Joshua and Jun had been at each other's throats since freshman year, always trying to one-up each other in every possible way. Their academic rivalry was intense enough, but somehow, it spilled into every aspect of school life. So, it wasn't exactly surprising when their pranks on each other became notorious.
When the announcement came for the annual school play, Jun saw his chance for a new kind of prank. Without consulting anyone, he marched right up to the sign-up sheet and wrote down both his and Joshua's names as potential leads. His friends burst out laughing at the thought of Joshua's reaction, while Jun merely smirked, waiting for the chaos he knew would follow.
Joshua only found out the next day when his friends Seungcheol and Jeonghan dragged him over to the announcement board, grinning like they had just won the lottery. "Guess what, Josh? You're the name is in the list," Jeonghan said, barely able to contain his laughter.
"What?!" Joshua's face flushed as he saw his name right next to Jun's. "This has to be some kind of mistake!"
Scoups shook his head, chuckling. "No mistake. Seems like Jun decided to do you a favor. Besides, this could be a fun change for you! Imagine how much you could show him up on stage."
Joshua crossed his arms, glaring at Jun from across the hall, who merely waved with a smug grin. As much as he wanted to storm out, Joshua's competitive side wouldn't let him back down. The challenge had been thrown, and there was no way he'd let Jun win this one.
When their homeroom teacher announced the official cast list, Joshua was even more mortified to hear that he and Jun had been assigned the romantic leads.
"Think of it as a lesson in cooperation," the teacher had said, clearly enjoying the shocked expressions on both their faces. "You two could use a little harmony."
The pranks only got worse from there. Jun was the first to strike. The day after the roles were confirmed, Joshua arrived to the classroom, only to find his desk piled with over-the-top Valentine's Day cards and plastic roses, all signed, "From your beloved, Jun." His classmates roared with laughter as Joshua stared in horror.
"Aw, don't be shy, Joshua," Jun teased, patting him on the back. "I just wanted to help you get into character."
Joshua shot him a look that promised payback, and it didn't take long for him to plot his revenge. A few days later, Jun found himself the victim of Joshua's retaliation. Just as he stepped onto the stage for rehearsal, Jun's shoes started squeaking with each step. He quickly realized that Joshua had applied a subtle layer of stickiness to the bottom of his shoes, causing him to slip and slide, much to the amusement of everyone watching.
"Oh, my bad, Jun," Joshua said with a smile that was anything but innocent. "Just wanted to make sure you were feeling the part."
The pranks continued, each one escalating in ridiculousness. Jun once switched out Joshua's stage prop book for a heavy chemistry textbook, which almost had Joshua dropping it in the middle of their scene. Not one to back down, Joshua responded by hiding Jun's costume minutes before rehearsal, leaving him scrambling around backstage in his gym clothes.
Despite the antics, there was a strange energy that grew between them each time they rehearsed. As much as they annoyed each other, they were undeniably drawn to the intensity of their dynamic. Their teacher, noticing this spark, decided to have them rehearse privately after school, away from distractions. This only added fuel to the fire, as the close quarters forced them to confront each other face-to-face, with no one else around to watch.
One day, they were practicing a particularly intense scene, where Jun's character was supposed to confess his love. Joshua was determined to get through it without flinching, but as Jun stepped closer, his teasing grin faded, and he held Joshua's gaze with an intensity that was more genuine than Joshua had expected.
