The Gimbap Project

Chapter 11 Jump

The third time that mysterious paper bag found itself on her desk, Hae-in decided to get to the bottom of everything.

Deciding to forgo her usual morning meditation, Hae-in arrived at school much earlier than usual and hurried towards her classroom. She crept towards the familiar classroom, her heart pounding a secret rhythm in her chest. Rounding the corner, she froze and hid behind the door.

Hunched over her desk was a figure, bathed in the soft glow of the morning sun filtering through the window.

It was Baek Hyun Woo.

A grin, wide enough to rival a Cheshire cat's, stretched across his face. He was fussing over the brown paper bag, rearranging it with an almost comical precision. The sunlight seemed to be his personal spotlight, illuminating the bag as if it held a precious treasure.

Hae-in couldn't help but stifle a laugh. She wasn't naive. From the moment those Gimbaps started appearing on her desk, a nagging suspicion had taken root. Who else would go to such lengths to deliver breakfast to her? It wasn't a coincidence too that the Gimbaps only began appearing after Baek Hyun Woo transferred to her school.

Besides, trusting anyone other than this senior who had somehow wormed his way into her life with her breakfast was simply out of the question – food poisoning was no laughing matter and she had experienced her fair share of bullying.

A wave of relief washed over Hae-in as she watched Hyun Woo fuss over the paper bag. This was the boy who occupied an increasingly large space in her thoughts. There was a certain comfort she found at that moment, knowing it wasn't some random person leaving food at her desk.

Yet, amidst the relief, a flicker of something else sparked within her. It was unsettling, this hold Baek Hyun Woo had on her, his kindness and gentle nature weaving a path into her world. No one else had ever managed to infiltrate her carefully constructed walls, to become a constant presence in her mind and Baek Hyun Woo had been consuming her thoughts a lot lately. It was endearing and yet, strangely bothersome at the same time.

Who knew that just a few weeks later, she would find herself blurting out her feelings, albeit in a childish, roundabout way, during a silly game of Spin the Bottle? Back then, on the bench, when Hyun Woo had innocently asked about the Gimbap deliveries, she had known exactly who was behind them. Teasing him with Ko Dong-man's name had been a playful jab, a way to gauge his reaction and see if his facade would crumble.

Likewise, during the game when she mentioned the boy who sends her Gimbaps every morning.

Yes, she had Baek Hyun Woo in mind.

She hadn't anticipated the dramatic response that followed, though. Hyun Woo's choked gasp and beet-red face, paired with Yang-gi's overly enthusiastic thump on his back, were a sight she wouldn't soon forget.

Perhaps, Hae-in conceded, she had pushed the teasing a bit too far. The hopeful, almost pleading look in Baek Hyun Woo's eyes now was enough to make her heart do a somersault in her chest.

Teasing Baek Hyun Woo undeniably held a certain thrill. It was a way to test the waters, to see him flustered. But a tiny, secret part of her yearned for more. As much as she enjoyed the chase, the thought of openly admitting her feelings was still daunting. For now, the delicious tension and the adorable flustered reactions were simply too tempting to resist.

There was certainly something undeniably sweet about watching him squirm, but for how long could she keep this game going? Even Hae-in wasn't sure of the answer.

Because Hong Hae-in was already falling for Baek Hyun Woo.

"Ko Dong-man. Really? Ko. Dong. Man?!" Hyun Woo sputtered, disbelief lacing his voice.