The next morning at school, the atmosphere was different. Whispers filled the hallways, and whenever Yona walked by, people stared. Some looked confused. Others smirked. And some, like Lena and her friends, looked furious.
Yona ignored them. For once, he didn't care.
He didn't know what he was feeling yet, but something inside him had shifted.
Mia walked beside him, hesitant but close enough to feel his warmth. She hadn't expected him to talk much after everything that had happened, but she was relieved that he had still chosen to walk with her.
As they reached the classroom, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Yona."
They both froze.
"Lena".
She stood near his desk, arms crossed, her gaze piercing. Her friends flanked her, looking just as smug and arrogant as always.
Yona took a deep breath, steadying himself.
"What do you want?"
Lena let out a soft chuckle, tilting her head.
"That's funny. You were so desperate for my attention yesterday, and now you're acting like you don't care?"
Mia's hands curled into fists at her sides.
Yona met Lena's gaze, something unreadable in his expression.
"I guess I just finally saw things clearly."
Lena's smirk faltered for a second, but she quickly recovered.
She flicked her hair back, her eyes narrowing.
"So what now? You're going to run after that pathetic girl?" She glanced at Mia with a look of disgust. "You seriously think she's worth more than me?"
Mia stiffened, her nails digging into her palms.
But before she could say anything, Yona spoke first.
"You're right."
Lena's smirk returned, but Yona wasn't finished.
"I did chase after you," he admitted, his voice steady. "For so long. And you never even looked at me."
He glanced at Mia, his eyes softening for the briefest moment before looking back at Lena.
"But she did."
Lena's expression darkened.
Yona shook his head. "I don't care what you or your friends think anymore. I just wish I had seen through all of this sooner."
Lena scoffed, flipping her hair. "Tch. Whatever. I was just playing with you anyway."
She turned on her heel, her friends following her, but there was tension in her shoulders.
Mia finally exhaled, releasing the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Yona…"
He looked at her, and for the first time, he gave her a small, tired smile.
"Let's just get to class," he said.
And as they walked to their seats, side by side, Mia felt a warmth spread in her chest.
Maybe he wasn't hers yet. Maybe his heart still needed time.
But for the first time, he had seen her.
And that was enough.
For now.
The sounds of fighting outside the classroom were unmistakable. The shouts, the scuffle of feet, the metallic clang of something hitting the ground – it all echoed through the walls. The entire class froze, the sudden interruption pulling everyone's attention away from the lesson. It wasn't just the noise; there was an intensity in the air, a sharpness that made even the most talkative students fall silent.
Without a word, Yona stood up, his eyes scanning the room before he darted toward the door. Mia remained in her seat, her hands gripping the edge of the desk. She felt the pull of curiosity, but something within her kept her rooted to the spot. She wasn't sure if she should be scared, intrigued, or simply indifferent.
Yona stood beside her, his gaze still fixed on the door.
"It's okay," he said softly,
almost as if to reassure himself as much as her. He noticed her hesitation and glanced down at her.
"You don't have to go," he added, his voice gentler now.
Mia nodded, still unable to tear her eyes away from the chaos unfolding outside. She could hear more shouting, but her attention was caught by Yona's presence beside her. She looked up at him, meeting his steady gaze, and felt something shift again. Maybe it was the calmness in his voice, or the fact that for once, he seemed to be the one offering comfort.
"Yona," she whispered,
but her words were interrupted when he turned his head sharply toward the noise outside.
"What's going on out there?" he murmured, more to himself than to anyone else.
Mia's curiosity flared up. She glanced over her shoulder toward the windows, the sounds of the fight now sharper, angrier. But before she could move, one of their classmates burst back into the classroom, wide-eyed and breathless.
"It's two girls!" the classmate said, clearly startled. "And a guy! They're fighting outside, right by the gates! I think I've seen that guy before… but I can't remember where!"
Yona, sensing the urgency of the situation, motioned for Mia to follow him as he walked toward the door. The rest of the class was gathering at the windows, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of what was happening. Mia, however, stayed seated, her heart still hammering from the intensity of the moment. Yona, seeing her still hadn't moved, paused by her side.
"You sure you don't want to look?" he asked, his voice soft, but with a trace of concern. He clearly didn't want her to feel left out or pressured.
