Back to overview

Weak hero class yandere

The Strawberry-Scented Secret

The neon lights of the arcade flickered in shades of electric blue and hot pink, casting long, distorted shadows across the rows of clattering machines. It was late, and the usual crowd of rowdy students had thinned out, leaving only the hum of cooling fans and the occasional synthesized chime of a high score. [Name] stood in front of a claw machine, her forehead pressed against the cool glass as she stared intensely at a fluffy, oversized white rabbit with a pink bow.

"I’m telling you, it’s rigged," Park Hu-min said, leaning his back against the machine next to hers. He looked ruggedly handsome in the dim light, his school blazer discarded and his white shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing the powerful cords of muscle in his forearms. "The claw didn't even close all the way. It’s a scam, [Name]."

"It is not a scam! You just have to have the right technique," [Name] pouted, her lower lip sticking out in a way that made Hu-min’s heart do a violent somersault in his chest. She dropped another coin into the slot. "Si-eun says everything is physics. I just need to calculate the trajectory."

Hu-min let out a soft, huffing laugh. "Since when do you listen to the nerd about physics? You usually just tell him his hair needs more volume."

"Physics is important for fashion and claw machines, Hu-min! Everyone knows that," she chirped, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth in concentration as she manipulated the joystick.

The others were gone. Su-ho had been called away by his grandmother, and the rest—Si-eun, Hyun-tak, and the increasingly twitchy Beom-seok—had been successfully distracted by [Name]’s request for a very specific type of limited-edition peach ice cream that was only sold at a convenience store six blocks away. She had sent them on a "mission," knowing full well that their competitive streaks would keep them busy for at least half an hour. Only Hu-min had stayed behind, claiming he needed to "guard the perimeter," though they both knew he just couldn't bear to let her out of his sight for even a second.

The claw descended, wobbled, and predictably dropped the rabbit just inches from the prize chute.

"Ugh! No!" [Name] stomped her foot, her perfectly curled hair bouncing with her frustration. "That was my last coin! Now the bunny is going to be lonely in there all night."

Hu-min stepped closer, his presence suddenly overwhelming in the narrow aisle between the machines. He was so much taller than her, a wall of warmth and solid muscle that seemed to block out the rest of the world. "Move over, Sparkles. Let a professional handle this."

"You don't even have a coin," she teased, crossing her arms over her chest.

Hu-min reached into his pocket and pulled out a single, shiny 500-won coin with a smirk. "I always keep a spare for emergencies. And a lonely bunny counts as an emergency."

He stepped behind her to reach the controls, and for a moment, [Name] was effectively pinned between the cold glass of the machine and the radiating heat of Hu-min’s body. She didn't move away. To her, this was just Hu-min being his usual, boisterous self. She didn't notice the way his breath hitched when her strawberry-scented hair brushed against his chin, or the way his hand trembled slightly as he gripped the joystick.

"Left... left... okay, stop!" she whispered, her excitement bubbling back up.

Hu-min wasn't even looking at the claw. He was looking at the reflection of her face in the glass—the way her eyes sparkled with genuine, innocent joy, and the way the neon light traced the soft curve of her cheek. He felt a sudden, sharp pang of something that wasn't just protectiveness. It was a hunger so deep it frightened him. He wanted to pull her away from the lights, away from the boys who followed her like starving dogs, and keep her in a place where only he could see that smile.

The claw gripped the rabbit. The mechanism groaned, the metal prongs holding firm as it lifted the plush toy and carried it toward the chute. With a satisfying *thud*, the bunny landed in the bin.

"You did it! Hu-min, you’re a genius!" [Name] squealed, reaching into the bin to retrieve her prize. She hugged the fluffy toy to her chest, her face glowing. "He’s so soft! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

In her burst of excitement, she turned and threw her arms around Hu-min’s neck.

