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The next morning, Minjae couldn't shake the lingering excitement from the muffin victory. Her interaction with Jake, brief as it had been, felt like progress—no matter how small.

As she grabbed her backpack and prepared to head to school, her thoughts wandered to her new neighbor. She hadn't expected to see him again so soon, but as she stepped onto the sidewalk, there he was, standing at the bus stop.

Jake stood with his arms crossed, his signature frown in place, blending into the background as if he didn't want to be noticed. His headphones were once again firmly in place, drowning out the world. Minjae hesitated for only a second before heading over.

"Jake!" she called out, her voice breaking through the morning quiet.

Jake didn't react immediately, but after a moment, he removed one earbud and looked at her with that same expression of cool indifference. "What?" His tone wasn't rude, but it wasn't welcoming either.

Minjae jogged up to him, her bright smile contrasting with his gloomy mood. "You're heading to school? Which one? I go to Sangwon High."

Jake raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Same," he muttered, his gaze flickering away as if he was already bored of the conversation. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, as though the mere act of talking to her was an inconvenience.

"No way!" Minjae beamed, completely undeterred by his icy demeanor. "You're the new transfer? Why didn't you say anything?"

Jake looked at her like she'd asked the most ridiculous question in the world. "I didn't think it mattered." His tone was flat, void of the enthusiasm that Minjae seemed to radiate effortlessly.

He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket and glanced down the road, clearly eager for the bus to arrive so he could escape.

"Well, it does matter!" Minjae insisted, rocking on her heels, oblivious to the tension hanging between them. "Now I can show you around, introduce you to some people. It'll be fun."

Jake gave her a sideways glance, the corners of his mouth twitching as if he was suppressing a sigh. "I don't need a tour guide," he said bluntly. "I'm fine on my own."

Minjae didn't miss a beat. "But think about it—first day, new school, unfamiliar faces. Wouldn't it be better to have a friend?"

Jake's jaw tightened, and for a second, Minjae thought he might snap at her. Instead, he just shrugged. "I'm used to being alone," he said, his voice low but with a slight edge.

There was no mistaking the finality in his words. To Jake, Minjae's relentless cheerfulness was something he didn't have room for.

Unfazed, Minjae flashed another bright grin. "Well, that's about to change." She nudged him lightly with her elbow. "You're stuck with me now."

Jake didn't respond, but he didn't move away either. As the bus pulled up, Minjae noticed a small shift in his stance. Maybe it was the tiniest crack in his defenses, or maybe he was just too tired to argue anymore.