A Blessing in Disguise : Jungwon Minji

          The sun shone brightly over the courtyard, dappling the grass with golden light. The hum of chatter and laughter filled the air as students relaxed during their lunch break. Minji, Hanni, and Hyein sat cross-legged under a shady tree, a half-empty bag of spicy snacks between them.

          Minji picked up a cracker, her brow furrowed. She crunched it with the same determination she used when dealing with math problems she hated. Finally, she let out a sigh.

          "You won't believe who joined my science project with Haerin," she muttered, eyes narrowing as if the very thought was offensive.

          Hanni, nibbling on a piece of dried mango, tilted her head curiously. "Who? Did someone actually volunteer?"

          Minji's jaw tightened. "Jungwon."

          Hyein's eyes widened, her jaw dropping in shock. "Wait, Jungwon? As in the Jungwon?"

          "Yeah," Minji replied, her voice flat. "The same Jungwon who can't stick with one girl for more than a week."

          Hanni's brow creased in confusion. "But why would he join the project with Haerin? They've worked together on school stuff before. It never seemed like he was flirting."

          "Exactly!" Hyein chimed in, brushing crumbs off her lap. "They're both popular, so the teachers always pair them up. Why would he suddenly change now?"

          Minji folded her arms tightly across her chest. "Because he's a playboy. He's probably bored and decided Haerin's his new target."

          Hanni exchanged a glance with Hyein, suspicion flickering in her eyes. "Are you sure, Minji? Maybe you're just misunderstanding—"

          "I'm not misunderstanding anything," Minji snapped, her fingers gripping the snack bag. "Trust me. I know his type."

          Hyein shrugged, her lips quirking into a half-smile. "Well, if you say so. But it still feels... weird."

          Minji leaned back against the tree, scowling at the cloudless sky. They'll see soon enough. Jungwon isn't fooling her.

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The library was a sanctuary of silence, broken only by the whisper of pages turning and the low hum of the air conditioning. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, casting patterns of light and shadow over the wooden tables.

Minji walked in, her backpack slung over one shoulder, her expression set in stone. She spotted Jungwon immediately. He leaned casually against a bookshelf, a random book open in his hands, his eyes skimming the pages lazily.

A cluster of girls nearby kept glancing at him, their hushed giggles breaking the silence. One girl twirled her hair around her finger, blushing as Jungwon looked up and offered a slow, dimpled smile. She quickly looked away, her face turning crimson.

Minji's jaw tightened. Even in the library, seriously?

Jungwon closed the book with a soft thud, his eyes meeting hers with a smirk. "I was starting to think you weren't coming."

Minji's eyes narrowed, her voice dry. "Unlike you, I take this project seriously."

Before Jungwon could respond, Haerin rushed in, her face lit up with excitement. "Hey, guys! Sorry I'm late. The professor had some extra notes for me."

She dropped her notebook on the table, flipping to a page filled with diagrams and bullet points. "Okay, let's get started!"

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          Haerin pointed at a diagram of banana peels. "We're going to make bioplastic using banana peels. It's a sustainable and eco-friendly material."

          Minji nodded, jotting notes into her notebook. "Got it. Let's just stay focused and get this done."

          Jungwon leaned in close, his shoulder brushing against Minji's as he peered at the notes. His voice dipped to a whisper, teasing and light. "You make it sound like so much fun."

          Minji stiffened, her grip on her pen tightening. She turned her head just enough to glare at him. "I'm here to work, not to have fun."

          Jungwon's lips curled into a lazy smile, his dimple deepening. "Who says you can't do both?"

          Her eyes flashed with irritation, and she took a deliberate step away. He's doing this on purpose, she thought, her teeth gritting. I'm not going to fall for it.

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As they went through the research, Minji frowned at a particularly dense section of text. "How do we isolate the starch without breaking it down?"

Jungwon, who had been doodling on the edge of his notebook, leaned over and tapped the paragraph with his pen. "You have to boil the banana peels at a low temperature first. It keeps the starch intact."

Minji blinked, caught off guard by the simple clarity of his explanation. "Oh. That actually makes sense."

Jungwon smirked, his eyes glinting. "I told you, I'm smarter than I look."

Her brows drew together, and she quickly looked back at her notes. "Doesn't change the fact that you're still a playboy."

He chuckled softly, the sound low and warm. "Maybe you just don't know everything about me."

She ignored the flutter in her chest, focusing instead on writing her notes with renewed intensity. He's still the same annoying Jungwon.

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          Haerin clapped her hands together, her face glowing with enthusiasm. "You two are doing great! I'm so happy we're all working on this together."

          Her eyes sparkled with genuine joy, completely missing the glares and smirks being exchanged beside her. "With both of you on the team, we're definitely going to win."

          Minji's jaw tightened, but she forced a nod. "Yeah, sure."

          Haerin grinned. "And when it's time to present, don't worry! I've got that covered."

          Minji's lips twitched into a smile. Haerin was a natural at presenting, and knowing that eased a tiny fraction of her frustration.

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As they packed up their materials, Jungwon leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a murmur just for her ears. "You know, you're kind of cute when you're annoyed."

Minji's head snapped toward him, her glare fierce enough to burn. "Save your lines for someone who cares."

He chuckled, his dimple peeking out. "Who says I'm not saving them for you?"

Her cheeks flared with heat, and she shoved her notebook into her bag with more force than necessary. "Keep dreaming, Jungwon."

He stepped back, hands in his pockets, his eyes glinting with that infuriating confidence. "See you tomorrow, partner."

Minji watched him saunter away, his casual confidence radiating off every step. Her teeth ground together, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag. Typical playboy. He thought a grin and a few flirty words could make her waver? He had another thing coming.

As she walked out of the library, her jaw set in a determined line. He might be handsome, but she wasn't about to let him try anything funny—not with her, and certainly not with Haerin.

If he thinks this is going to be easy, he's in for a rude awakening.

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