Mia hesitated, then shook her head, choosing instead to watch the rest of the students crowding the windows. She could hear the chaos outside growing louder and more chaotic. Yet, somehow, the feeling of Yona standing beside her gave her a sense of calm.
Then, just as Mia was about to turn her attention back to the scene outside, a voice rose above the noise. A deep voice that carried over the crowd of students.
"Leave me alone. I'm not interested in your friend."
Mia's eyes narrowed as she turned her head toward the source of the voice. There, in the center of the chaos, stood a handsome boy, his posture rigid, facing two girls who seemed to be pleading with him. His expression was calm, detached even, but there was a strange energy around him – one that made everyone else pause.
Yona followed her gaze, watching the scene unfold. His eyes flickered with recognition for a split second, but the moment passed too quickly for Mia to catch it. He frowned slightly, stepping closer, wanting to get a better look.
Mia's heart skipped a beat as the girl who had been trying to get the boy's attention spoke again, her voice softer this time, almost fragile.
"Wait… please," she said, her voice shaking. "I just… I can't forget you. I really love you."
The boy didn't look at her immediately. He kept his back to her, his eyes scanning the space in front of him as if trying to ignore her. But something made him stop. His gaze flickered briefly to the side and, just for a moment, their eyes met.
He didn't speak, didn't offer comfort, but his gaze, though cold, wasn't entirely dismissive either. He turned away slowly, making his way toward the crowd that had gathered, his path taking him right beside Mia.
He paused for the briefest of moments, his body slightly turned toward her, as if assessing her presence in the midst of the chaos. Mia's heart raced as she met his gaze, her thoughts spinning.
But then, without a word, he continued his way, leaving the girl behind. Her eyes were wide with a mixture of shock and pain. She took a shaky step forward, but the boy didn't look back. The cruel rejection hit her harder than any of them expected.
Her friend, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally couldn't hold it in anymore.
"You are the worst!" she shouted, her voice thick with anger.
She stormed over to the girl, wrapping her arms around her in a protective embrace.
"I told you to leave him alone! He's not the last guy in the world!"
The girl, tears streaming down her face, buried her face in her friend's chest, the weight of the rejection hitting her like a tidal wave.
Mia watched them, feeling a strange mix of sympathy and uncertainty. It wasn't easy to see someone hurt, especially so openly, but there was something about this situation that felt so far from her own world.
Yona, still standing beside her, turned his attention back to the boy who had now disappeared into the crowd, but his expression was unreadable. For a moment, the sounds of the fight outside seemed to fade into the background, replaced by the quiet tension in the room.
"Guess not everyone gets what they want," Yona muttered, almost to himself.
Mia didn't respond, her eyes still lingering on the girl who was now sobbing quietly, her world crumbling around her. It was strange. So much had happened in the span of a few moments, and yet, all Mia could think about was the boy's eyes – and how, for just a second, they had locked with hers.
-----------------------------------
The chaos outside had settled into a strange, uneasy quiet. The moment between the girl's emotional breakdown and the boy's indifference had left a heavy atmosphere in the classroom. Students were still murmuring among themselves, their whispers like a quiet storm waiting to break.
Mia was still watching the scene, her thoughts a mix of sympathy and confusion, when suddenly, she felt a cold stare. She turned instinctively and found Lena's eyes fixed on her. For a long
moment, they locked eyes, the tension palpable.
Mia's breath hitched. She didn't understand why Lena was looking at her like that. She hadn't said anything, hadn't done anything. But before Mia could even try to process the look, Lena abruptly averted her gaze, as if the weight of the moment had become too much for her.
Lena didn't say a word as she walked back to her seat, her posture rigid and tense. Mia stayed rooted in place, staring at her in confusion. What was that about? Why had Lena looked at her that way? She had no answers, just a growing feeling of unease.
As the class settled back into their seats, the murmurs grew louder. The students were clearly buzzing with excitement, eager to dissect everything they had just witnessed.
"I saw everything," one of the students whispered, leaning in toward their friend. "That girl, she tried to confess to him again. I think it's the second time she's done it… but the guy got so mad, like she did something to him."
Another student chimed in, their voice tinged with curiosity. "Yeah, and when her friend tried to talk to him about it, he just blew up at her. I thought it was gonna get physical for a second. He was pissed."
Mia's mind was racing. The boy... He had looked at her. For just a second, their eyes had locked, but then he turned away without a second glance. What had that meant? And why was everyone so shocked by the fight? The girl had been heartbroken, but was there more to it?
