Chapter 4

Miu: “Hey.”

Lena didn’t look up right away. Her pen kept moving across the page like it had a personal vendetta against interruptions, like stopping now would somehow ruin the balance of the universe she carefully built around silence and focus.

Unfortunately for her, chaos had already pulled up a chair.

The scrape of it against the floor was slow. Intentional. Too close.

Lena already knew.

She felt it before she saw it.

And still, she didn’t look up immediately, as if delaying it could undo it, cancel it, erase whatever disaster was about to sit right beside her.

It didn’t.

Lena: “You’re in the wrong seat.”

Miu didn’t sit right away. She stood there just a second too long, like she was considering her life choices, like she was testing if this counted as a crime or just… bold decision-making.

Then she sat anyway.

Easy. Casual.

Like she owned the air Lena was breathing.

Miu: “Am I? Feels like… you’re the right one.”

That did it.

Lena finally looked up, slow and reluctant, like someone opening a message they already knew would ruin their day.

There she was.

Miu.

Looking at her like this was normal. Like sitting too close, speaking too close, existing too close was something people just did on a random school day.

“What do you want, Miu?”

Miu blinked, like the question genuinely surprised her, like she forgot she needed a reason to be here.

Then she smiled.

Soft. Unbothered. Dangerous.

“You know my name? I’m flattered.”

Her gaze dipped, quick, almost subtle, but not subtle enough. It brushed Lena’s lips for half a second before snapping back up like her brain caught her misbehaving.

Lena noticed.

Of course she noticed.

And immediately decided she hated everything.

“Everyone knows your name.”

Miu winced dramatically.

“Ouch. I thought I was special.”

She tilted her head, expression caught somewhere between playful and intentionally annoying, like she was auditioning for “problem you didn’t ask for but can’t ignore.”

“You’re loud… and dumb. That’s different.”

Miu gasped softly, hand hovering near her chest like Lena had just stabbed her pride in front of an invisible audience.

And then she smiled again anyway.

Because of course she did.

“Wow. And here I thought you were nice, Lena.”

Lena felt a very real, very immediate regret about ever opening her mouth.

“Get to the point.”

Miu leaned forward.

Too close.

Close enough that Lena could feel the shift in air, like personal space was something Miu simply did not believe in.

“Homework. I need help.”

“No.”

Immediate. Clean. No hesitation.

Except her pen paused just a little too long afterward, like her brain briefly considered betraying her.

Miu stared at her like “no” was incomplete. Like it needed clarification… Or revision… Or negotiation.

“You didn’t even think about it.”

“I don’t need to.”

She did. That was the problem.

“Come on. Just one problem.”

“No.”

“Please?”

That tone.

Soft. Light. Almost playful.

Completely illegal.

Lena’s pen stopped mid-stroke.

Somewhere in her head, this is how bad decisions begin.

“That doesn’t work on me.”

Miu smiled slowly, like she had just unlocked something anyway.

“What does?”

“Nothing you’re doing.”

Miu leaned in again. The table creaked under the weight of tension alone.

“Even if I… let’s say… kiss you?”

Silence.

Not the peaceful kind.

The kind that shuts everything down.

Lena’s brain blanked so fast it almost hurt.

Her pen pressed too hard against the paper.

“Don’t.”

Too fast. Too loud. Too much.

Miu looked way too satisfied for someone who just said something that should have gotten her expelled.

“You’re blushing.”

“You’re impossible.”

She said it like she wanted a refund on the situation.

“And you’re interesting.”

“I’m not.”

“You are to me.” Miu cleared.

That landed.

Annoyingly deep.

Lena looked away like the floor suddenly had critical information she needed to study.

“You just need help.”

“Well, that… and you’re the only one who said no.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

“It is for me.”

That made absolutely no sense. Lena mentally filed a complaint no one would read.

Miu’s fingers hovered near her notebook, dangerously close, like she was debating crossing another line.

Lena immediately slid it away.

Protective. Defensive. Slightly panicked.

“Give me your paper.”

Miu blinked.

“Wait… seriously? That was easy.”

“One problem. Then you leave.”

Miu leaned back, smiling like she just won something she didn’t even understand.

“Hmm… you just can’t resist me.”

“I don’t date hopeless cases.”

Too fast.

Miu didn’t miss it.

She smiled like that was the most interesting thing she heard all day.

“Sure. But what about… hopeless romantics?”

“Listen carefully.”

“I am.”

She was not.

She was looking at Lena like the paper didn’t exist.

“You’re not even looking at the problem.”

Miu glanced down.

Back up.

Immediately forgot again.

“Well… I’m looking at you.”

“Miu.”

That tone, warning, panic, stop this before it becomes something else.

“Mmm?”

“Focus.”

“I’m trying.”

She absolutely wasn’t.

“Then stop smiling like that.”

“Like what?”

Lena made the mistake of looking at her properly.

A mistake she felt instantly.

Because Miu was already looking at her like she meant it.

And suddenly, the air felt… heavier.

“Like you’re not here for homework.”

