Hannah rested her chin on her hand, observing her roommate. Bella was not eating lunch but instead scanning the cafeteria with restless eyes, as if stubbornly searching for someone. Her sighs echoed softly, and she pressed her lips together in impatience.
"Is something wrong?" Hannah asked, noting the sadness flickering in Bella's gaze.
"Do you think it's just a coincidence that they show up at the same time as us in the cafeteria?"
The brunette shrugged her shoulders lightly, though she already sensed whom Bella was waiting for.
"Maybe. But I wouldn't want Joseph to sit at our table. I can't stand eating with him."
"Why not? Aren't you two friends?"
"With him, it's impossible to eat in peace," Hannah muttered. "He never keeps his mouth shut, and the more he teases the person sitting beside him. He's famous for making others uncomfortable. I don't want him picking on you too."
Bella pouted like a child denied a treat, disappointment shadowing her face at Hannah's words.
The brunette lifted her spoon and scooped up the soup just as Joseph entered the cafeteria, as if her words had summoned him. He dropped lazily into a chair at the table opposite theirs. From her seat, Hannah could see him perfectly. He looked amused, accompanied by a boy she didn't recognize—likely one of his sidekicks.
"Apparently, your desire to see him was so strong that you summoned him," Hannah murmured to Bella, who instantly turned to look at the older student, her eyes glowing. "He's like the devil. Just don't sign any contract with him."
"He seems to be in a good mood," Bella observed dreamily.
"That's not a good mood," Hannah corrected, stirring her soup. "That's him plotting something cruel. Right now he's analyzing who to make miserable. Clearly someone teased him, and he's already planning revenge."
Bella tilted her head, still watching him. "How well you know him…"
Hannah sighed and lowered her shoulders in resignation.
"I told you about my past. If you'd gone through what I did with him, you'd know him better than yourself."
She lifted her eyes as another boy approached their table. He was from their course—Bella knew him.
"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked, directing the question toward Hannah more than Bella. She only nodded slightly.
"Max, how did you like the first lectures?" Bella asked quickly, slipping her arm through his. At least for a moment, she stopped paying attention to Joseph. "The professor seems fine, doesn't he?"
Max didn't answer. His gaze had fixed on Hannah with such intensity that she froze, her appetite dissolving into nothing. She hated being watched while eating.
"Won't you introduce me to your roommate first?" Max asked, his eyes still locked on Hannah. "She looks like a goddess."
Hannah nearly choked on her sip of water, coughing and thumping her chest with her fist.
"Of course. This is my roommate, Hannah," Bella said proudly.
Max reached out, and Hannah reluctantly extended her hand. His grip was warm and firm, and she returned it hesitantly.
"It's true what they say," Max continued boldly. "Up close, you look as if someone painted you. Too perfect to be real."
Hannah widened her eyes at his bluntness, quickly reaching for a napkin to wipe her mouth. Nervously, she glanced toward Joseph, who still hadn't taken his eyes off her. His lips curled into laughter, and she tore her gaze away in frustration.
"I suppose whoever spread such a rumor about me is enjoying themselves now," she muttered bitterly.
Unable to take the tension, Hannah rose from her chair, intending to leave. But before she could slip away, Joseph was suddenly there, blocking her path. His hands gripped her shoulders firmly, steering her back to the table.
"You practically haven't eaten a thing," he said smoothly, ignoring her resistance. "You're not leaving." He set a plate before her, pushing it closer. "Eat."
Hannah glared at him but remained silent as he slid into the seat beside her, clearly enjoying the disturbance he was causing.
Turning to Bella and Max, he asked casually, "Are you taking good care of her, kid?" His tone was mocking, though his stare was sharp. Bella seemed struck dumb, words dying on her lips.
"Sometimes she talks nonsense," Joseph continued, smirking. "Don't pay attention to it. You'll have to get used to that."
"What are you talking about now?" Hannah snapped, her cheeks burning with humiliation.
