The classroom was quiet, filled with a hundred students but only one voice. Miss Kelly's. She stood at the front, explaining the lesson with the kind of authority that made everyone listen, even if half of them weren't taking notes.
Kelvin leaned in, nudging Liam's arm. "Miss Kelly is really hot. I can't wait to have a taste."
Of course. That was Kelvin, confident and spoiled. He always believed every girl had a price, and he had enough money to buy it.
Liam clenched his jaw, eyes fixed on Miss Kelly as if sheer willpower would keep him focused.
Her jacket clung to her chest, her skirt ended too high, and every step she took dragged his gaze lower against his will, high enough that when she leaned even a little, he caught flashes of her panties, thin fabric teasing him like a cruel temptation.
'I hate that this bastard is right.'
"Shut the fuck up. I'm trying to concentrate," Liam muttered, shoving Kelvin's arm away. "Don't put those nasty, but true, thoughts in my head."
Kelvin chuckled, tossing an arm casually around Liam's neck. "Liam, my good friend…"
'Great. Whenever he says that, something stupid follows.'
"You know why we're best friends? Aside from you saving my ass with assignments back in high school?"
Liam rolled his eyes.
"It's because you can appreciate a work of art when you see one, even if you pretend not to."
"Nah." Liam smirked. "We're still friends because I still do your assignments, and you haven't found a bimbo to replace me with yet."
"Haha, fair point," Kelvin laughed, leaning even closer just to annoy him.
"Jerk." Liam shoved him away again, trying to tune back into Miss Kelly's lecture.
Kelvin wasn't done. "Speaking of bimbos, there are plenty in this class." His eyes darted around the room like a scout on the hunt.
"And so what?" Liam asked, though his focus had already slipped again.
"What do you mean, so what? We're in university. This should be the best time of our lives. Beauties everywhere, and you're just ignoring them. You're not smashing anyone tonight?" Kelvin shook his head, genuinely disappointed.
The words stung.
Liam hated to admit it, but he couldn't deny the truth. With his plain dark hair, average looks, and quiet presence, he didn't stand out in a room full of polished bodies and perfect faces.
A virgin with no shot, books were safer than chasing girls.
"It's easy for you. You're what every girl secretly wants, even if they don't admit it. Guys like me? We're at the bottom."
"Then stop being the good guy. Try being the type they actually want."
"And what type is that?" Liam raised an eyebrow.
"A bad boy. The good-boy thing isn't working. Switch it up."
'Bad boys… the ones who treat girls like trash, play with hearts, walk away without care. Is that really what they like?'
"No thanks. I'll stay me. Maybe someday someone will like me for me."
"If you say so." Kelvin leaned back, finally dropping the topic.
He picked up his phone then glanced at Liam once with a devious smile before dropping the phone.
Both turned their attention forward.
"So that's the whole objective of the first philosopher," Miss Kelly declared with authority as she walked across the front of the room, her confident stride commanding attention.
All the guys stared openly while the girls glared with jealousy and envy, knowing they couldn't match her figure.
Soon enough, the bell rang, breaking the spell. Students packed their bags in a rush and spilled into the hallway.
Liam and Kelvin walked out together until Liam suddenly turned down another path.
"Hey, Liam!" Kelvin called.
Liam looked back, pretending to be annoyed. "What?"
"Where are you going?"
"Home."
"What do you mean home? My car's this way."
'Not a chance. Not after last time.'
The memory flashed, being stuck in Kelvin's car while he picked up random girls, one of them glaring at Liam like he didn't belong. No thanks.
"No thanks. I feel like walking. Might actually think about what you said earlier." Liam smiled faintly, then turned away.
The walk home was supposed to be a long one.
Liam pulled out his phone, checking the time as students streamed past him toward the parking lot. Kelvin's voice echoed in his head. 'Try being the type they actually want.'
