The All-Rounder || Karina X Male Reader

1. The All-Rounder In Trouble

All chapter will be Jaeyoung's POV

The morning light peeked through the blinds of my dorm room as I stared at the ceiling, contemplating how much longer I could lie here without being late. I was up late last night, working on a song for Locked/In—our band had a gig at a local café next week, and we needed something fresh. But this morning wasn’t for rehearsing lyrics or riffing on the guitar. Today was just another day at Fourth Haven University, where I’d be swerving through the halls, dodging the Kings and Queens, and hoping to get through my classes without the universe pulling some weird stunt.

The “universe pulling a weird stunt” part was something I should have predicted.

“Jaeyoung!” my roommate, Jihoon, shouted from his bed, practically smothered in blankets. “You’re going to miss breakfast. And you know if you miss breakfast, you’re going to be cranky.”

I rolled out of bed, brushing my hair back and throwing on a hoodie over my tee. Jihoon was right; cranky and I were not a great mix. And besides, breakfast was my one chance to avoid running into any of the Queens. I mean, they were just students like me, but they walked around the school like they owned it—untouchable, impeccable, practically glowing. I usually didn’t pay them much mind, but that didn’t mean they weren’t watching everything.

As I made my way to the cafeteria, I passed by clusters of people whispering about last night’s football game, where the Kings had dominated yet again. Sunghoon had made this impossible header that got them the win, while Hyunjin kept the entire game alive with his over-the-top tricks. It was like watching a well-oiled machine, smooth and flawless.

My morning passed uneventfully until chemistry class. I was just zoning out when suddenly, the door opened, and in walked Yu Jimin.

Jimin. The one Queen who wasn’t only untouchable but somehow managed to keep her distance from even the other Queens. She moved like she didn’t care what anyone thought, not even the other Kings or Queens. And, for whatever reason, she looked directly at me. Just a quick glance, but it felt like she saw right through me, like she knew every flaw I tried to hide.

I quickly looked away, pretending to scribble something in my notebook. But I knew that things had shifted the moment she walked in.

The bell rang, pulling me out of my thoughts, and I was ready to slip out quietly when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning around, I saw Jimin, cool and unfazed as always.

"Jaeyoung, right?" she asked, her voice carrying a strange calmness.

"Uh…yeah," I replied, not sure where this was going. I glanced around, half-expecting this to be some prank. Maybe one of the Kings put her up to this, just to mess with me.

“I heard you play guitar. And you’re pretty good, right?” she continued.

I shrugged. “I get by. Why?”

She tilted her head slightly. “Our school's annual gala needs a band, and they were thinking of some new faces. Think your band’s interested?”

Before I could respond, a murmur began to build in the hallway. Some of the Kings had gathered outside, clearly waiting for Jimin. They looked at me with something between annoyance and amusement, like they couldn’t believe I’d been noticed by one of their own.

But Jimin didn’t seem bothered. “Let me know if you’re in,” she said, giving a small nod before heading out to join the Kings.

I watched her leave, feeling the weight of half the school’s gaze on me. I wasn’t sure if agreeing to perform at the gala was a good idea or if it’d put a target on my back. But I’d be lying if I said the thought of taking the spotlight didn’t make me just a little excited. Besides, I hadn’t earned the title of “The All-Rounder” for nothing.

But as I walked back to my locker, a feeling crept over me. I could handle most things at Fourth Haven, but something told me that if I accepted this offer, life here was about to get a lot more complicated.