The Encounter Of A Lifetime (TanCha/Arthdal Chronicles fanfic)

iii. the strangest feeling

Two days have passed since Yangcha's life has had its turning point, and although it didn't took quite a fancy turn, Yangcha already surrendered to the idea that he cannot do anything about it anymore. He's already take it that senior year won't be another year of peace. And within the span of two days, here's what has happened so far: the Tanya he met from the other day wasn't the same Tanya he met the whole day yesterday. It was different... way different. Well, not really but that's what Yangcha thought. She was, in some ways, a little friendlier. And that was way worse, at least to Yangcha.

She greeted him good morning. She asked him nicely if he liked being the class rep, to which Yangcha answered directly and firmly to with a no (because he thought she was being a big jerk for asking when it's obviously the worst thing he's ever been forced to do). She helped him in carrying the activity notebooks to the faculty office although not a single soul asked her to. She always smiled when she sees him, though he couldn't tell if she was being sincere or not. And she waved him goodbye when the classes ended.

To other people it might be what normal classmates or friends would usually do, but to Yangcha it's just... weird. It's not like he specifically never want to be friendly with her, but he did not particularly liked her quick change in attitude towards him as well. But to be fair, Yangcha has also given it a thought. If she's still friendly with him today, he would give it his best to be a little kind to her as well. And well, he shall see it for himself...

As always, Yangcha was alone walking in a crowded hallway. He just came from the faculty office to fetch the notebooks so he was handful when he excused his way through the sea of students. It was still early so the traffic in the hallway cannot be helped. When he's out on the doorstep of their classroom and was about to slide it open for himself, someone from the inside already did the deed. Although the student didn't do it for him, he still wanted to thank whoever it was. But he wasn't able to utter even a single word, he could only stare confusingly at the guy he was facing with. He knew that face, but remembered it a little different. This one had shoulder-length hair, the one he saw before had brown curls, and there is no way they were the same person.

Or are they? He thought.

Yangcha must have stared at him a little longer than he intended to because the guy then said: "Are you going to move out of the way or are you going to continue to just gawk there like an idiot?"

The hell?!

He was too abashed to even scoff a response. Instead of making a big of a deal out of it, Yangcha just took it to himself to step back and make way for the pompous guy. The guy didn't spare Yangcha another look and just walked out to wherever he's headed to.

What a jerk, he thought.

Again, Yangcha must've looked at the guy a little too much because then, someone spoke. "He's not who you think he is."

He needn't guess nor see who it was. When he turned, his one brow automatically arched up at the sight of her. Tanya was leaning by the door frame, her arms were crossed across her chest, and she was also following the guy with her eyes.

"Huh? Are you talking to me?"

Tanya gave him a quick glance and then back to the guy who's now disappearing into the crowd. "They are not the same person," she added.

Yangcha was so confused he only stared at her, some lines of creases now appearing on his forehead.

What is this pipsquick even talking about?

"Honestly you look stupid staring at me like that. What are you even so confused for? I'm saying they're not the same person," Tanya commented annoyingly, a nark-ish curl on her lip was appearing. Yangcha couldn't help but to scoff unbelievably at her.