They say second chances are overrated—that love doesn’t rewind. But…

Unexpectedly, this happened.

My name’s Stephanie. Back in 2021, I wasn’t exactly looking for love. I was pretty content focusing on myself, my friends, and my obsession with fictional men. So I didn’t really pay attention to anyone else.

One day, I went to the teachers’ office to pick up a stack of books I had to distribute in class. On my way upstairs, a group of boys rushed past me, and one of them bumped into my shoulder. The books scattered across the floor, but none of them noticed.

Then, out of nowhere, someone stopped. His name was Johan. He wasn’t part of the group, just catching up behind them. He paused, helped me gather the books, and carried them to the classroom without saying much.

I remember thinking, “That was really nice of him.”

I thanked him, but he didn’t respond. That stuck with me more than it should have. Was I too quiet? Did he think I was rude? For some reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Over the next few months, Johan was stuck in my head. I started to develop a crush—hard. But really, what were the chances? He was tall, kind, funny, the class president, and a consistent top student. Basically the kind of person you’d think was way out of reach. So instead of trying anything, I buried myself in romance manhwas to pass the time.

Then one day, while I was checking some papers, I heard a voice:

“Hey, are you done with the checking?”

I looked up—and there he was. Johan. Talking to me.

“Y-yeah, I’m done,” I said, definitely more nervous than I wanted to sound.

“Okay, cool!” he smiled and walked back to his seat.

Days passed. I was definitely deep into this crush. Then something unexpected happened.

I was walking back to class from the science lab when one of Johan’s close friends walked beside me and casually said,

“Hey, did you know someone has a crush on you?”

I stopped dead in my tracks. “HUH?!”

He laughed. “Relax! Is it really that surprising?” Then he leaned in and whispered,

“It’s Johan.”

My heart stopped. Johan? I couldn’t believe it.

He liked me?

Before I could say anything, he winked and said, “You’re welcome. Bye!” and ran back to the classroom. And not long after, Johan came running after him.

I tried to act normal, pretending I hadn’t heard anything, but my brain was racing. Our teacher arrived just in time to keep me from spiraling. I couldn’t focus on a single thing she was saying. I was too busy deciding if I should talk to him… or pretend like nothing happened.

Eventually, I came up with a plan.

After class, I waited until the teacher left, then peeked back in and called out,

“Johan, the teacher’s calling you in the faculty room.”

It wasn’t true—I made it up just to get a chance to talk to him alone.

We walked down the hallway side by side. I was nervous, but I asked,

“Hey… do you like me?”

He didn’t react at first. So I asked again, and finally he said,

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… I heard from your friend. And, well… I like you too.”

He didn’t say anything right away, but his face turned red and he started to smile.

“Aha! So it’s true,” I teased.

“Yeah,” he finally admitted. “I do. I like you. A lot.”

I didn’t know what to say. My brain was frozen and racing at the same time. Then I remembered something.

“By the way… the teacher didn’t actually call you,” I admitted, stopping in my tracks.

He turned to me, confused.

“I made it up. I just wanted to talk to you alone.”

He paused, then laughed. “It’s alright.”

We walked back to class in silence, not awkward—just full of things unsaid.

When we got to the door, both our groups of friends were already staring at us. Then they ran toward us, full of questions. I panicked and told a small lie about what we were talking about. Thankfully, the teacher showed up before they could grill me any further.

After class, I went home—still thinking about everything that had just happened.

I didn’t get a chance to talk to him after class—and it was already over.

Maybe I’ll try messaging him on Discord… I’ve seen him online 24/7 anyway.

...in chat...

Stephanie:

Hey

Johan:

STEPHANIE WHAT DO YOU MEAN

Stephanie:

Hahaha I knew you'd be surprised

Johan:

Seriously!?

Stephanie:

So… is it true? That you… like me?

Johan:

Yeah. I do. I like you.

Stephanie:

Wow… that settles it. So… are we a thing now?

Johan:

I think so, yeah. But…

Stephanie:

But?

Johan:

You called me out in front of everyone so fast—some of my friends definitely noticed.

Stephanie:

Oops… sorry I panicked and just went for it.

Johan:

Haha, it’s cool. By the way…

Stephanie:

Yeah?

Johan:

Can we keep this just between us for now? I don’t want everyone knowing.

Stephanie:

Totally. Same here, honestly. My parents would ground me if they found out.

Johan:

Same. Strict parents club

Stephanie:

Haha, looks like it.

Johan:

Anyway, gotta go—it’s my turn to walk the dog. See you tomorrow, Stephanie!

Stephanie:

Okay, bye!

Whew… that actually went well.

The next day, I arrived early. I couldn’t sleep the night before—Johan was all I could think about. I didn’t realize I liked him this much until now.

I was alone in the classroom for a while until the door creaked open.

It was him.

Johan.

I blinked twice just to make sure. We exchanged a quick glance, then looked away. Guess we were both shy now.

But I mustered the courage, stood up, and sat next to him.

“Hey… did you sleep well?” I asked.

“Y-yeah, I did,” he said quickly.

I doubted it. Johan never came to school early. Maybe we were both too excited to sleep.

It got quiet. Only the ceiling fan buzzed above us.

“I-it’s quiet, huh,” he said awkwardly.

“Yeah… I mean, we’re early, and it’s just the two of us here,” I replied.

“Just the two of us… and no one else around…” he added in a low voice.

Whoa. Was it just me, or did my overactive romance-novel brain take that in a weird way?

“I—” I started to speak, but right then, the door flew open.

“AYYYY I’M EARLYYY!” a voice yelled.