Meanwhile, Yona sat beside her, his usual stoic expression betraying a hint of contemplation. His eyes briefly flicked toward Lena, then back to Mia, as if he could feel her confusion without her saying anything. The air between them was still tense, though Mia could sense a subtle calmness coming from Yona. He didn't seem affected by the drama, but Mia wasn't sure if that meant he was unaffected by everything going on with her, or if it was just his way of dealing with things.
"His name's Noir," Yona murmured, as if reading her mind. "The guy outside. I've seen him around a couple of times. He's... kind of a loner. Keeps to himself mostly, but you can tell something's off about him. I don't know all the details, but I've heard he's had his share of run-ins with some of the other students."
Mia nodded slowly, her mind still whirling.Noir . It made sense now. His name matched the reputation that seemed to hang around him, that air of mystery and isolation.
But what was his connection to the girl who had confessed? And why had he looked at her like that? She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to the story.
As the class continued to buzz with their theories and gossip, Lena's sudden gaze still lingered in Mia's mind. It was like a brief moment of vulnerability, something Mia had rarely seen from her, if ever. But just as quickly as it had happened, Lena had snapped back into her usual haughty demeanor, leaving Mia to wonder what it all meant.
"I don't get it, Yona, why did he react like that ? " she asked quitely , more to her self than to anyone else ." its just a confession, right? , why not just reject her and move on? But the anger and, the fight....That was too much
Yona hesitated before answering, his eyes distant. "It's not just about the confession. Sure, he could've rejected her, but this… this was different. Something about the way he handled it, the way he got so angry... It wasn't just about the girl confessing. It's like something else was triggering him. Maybe it's because he's been through a lot, but whatever it is, he's not handling it well."
Mia nodded slowly, her eyes flickering back to the windows, trying to understand. There was a deeper story to Noir, and it was clear that his anger wasn't just about the rejection—it was something more.
Yona continued, his voice softer now. "Look, sometimes people can't just move on from things like a simple rejection. For some people, it digs deeper, and they lash out. He's probably had a lot of people try to get close, but never really care. Maybe that's why he acted that way, why he fought back so aggressively."
Mia thought about this, her gaze drifting back toward Noir, who had already disappeared into the crowd outside.
The class slowly returned to a quiet hum, everyone still discussing the fight, but Mia's thoughts were elsewhere. Her mind kept returning to that brief glance she had shared with Noir. Was there something more between them than just the moment they had witnessed outside? Something she had missed?
---------------------------
Just as Mia was lost in her thoughts, trying to unravel the strange weight behind Noir's anger, a classmate stepped closer, cutting through the hum of quiet whispers around them.
It was Daiki — sharp-eyed, always nosing around for details others missed. He leaned casually against Mia and Yona's shared desk, his voice low but clearly meant to be heard.
"He's not from our school," Daiki said, glancing toward the door like he expected Noir to walk in any moment. "I heard he only came to pick up a relative. Might be his cousin… or sister? No one's sure. Some people say he shows up every few months, always keeps to himself."
Mia's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then what was that outside?"
Daiki shrugged, but there was something in his expression — a mix of intrigue and wariness. "That girl who confessed? I think they might've had something before. A relationship, maybe. Or… something else. It's not clear. I just know this isn't the first time she's tried to talk to him. And every time, he shuts her down harder."
He tapped the edge of the desk absentmindedly, then added, "But here's the weird part — all the girls seem drawn to him. I don't get it. He barely says a word to anyone. Acts like the rest of us aren't even here. Maybe it's the way he looks — you know, the quiet, tragic type."
Daiki gave Yona a knowing look before continuing. "Still… I've seen how he looks at people. Like he's already figured them out and decided they're not worth his time. Cold. Like really cold. That's not just confidence. That's something else."
"Cruel," Mia said softly.
Daiki nodded. "Yeah. Cruel. And rude. But maybe not without a reason. I don't think he's just being a jerk. There's something going on with him. Something no one's telling."
Yona didn't say anything, but Mia noticed his jaw tighten slightly. He was thinking too — processing it all.
As Daiki walked off, leaving behind a trail of curiosity, Mia found herself staring down at her hands. That look Noir had given her… it didn't feel random. It didn't feel careless.
And the more she thought about it, the more questions filled her chest.
why, out of everyone, had he looked at her?
To be continue ....