TANTIANA UNIVERSITY | RED

CHAPTER 11: MR. UNPREDICTABLE

Gayoon quietly followed him, the sound of her shoes clicking softly against the pavement. Her grip on her tote bag tightened with every step, as if it could somehow hold in all the swirling thoughts inside her head. She kept wondering what he was going to say. Was he even going to say anything? Or had this just become another one of those moments where silence spoke louder than any words?

Donghyuck, on the other hand, was equally quiet. He walked ahead, his footsteps almost mechanical, like he wasn't sure where he was heading or what he was supposed to be doing. It was almost laughable how much he resembled someone who had acted impulsively and was now regretting every second of it.

Neither of them knew what this was. Neither of them had a clear destination. It was like a dance without rhythm, each step unsure, but still going forward.

"Where are we really going?" Gayoon finally broke the silence. "We're heading toward the parking lot, if you're even aware."

Donghyuck halted immediately and turned to her, his brow arched. "I know."

Gayoon couldn't stop herself from sighing. "Then why are we here? Are we heading somewhere outside the school? Or are we going to have some secret conversation in the parking lot?"

Donghyuck blinked and then, as if coming out of a daze, shrugged. "Why? Do you want to go back to class?"

"If I could, I would," Gayoon replied with a sarcastic smile. "But I still have major classes to attend, you know."

"What are you taking?" Donghyuck asked, genuinely curious.

"Legal Management, why?" Gayoon shot back, a slight challenge in her tone.

"Ah," he said, an amused smirk appearing on his lips. "So that's why you're talkative."

"I want answers, Attorney Lee," she demanded, crossing her arms.

The brief amusement in Donghyuck's eyes was evident as he leaned in slightly, the space between them narrowing. "What answers do you want?"

Gayoon's pulse quickened. Despite herself, she was drawn to the way he carried himself—confident, calm, and unnervingly attractive. Was that part of the soulmate bond, or was that just Donghyuck? She couldn't tell anymore.

"I don't want you smiling so brightly at that green-haired kid," he said suddenly, his voice low but sharp.

Gayoon blinked. "Green hair? Yangyang?"

"Is that his name?" Donghyuck's tone was a little too casual, almost like he was hiding something beneath his words.

Gayoon scoffed, slightly annoyed. "And what's your point?"

"Sweetie," he hummed, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He took a step closer, bending over slightly to meet her eyes. "You're technically mine to own."

Gayoon froze. "Look at you. Are you hearing your words right now, Lee Donghyuck?" She could feel the heat rising in her chest, a mix of confusion and frustration. What was this? What was he trying to prove?

Donghyuck's smile was small but smug. "Loud and clear."

Gayoon could feel her heart beat a little faster as the tension thickened between them. "It's not okay for me to smile at other guys, but it's okay for you to flirt with other girls? Is that what you're trying to tell me?" Her voice was a little sharper now, the unfairness of the situation starting to really get under her skin.