"I just want a roommate who'll take care of you. College isn't high school. I'm not always in the dorm."
Her patience snapped. "Do you even remember that three years ago, you were the one who tormented me the most? Because of you, everyone hated me."
A nervous smile flickered across Joseph's face, but his eyes gleamed with amusement.
"Let's put the past behind us, shall we?" His voice was deceptively light. "We don't need to bring up the details now."
Hannah's silence was cold, deliberate.
"And you…" Joseph suddenly pointed at Max, his expression hardening. "Stay away from her. Don't even look at her." His stare was so sharp that Max instantly lowered his head, chastised.
"This girl is trouble," Joseph declared, smirking as if delivering a warning wrapped in amusement. "A walking danger. You'll never be able to control her."
That was enough. Hannah slammed the cutlery onto the table, the clatter silencing even Bella for a moment. Without a word, she stood and strode toward the exit, her whole body trembling with anger.
Behind her, Joseph's laughter rang out, rich with triumph. Nothing delighted him more than tormenting her—he lived for the way her indignation flared.
*
Walking down the hallway, Hannah kept her eyes fixed on her phone, furiously tapping the screen in frustration. No matter how many times she pressed, the device refused to unlock, trapping her in an unwanted app. With a heavy sigh, she finally gave up and shut the phone off altogether.
Focused on the stubborn piece of technology, she failed to notice the world around her—until she collided with an older student. At the last moment, his hands caught her shoulders, steadying her before she could stumble to the ground. Her phone, however, did not escape the impact. It slipped from her grasp and clattered onto the floor, the screen cracking with a faint, ugly smudge.
Hannah bent down and picked it up, wincing at the damage.
"Anyway… I was going to replace it soon," she muttered, lifting her gaze to the boy she had bumped into. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention."
"Do you actually know how to apologize?" His brows furrowed, though amusement played across his face. He studied her carefully, as if searching for something in her expression. "Danielle… don't tell me you don't remember me? We met in Thailand. At that party on the island. You were drunk, sure, but not so drunk you'd forget me. I could never forget you."
The name made Hannah freeze. Danielle. Her twin sister.
She blinked rapidly, trying to piece his words together. Could it be… he once knew her sister?
"You've mistaken me for someone else," she said carefully. "My name is Hannah."
The brunette stared at her, stunned, before his expression shifted, as though he were recalibrating his perception of her entirely.
"My mistake," he said at last, raising his hands in surrender, though the smile never faded. "You look exactly like her. I had every right to be mistaken."
Before Hannah could answer, someone seized her hand. She turned to see Jin, his grip firm, his expression tense.
"Don't talk to him. Come on." He pulled her gently but insistently toward the exit. Once outside, he added in a low, firm voice, "That man is dangerous. Stay away from him."
"Do you know him?" she asked, still shaken.
"Let's just say I know enough." His jaw tightened.
"He thought I was Danielle. He said he met her at a party in Thailand." Hannah searched his face as he shoved his hands into his pockets, eyes fixed on some invisible point above her.
"Maybe they did know each other," he admitted. "But he isn't someone you should get close to. He's pretending to have changed, but the truth is he's done terrible things."
His words unsettled her.
"Really? So my sister was spending time with people like that?" Hannah's voice faltered. "She was never afraid of anything."
"She wasn't cautious—she was reckless. You're not. You make smarter choices, and that's why I'm warning you."
She nodded, studying him closely. Just then, a melody burst from the back pocket of his jeans. He pulled out his phone, and in that fleeting second before the screen turned away, Hannah glimpsed the name of the caller.
"Little Trouble."
Her curiosity sharpened. She had seen this same contact flash across Jin's phone years ago, back in high school. Whoever it was, they weren't a stranger.
"What is it this time?" Jin muttered into the phone, stepping a few paces away.
Hannah folded her arms, suspicion gnawing at her. What was he hiding? The fragments of memory tugged at her, elusive but powerful, as if her mind itself had locked away something too painful to recall.
