Minho hates Kavya, Kavya hates him more they both compete over everything and now they are stuck together for the whole year. Yet something starts drawing Minho closer and pushing Kavya away.
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I could feel the heat of Minho’s glare even without looking up from my phone. His jaw was clenched so tight I thought he might crack a tooth. He hadn’t said a word to me since we all piled into his car, and now the air was thick with tension. It was almost funny. No, it *was* funny.
“So, Jeff’s really nice,” I said, just loud enough for him to hear over the music. I didn’t look at Minho, though. I was too busy typing out another text. Jeff had just sent me a meme, and I was snickering at it, knowing it would get under Minho’s skin even more.
Teresa, sitting in the front passenger seat, glanced back at me with a smirk, catching on to what I was doing. She knew exactly what was going on, though she was smart enough to keep quiet. Newt and Thomas were in the backseat with me, chatting about something random, completely oblivious to the storm brewing right beside me.
Minho’s knuckles tightened around the steering wheel, and I could almost see his nostrils flare from the corner of my eye. He hadn’t been like this until Jeff walked up to me earlier, all cool and confident, giving me his number right in front of him. I didn’t even think much of it at first—Jeff was cute, sure, but it wasn’t like I was going to rush off and marry the guy. But then I saw Minho’s face when Jeff handed me that slip of paper. His eyes darkened, jaw clenched. I swear, if looks could kill, Jeff would have been in pieces.
But the best part? Minho had no reason to be jealous. It’s not like we were dating or anything. We weren’t even friends, really. If anything, we barely tolerated each other. He’d always been annoyingly competitive, always trying to prove he was better than everyone else. Especially me. But now, he was sulking, and it was too good an opportunity to pass up.
“Yeah,” I continued, typing away, “he’s super funny. I think we’re going to grab coffee tomorrow.”
There it was—the final blow. I felt Minho’s entire body tense next to me. His foot pressed harder on the gas, and we shot forward a little faster than usual, making Thomas jolt in the backseat.
“Mate, easy,” Newt said, laughing a little. He had no idea what was going on, but even he could tell Minho was driving like he was in a race.
Minho muttered something under his breath, something I didn’t quite catch but could guess the meaning of. I bit back a grin and slid my phone into my pocket, satisfied for now. I leaned back in my seat, pretending to stretch, and glanced at him for the first time since we left the parking lot.
“You okay there, Minho?” I asked, my voice dripping with fake concern. “You seem tense.”
“I’m fine,” he snapped, not even bothering to look at me.
“Really? Because you’re driving like you’re trying to break some speed record.”
He didn’t respond, his eyes locked on the road, but I could see the muscle in his jaw twitching. It was hilarious how bad he was at hiding his jealousy. For someone who was always so smug and confident, seeing him like this was a rare treat. And I wasn’t about to let it go.
“You know,” I said, turning to him fully now, “it’s kind of cute, actually.”
Minho’s eyes flicked toward me for a split second, then back to the road. “What is?”
“Your little mood. You’re jealous.”
He scoffed. “Jealous? Of Jeff? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t play dumb. You’ve been sulking ever since he gave me his number.”
He was quiet for a moment, the only sound the low hum of the engine and Newt’s laughter in the backseat. Teresa glanced over her shoulder at me again, this time with raised eyebrows. I knew she was loving this just as much as I was.
“You think I care who you text?” Minho said finally, his voice dripping with disdain.
“Yeah, I think you do.” I leaned closer, lowering my voice just enough to make it clear I was messing with him. “Because if you didn’t care, you wouldn’t be acting like this.”
“I’m not acting like anything.”
“Sure, you’re not.” I couldn’t help the smile tugging at my lips. “That’s why you’re driving like we’re in a Fast and Furious movie and haven’t said more than two words to me since Jeff showed up.”
Minho’s grip on the steering wheel tightened even more, and I could practically see the gears turning in his head as he tried to figure out how to respond. But he couldn’t. He knew I was right, and it was killing him.
“You know,” I said after a beat of silence, “if you’re so bothered, maybe you should’ve made a move first.”
His eyes shot to mine then, sharp and annoyed, but there was something else there too. Something softer, buried beneath all that arrogance and irritation. “Why would I want to do that”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I teased, leaning back again. “Maybe because you’re into me?”
“I’m not into you.”
“Right. That’s why you’ve been acting like a toddler ever since Jeff walked up to me.”
Minho clenched his jaw, and I could see him fighting the urge to snap back with something biting. But he didn’t. Instead, he just stayed silent, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, ignoring me completely.
I leaned over, lowering my voice conspiratorially, even though I knew Newt and Thomas probably couldn’t hear us over their conversation. “You know, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, Minho. You, me… we’d make a pretty decent couple.”
He scoffed, but I could tell he was rattled. “Keep dreaming, Kavya.”
“I don’t have to,” I said, smirking. “I’ve already got a date lined up for tomorrow, remember?”
His face darkened again, and I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me. He was so easy to mess with, and it was too much fun watching him squirm. Teresa was openly grinning now, fully aware of what I was doing and clearly enjoying the show.
Minho stayed quiet for the rest of the ride, fuming silently as he pulled up to my house. When the car finally stopped, I opened the door and turned to him with a cheeky smile.
“Thanks for the ride, Minho. Maybe next time you’ll be the one texting me for a change.”
I didn’t wait for a response. I hopped out of the car, waving at the others before heading up my driveway, feeling his eyes on me the entire time.