It was Johan’s friend—who lived an hour away from school, by the way. Seriously, what are the chances? He looked around, realized it was just the two of us, and suddenly froze.

“Oh… sorry for the interruption,” he muttered.

I awkwardly slipped back to my original seat, cheeks burning, while Johan’s friend teased him nonstop.

After class, we didn’t talk in person. We promised to keep things lowkey. So once I got home, I texted him again.

...in chat...

Stephanie:

Hey, how are you?

Johan:

Hey! I’m good—I’m at the mall with some classmates.

Stephanie:

Ohh, I didn’t know you were going with them.

Johan:

You were invited too, weren’t you? How come you didn’t join?

Stephanie:

Not really. I heard them talking about it, but no one invited me directly. I didn’t expect you to be part of the group.

Johan:

Ah, I see. Next time, I’ll make sure you’re invited. It'll be more fun if you’re there.

Stephanie:

Don’t worry about me! If you’re having fun, that’s what matters. I’m not really into going out much anyway.

Johan:

Still… it’s not as fun without you. I wish you were here.

Stephanie:

Mhm~ sure

Johan:

Haha okay, they’re calling me to order food. Talk later?

Stephanie:

Alright, eat well! Bye!

Johan:

Byeee, love you!

Wait. Did he just say “love you”?

My heart skipped. I couldn’t stop smiling. I was already looking forward to our next chat.

The next day, we exchanged glances across the classroom, but said nothing.

We’d been keeping everything private—just texting. No one suspected a thing.

A month passed like this. Quiet in person. Loud in my heart.

“Nothing’s changed…” I muttered one day, staring at my desk. “We barely talk at school, and now it feels like this won’t last…”

“Hey, are you okay?” my friend asked, noticing me sigh.

“Yeah… I’m fine,” I lied.

When I got home, I waited for his message. A notification popped up—I checked my phone, and it was from him and someone else.

...in chat...

Johan:

Hey, are you invited to our classmate’s birthday?

Stephanie:

Huh? No, I didn’t get invited.

Johan:

Oh, really?

Stephanie:

Wait—actually, someone did message me. Let me check again.

Johan:

Sure, take your time!

...in chat (Chii)...

Chii:

Hii Stephanie!

Stephanie:

Hey, Chii!

Chii:

Guess what? You’re invited to my birthday!

Stephanie:

Really?!

Chii:

Yup! I’ll send you the location link soon!

Stephanie:

Thank you so much! I’ll be there

...in chat...

Stephanie:

Hey! I got the invite!

Johan:

Nice! After we hang out, maybe we can shop for some stuff together?

Stephanie:

Sure, that sounds fun!

Johan:

Maybe we could even get something matching?

Stephanie:

You’re full of ideas today but yes—let’s do it!

Five more days. I couldn’t wait.

Five days flew by, and I was buzzing with excitement.

Outfit? Ready.

Energy? High.

But just my luck—my parents and brothers insisted on tagging along. Thankfully, they weren’t attending the actual party, just dropping me off.

When I arrived at the mall, I headed to our meeting spot early... and there he was. Johan. And Chi—the birthday girl—was with him. I handed her the gift I brought, and she smiled, “Thanks!” It felt good seeing her happy.

One by one, our classmates arrived and we all headed into the restaurant. As we settled in, one of Johan’s friends looked at me and said, “Hey Stephanie, can we switch seats? I want to talk to the person next to you.” I agreed, not realizing I’d end up right beside Johan. Honestly? I wasn’t complaining.

“Chi said we’re going skating after this,” he smiled.

“Really? That sounds fun!” I replied, leaving out one tiny detail—I didn’t know how to skate.

After the meal, we lined up at the rink. While waiting, I spotted my best friend skating with her sister inside. It was such a surprise to see her—especially on the weekend! I was about to say hi but stopped myself.

She had a crush on Johan for five years. I wasn’t ready to bring this up yet.

Chi called me over to talk, and I finished tying my skates. But just then, my parents appeared and took a seat nearby to watch. Great. Now we had to act extra normal.

While skating, I slipped and fell—classic me. A stranger helped me up and even gave a few tips. I thanked him, still blushing from the fall.

Soon, I was skating with my best friend. It was nice—normal—until I fell again. This time, I was further away from the group. Just as I struggled to get up, a hand reached out toward me. I looked up. It was Johan.

“Thank you,” I said, slightly out of breath.

“It’s alright,” he replied, helping me up.

Noticing my sleeves were soaked, I asked him to help me get to the bench. I instinctively grabbed onto his sleeve for balance. When we reached the edge, he helped me sit down safely.

“Of course. Anything for you,” he said softly.

Chills. Literal goosebumps.

My parents caught sight of us, and my mom immediately noticed my wet clothes. My dad, however, went straight into protective mode. “Who was that boy?” he asked, already suspicious.

“A classmate,” I said quickly. He wasn’t pleased, but thankfully dropped it.

Back on the rink, most of our classmates had already gone home. I skated a bit more, alone—until Johan glided over.

“I have to go home now. I’ll text you, okay?”

“Okay. Stay safe,” I said.

Later that night, my phone buzzed.

~ In Chat ~

Johan: Hey, how are you, Stephanie?

Stephanie: I’m good! You?

Johan: Not about me! You fell so many times! Are you okay?

Stephanie: Haha, yeah, only five falls! Nothing broken. But thanks for checking on me

Johan: Just making sure. Oh! When we skated to the bench, my mom recorded us.

Stephanie: Wait—WHAT?! That’s so embarrassing!

Johan: Don’t be! I’m actually glad she did. It was a good day.

Stephanie: Yeah… it really was.

He didn’t reply after that, maybe got busy. But that night? I couldn’t stop smiling.