It was another ordinary morning-or so it seemed.
The sun peeked through the trees lining the campus walkways, casting long shadows across the pavement. Students were buzzing about, some still sleepy, some already too energetic for 8 AM.
Ayla clutched her books as she strolled through the university courtyard, scanning the crowd. Her heart skipped when she spotted a familiar figure ahead.
Haruki...
He was walking toward the science building, casually dressed in his usual hoodie and jeans. She took a deep breath.
"Good morning, Haruki!" she called out with a small smile, raising her hand.
But he kept walking.
Didn't look at her.
Didn't wave.
Didn't even *blink* in her direction.
Ayla's hand dropped slowly.
Her heart tightened.
He's avoiding me? she thought.
She stared at his back as he walked farther away, confusion and disappointment clouding her features. It lingered there, on her face, until her eyes caught something else.
A glint of white in his ears.
AirPods.
She blinked.
He... didn't hear me? she realized.
Before she could process further, another girl approached Haruki from the opposite direction.
It was his project partner-Kira, from Molecular Biology.
They exchanged a few words.
Then Haruki laughed.
It wasn't loud. It wasn't exaggerated. But it was real.
Ayla's brows furrowed slightly.
What are they talking about?
Something felt weird in her chest. Tight. Sharp.
Before she could stop herself, her feet began to move. Slowly. Quietly. She kept a short distance behind them as they walked, pretending to check her phone.
Just want to hear what it's about, she told herself. That's all.
But just as she stepped closer-
A voice rang out behind her.
"Well, must be nice to be famous. You can just spy on people whenever you want, huh?"
Ayla froze.
She turned around quickly.
A group of students stood near a bench, one of them snickering after throwing the sarcastic jab.
Her cheeks flared red, heart racing in shame.
She didn't say anything.
Instead-
She ran.
Through the corridor, past the posters on the walls, past the noise.
Her heart wasn't racing from embarrassment alone.
It was something deeper.
Something she didn't understand yet.
Something that felt a lot like pain.
---
Haruki watched his project partner disappear into the hallway crowd, waving as she left. She was nice-chatty, energetic, a bit too into making slides look "cute"-but overall easy to work with.
He slipped his AirPods back in, still thinking about the chemical reaction she mentioned for their midterm project when-
"Yo."
Haruki jumped.
It was Kenta, squinting suspiciously at the direction the girl had walked away in.
"I saw some bug lurking around earlier."
Haruki raised an eyebrow. "Bug?"
"Yeah," Kenta nodded, arms crossed. "Kinda small. Had long hair. Looked expensive."
"...You don't even like bugs."
"It's not *that* kind of bug, you idiot," Kenta groaned. "I mean-ugh, never mind."
Haruki snorted. "So you're just too sleepy and thought a girl was a bug?"
"Shut up. I'm hungry. Let's eat."
---
The two of them made their way to the cafeteria. The lunch crowd was already thick, and Haruki found himself scanning faces-out of habit, maybe. Or hope.
No sign of her.
As they sat down with trays of chicken curry and rice, Kenta leaned back and stretched.
"So," he said, mouth half-full, "I'll be your date again this Valentine's?"
Haruki sighed dramatically. "Man, I feel sorry for you being alone every February."
"You're literally in the same situation."
"True." Haruki stared at his rice. "If Ayla wasn't avoiding me, maybe things would be different."
Kenta paused mid-bite. Then smirked. "Now that you mention it... she's the 'bug' I was referring to earlier."
Haruki blinked. "Ehh?? Wait-*you saw her*?"
"Yup. Hovering behind a tree like she was doing recon or something."
"...Do you think she was... following me?"
"I dunno," Kenta shrugged. "Maybe she was observing you. Or maybe you're just a delusional nerd and she was lost."
Haruki jabbed his spoon into his curry. "Gee, thanks."
Kenta leaned in. "Or maybe... she was trying to talk to you and chickened out."
Haruki looked down, quiet for a moment.
"If I just had the courage..." he mumbled. "I'd ask her tomorrow. Maybe... invite her to eat somewhere."
Kenta's eyes widened. "Are you insane?! That's like declaring war on the whole campus."
Haruki chuckled bitterly. "Yeah. It'd be like asking the moon to go out with a rock."