It was a gesture she had done a dozen times before—a quick, friendly hug. But this time, the arcade was empty. The air was thick with the scent of sugar and the low, pulsing bass of a nearby dance machine. This time, Hu-min didn't just pat her back and laugh.

His arms wound around her waist, pulling her flush against him. The sheer strength in his grip was startling, his hands splayed across the small of her back as if he were trying to fuse her to his skin. [Name] blinked, her breath hitching as she looked up at him.

"Hu-min?" she whispered, her voice small.

He didn't answer. His eyes were dark, the golden flecks in them burning with an intensity she had only ever seen when he was in the middle of a brutal fight. But this wasn't violence. This was something much more dangerous. He leaned down, his forehead resting against hers, his nose brushing against hers.

"You're too much," he rasped, his voice a low, broken growl. "You walk around this school like you're made of glass and sunshine, and you have no idea what you do to us. What you do to me."

"I... I don't understand," [Name] stammered, her heart racing. She was naive, yes, but even she could feel the shift in the atmosphere. It felt like the moment before a storm breaks—the heavy, electric silence that makes the hair on your arms stand up.

"I know you don't," Hu-min murmured, his gaze dropping to her lips, which were still glossy and pink. "That’s the problem. You're so sweet, and I’m... I’m not a good person, [Name]. None of us are."

Before she could process his words, he tilted his head and closed the distance.

The kiss wasn't like the ones in the dramas [Name] watched. It wasn't soft or tentative. It was a collision. Hu-min tasted like the mint gum he always chewed and felt like fire. He kissed her with a desperate, starving possessiveness, his tongue sweeping against hers as he claimed her mouth with the same ferocity he used to claim a territory.

[Name]’s eyes fluttered shut, her hands clutching the front of his white shirt, her fingers tangling in the fabric. The fluffy white rabbit fell to the floor, forgotten. She felt lightheaded, her knees buckling as the world tilted on its axis. Hu-min caught her, his arm tightening around her waist to hold her upright, his other hand moving to the back of her head, his fingers weaving through her curls to hold her in place.

He was breathing hard, a jagged, uneven sound that echoed in the quiet arcade. He moved his lips to the corner of her mouth, then to her jaw, his kisses hot and demanding.

"Mine," he breathed against her skin, the word so quiet it was almost a growl. "Tell me you're mine."

[Name] couldn't speak. Her brain was a whirlwind of glitter and confusion. This was Hu-min—the loud, funny guy who carried her shopping bags and laughed at her jokes. But the boy holding her now felt like a predator who had finally caught what he had been stalking for months.

She leaned her head back, her neck exposed, and Hu-min didn't hesitate. He pressed his face into the crook of her shoulder, inhaling the scent of her perfume as if it were oxygen. He let out a low, shuddering breath, his grip on her waist almost painful.

"If they saw us..." Hu-min whispered, his voice dark with a twisted kind of amusement. "Si-eun would lose his mind. Su-ho would probably try to kill me. And Beom-seok... God, that kid would finally snap."

The mention of the others brought [Name] back to reality. She gently pushed against his chest, her face flushed a deep, bright crimson. "Hu-min... we should... they’ll be back soon."

Hu-min pulled back just enough to look at her. His eyes were hooded, his lips swollen and red. He looked like a man who had just tasted something he could never give up. He reached out, his thumb brushing over her lower lip, erasing the last of her strawberry gloss.

"This is our secret," he said, his voice dropping to a tone that brooked no argument. It wasn't a request; it was a command. "You don't tell them. You don't tell anyone. If I find out you’re looking at Su-ho like this, or letting that nerd touch you... I won't be responsible for what happens."

[Name] shivered, but not entirely out of fear. There was a thrill in his words, a dark, intoxicating sense of being wanted that her naive heart didn't know how to reject. She nodded slowly, her hand reaching down to pick up the fallen rabbit.

"Our secret," she repeated softly.

Hu-min’s expression softened, but the dangerous light in his eyes didn't fade. He reached down and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, his touch lingering. "Good girl."

