Monday morning arrived with its usual buzz of chatter, the faint aroma of warm toast from the cafeteria lingering in the air. Luna adjusted her bag and scanned the classroom, already spotting familiar faces. Sayuri was quietly organizing her notebooks, Akio was meticulously sharpening his pencils, and of course… Peryn, leaning casually against the backrest, already smirking.
Hina was nowhere to be seen — probably plotting something. Luna shivered slightly. With Hina gone, chaos tended to find its own way to her desk.
The teacher started the roll call, pairing them for a group activity. Luna ended up next to Sayuri, while Akio and Peryn were across the aisle — the usual arrangement.
"You're so quiet today," Peryn whispered as soon as the teacher's back was turned, leaning over in his signature teasing way.
"I'm not quiet," Luna muttered, trying to act unimpressed, though her heart skipped a beat.
"Mhmm," he replied, raising one eyebrow. "Sure, sure."
During the activity, Peryn's gaze kept drifting toward Luna. It wasn't obvious — no glaring stares or ridiculous theatrics — just little flickers of attention. The way he leaned slightly forward when she tried to read instructions, the subtle smirk when she got a step wrong… Luna felt herself noticing every move.
Akio, however, wasn't blind to the tension. He tried to focus on his work, but every time Luna laughed at something Peryn whispered, a small frown appeared on his face.
"You two are ridiculous," Sayuri muttered under her breath, mostly amused.
Meanwhile, Hina returned with a flourish, dropping a note on Luna's desk. "From me to you: 'See what happens when you ignore Peryn?'" she whispered, eyes twinkling.
Luna peeked at the note — it was an excuse to provoke Peryn. Before she could react, he leaned over and whispered:
"Ignore me, huh? Cute try, but not happening."
Luna rolled her eyes, hiding a grin. "You talk too much," she muttered.
"Only when it's fun," he replied, voice low enough for only her to hear.
By lunch, the little group found themselves together by the lockers. Hina nudged Luna subtly toward Peryn. "Go on, show him your legendary debating skills," she said with a mischievous grin.
Peryn noticed instantly. "Debating skills, huh? Let's see what you've got," he teased, leaning in just a fraction closer than necessary.
Luna felt her cheeks heat up. "I… I'm just explaining an answer," she replied nervously.
"Sure sure," he said, smirking, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction.
Akio, standing nearby, crossed his arms. "You two are unbelievable," he muttered under his breath, giving Luna a pointed glance. Luna caught it, and suddenly, the triangle of attention became… complicated.
Small moments filled the rest of the day: Peryn noticing when Luna's hair had fallen slightly over her eyes, correcting a minor spelling mistake in her notebook, whispering jokes that made her laugh internally while pretending to focus on class, and subtle nudges and gestures that made her pulse quicken.
By the time the bell rang, Luna felt something she hadn't expected when she joined a new school: the unpredictability of who she was starting to notice… and who was noticing her.
Walking out of class, Peryn caught her gaze for a split second. That smirk returned, subtle, knowing, teasing. Luna felt herself smiling involuntarily. Somewhere between teasing whispers, careful observation, and Hina's schemes, a connection was forming — small, undeniable, and entirely… complicated.
For Luna, Northern Heights Academy was no longer just a school. It was a playground of whispered mischief, subtle glances, and the kind of tension that made every day feel like the start of something… exciting.