For the next few minutes, the room is quiet except for the scratch of Jihoon's pencil against the paper, and Haneul finally feels himself relaxing, the tension from Hanbin's earlier interruption beginning to ebb away.
But then, there's the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching the door again, and Haneul's shoulders tense instinctively. He doesn't even have to look up to know who it is.
"Hey, Hoon," Hanbin's voice floats into the room, cheerful and casual as he saunters back in, as if he has every right to disrupt their session as he pleases. "How's it going?"
Jihoon looks up, delighted at the sight of his brother, and grins. "Great! Haneul hyung says I'm improving!"
"Of course you are," Hanbin says, reaching out to ruffle Jihoon's hair.
"Hyung!" Jihoon whines, ducking out of reach with an annoyed glare. "Can you stop that? I'm not a kid."
Hanbin chuckles, unbothered, and shifts his gaze to Haneul, his usual smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Isn't that right, Haneul-ssi?"
Haneul feels a prickle of irritation at the pointed honorific, knowing full well that Hanbin is teasing him again. He manages a curt nod, his voice measured as he replies, "Yes, Jihoon's doing very well."
Hanbin raises an eyebrow, clearly amused by Haneul's forced politeness. "Well, it's good to see you're so dedicated," he says, his tone laced with that same playful edge. "Not everyone would be so... patient."
Haneul forces himself to ignore the jab, instead turning his attention back to Jihoon. "Alright, let's keep going. We're almost done with this section."
Jihoon nods eagerly, picking up his pencil, and Haneul does his best to tune out Hanbin's presence entirely. He's here for Jihoon, he reminds himself not to indulge in Hanbin's boredom.
But Hanbin, it seems, has other plans. Rather than leaving, he leans casually against the doorframe, his gaze still fixed on Haneul with a look of lazy interest. He stays quiet, but Haneul can feel the weight of his attention, a constant, distracting presence that's impossible to ignore.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Jihoon finishes the last problem in the set, his pencil scratching the final answer onto the page. He looks up at Haneul, beaming with pride. "I did it, hyung! I finished the whole thing!"
Haneul smiles, genuinely pleased with Jihoon's progress. "Great job, Jihoon. You've really improved."
"See?" Hanbin interjects, his voice soft but carrying that same teasing undertone. "I told you he was a good student."
Haneul shoots Hanbin a glance, his patience fraying. "Yes, he is," he replies, his tone clipped. "Which is why I'd appreciate it if we could keep these sessions focused."
Hanbin raises his hands in mock surrender, a smirk still playing at his lips. "Hey, no need to be so serious, hyung."
Haneul's eyes narrow, and for a brief moment, he considers snapping back, putting an end to Hanbin's endless teasing once and for all. But he's still at work and he shouldn't satisfy Hanbin, he's smarter than all that.
"Thank you for the fruit," he says coolly, gathering his materials. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Jihoon and I have one more review section to go through."
"You're welcome, hyung," Hanbin says, a flash of emotion across his eyes, almost like he felt bad. Haneul is convinced he saw wrong.
"Hyung, can you leave, you're being distracting" Jihoon says oblivious to whatever's going on but saying everything Haneul wants to say nonetheless.
Hanbin raises a hand to his chest, faking a hurt look. "I came to see you and you don't even want to see me," He mumbles, walking away. Haneul can't figure out who it's meant for, definitely Jihoon, right?
With Hanbin finally gone, he turns his attention fully back to Jihoon, effectively dismissing Hanbin from his thoughts. Or at least, he tries to.
The week passes in a blur of classes, assignments, and tutoring sessions, and Haneul throws himself into it all with single-minded focus. Between his graduate studies and his responsibilities as a tutor, his schedule is tightly packed, leaving little room for a break. But even as he meticulously checks each item off his to-do list, there's a constant, unwelcome presence at the edge of his thoughts: Park Hanbin.
No matter how hard he tries to shake it off, Haneul can't ignore the lingering annoyance from their last encounter. He wished he said something to him. Hanbin's persistence, the way he teases with that infuriatingly casual charm, has lodged itself into his mind, occupying more space than Haneul is willing to admit. He tells himself that it doesn't matter—that he's here for one reason only, to study and succeed. He doesn't have the time or energy for whatever game Hanbin seems determined to play.
It's a crisp, clear afternoon when Haneul finds himself heading toward his next lecture. The campus is bustling, students clustered in groups or hurrying to their next classes, and Haneul blends into the crowd, his mind already focused on the lecture ahead. He's only a few steps away from the classroom building when he hears a familiar voice calling out behind him.
"Hey, Haneul hyung!"
Haneul's steps falter, a wave of irritation already bubbling up before he even turns around. Sure enough, there stands Hanbin, casually strolling up to him, hands in his pockets and a lazy smile on his face as if he doesn't have a care in the world.
Haneul narrows his eyes, exasperation flickering across his face. "Hanbin-ssi, are you... are you stalking me?"
Hanbin raises an eyebrow, his expression one of mock innocence. "Stalking? Nah." He shrugs, his smile unfaltering. "I just figured, since I saw you around here this time last week, you'd probably be here again today for your lecture. Guess I was right."
Haneul's eyes flash with irritation, his jaw tightening. For the past week, he's put up with Hanbin's teasing, his relentless pursuit, the constant interruptions that chip away at Haneul's patience. But something in Hanbin's nonchalant tone, the way he talks as if this is all just some lighthearted joke, finally pushes Haneul past his breaking point.
"Enough," Haneul says, his voice sharp, startling even himself with the force behind it.