How cruel must the truth be, if I erased it completely?
She studied Jin's silhouette, his voice low and urgent as he explained something to the unseen caller.
"Hannah! What are you doing here!"
The sudden shriek nearly stopped her heart. Bella materialized at her side like a ghost, shouting straight into her ear. Hannah clutched her chest, massaging away the sharp ache.
"Don't ever do that again," she gasped. "I swear, I almost had a heart attack."
Bella only grinned, leaning forward to catch a glimpse of Jin, who was still on the phone.
"Look at him," she whispered, her smile widening. "That's the face of a guy talking to his girlfriend. Trust me, I know. He's definitely hiding something." She wiggled her fingers dramatically. "If there's anything between you two, you should know—he's cheating."
"Bella!" Hannah snapped, her cheeks flushing. "We're just friends. And besides, if he had a girlfriend, Tom would have told me. He shares everything."
"Unless," Bella countered with a mischievous gleam, "even his friends don't know about her."
Hannah fell silent, her eyes drifting back to Jin. Doubt crept in despite herself. Still, she shook her head.
"It doesn't matter. Who he talks to is none of my business. Even if he has a girlfriend, that's his life."
She dropped her gaze to her shoes, only lifting it again when Jin slipped his phone back into his pocket and approached. His face looked paler than before, worry etched in every line.
"Are you all right?" Hannah asked softly. His expression unsettled her more than Bella's speculation.
"Yes," he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. "I… I just need to head to my room. I'll meet you later, okay?"
She nodded, watching him walk away quickly, almost too quickly.
As soon as he disappeared, Bella leaned closer, her voice hushed but dramatic.
"You know, when you left earlier, Joseph threatened me. He said he'd strangle me if I didn't take care of you. And I swear, Hannah, there was threat in his eyes when he said it. Fear. That boy cares about you more than you think."
"That's exactly why I told you not to sit at the same table with him," Hannah muttered. "He treats everyone like that."
"I'm serious." Bella's lips trembled into a half-smile, though her eyes still reflected the weight of Joseph's words. "From now on, I don't think I'll leave your side. If anything happens to you, he'll kill me. I could see it in his stare."
"Don't worry." Hannah exhaled slowly, though the memory of Joseph's laughter still echoed in her ears. "He only talks that way. Scaring people is his specialty. He takes sick joy in it. Joseph… he's a strange case."
*
After an entire day of lectures that seemed to drag on endlessly, Hannah could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She perched herself on the low stone wall in front of the dormitory—a familiar meeting spot where students often gathered to share secret drinks, as if clinging to the rebellious rituals of high school. The irony wasn't lost on her. They were supposed to be adults now, yet campus life had its unspoken rules, and childish acts of defiance were among them. No one seemed willing, or able, to change that.
She sensed movement behind her and turned slightly.
"How about you?" she asked as Tom jumped up onto the wall, landing beside her with his usual effortless confidence. "Finally, we can talk to each other."
He gave her a sly look, the kind that always made her wary of what would follow.
"Then tell me this—what's Jin's fault that you decided to cut off your future husband as well?"
His teasing words caught her off guard. A laugh escaped her, though there was a guilty note in it, as if his question touched a wound she preferred to hide.
"I'm sorry you suffered because of it," she admitted softly. "I just… felt bad, so I pulled away from you for a while."
"A little?" Tom raised an eyebrow in exaggerated reproach. "Every time we tried to see you, you had an excuse. Meanwhile, Joseph became your regular guest."
Hannah's eyes flickered with remorse as she met his gaze. Sadness lingered in his expression, and the realization stung her.
"I'm sorry," she repeated, her voice trembling faintly. "You don't even know how much I missed your sense of humor."
Tom's lips curved into a smile as he brushed a loose strand of hair from her face, the gesture gentle yet playful.
