The final bell at Rosehill Academy rang like a starting gun, releasing the students into a flurry of laughter, chatter, and footsteps. The courtyard was alive with noise friends calling to one another, heels clicking on polished stone, sneakers squeaking against the floor but for Hana, it all felt distant, as if she were moving through a dream.
Every whisper she passed seemed to follow her like a shadow.
"She's with Kai Reyes!"
"I saw them in the classroom. He's actually standing next to her protecting her!"
"Adrian looked furious…"
"She's… radiant, isn't she?"
Hana pulled her backpack straps tighter, forcing herself to keep walking. This isn't real, she reminded herself. It can't be. None of this can be real.
But reality hit hard when Kai Reyes fell into step beside her.
"You're walking like you're carrying the weight of the world," he observed, hands casually tucked into his pockets, tie crooked, blazer half undone. "Relax. You survived a hallway showdown, a public humiliation, and the gossip mill. You're practically a hero."
Hana couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh. "I wouldn't call it heroic."
"Sure you would, if you weren't too polite to admit it," Kai said, smirking. His dark eyes flicked to hers, sharp, teasing, unreadable. "Besides, anyone who humiliates you in public deserves a little payback."
Her cheeks warmed. He's… he's not supposed to be this protective, she thought, suddenly aware of the way his presence made her pulse race.
"You're… why are you doing this?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
"Doing what?" he replied lazily.
"This… protecting me. Stepping in. Saying I'm yours."
Kai tilted his head, smirk widening. "Because I said so. And because you're not just anyone."
Her chest tightened, a strange flutter twisting in her stomach. Not just anyone…? she echoed silently. Does that mean… me?
They walked in silence for a moment, the noise of the school fading into the background. Leaves crunched beneath their feet as the wind carried the last remnants of autumn through the campus. The sun hung low in the sky, painting the courtyard in gold and orange. Hana found herself glancing at Kai, noticing the way the light caught in his dark hair, the curve of his lips, the subtle way he relaxed only when he was near her.
She shook her head. Focus, Hana. You're being ridiculous.
"Are you really not going to talk to him?" Kai asked suddenly, voice low and teasing.
She froze. "Talk to who?"
Adrian.
Kai glanced over his shoulder, eyes narrowing slightly as he caught sight of a figure under a tree, watching. Adrian, perfectly poised, tie slightly loosened, hands in pockets, every inch the golden boy who had haunted her reputation since freshman year.
"He's there," Hana whispered, tension tightening her shoulders.
"I see him," Kai murmured, his voice soft but dangerous. His hand brushed against hers accidentally? but the touch made her pulse skip.
Adrian didn't move. He watched, calculating, silent, like a storm waiting to break. Hana felt a pang of fear and something else she didn't want to admit stirring in her chest.
Kai's voice was a low whisper, just for her. "Don't worry about him. He's predictable. You're not."
Not predictable… Her stomach flipped. And neither am I.
As they exited the campus gates, the streets were quieter, only a few students walking home in small groups. The world suddenly felt vast and intimate all at once. Hana stole glances at Kai, noting how effortlessly he commanded attention, even when he didn't want it.
"Do you ever sleep?" she asked, trying to sound casual.
Kai's smirk turned sly. "Sometimes. But mostly, I watch people like you survive their day without losing their minds."
Her cheeks burned. "I'm… surviving," she said weakly.
"Barely," he teased, nudging her shoulder lightly. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through her, and she instinctively stepped closer, heart hammering.
They fell into a rhythm, walking side by side. Hana wanted to ask questions so many questions but the words lodged in her throat. Instead, she focused on the sensation of Kai near her, the way his presence made her feel both safe and utterly exposed.
"You know," he said casually, voice dropping lower, "if Adrian actually tried anything stupid, I'd make sure he regretted it."
Hana swallowed hard. "You don't have to do that."
Kai glanced at her, eyes darkening with intensity. "I want to."
The words hung between them, heavier than the autumn air. Hana's thoughts swirled. This is dangerous… He's dangerous… And yet, there was an undeniable thrill curling inside her chest, igniting something she hadn't felt before.
They reached the corner of the street near the coffee shop where she usually caught her bus. Kai slowed, letting her catch her breath. His dark eyes studied her, unreadable, teasing.
"You're thinking too much," he said softly. "You need to stop overanalyzing everything."
"I, she started, but he raised a finger to her lips, cutting her off with a soft smirk.
"Shh," he murmured. "You'll survive. Trust me. Just… let me handle it."
Her heart thundered in her chest, and for a moment, all she could do was nod. Handle it… she repeated silently. Like he's my… protector?
And then, across the street, she caught sight of him again. Adrian. Leaning against a lamppost, arms crossed, eyes never leaving her. A storm of golden boy perfection. Hana felt a shiver run down her spine, equal parts fear and… something dangerously tempting.
Kai noticed her glance, smirk twitching. "Relax. He's watching, yes. But he can't touch you."
Her pulse raced. He's… he's already thinking about how to protect me…
They reached her bus stop. Students milled around, chatting and laughing, but all Hana could hear was the thundering of her own heartbeat. Kai leaned closer, voice low, teasing.
"You're lucky I like chaos as much as I do," he said, letting a strand of her hair fall back behind her ear.
Her cheeks burned. "I… I don't know if I should be lucky or terrified."
"Both," he whispered, dark eyes locking on hers. "That's the point."
Before she could respond, the bus pulled up with a hiss of brakes and doors opening. She stepped on, and Kai followed, leaning casually against the railing near her, smirking like he owned not just her attention but the entire world.
As the bus pulled away, Hana caught a final glimpse of Adrian. His jaw clenched, eyes narrowed, already scheming, already plotting. He wouldn't give up. She knew that now. And deep down, a part of her feared what would happen next what he would do, what Kai would do, and what she herself might do in the whirlwind between them.
The city lights stretched across the darkening streets, reflecting in the windows of the bus. Hana's thoughts were chaotic, tangled, and impossible to organize. Rumors, tension, dangerous attraction it all swirled together, creating a storm she couldn't control.
Kai leaned slightly closer, voice a low murmur. "Get ready. Things are about to get a lot more… interesting."
Her heart skipped a beat. Interesting? Dangerous? Thrilling? All of it. And somewhere deep down, Hana realized there was no turning back now.