The morning sun spilled golden light across Northern Heights Academy, painting the classroom in warm tones. Sayuri sat quietly near Luna, pretending to focus on her notebook, but her eyes kept drifting toward the little scene she couldn't ignore. Luna and Peryn had been acting… different lately.
Every small glance, every subtle touch, every whisper seemed charged. Sayuri noticed how Peryn leaned slightly closer whenever Luna needed help, how his smirk grew just a fraction wider when Luna laughed quietly, and how Luna's cheeks flushed at the smallest teasing remark.
From across the aisle, Akio sat stiffly, pretending to write something in his notebook. But Sayuri could see the tension radiating from him — the slight frown when Peryn leaned over Luna, the barely-contained frustration as he watched them interact. It was obvious; he was jealous.
Hina, sitting diagonally across the room, leaned toward Sayuri with a grin. "This is gold. Luna's oblivious, Peryn's teasing, Akio's boiling inside, and you're just… watching. Enjoy it."
Sayuri rolled her eyes but smiled. "I'm just observing," she whispered back. "This is… fascinating."
The class moved on to a lab experiment, and Peryn didn't waste a second. He leaned over Luna's desk, whispering instructions, adjusting small mistakes in her setup, and humming softly — his off-key "broken radio" tune that always made her laugh internally.
"Stop singing like a broken radio," Luna whispered, hiding a grin.
"Only for you," he muttered cheekily.
Akio's jaw tightened, fists clenching slightly under the desk. Sayuri noticed the subtle flare of jealousy — the way his eyes darted between Luna and Peryn, the way his shoulders stiffened whenever Peryn laughed. It was… kind of dramatic, and kind of adorable, in a messy way.
During lunch, Hina once again orchestrated the perfect "coincidental" seating. Luna ended up beside Peryn, sharing snacks. He naturally took a slightly bigger portion, grinning as Luna tried to protest. Akio, sitting a little farther away, muttered something under his breath, his eyes darkening ever so slightly.
Sayuri scribbled a quick note in her notebook: "Akio is jealous. Peryn is oblivious or just enjoying it. Luna's reaction… priceless." She had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing.
Later, walking out of class, Peryn leaned slightly closer to Luna, whispering a joke only she could hear. Her chest fluttered, and she couldn't stop the quiet smile spreading across her face. Akio, a few steps behind, shot a glare that was part frustration, part longing, but Luna barely noticed.
Sayuri, walking beside them, observed it all quietly. She couldn't deny the tension in the air — playful teasing, subtle touches, quiet admiration, and growing jealousy. Northern Heights Academy had turned into a stage for whispered mischief, tangled feelings, and complicated hearts.
And Sayuri realized, as she watched the triangle of attention unfold, that she was witnessing the messy, thrilling beginning of something that could get even more complicated with every glance, every smirk, and every small gesture.