Chapter Text
Jake had been on campus for exactly four days, and he was already lost.
Not in a dramatic, life crisis way.
Just…physically.
Hanrim University’s humanities building made no sense.
The hallways split into two wings that looked identical, the room numbers skipped randomly, and whoever designed the signage clearly enjoyed watching freshmen suffer.
Jake stared down at his schedule for the fifth time.
Advanced Literature Theory Room H-314.
He looked up at the wall.
H-208.
“That’s not even close,” he muttered.
Students brushed past him in a steady stream.
Laughter echoed from somewhere down the corridor.
A professor’s voice carried faintly from behind a half-open door.
Jake checked his phone. Five minutes until class.
“Okay,” he breathed, turning left at the next corner, “It has to be this way.”
It was not.
Instead, he stepped into a quieter hallway that smelled faintly of smoke and cold air.
The windows at the end were cracked open despite the winter chill.
And three very familiar figures were leaning against the wall.
Jay noticed him first.
“Well, well,” Jay drawled, pushing his hair back, “Freshman territory ends two floors down.”
“I’m not a freshman,” Jake shot back automatically.
“Could’ve fooled me,” Ni-ki said, though there was a teasing grin on his face.
He was perched on the windowsill, long legs stretched out, clearly not in any rush to be anywhere.
He wasn’t smoking.
The cigarette between his fingers was unlit, just something he was spinning absentmindedly while Jay and
Jake’s gaze shifted.
Heeseung.
Black jacket. Rings on his fingers.
A cigarette balanced between his lips as he exhaled slowly out the open window.
The smoke curled around him like it belonged there.
He looked relaxed.
Too relaxed for someone skipping class.
Jake felt his pulse jump for absolutely no reason.
“You’re blocking the hallway,” Jake said, trying to sound composed.
Jay smirked. “We’re enhancing it.”
Heeseung flicked ash out the window, then finally looked at Jake properly.
And paused.
There was a flicker of recognition.
They’d seen each other before.
Around campus.
In passing.
Once at the café near the dorms where Jake had caught Heeseung staring at him a second too long.
Now those sharp eyes scanned him slowly.
“You’re lost,” Heeseung said.
It wasn’t a question.
Jake frowned. “I am not.”
Ni-ki snorted, “You’re holding your schedule upside down.”
Jake looked down.
It was.
His ears burned. He flipped it quickly, “I knew that.”
Jay laughed outright this time.
Heeseung took the cigarette from his mouth and crushed it into the small metal tray on the windowsill.
“What class?” he asked.
Jake blinked. “H-314.”
Jay whistled low. “You’re way off.”
“Obviously,” Jake muttered.
Heeseung pushed off the wall, “I’ll show you.”
Jay raised an eyebrow. “Since when are you campus tour guide?”
Heeseung didn’t answer. He just walked past Jake, brushing shoulders lightly as he went.
Jake swallowed and followed.
Ni-ki hopped down from the windowsill, “We’re coming too. I’m not going to my lecture anyway.”
“You were never going,” Jay said dryly.
They walked together through the hallways, Jake slightly ahead at first before realizing he had no idea where he was going and slowing to match Heeseung’s stride.
“You’re new,” Heeseung said.
“Transfer.”
“From?”
“Australia.”
Jay made an impressed noise.
“International and smart-looking? Dangerous combo.”
Jake rolled his eyes.
Heeseung glanced at him sideways, “What’s your major?”
“Literature. Minor in psychology.”
Ni-ki groaned dramatically, “You sound like you do your assignments two weeks early.”
“I do,” Jake said calmly.
Jay clutched his chest, “Heeseung, he’s your opposite.”
Jake frowned slightly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Jay and Ni-ki shared a look.
Heeseung shot them a warning glance.
“Nothing,” Heeseung said flatly.
They turned one more corner.
Heeseung stopped in front of a classroom door.
H-314.
Jake stared at it.
“You’re kidding.”
“I’m not.”
Jake looked at him suspiciously. “You didn’t just guess that.”
Heeseung shrugged.
Before Jake could respond, the classroom door opened.
A woman in her mid-thirties stepped out, holding a tablet.
Professor Kim, if the nameplate on the wall was correct.
She scanned the hallway.
“You’re late,” she said immediately.
Jake straightened. “Sorry, I got lost…”
Her eyes shifted to Heeseung.
And narrowed.
“Lee Heeseung.”
Jake blinked.
Oh.
“You’re in this class?” Jake asked.
Heeseung looked almost bored, “Yeah.”
Professor Kim sighed heavily. “I was hoping you wouldn’t be.”
Jay let out a low “Ouch.”
Ni-ki grinned.
Professor Kim crossed her arms. “You barely passed last semester.”
Jake’s eyebrows shot up.
Heeseung’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue.
Professor Kim’s gaze moved to Jake, “You’re the transfer student. Jake Sim, correct?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’ve reviewed your transcript. Impressive.”
Jake nodded politely.
She looked between them.
Then something calculating flickered in her eyes.
“Perfect.”
Heeseung visibly tensed.
“Perfect?” he repeated carefully.
“Yes,” Professor Kim said, stepping fully into the hallway. “Jake, since you’re clearly academically strong, I’d like you to tutor Heeseung.”
Silence.
Jay burst out laughing.
Ni-ki actually clapped.
Heeseung looked like he’d just been sentenced.
