TANTIANA UNIVERSITY | RED

CHAPTER 15: UNSPOKEN BONDS

Donghyuck was feeling better than he had in days. It was evident in the way he carried himself—his small grin seemed to linger longer than usual, and he was more engaged in class than he had been in a while.

He aced all the situational judgment exercises, earning him top marks. His answers were so on-point that he almost managed to answer every question before the professor moved on to call on other students.

The class was buzzing with admiration, whispering about how Donghyuck was undeniably smart and exuded a kind of effortless confidence. But Jeno, ever the watchful cousin, couldn't help but think that there was more to the story.

Sure, Donghyuck was clever. But was he always this... participative?

"Something good happened, hasn't it?" Jeno whispered, leaning toward him.

Donghyuck furrowed his brows in mock confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"You and Gayoon. You're not snapping at her today."

Donghyuck snorted. "What do you mean? I'm not snappy."

"Yeah, no. Just a rude soulmate," Jeno teased, grinning.

Donghyuck rolled his eyes. "Can you use your voice in class, or should I just shut you up?"

"Yep, rude," Jeno muttered before sitting back, a grin still tugging at his lips. "But seriously, Hyuck, if you like her, just go for it. She seems nice. Make it work, yeah?"

Donghyuck clicked his tongue. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I don't even know what to do yet."

"No plans?" Jeno asked, raising an eyebrow. "Then just spend time with her. It's not that hard."

Donghyuck groaned, his face scrunching in discomfort. "That's cringe as hell, Jeno."

Jeno sighed dramatically. "You should be thankful. At least you're at the same school. My soulmate's three hours away."

"Then transfer there. Problem solved."

"God, you're hopeless," Jeno muttered, clearly exasperated but with a smile. "You have no hope."

Donghyuck couldn't suppress a chuckle. "Thank you."

As if on cue, the word "soulmate" echoed in Donghyuck's mind, and his thoughts wandered back to Gayoon. She had been on his mind more and more recently, and now, the mention of her from Jeno made it impossible to ignore.

Blinking a few times, he tried to shove the thoughts aside and focus on the lecture. But it was no use. Every time he tried to concentrate, his mind wandered back to her. He groaned quietly, looking down at his book, frustrated.

Why her? Why now?

The soulmate bond was definitely at play, that much was clear. He could feel a subtle but undeniable shift in his mood, a brightness that lingered in the back of his mind. His usual displeasure with the class faded, and for once, he could tolerate it, even if just for a short while.

She must be in a good mood, he thought, unable to shake the feeling. And for some reason, he couldn't push her from his thoughts.

Eventually, Donghyuck gave in. He wouldn't win this battle. With a sigh, he quietly pulled out his phone, unlocking it and scrolling to the contact he never thought he'd be so eager to message.