'Bad boys.' The idea sat wrong with him, but he couldn't shake it. Maybe that's why he was still alone while some guys had girls practically throwing themselves at them.
The campus grew quieter as he walked, leaving behind the clusters of students and their loud conversations.
"Focus on something else," he told himself, but his thoughts kept drifting.
After some time on foot, his legs already burned.
'God, when did I get this out of shape?' he wondered, feeling pathetic.
It wasn't that long ago he used to walk everywhere without a second thought. But ever since Kelvin had been driving him home from school, his body had grown soft and lazy. What used to be nothing more than a casual stroll now felt like a marathon.
"Shortcut it is," he muttered.
He turned down an alley, and froze.
Three men. A girl pinned between them, clothes ripped. Her chest was nearly exposed. But her face… calm. Too calm. Like she had already left her body.
Liam's pulse exploded in his ears. His hands moved before his brain caught up, snatching a rusted pipe off the ground. His legs carried him forward in a blind charge, every instinct screaming he had to stop them.
"Hey!" His voice cracked.
The men turned. One caught the pipe across his skull before he could react. Another lunged, only to take a hard swing to the ribs.
The third's fist slammed into Liam's jaw, sparks exploding behind his eyes. Gritting his teeth, Liam swung back, smashing the pipe into him with all his strength.
Seconds later, all three were groaning on the ground. Liam stood panting, pipe trembling in his grip.
'What the hell just happened?' His heart hammered against his ribs. He'd never been in a real fight before, throwing a few punches in high school didn't count. The adrenaline made everything feel surreal, like he was watching someone else's life.
One of the men groaned, trying to push himself up. Liam raised the pipe again, and the man thought better of it, collapsing back down.
'They're not getting up anytime soon.'
Liam turned to the girl. Her shirt barely clung to her body, one arm covering her chest. The short skirt was showing a small glance of her panties. Liam's face went hot.
'Fuck. Why am I getting hard at a time like this?'
He forced the thought away, yanking off his jacket. "Here. Cover yourself."
She studied him calmly before taking it.
"You okay?" he asked, still breathless.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me," she said, voice steady like nothing had happened.
'No fear. No panic. Who the hell stays this calm?'
Now that he looked closer, she didn't just look calm, she looked unreal. Purple hair. Purple eyes and lemons that would rival Miss Kelly's own.
"What's your name?"
"Delilah," she said, adjusting the jacket.
"I'm Liam. You live nearby?," his face flushing red as he could not stop himself from completely scanning her body.
"No. I'm not from here," Delilah said, looking at him with total seriousness in her face.
'That doesn't sound good and I can't just leave her wandering around alone after what happened. She's not from here and barely dressed... there could be others out there just like those guys.'
"Okay, my place isn't far from here. I've got clothes you can wear instead of this. And you wouldn't need to return them." He winced at how it sounded.
'God, I sound like a creep.'
Delilah tilted her head. "Is your place around that corner?" She pointed towards the direction of his house.
Liam froze. 'How the hell does she know that?'
"Y-Yeah," he muttered.
"Alright." She nodded simply, waiting for him to lead.
He picked up his backpack, gesturing forward. "This way."
The short walk stretched forever. His mind wouldn't stop racing.
Every few steps, he glanced back at her. Delilah walked beside him like nothing had happened, no shaking, no tears, no looking over her shoulder. Most people would be a mess after something like that.
'Maybe she's in shock. People react differently to trauma.'
But shock didn't explain how she'd known which direction his apartment was. That detail nagged at him, a puzzle piece that didn't fit anywhere.
"You sure you're okay?" he asked again, slower this time.
"I'm fine," she repeated, same flat tone as before.
'What if she's a thief? Or worse, she planned everything, she did say she wasn't from here and she ends up in a situation like that did she get lost?... Nah! I'm just being crazy. She might just be a girl who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. And anyway, I already dropped three guys earlier. What's one girl I can't handle?'
Liam smirked as he unlocked his apartment.
