Flashback — Two Years Ago
The classroom was louder than usual.
Whispers slid across desks, excitement buzzing in low, restless waves. Someone said a celebrity was transferring in. Someone else swore it was a famous heir. Laughter followed—gossip, anticipation, curiosity tangled together.
Then the door opened.
Silence fell instantly—sharp and complete, as if the room itself had frozen.
A man stepped inside.
Snow-white skin, so pale it looked unreal, as though touching it would leave a stain. Perfectly carved features—beautiful in a way that felt distant, untouchable. His face held no expression at all. No curiosity. No warmth. Only calm emptiness.
Win.
Someone finally found their voice.
"Hey!! Win!"
He stopped, turning his head slightly.
"Hm."
That single sound sent a ripple through the class.
A boy laughed nervously. "How are you? You look like you came straight from bed."
Win's eyes flicked over him once.
"Zip up," he said flatly.
Then he walked past—uninterested, unbothered.
Despite it all, Win had good relationships with everyone. People liked him. Admired him. He was polite when needed, reliable when it mattered. But he didn't like talking. Didn't like crowds. Didn't like people—except a very small few.
Ran.
Farm.
Friends since kindergarten. They knew him better than anyone ever could.
But when Win reached his seat, Ran wasn't there. Farm hadn't come to school that day either.
For a moment, he stood still.
Then he sat beside the only empty desk left.
The boy next to him looked new. Fresh uniform. Stiff posture. Someone who hadn't learned the rhythm of the class yet.
Win didn't look at him.
Didn't speak.
Didn't acknowledge his existence.
He sat there as if the space beside him was empty—as if the person next to him were a ghost.
Minutes passed.
Then a voice cut through the room.
"Win!"
He turned.
Ran.
Without hesitation, Win stood up, grabbed his bag, and moved seats immediately. The shift was instant, natural—like gravity pulling him back to where he belonged.
He dropped into the chair beside Ran.
Conversation started at once. Quiet. Familiar. Easy.
For the first time since entering the room, something about Win softened—just slightly.
And behind him, at the desk he had abandoned, the new boy remained silent.
Watching.
Remembering.
"And the new boy is me," Tar said to himself.
Hm.
I remember thinking—why would he even sit with me?
I'm new. First day. Nothing special.
But that guy… rude.
He didn't say a word. Just sat there like if he spoke, he'd devour me alive. His presence was sharp. Cold. Like air before a storm.
Strange… huh.
What am I even thinking?
I clicked my tongue softly, irritated at myself, pulled my book out, and prepared for the lecture.
Studying had always been easier than thinking.
I read like my life depended on it.
Like if I stopped—even for a moment—something terrible would happen. Like someone would kill my future with their bare hands.
So I studied.
Time passed.
The class ended.
Noise returned.
Then suddenly, someone appeared in front of me.
"Hey!"
A cheerful voice. Too bright for my liking.
I looked up.
It was him—the loud one. Ran.
He talked to me like we'd known each other for years. Smiling. Easy. Natural. As if I wasn't a stranger at all.
Before I could respond—
"What are you doing?"
That voice.
Win.
I looked past Ran.
Win was standing there, visibly shocked, his eyes fixed on me. Not cold this time. Just confused.
"Who is he?" Win asked immediately.
Ran didn't even answer.
Smack.
He slapped Win lightly on the head.
"You idiot," Ran said. "He came with us this morning."
Win froze.
"…What?"
Ran stared at him like he'd just said the dumbest thing alive.
"Where are you living, huh?"
Win's face fell.
"Oh…"
He looked genuinely upset. Shocked. Almost… embarrassed.
"I didn't notice," he muttered, eyes lowering for a second.
Then—slowly—he looked back at me.
Didn't speak.
Didn't smile.
Just stared.
Ran grinned. "His name is Tar. New admission. First day today."
Win said nothing.
He walked past and sat down on a nearby branch close to where I stood. Not too close. Not too far. Like he was testing distance itself.
He didn't show much interest.
Or maybe… he didn't know how to.
But I felt it.
That stare from before.
Like he was seeing me for the first time
and realizing I hadn't been invisible after all.