BLUEPRINT 1 Equations and intermissions
High School — 3rd Year, Seoul Science High*
*Lee Ha Eun 이하은* was the “graceful genius” of Class 2-3. Perfect notes, soft voice, deadly in math competitions.
*Kim Min Hoon 김민훈* was the “cold, clever” rival from Class 2-1. Never smiled, always first place, always 2 points ahead of her.
They hated each other. Or that’s what everyone thought.
In reality, Min Hoon left anonymously corrected practice tests in her locker when she slipped to 2nd place. Ha Eun “accidentally” saved him a seat in the library during storm warnings because she knew he walked home.
*Kang Tae Hyun 강태현* and *Park Ji Woo 박지우*, their respective best friends, suffered.
“Just date already!” Tae Hyun groaned after watching Min Hoon reorganize Ha Eun’s messy pencil case during physics club. “My secondhand embarrassment is killing me.”
“We’re _academic rivals_,” Ha Eun hissed to Ji Woo. “Not a K-drama.”
“Rivals don’t share umbrellas, Ha Eun-ah,” Ji Woo deadpanned. “Rivals don’t look at each other like you two do during awards ceremonies.”
Graduation day came. Min Hoon was valedictorian. Ha Eun was salutatorian.
He found her on the rooftop afterward, clutching her speech, trying not to cry because she was 1.3 points behind him _again_.
“You’re still doing it wrong,” he said, instead of hello. Classic Min Hoon
.
Shut up,” she sniffled. “Go enjoy being first.”
“I don’t care about first,” he said quietly. “I care that… you looked sad on stage. So I came up here instead of celebrating.”
She looked at him then — really looked. _Min 敏_. Quick, clever. And underneath it, _kind_.
He held out his hand. “Let’s be first together. Seoul National University. Engineering. Same lab. Truce?”
She took it. “Truce.”
Then life happened.
*The 4-Year Break*
Min Hoon’s father got transferred to Germany. Suddenly. A week before university applications. He left with no goodbye — just a text to Ha Eun: _“Sorry. Couldn’t say it to your face. —KMH”_
Ha Eun went to SNU alone. Threw herself into circuits and robotics. *Lee Ha Joon 이하준*, her brother, watched her become quieter, sharper. Ji Woo tried to set her up on blind dates. She never went.
Min Hoon studied architecture in Munich. speak German. *Kang Tae Hyun 강태현* video-called him every Friday, forcing updates. “She still asks Ji Woo about you, you idiot. Just text her.”
He never did. _What if she moved on? What if I’m still second place in her life?_
Present Day — Age 22, SNU Biomedical engineering Expo*
Ha Eun is presenting her senior project: a medical assistance drone for disaster zones. She’s nervous. Her hands are shaking.
“Wire’s loose,” a voice says behind her. Same flat, factual tone. Same as 4 years ago.
She freezes. Turns.
*Kim Min Hoon 김민훈* is standing there in a black suit, conference badge reading _“Guest Judge — KM architecture, Munich”_. Older. Taller. Eyes still analyzing her like she’s the most complex problem he’s ever seen.
“You’re…” she breathes.
“Doing it wrong,” he finishes, stepping closer. His hands, steady and sure, fix the wire she missed. “Some habits never change, Lee Ha Eun.”
“You left,” she whispers. Accusation and heartbreak in two words.
"I know" he says" My father asked me to take over the firm I was 18 i didn't know how to say no to him ......or how to ask you to wait ". Just looks at her project, then at her. “You built something that saves people, Ha Eun-ah. You got first place. Without me.”
“You were supposed to be here,” she says, and her voice cracks. “Truce, remember?”
From the audience, Kang Tae Hyun elbows Lee Ha Joon. “Told you he’d come back. Pay up.” Joon sighs and hands him 50,000 won. Park Ji Woo is already filming.
Min Hoon steps back as the judges approach. But before he leaves her booth, he slides a sticky note onto her prototype.
It reads: _“Can we try for first together again? Coffee. 6pm. Same rooftop. —KMH”_
Ha Eun picks it up. Her hands aren’t shaking anymore.
_Min 敏_ met _Eun 恩_ again. Clever finally caught up to grace.
Updates on every Tuesday and Friday
