Unintentional Love | Shimkongz

The Rivalry Begins

The first day at a new school is always the hardest, but transferring to a high school in a different country? That's a whole new level of stress. As I walked through the halls of Seoul International High School, clutching my schedule like a lifeline, I could feel eyes on me, whispering about the new Chinese kid. I tried to ignore it, focusing on finding my class.

Art class. My one escape. The one place where I could lose myself in drawing and forget about everything else. I walked in, scanning the room for an empty seat. The walls were lined with students' artwork, some of it surprisingly good. I took a deep breath and made my way to the back of the room, where I could work without being disturbed.

As I passed a group of loud boys, I caught snippets of their conversation. They were joking around, oblivious to the world. That's when I first saw Kim Gyuvin. Tall, with light brown hair and an ever-present grin, he seemed to be the ringleader of the group. He glanced at me, and for a moment, our eyes met. There was something in his gaze that made me uneasy, but I brushed it off, taking my seat and pulling out my sketchbook.

I started to sketch, the familiar motion of pencil on paper calming my nerves. The quiet hum of pencils on paper was soothing, a stark contrast to the chaos of the hallway. I was so focused on my drawing that I didn't notice Gyuvin approaching until he was right next to me.

"Hey, new kid," a voice called out, breaking the silence. I looked up to see Gyuvin leaning back in his chair, staring at me with that infuriating grin. "What are you drawing?"

"None of your business," I muttered, going back to my sketch. I wasn't here to make friends, especially not with loudmouths like him.

"Oh, come on," he persisted, leaning over to try and see my work. "I just want to see."

"I said, leave me alone," I snapped, glaring at him.

Gyuvin raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. No need to get all worked up."

I turned back to my drawing, but my concentration was broken. I could feel his eyes on me, and it was making my skin crawl. The rest of the class passed in uneasy silence, with Gyuvin occasionally glancing my way, a smirk playing on his lips. I tried to ignore him, focusing on my drawing, but it was hard. Something about him got under my skin in a way that no one else ever had.

When the bell finally rang, I packed up my things quickly, eager to get away from him. But as I stood up, Gyuvin blocked my path.

"See you around, rich kid," he said, a mocking tone in his voice.

I pushed past him without a word, my heart pounding with a mix of anger and something else I couldn't quite place. This was going to be a long semester.

As I navigated the crowded halls, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Whispers and glances followed me, making me hyper-aware of every step I took. I found my locker, spinning the combination lock with slightly trembling fingers. Just as I opened it, a familiar voice echoed behind me.

"Hey, Shim!" Gyuvin called out, louder than necessary. "Lost already?"

I rolled my eyes and ignored him, focusing on arranging my books. But Gyuvin was persistent. He sauntered over, leaning against the locker next to mine.

"You know, it's kind of funny," he said, a smirk on his lips. "A rich kid like you, slumming it here with the rest of us."

I slammed my locker shut, turning to face him. "What's your problem?"

Gyuvin shrugged, his grin widening. "No problem. Just trying to figure you out."

"Figure me out?" I repeated, incredulous. "You don't even know me."

"And whose fault is that?" he retorted. "You've been here, what, a day? And you're already acting like you're too good for everyone."

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my temper in check. "Look, I don't want any trouble. I'm just trying to get through the day."

Gyuvin laughed, the sound grating on my nerves. "Relax, rich kid. I'm just messing with you."

"Don't call me that," I snapped.

"What? Rich kid?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Touchy, aren't we?"

Before I could respond, the bell rang, signaling the start of the next class. I grabbed my backpack and walked away, leaving Gyuvin laughing behind me. As I made my way to my next class, I couldn't help but wonder why he had singled me out. Was it because I was new? Because I was different?

I tried to push the thoughts aside, focusing on finding my classroom. English. Great. At least it was a subject I was comfortable with. I slipped into a seat near the back, hoping to go unnoticed.

The teacher, Mr. Park, was a middle-aged man with glasses perched on the edge of his nose. He seemed nice enough, and I relaxed slightly as he started the lesson. But just as I was beginning to feel at ease, the door opened, and Gyuvin walked in.

Of course he's in this class too, I thought, groaning inwardly. Gyuvin scanned the room, his eyes landing on me. With a smirk, he sauntered over and took the seat right next to mine.

"Hey, again," he said, grinning.

I ignored him, pulling out my notebook. Mr. Park started the lesson, but it was hard to focus with Gyuvin sitting so close. I could feel his eyes on me, and it was making my skin crawl.

When class finally ended, I bolted out of my seat, eager to get away. But Gyuvin was right behind me.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" he called out as we exited the classroom.

"Why do you care?" I shot back, not slowing down.

"Just curious," he said, catching up to me. "You're an interesting guy, Shim."

"Interesting?" I repeated, incredulous. "You've barely spoken to me."

"True," he admitted. "But I've got a feeling about you."

I stopped walking and turned to face him. "Look, Gyuvin, I don't know what your deal is, but I'm not interested in playing whatever game you're trying to start."

Gyuvin held up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. No games. Just trying to get to know the new kid."

"Well, don't," I said firmly. "I'm not here to make friends."

He laughed, the sound grating on my nerves. "Whatever you say, rich kid."

I turned and walked away, my heart pounding with a mix of anger and frustration. This was definitely going to be a long semester.