughed.
"You haven't even taught me yet."
"I've known you for ten minutes."
"And?"
"You've looked at your phone six times."
Sungchan glanced down. His phone was indeed in his hand. He quickly put it away.
Wonbin smiled faintly. "Exactly."
---
The mansion was even more intimidating at night. Wonbin stepped inside.
A housekeeper greeted them. "Welcome home, young master." Wonbin nearly tripped.
Sungchan looked amused. "Don't mind her."
"I wasn't going to."
They entered Sungchan's study. Wonbin placed his books on the desk.
"Sit."
Sungchan dropped into the chair. Wonbin opened his textbook.
"First, I'm going to see what you know."
Sungchan frowned.
"Can't we just start with the current chapter?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I need to know where your foundation is weak."
Wonbin handed him a test.
"Thirty minutes."
Sungchan looked at the paper. Then at Wonbin.
"You're serious."
"Very."
Sungchan picked up his pencil. Five minutes later, he was on his phone. Wonbin stared at him.
"Sungchan."
"Hm?"
"Phone."
"I'm checking something."
"Phone."
"It's important."
"Your Instagram can wait."
Sungchan looked at him.
"How did you know?"
"You've been smiling at your screen."
Sungchan reluctantly put the phone down. Ten minutes later, his head dropped onto the desk.
Wonbin stared.
"Are you asleep?"
No answer.
"Sungchan."
Silence. Wonbin walked around the desk. Sungchan was completely asleep. Wonbin sighed.
"This is going to be a nightmare."
Sungchan opened one eye.
"You said you're good at tutoring."
"I am."
"Then tutor me."
"How can I tutor someone who won't stay awake?"
Sungchan smiled sleepily.
"Make me."
Wonbin stared at him. Challenge accepted.
He picked up a marker and walked to the whiteboard.
"Fine."
He wrote one equation. Then another.
Then turned around.
"Sungchan."
"Hm?"
"If you get this question right, I'll let you leave ten minutes early."
Sungchan sat up immediately.
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
Sungchan looked at the equation.
"Easy."
Wonbin smiled. It took Sungchan seven minutes. But he got it right. Wonbin nodded.
"Good."
Sungchan looked surprised.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"You thought I'd fail."
"I expected you to."
Sungchan laughed. "You have no faith in me."
"I've seen your test."
"Fair."
They continued. One question became five. Five became ten. Sungchan started asking questions. Wonbin explained each problem using examples that connected to football. Percentages became player statistics. Probability became penalty shots. Statistics became match performance.
Suddenly, Sungchan understood. "Oh."
Wonbin smiled. "See?"
"Why didn't anyone teach me like this before?"
"Because most tutors teach the subject."
"And you?"
"I teach the person."
Sungchan stared at him. Something about that sentence stayed with him. For the first time that evening, he didn't look at his phone. He didn't fall asleep. He didn't complain. He simply listened. And Wonbin didn't notice the way Sungchan was looking at him.
Not as a tutor anymore. But as someone he suddenly wanted to know. Someone whose life seemed completely different from his. Someone who had walked into his mansion carrying an old backpack and somehow made the enormous house feel less empty.
At the end of the session, Wonbin closed his notebook. "That's enough for today."
Sungchan looked at the clock. "Already?"
"It's been three hours."
Sungchan blinked. "Really?"
"Yes."
Wonbin stood. "I'll see you Monday."
Sungchan watched him put his books away. Then, without thinking, he asked,
"Wonbin."
"Yeah?"
"Why do you tutor?"
Wonbin paused. "For money. Obviously."
Sungchan smiled. "But why do you need it?"
Wonbin's fingers tightened around his backpack strap. He looked away. "I have my reasons."
Sungchan noticed the hesitation. But he didn't push. "Okay."
Wonbin walked toward the door.
Sungchan suddenly stood. "I'll drive you home."
"You don't have to."
"I know."
"Then why?"
Sungchan grabbed his keys. "Because you're my tutor."
Wonbin raised an eyebrow. "That's not a reason."
Sungchan smiled. "Then I'll think of a better one."
Wonbin shook his head. "You really are difficult."
"And you're coming with me anyway."
Wonbin tried not to smile. He failed.