I knew the moment I first saw Lee Seorin.

Ah. This girl lives in a different world than I do.

She always received the highest scores and found the right answers faster than anyone else, yet she never even wore an expression that suggested she had done something great. The teachers' praise and the students' admiration seemed like a given to Seorin.

She was dazzling.

That's why I couldn't get close.

If I had spoken to you, you surely would have answered kindly. But that would be it. I would be just one of the countless students whose names you might not even remember the next day.

I hated that more than anything.

Saying I wanted to be friends wasn't enough. It was too early to admit the feeling of liking you.

I just wanted to be someone who could solve the same problems as Seorin, debate over the same answers, and stand proudly by your side.

To do that, I had to climb up to that level first.

I sat at my desk even when others were asleep. I solved wrong problems again, memorized sentences I didn't understand, and rubbed my eyes repeatedly until the letters blurred by sleep became clear again.

The reason I could endure all those nights was simple.

Because tomorrow's me would be a little closer to Seorin than today's me.

And then, the final exam of our first year in high school.

Finally, my name was written at the very top of the report card. Right below it was the name of Lee Seorin, whom I had always only looked up to.

That day, for the first time, she looked at me.

With sharp eyes, looking somewhat displeased, as if she would push me back down in the next exam.

That gaze was so vivid that I had to stifle a laugh.

Ah... you finally looked at me.

After that, we competed over everything. Exams, assignments, presentations, even the most trivial arguments.

Seorin probably thought of me as a genius who suddenly appeared and overtook her. Without knowing how long I had been looking at her back, how many times I wanted to give up, or how many nights I threw away just to stand beside her.

I don't tell her.

Because I felt like the equal position I barely managed to earn would crumble if she found out I came this far out of mere admiration.

So, we entered the same university to beat each other, and ended up sitting side by side in the same department and the same classroom.

It was the spot I had wanted for a long time.

But strangely, once I actually stood by Seorin's side, another greed arose.

Even after graduation, even after we choose different paths, even in the far future,

I wanted to keep staying by her side.

Of course, I won't tell Seorin.

Because today, she will look at me with a displeased face and say she'll definitely win next time.

Then I'll answer with a nonchalant face.

Sure. Give it a try.

Hiding the fact that I stayed up all night to catch up to this point, and the fact that I've been looking only at you from the very beginning.

This is a story to keep you looking at me.