There was a pause. Then Kenta looked guilty. "Hey, man... I was just joking."
"Nah," Haruki replied quietly. "You're right. Maybe I should just give up on her."
He stirred his curry slowly, appetite fading.
Unseen behind the wall of the cafeteria, Ayla stood still-clutching her books, frozen in place.
She hadn't meant to hear it.
But she did.
---
The next day, the campus was abuzz with whispers.
*"Did you hear? Ayla might be dating someone."*
*"What?! Who?"*
*"Some nerdy chemistry guy-what's his name again? Haruto? Haruki?"*
*"No way. That guy? Seriously?"*
Haruki had no idea any of this was going on.
He walked across the courtyard, earbuds in, carrying a folder and a convenience store onigiri in one hand. Just another normal day.
Until-
"Oy. You."
A hand yanked his arm, pulling him back near the empty side of the science building.
Two tall guys-clearly upperclassmen, with the look of those who lifted weights more than books-stood in front of him with folded arms and not-so-friendly eyes.
Haruki blinked. "Uh... me?"
"You Haruki?"
He froze. Oh no. Did I forget to clean something in the lab again?
One of the guys stepped closer. "Stay away from Ayla."
The words hit like a slap.
"What...?" Haruki stammered.
"You think just because she smiled at you, you're on her level?" the other sneered. "You're a nobody. Don't get ahead of yourself."
Haruki opened his mouth to speak-but his throat closed. He wasn't even sure what he would've said.
Then-
"Yo."
Kenta's voice cut through the air like a knife. He walked in from the side, hands in his pockets, eyes locked on the two guys.
"You two done puffing your chests yet?"
They turned, glaring. "Mind your business."
Kenta smiled. Not a friendly smile.
"You're standing in my business. And threatening *my* BRO. I'd advise you to leave now... before I start talking with my fist."
Something about his stare-cold, unwavering-made both guys hesitate. Then, without another word, they backed off and walked away.
Haruki exhaled shakily. "Kenta..."
"You good?" Kenta asked, casually punching Haruki's arm.
"Yeah..." Haruki nodded quickly. "I-I scared them off, I think."
Kenta paused. Then snorted. "Bro. You looked like a wet cat trapped in a thunderstorm."
"Hey!"
"I mean it! I was half-expecting you to hiss and climb a tree."
Haruki groaned and covered his face. "Ughhh, don't tell anyone."
"Relax," Kenta said, slinging an arm over his shoulder. "But seriously, what the hell was that about? Since when did *you* become the male lead in a forbidden campus romance?"
"I don't even know..." Haruki muttered, walking beside him. "I didn't *do* anything."
Kenta smirked. "Well, you *did* steal the heart of the prettiest girl on campus. Whether you meant to or not."
Haruki went silent.
Then whispered, "If only that were true..."
---
Ayla sighed as she dropped into her seat, a small frown tugging at the edge of her lips. The class hadn't started yet, but the air already felt... different. People were glancing at her. Whispering. A group of girls at the back looked at her, then giggled. One of them even winked.
She blinked. What's going on?
Before she could process it, her friend Mina plopped down next to her with a knowing smirk.
"So *this* is why you rejected that part-time model last week, huh?"
"Huh?" Ayla tilted her head. "What are you talking about?"
"You know\~ your type's different. I get it now."
Ayla looked completely lost. "What do you mean? What type?"
Mina grinned wider, leaning in like she was about to drop the juiciest bomb.
"Everyone's talking about it. You and Haruki. Some people saw you two walking together, and now it's all over campus. Apparently, you're secretly dating."
Ayla's eyes widened. "W-What?!"
Mina laughed. "Girl, you're *so* red right now."
"I-I'm not!" Ayla stammered, shrinking in her seat as she realized half the class was subtly glancing her way. Some with curiosity. Others with judgment. A few with open envy.
Her heart pounded. "W-Where did they even get that idea?!"
"Oh, who knows? Maybe because you defended him that one time? Or because you're always looking at him when you think no one's watching-"
"I am *not*!" Ayla covered her face with her hands.
"Sure, sure," Mina teased. Then, like it was nothing, she added, "Oh, by the way, I heard Haruki got jumped this morning. Ten guys. Real messy."