"So you've lost out on this breakup," he said with mock pride. "Because I've already started to mature. I don't act the same way I used to. I'm even trying to control my stupidity."
"I noticed," she replied with a spark of amusement, recalling the incident in the parking lot. "There comes a time when a person finally grows up."
He slipped his arm around her shoulders, and she let her head rest against him. The warmth of his body, the easy rhythm of his breathing—these small things made her feel safe. It reminded her how much she had missed his company, and the comfort of belonging at his side.
But the moment didn't last. From the pocket of his sweatshirt, Tom pulled out his phone. His expression soured instantly as he read a new message.
"What's wrong?" Hannah asked.
"The devil's asking where I am," he muttered. "Jin left the dormitory and wants a drink. And of course, I'm the one forced to take him in. Otherwise, he won't let me live in peace."
Hannah sighed with resignation, her shoulders sinking.
"I thought I could at least relax with you tonight. But no—he has to be everywhere. Can't he drink with his classmates for once?"
"I told him I'm with you," Tom explained, tapping his screen. "He'll be here soon anyway. Apparently, he prefers our company."
"I swear, I'll throw him out if he irritates me," Hannah muttered, her patience thinning.
She had barely finished her threat when she nearly toppled off the wall. Joseph had crept up behind her and jabbed her in the arm with merciless humor. Her heart lurched violently, and for the second time that day she nearly died of fright.
"You want to kill me!" she shouted, clutching her chest. Her nerves were already frayed, and she felt as though guilt itself pressed against her ribs. Fear clung to her like a shadow.
Joseph's eyes narrowed in mock warning.
"Just don't raise your voice at me, little one."
Her fury simmered as she watched him casually hand Tom a beer.
"And where's mine?" she demanded.
"You're too young to drink. You're two years short of the legal age," he said coldly, sipping from the bottle with deliberate provocation.
"Oh, come on. No one's going to know!" She waved her hand dismissively and, in the motion, slapped his knee with her palm.
Joseph's gaze sharpened. His voice cut like a blade.
"Are you hitting me? Did I spoil you too much? Maybe I should bring back the threats I used in high school, because you've grown far too comfortable around me."
His stern look pinned her in place. Hannah frowned, childlike in her rebellion, and before he could react, she snatched the bottle from his hand.
She took a bold sip. The bitter liquid burned her throat, but she forced herself to swallow and returned the bottle with exaggerated nonchalance. A small burp escaped her lips—ungraceful, yet oddly innocent.
Joseph wrinkled his nose with disgust.
"What a pig's snout," he announced, watching her with a mixture of disdain and amusement. He lifted the bottle to his lips, and in that fleeting moment Hannah's heart skipped. From the angle, it looked almost as if they had just shared a kiss.
The thought unsettled her. She shook her head violently, blaming the alcohol for conjuring such illusions.
Beside her, Tom suddenly covered his mouth with his hand, unable to suppress his laughter.
*
Hannah would regret her decision the next day. For now, though, she laughed, light-headed from the small amount of beer that spun through her system. The world tilted and swayed in uneven waves, but to her muddled mind, it only added to the fun.
She sat cross-legged on the cool grass, tugging restlessly at the blades between her fingers. Her head swam too much for her to even think about standing, so she remained where she was, swaying gently as though rocked by an invisible tide. Above her, Tom and Joseph lingered on the low wall, bottles in hand, their gazes fixed on her with thinly veiled amusement. Their laughter rang sharp in the night air, mocking and incredulous, as if they couldn't fathom how she had gotten drunk on so little.
"How is this even possible?" Tom asked, his voice carrying both wonder and ridicule as Hannah blinked slowly at the ground.
But Joseph's expression shifted. Amusement drained from his face, replaced by sudden clarity. He jumped down from the wall and crossed to her in two long strides. Crouching low, he tilted her chin upward, his sharp eyes scanning the glassy sheen of hers.
"I think I know what's causing this," he murmured, his tone stripped of sarcasm, laced now with concern. "Do you take antipsychotic medication regularly?"