Inside, a plain worn couch, a coffee table stacked with books, a small kitchen in the corner, and a single bedroom with a wardrobe shoved against the wall. No decorations. No personality. Just survival.
Liam dug through the wardrobe and pulled out a jumpsuit, handing it to her. "Here. Try this."
Delilah grabbed the jumpsuit from Liam before she went into the bathroom.
Minutes later, she stepped out.
"I think this is too small," Delilah said, glancing down at the chest area where the fabric strained.
"Really… let me get you something else." Liam turned back toward the wardrobe. His hands fumbled through the hangers, mostly finding more of the same, cheap clothes from thrift stores, nothing fancy. Behind him, he could hear her moving around.
Delilah tugged it down, expecting relief. Instead, the zipper betrayed her, sliding lower, too low. Her chest spilled free, full and heavy, like a forbidden gift shoved in Liam's face.
Liam snapped his gaze away, but not before the image seared itself into his mind.
Behind him, Delilah groaned, the sound sharp and strained, like she was fighting with the fabric itself. The noise grew louder until suddenly,
"I fixed it," she said casually.
Liam turned back again to see she hadn't fixed anything.
'Fixed it? One deep breath and those things are popping out again.'
Delilah gathered her torn clothes. "I'll be going now."
As she reached for the door, Liam blurted, "You could stay the night… You know, it's dark out. And after what just happened… it's safer." His voice dipped, nervous but genuine.
'She's definitely going to say no after what just happened.'
"Okay. If you're willing to have me." Delilah's expression stayed blunt, but a faint softness touched her tone.
'At least pretend to be excited about it.'
"But can I ask for one thing?" she added, cheeks faintly pink.
It caught him off guard, seeing her embarrassed about asking for something when she'd been completely unfazed by everything else. The contradiction was almost endearing. "What's that?"
"I want to watch a K-drama," she said quietly, her voice almost a whisper.
'That's it?' He blinked in confusion. After everything she'd been through tonight, this innocent request was what had her so flustered? The way she'd gotten embarrassed over something so simple, it was surprisingly cute.
The request was so normal, so human, that it eased some of the tension he'd been carrying. Maybe she really was just a girl who'd had a terrible night and needed somewhere safe to be.
"Yeah, sure." He cleared his throat, moving toward the couch. He flicked on the TV, scrolling until he found one. The cushions sagged as he sat, tapping the spot beside him.
"Is this one okay?" he asked, gesturing at the screen.
Her eyes lit up as she leaned forward, settling next to him. For the first time since he'd met her, she looked genuinely interested in something.
The drama played on, something about a CEO and his secretary. Delilah watched intently, occasionally making small sounds of approval or disapproval at the characters' choices. It was almost... normal.
Liam found himself watching her more than the screen. The way she tilted her head when she was concentrating. The way her lips moved slightly when she read the subtitles. She was beautiful, there was no denying that, but there was something else. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on.
'No way a killer's into K-dramas,' he thought, finally letting himself relax.
As he watched and admired her, the day's events crashed over him all at once , the fight, the adrenaline.
His eyelids grew heavy, and he started dozing off. Then he felt warmth pressed against his side.
His eyes fluttered open. Delilah was on top of him.
"What, what's going on? I can't move... fuck."
Liam tried to shift, but his body wouldn't respond. Delilah remained above him, her expression unreadable and cold.
Panic flared through his chest.
All his life, he'd been the nice guy. He'd helped her when she was in need, offered her a place to stay for the night, agreed to her request without question. And this was his reward? Death at the hands of the very woman he'd tried to help? The regrets began building, one crushing realization after another.
"Don't worry," she whispered, her voice cutting through his panicked thoughts.
Her breath was hot against his ear, her tone dripping with something both tender and terrifying. "I just want to thank you."
Her lips pressed against his, his first kiss, stolen in this moment of helplessness. His chest tightened as the world blurred around the edges, then faded to black.