It started with a knock on the department office door.

A polite, meaningless tap three times, like every other student who got called in.

But the moment Taehyung stepped into the room and saw the grim expression on his department head's face, something inside him twisted. His shoulders stiffened instinctively, like he was about to be struck.

The office was too quiet, too sterile, it was lined with awards and certificates that gleamed in their frames, mocking him with their silent approval of students who weren't him.

"Kim Taehyung," the professor said, voice neutral but laced with something final, like a judge reading a verdict. He folded his hands over a manila folder that Taehyung instantly recognized as his. "We need to talk about your academic standing."

Taehyung shifted on his feet, suddenly hyperaware of how loud the clock was ticking on the wall. "Is it about the recent exam?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

The man sighed, and somehow that was worse than yelling. "It's more than that. You're failing three core subjects, Taehyung. This isn't just about bad test days or late submissions. It's a pattern. If this continues, you risk losing your scholarship... and potentially your place here."

Each word fell like a brick, stacking themselves into a wall around him, trapping him. His ears started to ring.

Scholarship.
Failing.
Losing.
Place.

Taehyung could only nod, trying to swallow past the lump forming in his throat. "I understand," he said even though nothing about this felt understandable at all.

Because how do you understand being told that your best wasn't good enough?

He walked out of the office in a daze, the heavy door clicking shut behind him like a vault locking away the last bit of control he had over his life. His mind buzzed with the professor's words:

"Failing." "Scholarship at risk." "You might not graduate."

Taehyung wandered the halls like a ghost, muttering to himself. "This is fine! totally fine. I'm just casually spiraling into academic doom, no big deal." He clutched his backpack like a lifeline. "Maybe I'll start a noodle cart. Or sell plushies. Black-market plushies."

But then—
Through the courtyard window, he saw Seokjin.

Standing like he belonged on the cover of some lifestyle magazine, perfectly composed, casually scrolling his phone, a small breeze fluttering through his hair like it worked for him personally.

"Of course he looks perfect even doing nothing," Taehyung thought bitterly.

The lump in his throat rose, and before he could talk himself out of it, he was already pushing through the garden door.

"Seokjin!" he blurted.

Seokjin looked up just in time to get tackled, gently but firmly by a whirlwind of limbs and emotions.

"What the—Taehyung? Are you trying to kill me with a hug? Because it's working," Seokjin wheezed, nearly losing his footing as Taehyung hugged him like a life raft.

"I'm dying," Taehyung mumbled into Seokjin's shoulder.

"What?"

"I'm academically dying."

There was a beat of silence.

Then, "Okay...Gonna need a bit more context here." Seokjin said, still confused on the sudden pounced.

Taehyung pulled back, dramatically collapsing onto the nearby bench like a wounded prince in a K-drama. "I'm failing three subjects. My professor said if I don't turn things around, I'll lose my scholarship, flunk out, and probably end up selling my organs on the black market."

Seokjin blinked and face-palm. "...You escalate quickly."

"I'm serious!" Taehyung wailed. "This is a crisis, I need help. I need you. You're smart. You actually read textbooks. You color-code notes. You probably organize your brain into folders."

Seokjin folded his arms. "So what you're saying is, you want me to be your academic sugar daddy."

"Basically yes," Taehyung said without hesitation.

That caught Seokjin off guard. He snorted, then covered his mouth. "Okay, stop—I can't laugh while being emotionally manipulated ahahaha!" Seokjin laughed a bit, still covering his mouth.

"Then say yes before I cry harder," Taehyung sniffled, peeking up at him.

Seokjin sighed in mock defeat. "Fine. But you better not fall asleep while I'm explaining."

"I only did that once!"

"You drooled on a book you borrowed from the library," Seokjin said, arms crossed over his chest.

Taehyung's eyes widened. "Wait—how do you even know that?"

Seokjin raised a brow. "I volunteer at the library, saw the book, and stared at it with disgust for five solid seconds."

Taehyung straightened, as if he was proud of it. "I was absorbing knowledge through osmosis."

Seokjin shook his head. "You were absorbing shame, Taehyung. Just shame."

Seokjin rolled his eyes but smiled, reaching out to gently ruffle Taehyung's hair. "You're such a handful."

Taehyung blinked at the gesture, heart skipping a beat at the soft touch. The hand lingered for a moment too long, fingers threading through his curls. He looked up at Seokjin, suddenly aware of the sunlight catching in his lashes, the curve of his smile.

"You're gonna save my academic life," Taehyung whispered dramatically, placing a hand over his chest. "And in return, I offer you... my eternal loyalty. And maybe snacks."

"Snacks, huh? What kind?" Seokjin teased, arching an eyebrow.

"I make a mean spicy tteokbokki," Taehyung said, already grinning.

"Deal," Seokjin said, nudging him with his elbow. "But if you fail after I help you, I'm writing you off as a lost cause."