For a long moment, she stared past him, lost in the haze. Then her eyelids fluttered, and she gave a faint, almost imperceptible nod.
"Oh, shit." Joseph cursed under his breath, the sound more worried than angry. "I completely forgot about that."
With a swift, decisive movement, he seized her hand and hauled her to her feet. She stumbled instantly, her knees buckling in every direction.
"I'll take you to your room. Come on."
"Why are you ruining the fun?" Tom's protest rang out indignantly from the wall, but Joseph didn't bother to look back.
"She's not fine," he snapped. "I'll take care of her. You clean up the bottles."
Hannah giggled to herself, too unsteady to resist as Joseph slid an arm beneath her legs and lifted her into his arms. He tightened his grip, adjusting her so her disoriented state wouldn't be obvious to anyone they passed. If the dormitory supervisor saw her like this, the trouble would fall on both of them.
"Hannah," he muttered as he moved swiftly toward the building, his voice low and tense, "this is awkward for me, but press your face against me. Pretend you're happy in my arms."
Her head lolled back slightly, eyes glazed, as she blinked up at him in confusion.
"Why?"
"So no one can see how drunk you are."
They slipped inside the dormitory. Clusters of students lingered in the lobby and along the stairwell, their voices hushed into sharp whispers the moment they spotted the pair. Girls, in particular, cast venomous looks in Hannah's direction, their jealousy palpable.
"Are they friends? Or… a couple?"
Joseph ground his teeth, muttering between clenched jaws, "Mind your own business, idiots."
On the second floor, he stopped in front of Hannah's door and knocked. Silence. He tried again, louder this time, but there was still no answer.
"What's the code to your room?" he demanded, but she had already gone slack against him, her head nestled into his chest in complete unconsciousness.
"Damn it," he hissed under his breath. "Where the hell is that useless roommate of yours?"
The corridor stretched out around him, hushed and shadowed under the dim yellow glow of the lights. He didn't dare linger. Each second risked discovery.
His arms ached from her weight, and he shifted her briefly to ease the strain. A group of guys passed by, their crude whistles and snickers echoing against the walls. Joseph ignored them, his expression like carved stone, and pushed forward.
At last he reached his own room. Without hesitation, he carried her inside and shut the door firmly behind them. He set her down carefully on his bed, adjusting her so she rested on her side. Her chest rose and fell unevenly as she stirred, then rolled deeper into the mattress.
Joseph crouched at the edge, watching her from the corner of his eye. Just as he leaned back, her foot twitched and struck him hard in the back. His jaw clenched against the pain, but he said nothing. There was no point. She was gone to the world now, leaving him alone in the quiet room with the weight of consequences pressing down heavier than the night.
*
"Your roommate disappeared without a word, and you had to bring her here to us?" Tom asked immediately upon entering the room. He stretched out sideways on his bed, propping his head on one hand. "Honestly, it was predictable. Girls with bleached hair tend to flirt. That's just how it goes." He reached over and grabbed a handful of peanuts. "Reminds me of high school, when Hannah used to hide in your bed."
"What?" Joseph's brow shot up, taken aback.
"One night she ran straight to Jin, saying something bad was happening in her room. You weren't around—probably sneaking off to meet the dorm supervisor," Tom said, grimacing at the memory. "I nearly had a heart attack, started yelling, and the floor supervisor rushed in. Hannah saved your ass."
Joseph snorted. "Our supervisor was an idiot. How could he not notice a girl under the blanket, when she was half my size?"
Tom blinked slowly, staring past him at the wall. "You're right. Our supervisor really was an idiot."
Joseph's gaze drifted toward Jin's bed, a twinge of unease creeping in. "Where is he? He never spends the night out alone. Something must have happened."
"That worries me too," Tom admitted, frowning. "It's the first time since we started college. Jin isn't the party type, and whenever he's invited somewhere, he always takes us along. This… it's unsettling."