The corridors of Northern Heights Academy buzzed with the usual post-class chaos — lockers slamming, laughter bouncing off the walls, and the faint smell of cafeteria food wafting in. Luna adjusted her bag strap as she walked toward her next class, already spotting Peryn leaning against a locker, smirk in place.
"Hey, Luna," he called, his voice low enough to catch only her attention.
"Hey," she replied, trying to sound casual, though her heartbeat betrayed her.
As they walked past, he lightly tapped her shoulder — not enough to startle, just enough to make her glance at him. Luna felt a rush of warmth.
"You're… more careful than usual," he teased.
"I'm not," she replied quickly, pretending not to notice.
Hina, ever the schemer, watched from across the hall and nudged Sayuri. "He notices everything she does. Watch, he'll do something next."
Sure enough, later in class, Peryn leaned over to whisper instructions about a lab experiment. His face was closer than necessary, his voice soft, but somehow playful, like a broken radio trying to tune in perfectly. He sang, or rather hummed, a tiny tune near her ear while explaining something, off-key and messy.
"Stop singing like a broken radio," Luna whispered, laughing.
He grinned cheekily, the corners of his lips twitching. "Only for you," he muttered.
Lunch came, and Hina had arranged it so Luna ended up near him again. They shared snacks — Peryn, naturally, took the majority, smirking as Akio tried (and failed) to protest.
"You really don't share, huh?" Luna said.
"Sharing is boring," he replied, glancing at her with that familiar playful glint.
Akio, seated nearby, couldn't hide his frown. Luna caught his glance and felt a pang of guilt — but Peryn's attention made the twinge disappear quickly.
In the computer lab, Hina again orchestrated the perfect "coincidental" seating. Luna struggled with a stubborn wire, trying to connect her computer. Peryn, noticing immediately, leaned over and helped her fix it, making small comments about her mistakes.
"You really don't pay attention to details sometimes," he said softly.
"I do!" Luna protested, flustered.
He smirked. "Mhmm. Sure you do," he teased, clearly enjoying her reaction.
After class, while packing up, he noticed a small detail — a new hair accessory. "Changed something," he said casually, like it was no big deal. Luna's cheeks flamed.
By the end of the day, Luna realized something — the small gestures, the teasing, the playful corrections, and off-key humming were more than just friendship signals. Peryn's attention was personal, focused, and deliberate.
Akio's growing frustration didn't go unnoticed, nor did Hina's satisfied grin. The hallways weren't just crowded with students anymore — they were full of subtle signals, playful tension, and moments that made Luna's heart race unpredictably.