Morning arrived far too quickly.
I had barely slept—maybe one or two hours at most. Every time I closed my eyes, the scene from the library replayed itself again and again, refusing to fade.
When I finally checked the time, the clock read 9:00 a.m.
My class was at 9:30.
Thankfully, the lecture hall was only a ten-minute walk from my dorm.
I rubbed my face, exhaled, and pushed myself out of bed.
Let's freshen up.
Can't miss today's lecture.
***
Tut tut tutu tut!!!!!!!
The alarm blared like a dying robot.
Ryan, still half-asleep, frowned deeply.
Who the hell is making that noise…?
He reached blindly for his phone and slapped around until the alarm stopped. Relief washed over his face—
until he glanced at the screen.
His eyes snapped open.
9:40 a.m. His class was at 9:30.
"Shit!!"
He threw his blanket aside and shot up from the bed with the reflexes of a man suddenly fighting for his academic life.
Ryan burst out of the dorm building like a man escaping a burning house, hair messy, shirt half-tucked, bag slung across only one shoulder.
"I'm dead, I'm actually dead—Professor Augustin is going to skin me alive—"
He sprinted across the courtyard, dodging students like a pinball in motion. His shoes slapped against the stone path, breath coming out in uneven bursts.
"Move—sorry—coming through—!"
He took a sharp turn toward the humanities wing—
and collided with someone.
Books flew. Papers fluttered like startled birds. Ryan stumbled forward with a yelp.
Yuna landed in a half crouch, clutching her glasses with one hand while her stack of books scattered across the ground.
Yuna had soft, straight black hair that framed her face, and round glasses that added to her quiet, studious charm. She wore a simple pastel blouse tucked into a modest pleated skirt, giving her a gentle, graceful look that suited her shy nature perfectly.
Ryan froze, horrified.
"Oh crap—! I'm so, SO sorry!"
He dropped to his knees immediately, scrambling to gather the fallen papers.
Yuna blinked in surprise, then let out a quiet breath. "It's… okay. I should've watched where I was going."
"No—no, it's my fault," Ryan insisted, frantically stacking her notes. "I was basically running like a criminal. Please don't report me to campus security."
A small laugh escaped her—soft, gentle, and unexpected.
"I won't," she said, brushing dust off one of her books.
Ryan looked up.
It was then he realized how close they were—his hand brushing one of hers as they reached for the same notebook. She pulled back slightly, cheeks warming.
He swallowed.
"Uh—here. All your books," he said, offering the stack with both hands like it was a sacred treasure.
"Thank you," Yuna replied, her voice calm again.
Ryan stood, rubbing the back of his head with an embarrassed grin. "I'm really sorry. I was late for class and… well, consequences."
Yuna nodded sympathetically. "If you hurry, you can still make it before attendance is taken."
Ryan blinked. "Wait—you know the attendance timing?"
She adjusted her glasses. "I'm in the class next to yours. I saw you once or twice. I hear the professor complain every morning."
Ryan stared for a second, then laughed. "Guess that makes you a lifesaver."
Yuna's lips curved into a small smile. "Just try not to run people over next time."
"Right, right. I'll… walk responsibly."
He jogged backward for a few steps, still facing her. "See you—uh—sorry again!"
"See you," she said softly.
As Ryan dashed off toward the building, Yuna watched him go, a faint amusement lingering in her eyes before she turned and headed to her own class.
Ryan burst into the lecture hall just as the professor was turning toward the board.
He skidded to a halt near the doorway, breathless, hair still a mess from his frantic run. A few students looked up—some startled, some amused—as he clutched the strap of his bag like it was the only thing holding him together.
"I'm—" he gulped for air, "—not late."
Professor Augustin raised a single eyebrow, the kind that carried both judgment and reluctant tolerance.
"You're eight minutes late, Mr. Hale."
Ryan straightened, forcing a charming smile that fooled absolutely no one.
"But still… within the realm of possibility?"
A few students stifled laughter.
The professor sighed. "Just take your seat."
Ryan nodded vigorously and hurried down the steps, nearly tripping over his own foot before sliding into the seat beside Solace and Valen.
He dropped his bag to the floor and leaned over the desk, gripping its edge like he had barely escaped disaster.
"I made it," he whispered urgently, chest rising and falling. "I actually made it…"
Solace glanced at him, unimpressed. "You look like you ran through a hurricane."
Valen adjusted his glasses, eyeing him calmly. "What happened to you?"
Ryan leaned closer to both of them, lowering his voice. "I… crashed into someone."
Both Solace and Valen stared at him.
Ryan waved his hands defensively. "Not on purpose! I was sprinting and this girl—carrying a whole tower of books—just appeared out of nowhere."
Solace raised a brow. "Meaning you weren't looking."
Ryan pretended not to hear that. "Everything fell. Papers everywhere. I thought she'd yell at me, but she was actually really calm."
Valen sighed quietly. "So you caused chaos trying not to be late… and still arrived late."
Ryan slumped in his chair, defeated. "Yeah. But she wasn't mad, so I'm counting that as a win."
Solace shook his head with a faint, tired smile. "Next time, try not to run over any students."
Ryan groaned softly and buried his face in his hands. "Please don't remind me…"
As the professor started her lecture, Ryan thought to himself
I should apologize to her properly.
***
Yuna walked quickly across the courtyard, one arm wrapped protectively around the stack of books she had just organized for her morning lecture. The wind brushed lightly against her hair, tugging a few strands loose from behind her ear. She didn't mind. Mornings at Northvale were always peaceful—usually, at least.
She turned the corner toward the humanities wing—
—and collided with someone before she could even gasp.
Her books scattered across the stone path, pages fluttering everywhere. The impact wasn't painful, just sudden… startling. Yuna instinctively grabbed her glasses so they wouldn't fall.
"I'm so, SO sorry!"
The boy dropped to his knees immediately, scrambling to gather her papers with genuine panic in his voice. Students nearby slowed to glance their way, but Yuna barely noticed. She was too surprised by the suddenness of everything.
"It's… okay," she managed softly. "I should've watched where I was going."
He shook his head frantically. "No, no—this is totally my fault. I was running like an idiot. Please don't report me to the university."
The absurdity of that made her bite back a tiny laugh.
As he handed her the books, she finally saw him clearly—messy dark hair, worried eyes, breathless from running. His expression was so earnest, so apologetic, that her initial shock eased into something lighter.
She took the stack from him gently. "Thank you."
"I didn't mean to, really—" he kept rambling, scratching his head, "—I'm just late for class, and—"
Yuna's lips curved into a quiet smile. "If you hurry, you can still make it before attendance is done."
He blinked at her, as if surprised she wasn't angry.Then he laughed—sheepishly, but sincerely. "Guess I owe you for that advice."
"Just… walk carefully next time," she said, adjusting her glasses.
He nodded, backing away toward the building. "I will! Uh—see you around?"
"See you," she replied softly.
As he jogged off again, Yuna stood there for a moment, steadying her books.
Her heartbeat, she realized, was still a little fast.
She brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and continued toward her classroom, her steps light, her thoughts unexpectedly warm—carrying with her the memory of a boy who had crashed into her morning like a sudden gust of wind.