“I don’t need…” he started.
“You do,” Professor Kim cut in, “You were one failed midterm away from repeating the course.”
Jake turned slowly toward Heeseung.
“You almost failed?” he asked before he could stop himself.
Heeseung’s expression was unreadable.
“Drop it.”
Professor Kim smiled tightly. “It’s settled. Weekly sessions. I’ll expect improvement.”
She turned and went back into the classroom.
The door closed.
Jay wiped at imaginary tears. “Oh, this is gold.”
Ni-ki leaned toward Jake. “You’re about to experience academic tragedy firsthand.”
Jake ignored them.
He was staring at Heeseung.
“You didn’t do the readings, did you?”
Heeseung exhaled slowly through his nose, “Don’t.”
“You didn’t.”
Jay held up a hand. “In his defense, he did open the book once.”
“I used it as a pillow,” Ni-ki added helpfully.
Jake crossed his arms.
For someone who looked that confident, that untouchable…
“You’re actually bad at literature?”
Heeseung stepped closer.
Not aggressively.
But enough that Jake felt it.
“I’m not bad,” he said quietly, “I just don’t care.”
Jake tilted his head.
“That’s worse.”
Jay let out a dramatic gasp. “He’s judging you.”
Heeseung ignored him, eyes still locked on Jake.
“You’re really going to tutor me?”
Jake hesitated.
He should say no.
He should avoid this entirely.
But something about the challenge in Heeseung’s gaze made him straighten.
“Yes.”
Jay and Ni-ki exchanged looks.
“Oh, he’s serious,” Ni-ki said.
Heeseung studied Jake for a long moment.
Then, slowly, the corner of his mouth lifted.
“Fine,” he said. “Let’s see if you can fix me.”
Jake’s stomach flipped.
“Bring your notes,” he replied coolly. “And try not to smoke over them.”
Jay made exaggerated kissy noises.
“Alright,” Heeseung said, turning toward the classroom door. “Let’s go, tutor.”
Jake followed him inside, acutely aware of Jay and Ni-ki trailing behind.
As they passed another hallway, Jake noticed something that made him pause.
Sunoo was standing by the vending machines.
And Ni-ki froze.
Just slightly.
Sunoo looked up.
Their eyes met.
Ni-ki immediately straightened, pretending to fix his jacket.
Sunoo smiled.
It was small, but intentional.
“You’re skipping again?” Sunoo asked sweetly.
Ni-ki scoffed. “I’m…strategically absent.”
“Mm,” Sunoo hummed. “Sure.”
Jay leaned toward Jake, “He’s had a crush for months.”
“I do not,” Ni-ki hissed.
Sunoo stepped closer, reaching up to flick something off Ni-ki’s shoulder.
“You had ash on you,” he said softly.
Ni-ki went uncharacteristically quiet.
Jake blinked.
Oh.
Interesting.
Heeseung nudged him lightly. “Focus, tutor.”
Jake tore his eyes away.
Right.
Class.
The lecture passed in a blur. Jake took detailed notes out of habit.
Heeseung, surprisingly, didn’t sleep. He just…watched.
Not the professor.
Jake.
When class ended, Heeseung stood.
“Library. Tomorrow,” he said.
“That wasn’t a question,” Jake noted.
“It is now.”
Jake pretended to consider.
“Five o’clock.”
Heeseung nodded once.
“Don’t be late.”
Jake raised an eyebrow. “You’re the one who almost failed.”
Heeseung smirked faintly.
And walked out.
Later that afternoon, Jake dropped into his usual table at the campus café.
Sunghoon looked up immediately. “You were late this morning.”
Sunoo leaned forward. “Did you find your class?”
Jungwon sipped his drink quietly, observing.
Jake tried to act normal.
“I did.”
“And?” Sunghoon pressed.
Jake stirred his iced coffee slowly.
“Heeseung is in it.”
The reaction was instant.
“What?” Sunghoon said sharply.
Sunoo’s eyes widened. “Lee Heeseung?”
Jungwon raised an eyebrow. “The one who hangs out with Jay?”
“The one who smokes behind the building?” Sunghoon added.
Jake nodded.
“And,” he continued carefully, “I’m tutoring him.”
Dead silence.
Sunghoon blinked. “You’re what?”
“He almost failed last semester,” Jake explained.
Sunoo gasped softly. “He almost failed?”
Jungwon leaned back. “That’s… unexpected.”
Sunghoon narrowed his eyes. “Why you?”
“Because I’m good at this,” Jake said simply.
Sunghoon studied him carefully. “Be careful.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “He’s not dangerous.”
“You don’t know that.”
Jake thought about the hallway.
The way Heeseung had stepped forward instead of laughing.
The way his voice had lowered when he said, Let’s see if you can fix me.
Jake smiled faintly.
“I think,” he said slowly, “he just needs someone to make him care.”
Sunoo tilted his head knowingly. “And you volunteered?”
Jake’s ears warmed.
“It’s just tutoring.”
Sunghoon didn’t look convinced.
Across campus, Heeseung leaned back in his chair, phone in hand.
A new contact glowed on the screen.
Jake (Tutor).
He stared at it for a second.
Then typed: Don’t cancel tomorrow.
A reply came almost instantly.
I won’t. Don’t skip.
Heeseung huffed a quiet laugh.
Maybe this semester wouldn’t be so boring after all.