Permanent

The rumor spread like wildfire before lunch period even ended.

Karina dumped Jihoon.

Karina has a new boyfriend.

Karina cheated.

By the time the final bell rang, the entire school was buzzing. Karina walked down the third-floor corridor without looking at anyone, her long black hair swaying like a curtain behind her. Winter, Giselle, and Ningning followed closely, creating a protective wall that no one dared to breach.

“I still can’t believe you actually said it,” Giselle muttered under her breath, checking her nails. “Out of all the guys you could’ve picked as your fake boyfriend, you chose him? Like… actual Y/n?”

Karina didn’t answer. She kept walking, jaw tight.

She was still replaying the scene from two hours ago in her head.

Jihoon had cornered her behind the gym after practice, his basketball jersey still damp with sweat. The same boy the entire school worshipped. The boy everyone called her perfect match.

“You’re really doing this?” he had snapped. “After everything? Just tell me the real fucking reason, Karina.”

She had been so tired. Tired of being ignored for weeks. Tired of watching him laugh with his teammates while she waited like an accessory. Tired of never being chosen first.

So she said it.

“I have a boyfriend.”

Jihoon had laughed at first, then stopped when he saw her face. “Bullshit. Who?”

In a moment of pure panic and spite, Karina had pulled out her phone, opened the school’s online student directory, scrolled randomly, and shoved the screen in his face.

Y/n. Class 3-A.

The picture was old. He looked awkward in it, like he hadn’t wanted to take the photo. Messy dark hair, quiet eyes, the kind of face that blended into the background so well most people forgot he existed.

Jihoon had stared at the picture for five full seconds before his expression twisted.

“Him? That fucking nobody? You’re joking.”

“I’m not.”

The slap of those words still echoed in her ears. She had never seen Jihoon that angry. But she didn’t regret it. Not even when he called her a liar and stormed off.

What she did regret was the fact that she now had to make this lie real.

Winter nudged her arm as they reached the staircase. “So what’s the plan, Your Highness? You gonna pay the guy? Threaten him? Because Y/n doesn’t exactly look like the type who wants to be in the spotlight.”

“I’ll figure it out,” Karina said coldly.

Ningning winced. “He’s in the literature club, right? I think he stays late in the old library on the fourth floor. The one almost nobody uses.”

Karina stopped walking.

She turned to her three friends, expression unreadable.

“Tell anyone about this and I’ll kill you. This stays between us four. Got it?”

Giselle smirked. “We’re not idiots. Go get your contract boyfriend, diva.”

Karina exhaled through her nose and headed up the stairs alone.

The old library on the fourth floor smelled like dust and old paper. Only a few students ever came here anymore. Most preferred the new digital library on the first floor with its fancy computers and air conditioning.

Y/n was sitting at the very back corner desk, near the window. A thick novel was open in front of him, earphones in, completely unaware of the storm walking toward him.

Karina stopped a few feet away and studied him for a moment.

He really was… plain. Not ugly. Just quiet. The kind of boy who probably went his entire high school life without anyone ever really seeing him.

She hated that she was about to ruin that for him.

Y/n suddenly looked up. His eyes widened the moment he recognized her. He pulled one earphone out, fingers clumsy.

“Uh… can I help you?” His voice was soft. Almost too soft.

Karina didn’t sit. She simply stared down at him, arms crossed.

“I need to talk to you.”

Y/n blinked slowly, like he was waiting for the punchline. When none came, he closed his book and sat up straighter, though his shoulders remained slightly hunched.

“Okay,” he said carefully. “Talk.”

Karina glanced around to make sure they were alone before she spoke.

“Two hours ago, I broke up with Park Jihoon. When he kept pushing for a reason, I told him I was already dating someone else.” She paused. “I showed him your picture.”

Y/n’s face went completely blank.

Then his ears turned red.

“My… picture?”

“Yes. From the student directory. I picked it randomly.” Karina’s tone was blunt, almost businesslike. “Now the entire school thinks we’re together. Jihoon’s pride is hurt. He’s going to look for any reason to call me a liar.”

Y/n stared at her like she had grown a second head.

She continued, “So here’s the deal. I want you to be my boyfriend for the rest of the semester. Three months. We don’t have to actually date. It’s a contract. I’ll pay you. Or I’ll do your assignments. Or buy you whatever you want. Name your price.”

The silence that followed was so heavy Karina could hear the old wall clock ticking behind her.