Crimson Threads

5

Taehyung's POV-

The first day of exams was supposed to be just another day. Living only a few houses away from the school and being the principal's nephew, I knew every corner of this place like the back of my hand. My life had always been about adrenaline—the rush of getting into fights, the thrill of proving myself in a world that respected strength over anything else. I was known for being the guy who didn't take crap from anyone, the one who could throw a punch as easily as he could crack a joke. Relationships, love—those were for other people, not for someone like me who lived for the next thrill.

But that day, something shifted.

I was deep into my exam, the tip of my pen racing across the paper, when a strange feeling washed over me. It was like a prickling at the back of my neck, the kind of feeling you get when you know someone's eyes are on you. I tried to brush it off, focusing on the next question, but the sensation only grew stronger. Finally, unable to ignore it, I leaned over to my friend who was sitting beside me.

"Hey," I muttered, still keeping my eyes on the paper. "Do you feel like someone's watching me?"

He looked up, scanning the room with a casual glance. After a moment, he leaned back in, whispering, "Yeah, there's a girl. She keeps looking at you when you're not looking."

That piqued my curiosity. Someone was watching me? And not just anyone—a girl? It wasn't like I had much experience with that sort of thing. I wasn't used to being the object of someone's gaze, especially not a girl's. I wasn't one to get flustered easily, but this was different.My life revolved around my friends, street fights, and keeping up the tough image I'd built over the years. Girls were never a part of the equation; they were just distractions from what really mattered. But now, I couldn't shake the curiosity gnawing at me.  I decided to check it out, carefully turning my head to see who this mysterious girl was.

That's when I saw her.

Y/n. Though I didn't know her name yet, she was the girl who had, without any warning, completely captivated my attention. From the angle I saw her, her dark brown eyes were mesmerizing—deep and expressive, with a kind of quiet intensity that seemed to hide a thousand secrets. They were large and expressive, almost like windows into a soul that was both innocent and profound. I had never seen eyes like hers before; they were unlike the hardened stares I was used to.

Her cheeks were full and soft, with a natural, delicate blush that contrasted sharply with the tough, angular faces I was accustomed to. Her skin looked smooth and almost porcelain, giving her an ethereal quality that seemed out of place in the classroom's stark lighting. Her hair, long and flowing, cascaded down her back in waves, catching the light in a way that made it look almost golden. When she spoke to the teacher, her lips curved into a smile that was both gentle and inviting, the kind of smile that could warm the coldest of hearts.

Her smile, however, was what struck me the most. It was genuine and radiant, a stark contrast to the calculated expressions I saw from others. There was something deeply comforting about it, as if it had the power to make everything around her seem just a bit more bearable. The way her lips moved when she smiled, the way her eyes lit up with a kind of quiet joy—it all seemed so genuine and unpretentious.

As I tried to refocus on my exam, I caught a glimpse of her again. The way she looked away with a shy, almost introspective demeanor made me wonder what was going on in her mind. I was overwhelmed by an unusual pang of longing. I had always lived for the rush of adrenaline, for the thrill of confrontation, but now, all I could think about was her. It was like my world had shifted from the chaos of fights and the noise of my old life to a singular focus on her.

When she looked directly at me, my heart skipped a beat. It was as if time had slowed down, and in that fleeting moment, I felt an intense connection—a pull towards her that I had never experienced before. Panic surged through me, and I quickly looked away, my gaze landing on a familiar girl in the room. I offered her a polite smile, but it felt hollow compared to the genuine warmth I had seen from Y/n.

I tried to refocus on my paper, but my friend nudged me again, a teasing grin on his face "Dude, you really let her down. She was looking at you before, but now she's just staring out the window."

I glanced back at Y/n, only to see her lost in her own world, gazing out the window with a distant look. It was a blow that left me feeling oddly hollow. I had never cared about what others thought of me, but seeing her withdraw like that made me realize I wanted more than just a casual glance. I wanted to understand her, to get to know the person behind those captivating eyes and that gentle smile.

For the rest of the exam, I couldn't shake the image of her from my mind. Y/n, a complete stranger, had somehow managed to occupy every corner of my thoughts. She was the first person to make me question everything I thought I knew about myself. I had always believed that love was something for other people, not for someone like me. But now, as I sat there, I knew that I couldn't just let this feeling slip away. I had to find out who she was and why she had managed to touch something deep inside me.