Plaid (Hanni - NewJeans)

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Hanni Pham is just about the perfect student: consistently top of the class, perennial dean's lister, well liked among her teachers and peers, an active participant for every co-curricular and extracurricular activity, and overall just a good pers...

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Hanni Pham is just about the perfect student: consistently top of the class, perennial dean's lister, well liked among her teachers and peers, an active participant for every co-curricular and extracurricular activity, and overall just a good person to be around.

And you? You're the exact opposite. Slow, lazy, constantly in self-isolation—always cutting classes whenever you can, struggling with just about everything. You're surprised you're still even attending this university as is, despite the countless talks with your professors.

Which is why when she greets you a good morning as soon as you run into each other in the hallway, the books you've been carrying crumble like Jenga blocks.

She immediately jumps into action, picking up your dropped books in record fashion to hand them back to you. The cute, irresistible smile etched on her lips is icing on the cake.

"Here you go!"

Admittedly, you feel some type of way about Hanni. It's conflicting, constantly changing. A little bit of jealousy because she's the student you wished you were, but also a bit of allure because of how surprisingly attractive she is. You've never felt any kind of attraction towards anyone in college besides her. And she turns out to be an exchange student, and you've never seen anyone with the combination of cuteness and beauty before she came along.

You take a moment to look into her eyes. Those gentle, warm irises perfectly capture the kindness emanating from her—God, why is she so damn irresistible. It isn't that you've been giving her the cold shoulder, but you're merely apathetic and neutral with her. Outside of the same brief rote exchanges—good morning, what's your lunch, what are you doing after class later—you and Hanni have been, for the most part, worlds apart.

The universe is doing its part to bring you two together, because you can feel it. Tension so thin, you can cut it with a knife.

She never lets up.

She wants to know you.

"I-uh, thanks," you say, suddenly averting her gaze to your locker instead as you snatch your books back, then in the other direction. Anywhere but her eyes.

Fuck. She keeps staring, leaning her head forward with a lively smile, her hands behind her back, waiting for you to continue. She talks with childlike passion and energy, "We have an exam in accounting later, did you study for it?"

"N-no," you say, almost stuttering through the simplest of responses, as though your tongue is wrapped up in itself. It should be embarrassing for you to act this awkwardly in front of a sweet girl like Hanni. Mentally punching yourself to be better. It never happens. "Not exactly, I kinda forgot."

More like you willingly neglected your studies for a nightlong gaming session. It's an addiction.

Her eyes widen with amusement, as if she sees through the lie. Does she? You don't know. Maybe she does. There's so many layers to her that you never bothered to uncover. That's the price for your negligence and decision to be a lone-wolf.

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