Ayla's head snapped up. "What?!"
Mina blinked. "Oh, I was just exaggerating. It was only two guys, apparently."
"Is he okay?! Where is he now?" Ayla stood halfway from her seat, clearly alarmed.
"Whoa, calm down!" Mina said, laughing. "He's fine! His friend-uh, that sleepy-looking guy?-showed up and scared them off. It wasn't even a real fight. More like a fan club hazing gone wrong."
Ayla sat back down, exhaling in relief.
"But seriously," Mina said, turning more serious this time. "You should be careful. Rumors like this... people get weird. And if you don't want Haruki to end up in real danger, it's better to stay away from him. I know the rumor isn't true. I mean, you wouldn't *really* date someone like him, right?"
Ayla looked away, eyes shadowed.
"Y-Yeah... right..."
Unbeknownst to them, Haruki stood just outside the classroom door, clutching the folder with Ayla's borrowed notes. He had planned to walk in and hand it over-but he froze when he heard his name.
He listened.
He shouldn't have.
But he did.
And now, standing there with the weight of her final words hanging heavy in his chest, he quietly turned around... and walked away.
Ayla stared at her desk, heart still fluttering from the mention of Haruki being attacked. She couldn't believe how fast her emotions reacted. When Mina said he got jumped, it felt like her chest dropped into her stomach.
Why did I panic like that?
"But seriously," Mina added, nudging her, "you wouldn't actually date someone like Haruki, right?"
Ayla opened her mouth to answer. The words were on the tip of her tongue-*yes, of course not.* But instead, something else came out. Soft. Almost inaudible.
"...It's not that I wouldn't date him..."
"Huh?" Mina blinked. "What was that?"
Ayla's face flushed. She looked away, lowering her voice. "It's just... we're not dating *right now.*"
"EHHHH???" Mina whispered loudly, nearly jumping in her seat. "You mean-you *like* him?"
"I-" Ayla hesitated, then pressed a hand lightly over her chest. "Whenever I think of him... I get this weird feeling in my chest. I don't know what to do when I'm with him. My brain just-freezes."
Mina stared at her like she'd just admitted to killing someone.
"Is this what falling in love looks like?" she asked dramatically. "Oh no. Ayla. Our top student, finally infected by the virus of love."
"Stop it," Ayla groaned, burying her face in her arms. "You're not helping."
They both laughed softly.
But just outside the door-Haruki wasn't laughing.
He didn't mean to eavesdrop.
He really didn't.
He just came to return her notes-nothing more. That was it. That was all.
Then he heard his name.
And then... her voice.
"It's not that I wouldn't date him..."
For a second, his heart had leapt. He stopped breathing.
But then the next words fell from her lips like a knife:
"...we're not dating right now."
His smile faded.
"Y-Yeah... right..."
That part echoed even louder. Correction, *those* are the only words he heard.
Haruki staggered back like he'd been slapped. He didn't wait to hear the rest. He turned on his heel and bolted down the hallway, his ears ringing.
Why would I even think she likes me? Me? A loser? A nobody?
He didn't notice he'd just bumped into someone until a familiar voice snapped him back.
"Whoa, dude-what the hell?" Kenta grunted as he stumbled. "You good?"
Haruki blinked. Then-without answering-he kept running.
"Hey! Haruki!?" Kenta called after him. "Where are you even going-!? Ugh. What's wrong with that guy now?"
I knew it.
I knew it... she wouldn't date me. Even if I asked.
God, what made me think she liked me too? Me? A loser? A nobody who gets pitied at best and ignored at worst?
I hate this.
I hate this.
Haruki burst into the nearest bathroom, slamming the door of the cubicle behind him. He sat on the toilet-lid down-hugging his knees to his chest as silent tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Why did I think I had a chance...?"
He sniffled, trying to muffle the sound with his sleeve.
*Knock knock knock.*
"Open up, loser. I know you're in there," Kenta's voice came from outside the cubicle.
"I'm not a loser..." Haruki muttered, barely audible.
"Yeah, sure you're not. That's why you're probably crying right now in a tucked-up position while takin' a dump," Kenta replied casually.
The door creaked open-unlocked all along-and Kenta stepped in, squeezing into the cubicle with him.