Taehyung clutched his heart again. "Ruthless. But fair."

They both laughed out loud and for the first time since stepping out of that dreadful office, Taehyung felt like maybe... maybe he had a shot at surviving this semester.

And maybe, just maybe, falling for your tutor wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Later That Evening - Library, Study Room C

The study room smelled faintly of paper and lemon-scented disinfectant. Seokjin had already arrived and claimed a table near the back, far from the window, far from distractions. His notes were already lined up in neat little rows, multicolored tabs sticking out of the corners like pastel flags.

The door creaked open.

Taehyung stuck his head in with an exaggerated grin. "Permission to enter, Professor Seokjin?"

"You're five minutes late."

"Traffic," Taehyung said as he shuffled in, dropping his bag on the floor and flopping into the chair across from Seokjin. "And by traffic I mean... I couldn't find matching socks."

Seokjin narrowed his eyes. "We're off to a great start."

But he was already biting back a smile.

Taehyung leaned forward, chin resting on his palm. "Okay, teach me your ways, o wise and beautiful academic sensei."

Seokjin tossed a pencil at his forehead. "Focus, idiot."

Taehyung caught it midair with a grin. "hehe got it~"

"Do you want to pass or not?"

"I do, I do!" Taehyung held up both hands in mock surrender. "Let's do this."

Seokjin sighed, opened his binder, and slid a packet across the table. "This is for your Visual Language class. They expect you to analyze composition, color psychology, and framing. You can't just take pretty pictures and hope they speak for themselves."

Taehyung leaned over the paper, blinking. "Wait, color psychology?"

"Yes," Seokjin said, tapping the paper with his pen. "Like how red creates tension, or how blue can evoke calmness or melancholy."

Taehyung hummed thoughtfully. "So this color psychology stuff... it's about how colors make people feel, right? Like how a warm sunset can feel comforting, or harsh reds can feel intense?"

Seokjin nodded, his eyes still on the textbook but his voice softening. "Exactly. It's not just about what we see, it's how it affects emotions."

Taehyung smiled a little. "Kind of like photography itself, huh? Capturing more than just an image, capturing a feeling."

Seokjin looked up, surprised at how well Taehyung understood. Then it hit him this was the first time he really connected the dots. "Wait, Taehyung's a photography major? I guess I never bothered to ask him, I never even seen the pictures he took..." It wasn't something he had ever thought about seriously until now.

"Yeah. You get it better than I expected," Seokjin said, still a little stunned by the thought.

Taehyung shrugged, cheeks faintly pink. "Guess tutoring isn't just about the grades after all."

A soft smile crossed Taehyung's face. "You see things in a way I don't. That's why I wanted your help."

Seokjin's voice lowered, quieter than before. "And you take risks I'd never think of."

They fell into a comfortable silence for a moment.

Then, Taehyung gently nudged Seokjin's knee under the table. "You like tutoring me, don't you?"

Seokjin's eyes widened. "Absolutely not," he said quickly, though a faint blush colored his ears.

Taehyung leaned closer, resting his chin on his hand with a teasing grin. "Liar. You're practically glowing."

Seokjin tried to hide his smile, but it slipped through anyway.

"I always glow."

Taehyung chuckled, his voice low and warm. "True."

A beat passed. Then Seokjin shook his head with mock exasperation. "Ugh. Get back to the notes. What does negative space do?"

"Gives your emotions room to breathe?" Taehyung guessed.

Seokjin blinked. "That's... actually correct."

Taehyung beamed with a wide green and hands up in the sky. "Look at me. I'm practically a scholar."

"You got one right answer."

"And that's all I need to survive emotionally."

Seokjin laughed then, genuine, eyes crinkling. Without thinking, he reached out and ruffled Taehyung's hair. "You're impossible."

Taehyung froze, surprised, then leaned into the touch ever so slightly.

"I like it when you laugh," he murmured, too soft for the moment to feel like a joke.

Seokjin stopped, hand still in his hair.

Their eyes met.

A flicker of something unspoken passed between them.

Just then, Seokjin whose face was a bit red cleared his throat, pulling his hand back. "Focus, Taehyung."

"Yes, Professor," Taehyung said, sitting up straighter, but the grin on his face lingered.

The rest of the session passed with fewer jokes and more focus but the air between them had changed. The closeness remained, invisible but palpable, like two camera lenses slowly focusing on the same subject.

And when Seokjin caught Taehyung watching him instead of the paper, he didn't say anything.

Because maybe, he didn't really mind.

After sometime, still in the study room

Taehyung tried to turn his eyes back to the worksheet, but it was hopeless.

His mind wasn't on color theory anymore, it was on the way Seokjin's fingers felt tangled in his hair, the warmth in his voice when he laughed, the flash of softness in his gaze when he thought Taehyung wasn't looking.

