The Boy I Was Supposed to Hate

Chapter 3: Forced Partners

Monday mornings were never quiet at St. Valencia University, but today felt especially chaotic.

Students rushed from one building to another, clutching coffee cups and unfinished assignments. In the middle of it all, Asher sat alone in the Architecture studio, sketching the floor plan for their semester project.

He had already finished three pages.

His partner hadn't even shown up.

"As expected," Asher muttered.

Right on cue, the studio door swung open.

"Sorry I'm late!"

Kai walked in with his backpack slung over one shoulder, slightly out of breath.

Professor Delgado looked up from his desk.

"Mr. Hernandez."

"Yes, sir?"

"You're fifteen minutes late."

Kai smiled sheepishly.

"The Engineering professor kept us longer than expected."

Professor Delgado sighed.

"This is your last warning."

"Understood, sir."

Kai glanced at Asher, who hadn't even looked up from his drawing.

"Morning, partner."

No response.

Kai sat beside him anyway.

"Still mad about the coffee?"

"I'm working."

"I can see that."

"So let me."

Kai leaned back in his chair.

"You know... conversations usually involve two people."

"I wasn't planning on having one."

---

Professor Delgado clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.

"Your project is worth forty percent of your final grade."

The room immediately fell silent.

"You will design a sustainable student activity center. One partner will focus on architectural design, while the other will develop the structural engineering plan."

Kai's eyes widened.

"Forty percent?"

"Yes."

"And no partner changes?"

"No partner changes."

A few students groaned.

Professor Delgado smiled.

"Welcome to real-life teamwork."

---

After class, Kai caught up with Asher outside.

"We need to divide the work."

"I already started."

"You what?"

Asher handed him a folder.

"I finished the first draft."

Kai flipped through the sketches.

His eyes widened.

"You... drew all of this over the weekend?"

"Yes."

"You barely slept, did you?"

"That's none of your business."

Kai looked at the incredibly detailed drawings.

"They're amazing."

For a moment...

Asher froze.

No sarcasm.

No teasing.

Just a genuine compliment.

"...Thank you."

Kai smiled.

"There it is."

"What?"

"You can say thank you."

"I always could."

"I wasn't sure."

Asher rolled his eyes and walked away.

Kai followed.

---

They met later that afternoon in the university library.

The librarian immediately pointed at them.

"No loud voices."

Kai nodded obediently.

"Yes, ma'am."

They found an empty table.

For the first ten minutes, everything went surprisingly well.

Until...

"I think this wall should be here," Kai said.

"No."

"Why not?"

"It blocks natural lighting."

"But it'll strengthen the structure."

"It ruins the design."

"It keeps the building standing."

"It makes it ugly."

"It makes it safe."

Asher sighed.

"You don't understand architecture."

Kai crossed his arms.

"And you don't understand engineering."

Their voices grew louder.

Students nearby started staring.

The librarian appeared behind them.

"If you two want to argue, do it outside."

Both of them immediately stood.

"Sorry."

---

Outside the library, neither spoke for several minutes.

Finally, Kai laughed.

"We got kicked out."

"It was your fault."

"My fault?"

"You started arguing."

"You called my design ugly!"

"I called the wall ugly."

"Same thing."

Asher couldn't believe it.

"You are unbelievable."

Kai grinned.

"So I've been told."

For the first time...

Asher had to fight the urge to smile.

---

As the sun began to set, they sat on a bench overlooking the campus lake.

The argument had faded.

Kai opened a bottle of water and handed it to Asher.

"You look tired."

"I'm fine."

"You only slept three hours, didn't you?"

"...How do you know?"

"The dark circles under your eyes."

Asher looked away.

"I had work to finish."

Kai leaned back.

"You don't always have to carry everything alone."

Those words lingered in Asher's mind.

No one had said something like that to him in a long time.

For a brief moment, the walls around his heart weakened.

Then he stood up.

"We should go."

Kai nodded.

"Same time tomorrow?"

Asher hesitated.

"...Fine."

Kai smiled.

"I'll take that as progress."

Asher walked away without answering.

But this time...

He didn't mind hearing Kai's footsteps following behind him.

Maybe working together wouldn't be as impossible as he thought.

Maybe.