"Dude, it's fine," he said, his voice softer now. "Tell me what happened."
Haruki bit his lip, trying not to break down again, but his voice cracked.
"She said she wouldn't date someone like me... even if we're not dating now, she couldn't even imagine it..."
Kenta sighed, leaned against the cubicle wall, and handed him some tissues.
"Well, she's clearly blind then. You're not that bad... for a nerd."
They both chuckled a little-but just then, the door to the bathroom creaked open again.
A student peeked in, saw the two boys inside the same cubicle, and immediately went wide-eyed.
"O-Oh... sorry! I didn't mean to-!"
SLAM.
They heard the person run away.
Haruki blinked. "...Wait, was that... wasn't that the class rep?!"
Kenta's face went pale. "Oh no..."
Within an hour, whispers echoed across campus.
"Did you hear? Haruki and Kenta... they're dating."
"They were caught in the same cubicle crying and hugging or something..."
"So it wasn't Ayla after all?!"
Rumor had it that Ayla and Haruki were *cancelled* as a couple-and a new *"forbidden romance"* took over the student body's gossip boards.
Ayla stands frozen as someone-likely her friend-is mid-sentence, gossiping excitedly.
"...and now they're saying Haruki and Kenta are actually a couple!"
"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"
Ayla slams her notebook on the desk and stands up abruptly. The entire room turns their heads. Her face is flushed red-part confusion, part jealousy, part WHAT THE HELL.
Wha-what do you mean they're dating?! Since when?! Just this morning I-wait, no, no, that can't be right!
Her friend stares, a bit taken aback.
"...wait, are you okay? You look like you're about to faint."
"I-I need to go."
She bolts out of the room, clutching her chest.
What is this feeling?! Am I... jealous? But I thought he liked me! No-wait-more importantly, they're saying what about him and Kenta?!
*Ayla, still flustered by the rumor, turns a corner too fast-and again for an unknown number of times smacks into someone.*
"Ow-!"
"Watch it-Oh. You."
*They both pause. Ayla holds her chest, catching her breath. Kenta eyes her with a raised brow.*
"You okay? You look like you saw a ghost."
"N-No, I'm fine. I just... I wanted to ask something."
"It's not true."
"Huh?"
"The rumor. Me and Haruki? Not true. For God's sake, don't believe every dumb thing people say around here."
"I knew it... Haruki wouldn't do something like that."
Her lips curl into a soft, almost shy smile. Kenta narrows his eyes.
"Wait. Are you smiling about him right now?"
"W-What? No! I-Wait, why would you say that?"
"Because Haruki said you hated him."
"Wait, what? When did I say that?"
"He said he overheard you saying you wouldn't date him even if you died."
"Oh my God-what?! That's not what I said! Where is he now?!"
"Probably home. I tried cheering him up, but man, comforting that loser is like babysitting a faucet with feelings."
He turns to walk away, tossing a final jab over his shoulder.
"He cries a lot, y'know."
Ayla stands frozen in the hallway, guilt crashing into her like a wave.
He heard that? All this time, he thought I hated him? This is all a misunderstanding... I need to fix this. I need to talk to him-now.
---
The small room is dim, lit only by the pale glow of his desk lamp. Haruki lies sprawled on his bed, one arm covering his eyes. His phone buzzes once-he doesn't notice.
Why did I even let myself believe there was a chance? Just because we talked a few times? Because she smiled at me? I'm so damn pathetic.
He flips over onto his side, facing the wall. His phone lights up again-a message from Ayla
> "Can we talk?"
Still, he doesn't see it.
She's famous. Beautiful. Bright. And me? I'm just the guy who cried in a bathroom stall and made headlines as someone's fake boyfriend. I'm a goddamn joke.
He grabs a pillow and pulls it over his face.
"I hate this... I hate this..."
*Buzz. Buzz.*
**Another message from Ayla:**
"It's a misunderstanding. Please, just talk to me."
Haruki sits up slightly, his eyes bloodshot. He finally picks up his phone, but instead of checking the screen, he sighs and tosses it onto the table beside him without looking.
Maybe tomorrow I'll skip class. Or the whole week. What's the point? She probably pities me now. That's even worse than being hated.
In the background, the unread messages continue to glow softly-unseen, unheard, and unanswered.