His words cut like sharpened blades, merciless and unrestrained. The intensity in his eyes made Tania's body tremble. The tears she had been holding back finally spilled, rolling down her cheeks. The hallway around them fell silent; time seemed to stop as Tania slowly sank to her knees, hiding her face in trembling hands, her soft sobs echoing painfully through the stillness.
From afar, Felicia watched the scene unfold. Something inside her urged her to run to Kaivan's side, but her tongue felt frozen. In the end, she approached him quietly, standing beside him without a word, like a silent shadow offering its presence.
Radit, who had seen everything, couldn't stay quiet. "Wasn't that a little too much, Van?" he asked softly, unsure whether he was questioning or doubting himself. But Kaivan only shot him a cold glance, sharp enough to pierce, before looking away. Without a word, he turned around and walked on, his steps steady yet heavy, leaving behind the hallway and all the shattered pieces within it.
Tania remained on the floor, trembling uncontrollably beneath the silent stares of the students around her. Her sobs grew louder, slipping past whatever restraint she had left. All the pain and regret she had buried for so long burst open like a dam breaking.
Rina and Dandi rushed forward, alarm written across their faces. The Tania they knew, proud, confident, untouchable, had crumbled completely, her vulnerability laid bare.
"Was that… really Kaivan?" Dandi whispered, unable to believe what he had just witnessed. "He felt like a different person."
Rina crouched beside her friend, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Tan… don't listen to him. He's just trying to act tough." Her voice was soft, though doubt clouded her eyes.
Suddenly, Tania's phone buzzed where it had fallen on the floor. The name on the screen made her heart drop: Darius.
With trembling hands, she picked it up. But the voice she heard wasn't the comforting one she had hoped for.
"Sorry, Tania. I've got a new girlfriend now," Darius said flatly, without warmth.
Tania froze.
"Let's break up." Click.
The line went dead.
Her phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a dull thud, too soft to match the impact inside her chest. The world spun around her. Her breath caught in her throat. Rina and Dandi stared, but before they could speak, their eyes shifted toward someone approaching the school gate.
Darius, who had just broken up with Tania over the phone, was walking casually toward them.
He approached Felicia with a syrupy smile masked behind false charm. "Felicia," he crooned, "I'm sorry, okay? I just broke up… and I really need you right now."
Kaivan heard him. A sharp disgust flickered in his eyes. Memories surfaced, of a motorbike Darius had pawned without permission, of betrayals wrapped in friendly grins.
Kaivan stepped forward calmly, placing a firm hand around Felicia's waist, pulling her closer in a protective embrace.
"Felicia is with me," he said quietly, his voice low but piercing.
Felicia gasped softly, her cheeks flushing. But the warmth in Kaivan's hold soothed her, strong, steady, and strangely comforting. Without realizing it, she gave a faint smile.
Darius scoffed. "Yeah right. As if she'd be your girlfriend."
Felicia looked at Kaivan, drew a breath, and spoke softly yet clearly. "He's not my boyfriend."
Darius smirked, thinking he still had a chance.
But Felicia continued, her voice steady, unwavering. "He's more than that. I'm Kaivan's partner… and I'll be by his side. Always."
She reached out and intertwined her fingers with Kaivan's, gripping his hand tightly.
Darius's expression crumbled. His confidence shattered. There was nothing he could say, nothing that could match the sincerity in her words.
Radit closed his phone and whispered to Kaivan, "Frans is here. Waiting at the turn."
Kaivan nodded softly, then glanced at Darius once more. "Don't bother Felicia again," he said. His voice was flat, but the words carried the weight of a command.
In the now-quiet courtyard, Darius stood frozen. His eyes were empty, his lips parted but soundless, like a statue that had lost its soul. In front of him, Kaivan, Felicia, and Radit walked away together, their steps aligned as if sharing a single rhythm that could not be broken.
A sleek black car rolled to a stop at the gate. Frans, dressed neatly in a suit with sharp, alert eyes, lowered the window and gave a small nod. Without a word, the three of them approached.
"Get in," Frans said, firm, but calm.
Kaivan opened the back door and let Felicia enter first. Her long hair fluttered in the afternoon breeze as she settled gracefully on the left seat. Kaivan followed beside her, while Radit sat in the front next to Frans.