worst best match | park jongseong

chapter 7

Chapter Seven: “When Lines Start to Blur”

Min Aeri’s POV

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There are only a few weeks left until the scholarship interview, and Jay and I have somehow stumbled into this routine of working together in (almost) perfect sync. We spend hours sorting books, organizing games, and managing the chaotic energy of the community center. We’ve fallen into a rhythm, the kind where I don’t have to tell him what to do—he just gets it.

That doesn’t mean I’m okay with it, though. Because every time we’re together, I can’t help but notice things about him. The way his laugh gets louder when the kids tell a joke. How he’s actually kind of good with details when he’s not too busy being insufferable. And then there’s his smile—especially when he thinks I’m not looking.

Right now, he’s stacking some books on a shelf, looking ridiculous in his backwards baseball cap, and for some reason, my eyes keep drifting his way.

“If you’re going to stare, at least be subtle about it, Aeri,” he says without looking over, smirking.

I jolt, instantly defensive. “I was not staring. I was just… thinking about how bad you are at stacking books.”

He laughs, finally turning to face me. “Right. And here I thought we were reaching a point where you’d admit how much you like me.”

I roll my eyes. “You’re so full of yourself.”

He grins, taking a step closer. “And yet, here you are, spending all your free time with me.”

I scoff, trying to play it cool. “Trust me, Jay, if I could’ve done this project solo, I would’ve.”

His grin doesn’t fade, and there’s this glint in his eyes that makes my heart stutter. “You’re right. Lucky for you, I’m here to make things interesting.”

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Caught in the Rain

The weather takes a turn on our way out of the community center that evening, and we get caught in an unexpected downpour. Neither of us has an umbrella, and we’re drenched within minutes, huddling under the awning of a closed shop, laughing at the absurdity of it all.

“This is all your fault,” I say, hugging myself to keep warm.

“Oh, so I control the weather now?” he teases, wringing out his hoodie.

“You have the worst luck,” I reply, shivering.

He shrugs, then without a word, he shrugs off his hoodie and wraps it around my shoulders. His warmth lingers on the fabric, and for a second, the world feels a little softer, a little warmer. I stare at him, taken off guard.

“Don’t look so surprised,” he says, smirking. “I’m not a total monster, you know.”

“Yeah, just ninety percent.”

He laughs, his gaze lingering on me, and suddenly we’re standing there, alone in the rain, with that spark between us crackling louder than ever. My heart skips, and I can’t help but wonder if he feels it too. But before I can figure it out, he steps back, breaking the moment.

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Back at the Community Center

The next day, we’re back at the center, working side by side to finish painting some posters for an upcoming event. Jay is carefully brushing paint onto a piece of poster board, and I notice how focused he looks, his usual playfulness replaced by something quieter. It’s weirdly… captivating.

He catches me staring again, and his eyes crinkle with a teasing smile. “Enjoying the view, Aeri?”

I blush, quickly looking away. “Please. I was just wondering how someone as annoying as you managed to do something right for once.”

He chuckles, reaching over to dab a bit of paint onto my cheek. “There. Now you’re a masterpiece too.”

I gasp, wiping at my face and glaring at him. “Oh, you’re dead, Park Jongseong.”

I grab a brush and swipe a line of paint across his arm. He laughs, not even bothering to dodge, and before I know it, we’re both covered in paint, laughing and yelling at each other like a couple of kids.

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The “Almost” Moment

After we clean up, we sit together on the floor, both exhausted from laughing. There’s a comfortable silence between us, and for once, I don’t feel the need to fill it with sarcasm or banter.

He turns to me, his expression soft. “You know, I never thought I’d say this, but… I’m actually glad we got stuck doing this project together.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Wow, look who’s getting sentimental. Are you okay?”

He chuckles, nudging me with his shoulder. “Don’t get used to it. But yeah… this has been better than I thought it’d be.”

His voice drops a little, almost hesitant. And I realize he’s not just talking about the project—he’s talking about us. About this strange, unspoken thing between us that’s been building, simmering under the surface.

I want to say something back, something that matches the intensity in his eyes, but the words get stuck in my throat. And instead, I just sit there, my heart pounding, hoping he won’t notice.

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Breaking the Moment

The sound of someone’s phone ringing shatters the silence, and we both jerk back like we’ve been caught doing something we shouldn’t. It’s Jay’s phone, and he quickly stands up, turning away to answer it. I sit there, feeling like an idiot, wondering why I let myself get so caught up in whatever that almost-moment was.

When he comes back, his face is serious, his usual playful expression replaced by something unreadable. “I… I’ve got to go,” he says, his voice flat.

I blink, taken aback. “Oh. Yeah, sure.”

He pauses, glancing at me, like he wants to say something more. But then he just nods and walks away, leaving me alone, my heart heavier than I’d like to admit.

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Later That Night

I’m lying in bed, replaying the moment over and over in my mind. Maybe it’s better this way, I tell myself. Getting close to him was never part of the plan. We’re supposed to be rivals, competing for the same scholarship, not… whatever this is.

But as much as I try to convince myself, I can’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, this thing between us is real. And that scares me more than anything.

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End of Chapter Seven