He straightened up, his posture shifting back into the relaxed, confident stance of the Eunjang legend just as the sound of footsteps echoed from the entrance.

"We found it!" Go Hyun-tak’s voice boomed through the arcade. He marched into the aisle, followed by a scowling Yeon Si-eun and a pale, sweating Oh Beom-seok. Hyun-tak held up a plastic bag triumphantly. "The last three tubs of Galaxy Peach. You owe us big time, [Name]."

Si-eun stopped a few feet away, his sharp eyes darting between [Name] and Hu-min. He noticed the way [Name] was clutching the rabbit a little too tightly, and the way her cheeks were flushed. He noticed the way Hu-min was standing just a fraction too close to her, his hands tucked into his pockets as if he were hiding something.

"What happened?" Si-eun asked, his voice cold and analytical.

"Hu-min won me the bunny!" [Name] chirped, her voice jumping an octave as she forced her usual bubbly smile back onto her face. "Isn't he the best? I was so worried he’d be lonely."

Beom-seok stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the rabbit. "I could have won it for you. I’m good at those games."

"I’m sure you are, Beom-seok! But Hu-min had a spare coin," she said, avoiding Si-eun’s piercing gaze.

Su-ho arrived a moment later, having finished his call. He looked at the group, his eyes lingering on [Name]’s face. He frowned, stepping closer and reaching out to touch her cheek. "You’re red. Is it too hot in here?"

Hu-min’s jaw tightened, his knuckles turning white inside his pockets. He stepped in front of Su-ho, effectively breaking the contact. "She’s just excited about the toy. Don't crowd her, Su-ho. Let's go get that ice cream before it melts."

The group began to move toward the exit, a familiar formation of lethal boys surrounding a single, vibrant girl. [Name] walked in the center, chatting away about how they should take the rabbit to the cafe so he could "see the world."

But as they walked, she felt a heavy hand rest briefly on the small of her back—a quick, hidden pressure from Hu-min that sent a jolt of electricity through her. She glanced at him sideways, and he winked, a secret, possessive smirk playing on his lips.

Behind them, Si-eun watched the exchange. He hadn't missed the way [Name]’s lip gloss was gone, or the way Hu-min’s shirt was slightly wrinkled at the chest. He felt a cold, sharp blade of jealousy twist in his gut. He didn't know exactly what had happened, but he knew the balance had shifted.

"Jun-tae," Si-eun muttered, leaning toward the boy with the glasses.

"Yeah?"

"Check the security footage for this arcade tonight. Remote access. Now."

Jun-tae nodded, his fingers already hovering over his phone. "On it."

The night was far from over. As the "Eunjang family" sat on the curb outside the convenience store, passing around tubs of peach ice cream and laughing, the air was thick with unspoken threats and hidden desires. [Name] sat between Su-ho and Si-eun, her head resting on Su-ho’s shoulder while Si-eun meticulously cleaned a smudge of dirt off her shoe.

She looked like a princess in her tower, protected from the world. But as she looked at Hu-min, who was leaning against a lamp post and watching her with the eyes of a wolf who had finally tasted blood, she realized the tower wasn't meant to keep others out.

It was meant to keep her in.

And as she took a bite of the sweet, cold ice cream, [Name] realized she didn't mind the cage at all, as long as it was lined with velvet and guarded by the boys who would kill for her.

"This is the best night ever," she said, her voice bright and cheerful.

Hu-min caught her eye and smiled—a slow, private thing that made her heart race all over again.

"The best is yet to come, Sparkles," he said.

In the shadows, Beom-seok clutched his ice cream spoon so hard it snapped in half. He didn't care about the ice cream. He was watching the way Hu-min looked at her, and he felt the familiar, dark urge to tear something apart.

The secret was safe for now, buried under layers of glitter and strawberry scent. But in a school like Eunjang, secrets were like wounds—they always had a way of bleeding through.