Tethered by Rivalry | Eunwoo

1

From the moment you stepped into university, Eunwoo had been your biggest obstacle. Every lesson, every assignment, every debate—he was always there, always just as determined to be the best.

You’ve always been a top student, and Eunwoo has always been your biggest competitor. In your prestigious university, both of you are constantly pitted against each other, earning the reputation as the academic elites in both of the courses you take. The rivalry is intense—he always sits at the front of the class, confidently answering questions before you can. You, in turn, spend extra hours in the library to ensure that you stay ahead of him.

The two of you were locked in a never-ending battle for academic supremacy, your paths crossing constantly as top students each of your departments.

You hated him.

Or, at least, that’s what you told yourself. There was no other way to explain the frustration you felt whenever his name was announced alongside yours, the tightness in your chest when he scored a fraction of a point higher on a test, or the burning annoyance when professors praised his brilliance.

You tried to focus on your scientifice research, something you were genuinely passionate about. Being a Medtech student meant long hours in the lab, researching, and conducting studies that fascinated you. If there was one place where you knew you could outshine Eunwoo, it was here—science was your domain. Thesis work came naturally to you, and the precision, the details, the data… all of it was where you thrived.

Meanwhile, Eunwoo, with his Business Administration major, couldn’t care less about your latest findings. He was brilliant in his own way, though. His brain worked differently—where you saw endless calculations and scientific intricacies, he saw patterns in numbers, strategies in marketing, and had a knack for making the most boring business plans sound like revolutionary ideas. He was practically a genius when it came to presenting. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t deny his skill.

This rivalry, though silent, went on as the years progressed. You both competed for greatness and were equally praised for having such high intelligence. At times you are the one who excels and in some, he takes the spotlight. You couldn't wait to finish your education and get away from the rivalry, away from Cha Eunwoo. For years, you have endured the academic competition and finally, you're both in your final year. Nothing more could ever deter your happiness from the fact that soon, this will all be over.

So when your parents dropped the bombshell that they had arranged a marriage for you—and that your future husband was none other than Eunwoo—you thought it was a cruel joke. How could they expect you to marry the one person who made your blood boil every time he so much as glanced your way?

Neither of you could protest as you were both very obedient towards your parents. After all, it was for the betterment of each other's businesses, right? But as you are forced to live together and share spaces, things slowly begin to sink in, much to both of your dismay.

The first few days after the engagement were a blur of tense meetings and silent stares. Neither of you was willing to admit defeat. At university, nothing changed. If anything, the competition intensified. You found yourself studying harder, spending even more time in the library, just to make sure you stayed ahead of him.

And he was relentless. Every time you thought you’d finally gained the upper hand, Eunwoo would outshine you with another flawless presentation or an answer that left the whole block impressed. He was always there, a step ahead or right behind you, pushing you to your limits whether you liked it or not.

At home, the atmosphere was no less tense. The awkward dinners were filled with unspoken challenges and simmering rivalry. Conversations were clipped and filled with subtle jabs. Neither of you wanted to admit that the situation was affecting you—that maybe this competition had started to bleed into something more personal. But neither of you would back down either.

For now, it’s war.