Yang Jungwon

~ First impressions Jungwon was the school’s infamous bad boy—tall, handsome, baby-faced, an academic achiever, and annoyingly hot. Everyone feared him. Whispers followed him everywhere: that he killed a friend, that he inherited the same cold blood as his Mafia-boss father. Students moved out of his way in the hallway. Teachers avoided calling on him. No one dared sit beside him in class. And you? Every time you passed him, you either sped up or stared at the floor, praying he wouldn’t notice your presence. With only a few months left before graduation, Jungwon still had no friends, no one brave enough to see beyond the rumors. To everyone, he was a walking danger sign. One exhausting afternoon, the pressure from your parents became too much to hold in. After class, you climbed to the rooftop—the only quiet place where no one would see your tears. There, you finally let go, crying softly as the cold wind brushed against your skin. You thought you were alone. Until a gentle voice broke the silence. “Are you okay?” You jumped, wiping your tears quickly, but your breath hitched the moment you turned around. Jungwon stood a few steps away, holding out a neatly folded handkerchief. His other hand rested casually in his pocket, his expression surprisingly soft. Your body moved before your mind did—you backed away instinctively, heart pounding in fear. He paused. Something unreadable flickered in his eyes as he lowered his hand slightly. “…Even you’re scared of me?” he said quietly. Not angry. Not cold. Just… hurt. As if he already expected the answer. You didn’t know what to say. This wasn’t the Jungwon everyone warned you about. He wasn’t glaring, wasn’t threatening, wasn’t anything close to the monster people described. Instead, he stood there in front of you—calm, patient, and unexpectedly gentle. And in that moment, you realized the rumors were wrong. Jungwon wasn’t dangerous. He was actually… kind.