Seokjin, meanwhile, had gone suspiciously quiet. He was usually strict, always pushing Taehyung to stay on topic, but now he just stared at the textbook like he'd forgotten what he was reading.

"Seokjin," Taehyung said, voice low.

No response.

He leaned forward, squinting. "Hey. Earth to Seokjin. You okay?"

Seokjin blinked hard, as if pulled from a trance. "What? Yeah. Just thinking."

"About?"

"...Color psychology," Seokjin muttered, too quickly.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "You sure it's not touch psychology?"

Seokjin whipped a pencil at his head yet again.

"Okay, okay!" Taehyung laughed, ducking. "Sorry. You're being very professional. I respect the academic boundary. No more flirting."

"That wasn't flirting."

"It was."

Seokjin glared. "You're insufferable."

"And you like me anyway," Taehyung shot back with a grin.

Seokjin rolled his eyes—but he didn't deny it, he did like him, as a friend?

They returned to studying, kind of. Taehyung's hand ended up dangerously close to Seokjin's on the table. Not intentional. Probably. Seokjin didn't move his hand away.

Every now and then, their fingers brushed as they flipped pages or traded notes. Little jolts of awareness. Tiny things but they stayed.

Eventually, Taehyung leaned back and sighed dramatically. "I think I've absorbed enough photography wisdom for one day. Any more and I'll start seeing RGB values in my dreams."

"You're not done," Seokjin said, but the corners of his lips were twitching upward.

Taehyung watched him for a moment. "You know... I didn't think you'd say yes."

"To tutoring?"

"Yeah," he said. "To me."

Seokjin looked up, slowly.

"I thought I burned that bridge after the café incident," Taehyung continued. "You had every right to stay mad. I wouldn't have blamed you."

Seokjin's expression shifted something softer now. "You were a jerk," he admitted. "But... you apologized. And you've been trying. I see that."

Taehyung swallowed. "Still... I didn't expect you to care this much."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know," he said quietly. "You're you. And I'm just..."

He trailed off.

Just a photography student hanging by a thread. Just a boy trying not to fall apart at home. Just someone who never thought he'd be worth this kind of attention, oh how Taehyung wanted to say this right now.

But Seokjin didn't let the silence linger.

"You're not 'just' anything," he said firmly. "You're Taehyung."

And maybe that was the first time Taehyung believed it.

A quiet beat passed between them soft and heavy all at once.

Then Seokjin broke the moment by tapping the back of Taehyung's hand with his pen. "Come on. You still need to understand contrast ratios."

Taehyung groaned. "You're relentless."

Seokjin smiled. "You said you wanted to pass."

Taehyung studied him, warmth blooming in his chest. "I did. But... I think I got more than I bargained for."

Seokjin blinked, caught off guard.

Taehyung slowly stood, slinging his bag over one shoulder like he was ready to take on the world, or at least the next study session. "So... how about we keep this going? Same time tomorrow?"

Seokjin blinked again, his brain scrambling to catch up. "Uh, yeah... sure. Same time works." He tried to sound casual, but his voice came out a bit higher than usual.

Taehyung's grin widened, and he leaned in just enough to drop his voice to a teasing whisper. "Same everything, actually. But next time... you should let me take your picture."

Seokjin froze. His heart skipped a beat, then tripped over itself. "Wait...why me?" He tried to keep it cool, but his voice cracked ever so slightly, betraying his surprise.

Taehyung shrugged, his smile lazy but mischievous. "Because honestly? You're the most interesting subject I've ever seen. Way better than any neon alley or sunset."

Seokjin's cheeks heated up instantly, turning a brilliant shade of red that felt like it might glow in the dim study room light. He struggled to find a response, his usual quick wit abandoned him. Instead, he just blinked, unable to look away from Taehyung's teasing eyes.

The silence stretched between them, filled only by the faint rustle of papers and the soft hum of the air conditioner.

Finally, Seokjin cleared his throat, his voice low and a little unsure. "That's... a pretty bold thing to say. You really think that?"

Taehyung's grin softened, his eyes warm and sincere. "Yeah. I do."

Before Seokjin could say anything else, Taehyung was already backing toward the door, turning with one last smirk. "Get ready, Seokjin. I'm coming for your picture next time."

Seokjin stood there, heart pounding so loudly he was sure the whole library could hear it. His cheeks still burned, and his mind was spinning like a camera lens caught in a whirlwind.

Interesting subject? Me? He replayed those words over and over, feeling like he'd just been handed a frame in which everything looked suddenly different, brighter, sharper, somehow more alive.

He shook his head in disbelief. Is this what people call... falling for someone? The thought was both thrilling and terrifying, like standing at the edge of a rooftop, wondering if he should jump or run.

His lips curled into a small, reluctant smile. "What am I supposed to do with you, Kim Taehyung?"

And maybe, just maybe, the answer was that he didn't want to figure it out just yet.