oppa - means older brother and can only be used by younger women 

Sunbae - means senior

***

Beep… Beep… Beep….

Min-jun impulsively tossed a pillow at the alarm clock, sending it crashing to the floor, where it continued to blare. He sat on the edge of the bed, mumbling under his breath. His unkempt hair stood up wildly, giving him a childlike appearance. Slowly, he pulled his 5-foot-11-inch frame toward the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, he was at the dining table, half-asleep, as he spooned food into his mouth. His eyes flew open when he heard his father's footsteps descending the stairs. He straightened up quickly, glancing at his reflection in the glass cabinet in front of him. Min-jun's gaze turned cautious as he watched his father sit across from him.

"Good morning, Abeoji."

"Good morning, Jun-ah," Min-hyuk greeted, picking up the newspaper from the table and glancing at the front page. The maid placed his breakfast in front of him as he leisurely skimmed the headlines. Min-jun stood up silently, slipping his school bag over his shoulder.

"Fix your tie," Min-hyuk said, not lifting his gaze from the newspaper. Min-jun looked at him briefly before adjusting his tie and politely exiting the living room.

***

Min-jun sat on the bench, trying to still his shaking leg, struggling to push down the anxious feeling rising in his chest. He clutched the basketball in his hands, running his fingers along its rough surface to calm his racing thoughts. Slowly, he looked around, his eyes scanning the familiar school buildings, each proudly flying the blue-silver school flag. A heavy sigh escaped him. The time to say goodbye to the place he cherished the most was creeping closer.

This school had been his sanctuary—away from home and the media's relentless scrutiny. It was the one place where Min-jun could simply be a student, not the son of the Minister of Health. Among peers who came from equally prominent or wealthy families, he'd finally been able to live a normal life. Well, as normal as it could be, aside from the occasional disruption caused by his fan club. Though they had become an inevitable part of his school life, they were mostly a source of amusement for his friends, who teased him endlessly about it.

'Oh God, I wish they would leave.'

Min-jun longed to carry out his duties without distraction, to focus on the game and nothing else. He tilted his head toward the sun, its rays still gentle in the early morning light. A cool breeze rustled through the air, offering a momentary sense of calm. He watched as the basketball team members trickled onto the court, arriving one by one. The familiar sight relaxed him, helping to clear the lingering anxiety. Once all the players gathered in the center, Min-jun rose from the bench, ready to join them.

The team had opted for the outdoor court to take advantage of the pleasant weather. Most of the players were in grade 12 and rarely got a chance to enjoy the outdoors due to the school's demanding schedule and heavy workload. With more than half of their day dedicated to studying, their remaining free time was spent on club activities and sports practice.

As he stepped into the court, Min-jun felt his anxiety evaporate. He felt at home as he watched the team line up and bow.

"All hail Captain Han," Vice Captain shouted. Min-jun winced as the giggles of his fan club filled the air.

"Guys, guys, please…" Min-jun tried to calm his playful members. "We only have time for one game after warm-ups, okay? So, no fooling around."

"We were just trying to lend a hand since your fan club is around," a team member teased. Min-jun exhaled and directed his attention to the speaker.

"I wish they would vanish."

"Tough luck, bro. With that face and body, you will never be able to escape them."

"Yeah. I'm beginning to realize that," Min-jun said sadly. 'If only they knew how I feel....' He thought and shook his head helplessly.

"Hang in there, bro," Vice Captain said as he patted Min-jun's butt with affection. "Okay, guys, let's start," he shouted at the rest.

***

"Oppa, are you okay?"

Han Min-jun's fangirls inquired, looking truly worried. 

The unexpected collapse of the basketball hoop left everyone in shock as Min-jun hit the ground. The gravel-covered outdoor court meant that his hands and arms were scraped up badly from his attempt to break the fall. After the accident, Minjun sent the team away since the practice was over.

"Yes, it's not as bad as it looks," he reassured the worried onlookers, forcing a smile as he passed his fan girls and tried to hide his wince of pain. 'Damn, it stings like crazy..' he thought as he walked up to his friend, who was waiting for him.

"Changmin-ah, I can make it to the infirmary by myself. Could you get my bag from the classroom and leave it at the library front desk? I'm going to skip classes today." he said, eyeing his bloodied arms and hands. Chang-min had already assisted him in cleaning and wrapping the wounds with clean towels.

Min-jun made his way to the infirmary at a slow pace, trying to steady his nerves. He was relieved that he didn't meet any students on his way.

'A few more months to go,' he thought as he entered the infirmary and congratulated himself for staying out of trouble so far. He often wished he had come from a less privileged background, desiring the freedom and anonymity that came with it. However, being the heir to one of the largest hospital chains didn't give him that luxury, and his appearance only worsened it. 

'They wouldn't look at me twice if I had an ugly face.'

With a sigh, Min-jun stepped into the empty, silent infirmary. He wiped his face with the warm, steamed towel provided by the nurse and placed it on his face, enjoying the comforting heat after taking his painkillers. The soothing warmth, coupled with the quiet surroundings and the effects of the medication, made Min-jun feel drowsy. As he started to drift off on the infirmary bed, he felt someone carefully treating his wounds. The gentle coolness of their hands on his arms was soothing, and Min-jun, without opening his eyes, idly wondered who was attending to him.

'Must be Ha-yun. She always volunteers at the infirmary,' he thought, trying to ignore the pain he felt as his hands were moved. 

The person treating Min-jun's bruises was exceptionally gentle, ensuring not to cause him any pain. However, Min-jun was caught off guard by the sudden sting of the antiseptic, causing him to take a sharp breath.

"I apologize, sunbae, I should have warned you," a soft, soothing male voice said, surprising Min-jun. He took the towel off his face and glanced at the person treating his injuries. The small boy in the volunteer infirmary staff's standard white t-shirt and trousers looked plain and unfamiliar to Min-jun. 

Min-jun was sure that he was a junior and wondered which class he belonged to. He was popular among the juniors, and they always dragged Min-jun to their classes whenever they found an opportunity. So, he knew more or less about most juniors in the school.

Min-jun observed the boy's small face and the delicate hands before him. The long, slender fingers were clean and neatly kept, bearing a resemblance to a girl's. Each touch from the boy sent a jolt through Min-jun's heart, leaving him confused and intrigued. He couldn't help but stare at the junior, noticing the long eyelashes and a small beauty mark on his left eyelid.

'His eyes look pretty,' Min-jun thought, taking a closer look. Min-jun was startled when the boy spoke suddenly.

"All done," the boy said as he put the last bandage on Min-jun's left arm and looked up at him for the first time.

When Min-jun's eyes locked with the boy's, he felt his heart drop a mile. They were big and blue—blue like the deep ocean. The sunlight danced in them, setting them on fire. Minjun felt as if he were caught in a surreal dream, utterly captivated by the boy's strikingly blue eyes.