When I pushed open the school gate, I braced myself for whispers.
For giggles.
For the sting of half-hidden phones.
For the same cruel eyes that watched me fall yesterday… watched me break.
But instead
Silence.
A heavy, strange silence that didn't match the morning sun at all.
My steps slowed as I walked down the courtyard path.
Students glanced at me, then quickly looked away like I was made of glass. Or fire. Or something dangerous to touch.
It felt wrong.
Unnatural.
As if the whole school was holding its breath.
I swallowed and kept walking, my fingers tightening around the strap of my bag.
Is this the calm before everything crashes again? Or… something else?
Only when I reached the notice board did the murmurs begin..soft, sharp, threading through the air like rumors growing wings.
"Did you hear? Lin Yi fought someone last night."
"Not fought. Beat him until the dean had to step in."
"And it was because of her."
Her.
Me.
I stopped in place.
"What happened?" someone whispered to her friend.
"Apparently that guy uploaded a clip of Qin Yue falling. Edited it to make her look stupid."
"Lin Yi tracked him down outside the dorms. One punch and the guy was out."
"Crazy… he never fights unless someone provokes him."
"No, he never fights for someone."
My breath caught in my throat.
Lin Yi… fought for me?
I didn't even know what to do with that information.
It felt too big, too confusing, too impossible. My palms felt cold, but my cheeks were warming, and I hated that I didn't know why.
Before I could make sense of anything, another wave of whispers floated behind me....uglier, sharper.
"It makes sense, right? She seduced him."
"Typical. When Li Xue rejected her, she went to the bad boy."
"A rebound. Fast one."
"Or maybe she wanted attention from both."
My stomach twisted painfully.
I wanted to scream That's not true, but my voice stayed trapped in my chest.
No matter what I said, they would hear only what they wanted to.
I walked faster, toward the building
toward anywhere but here.
Just when I reached the corridor outside class, a hand grabbed my wrist and pulled.
Hard.
I didn't need to look to know who it was.
Li Xue.
He didn't say a word as he dragged me past the bulletin boards, past the washrooms, and into the shadowy landing behind the staircase
the place he always used when he didn't want anyone seeing us talk.
I pulled my hand back when he finally stopped.
"What are you doing?" My voice came out shakier than I wanted.
His eyes ..once familiar and warm
looked dark, conflicted.
"Qin Yue…" he started, but then he exhaled sharply and asked instead, "Why him?"
I blinked. "What?"
"You heard me." His jaw tightened. "Why him, Qin Yue? Why make such a scene yesterday?"
A bitter laugh almost escaped me. Scene? I didn't make the scene..he did.
"I didn't.."
"Everyone is talking,"
he interrupted, pushing his fingers through his golden yellow hair in frustration.
"About you...About him... Do you enjoy this attention that much?"
My heart stopped.
Attention?
Is that what he thought?
My hands tremble.
"Li Xue… you know it's not like that. Why would you even think.."
"Because you didn't deny anything."
His jaw clenches.
"You just stood there."
I laugh bitterly.
"I didn't even understand what was happening yesterday! And you... you yelled at me like I'm some manipulative..."
Footsteps sounds...
We both stop.
Lin Yi steps inside like he owns the dim, dusty staircase
black-blue streaks falling over his eyes, uniform half-buttoned, expression dangerously calm.
"Oh good," he says, leaning against the railing.
"I was wondering how long you'd take to spit your insecurities on her."
Li Xue stiffens. "This is between us. Stay out of it."
Lin Yi smirks, pushing off the railing.
"Can't. She's my girlfriend," he says lazily, as if announcing the weather.
"Which means I get a say."
My breath catches. "W-what.. Lin Yi..."
But he doesn't look at me. His gaze is fixed on Li Xue .... cold, sharp.
"And if you touch her again," he continues softly, "you'll be speaking through broken teeth."
The air freezes.
Li Xue's fists clench. His voice trembles with anger.
"She's not yours. Stop twisting things."
Lin Yi steps closer, shadows sliding over his face.
"Funny," he murmurs, "she didn't pull away when I held her yesterday."
My ears burn. "Lin Yi! That's not...."
He glances at me finally
and for a second, I see something softer. Something that makes my heartbeat stumble.
Then he turns back to Li Xue.
"So," Lin Yi says, voice dangerously low,
"should I repeat myself? Or do you back off?"
Li Xue doesn't reply.
The silence answers for him.
And I'm left standing there .. caught between the boy who once knew every version of me…
and the boy who keeps stepping closer, even when I don't understand why.
Anger twists inside me.
Confusion knots my chest.
And somewhere, deep down, a flicker of fear not of Lin Yi, but of myself.
Because I don't know which truth I want to believe anymore.
"I'm going to class," I say sharply, louder than I intended.
Both boys look at me.
"And you two.. just… leave... I'm done today."
I don't wait for a response.
I push past them and walk straight out of the staircase, my heartbeat still thunderous in my ears.
The hallway feels too bright, too open, but at least it's not filled with toxic silence anymore.
I'm halfway to my classroom when I sense footsteps matching my pace.
I don't have to look to know who it is.
"…What now?" I mutter without turning.
Lin Yi answers like I asked him for the time.
"Going to class."
I stop walking, stare at him.
"You. And class. Really?"
He shrugs, expression neutral except for the faintest, smug curve at the corner of his mouth.
"Yeah. You were looking at me like you forgot something important."
"I wasn't..."
He leans slightly closer, lowering his voice.
"Like the choco mint ice cream you owe me. My thanks."
I blink at him.
"That's why you're suddenly a model student?"
"Obviously," he says. "Debt collection is important."
I scoff.
"You literally punched someone last night, and today your biggest priority is ice cream?"
"Not ice cream."
He taps my forehead lightly with one finger.
"The fact you owe me ice cream. Makes it taste sweeter."
My face instantly heats up.
I turn away faster than necessary.
"Y-you're ridiculous."
Behind me, I hear him fall into step again.
"Don't walk too fast," he says casually. "If you fall again, people will think I pushed you."
"LIN YI..you!"
He laughs .. low, warm, annoyingly charming while I try very hard not to smile like an idiot.