A pause.

The kind that stretches.

The kind that should end.

But doesn’t.

“What if… I’m not?”

They stared at each other.

Too long.

Too aware.

Too something.

And then…

Classmate: “Miu and Lena sitting on a chair, K-I-S-I-N-G!”

The classroom exploded.

Laughter, teasing, exaggerated reactions, someone banging a desk like it was a live show.

Classmates: “Yieeee!”

Miu laughed, soft, amused, like she was enjoying a private joke no one else was part of, and glanced at Lena like this was their moment.

Lena sat up straight instantly, like she’d been accused of a crime she didn’t even understand yet.

“Wrong spelling! My gosh! Bold strategy choosing flirting over functioning brain cells. Try studying sometime, it might save your grades.”

Too fast.

Too defensive.

Too obvious.

Miu was still smiling.

And somehow, that made it worse.

Because she wasn’t embarrassed.

She looked… entertained. Amused.

Like Lena was the highlight of her day.

Lena refused to unpack that.

Not now. Not ever. Not safely.

Miu kept staring. Not at the paper. At her.

Lena felt it. Every second of it. The way it stretched her patience thin, the way it made her hyper-aware of her own breathing.

She looked up.

Their eyes met.

And for a moment, everything else… faded.

Miu smiled slowly.

Her eyes darker now. Something deeper. Less playful. More dangerous.

Lena forced herself to think. To function. To not get pulled into whatever that was.

“Do… do you understand now?”

Miu didn’t even blink.

Just slightly… and dramatically… shook her head.

“No.”

Still staring. Still not moving.

Her cheek resting against her palm like she had all the time in the world to ruin Lena’s composure.

“But… I do have a question.”

Her voice dropped slightly. Slower. Intentional. Teasing in a way that felt less like a joke and more like a challenge.

Lena swallowed.

“What is it now?”

She looked down, pretending to rearrange her papers, pretending she wasn’t suddenly aware of everything.

A pause.

Then…

“Are you single?”

No hesitation. No filter. Just… straight to damage.

Lena choked on absolutely nothing.

Her hand reached for her water bottle… but Miu got it first.

Of course she did.

“Give me that.”

Miu pulled it back slightly, eyebrows raised.

“Answer me first.”

“No.”

“No… as in… you’re not single?”

Silence.

Miu pouted. Actually pouted.

“So you really do have someone?”

“No.”

She reached again. Missed again.

Miu was enjoying this too much.

Miu waited.

Demanding explanation without saying a word.

Lena exhaled sharply.

“No, I don’t have someone. And no, I don’t want to answer anything else. Now give it back or —“

Miu leaned in, cutting her off, smiling like she was inviting trouble.

Miu: “Or what?”

Lena stopped. Stared at her.

And then gave up.

Completely.

She pulled back, started packing her things with quiet, controlled annoyance.

Miu blinked.

That… was not the reaction she wanted.

Miu: “Hey— wait… here, here. Don’t be mad. Please.”

She reached out, stopping Lena’s hands mid-motion.

Lena didn’t respond. Just looked at her.

Straight. Unimpressed. Unaffected.

Actually… completely affected.

Miu tried again. This time softer.

“Don’t be mad at me… please?”

And then… she pouted. Not the playful one. Not the teasing one. Something softer. Something real.

The entire class went quiet.

Because Miu didn’t do that.

Not to anyone.

Lena’s heart skipped. Actually skipped.

She swallowed again, forcing herself back.

“What do you really want, Miu? So you can leave me alone and stop bothering me.”

Miu frowned slightly.

“You’re mad…”

“I’m not.”

The moment she said it… Miu leaned closer. Bright again.

Eyes curved, pleased, like she just got the answer she wanted.

Lena instinctively leaned back.

“Now stop wasting my time and tell me what you want.”

Miu gestured for her to come closer.

Lena hesitated.

Then leaned in… just slightly.

Big mistake.

Miu whispered, voice warm against the space between them.

“I actually… find you really interesting, Lena… I just want to know… are you into girls?”

The question slid straight down Lena’s spine. And it showed. Miu saw it. And smiled.

Slow. Certain. Amused.

“I… I don’t—“

Miu didn’t let her finish.

Didn’t even give her the chance.

She suddenly stood up, walked, and turned to the entire class.

“Listen up!”

Every head snapped toward her.

“I just want everyone to know… I’m planning to date Lena. So nobody gets in my way. Clear?”

Silence. Shock.

A classroom frozen mid-breath.

Lena included.

Miu clapped once, satisfied.

“Good. Carry on.”

And just like that, the room came back to life.

Except… Lena didn’t.

She stayed there. Staring. Processing absolutely nothing.

Miu walked back to her like she didn’t just cause a public scandal.

Stopped right beside her. Then held out her hand.

Casual. Certain.

Like this was already decided.

“Let’s go, baby.”

And somehow… that was the most dangerous thing she said all day.

•••••

Author’s Note:

Please leave a 🌟 if you enjoyed it. Thank you.

– J –