revenge romance • zhou xinyu

37 . my seat

you get to class a little earlier than usual, settling into your seat and pulling out your laptop and ipad. the room is still half-empty, and the people who are there are either talking to those next to them or busy on their phones.

you tense slightly as she spots you, offering a small smile before sliding into the seat right next to you. normally, she wouldn't even sit there, but xinyu isn't here yet, and sohyun wasn't here today so she has the freedom to do what she wants. you can feel eyes on you from the others in the class, curious glances looking your way.

"hey, y/n," nakyoung says, her voice casual.

"hey," you reply, trying to sound neutral. you don't want to be rude, but also... you really don't want to be friendly.

she starts some small talk, and you respond with short answers out of basic politeness. you can't help but shift uncomfortably, hoping this ends soon. it's not that you hate nakyoung, but being caught talking to her after your argument with xinyu didn't seem like a good plan.

just when you're about to check your phone as an escape, the door opens, and xinyu walks in. you can see her scanning the room, and when her eyes land on you, sitting with nakyoung, you swear you can feel her anger. her face doesn't change, but there's something in her expression that sharpens. without hesitating, she strides over.

"you're in my seat," xinyu says as she approaches nakyoung.

nakyoung doesn't miss a beat, looking up at her, "it was my seat first."

xinyu crosses her arms, not backing down for a second. "well, you gave it up, so it's mine now."

"and i want it back now." nakyoung's smile turns tight.

"i'm not letting you take it from me though," xinyu fires back, eyes narrowed.

you sit there, caught in the middle of whatever territorial war this is.

nakyoung shifts in her seat, crossing one leg over the other. she tilts her head slightly, glancing between you and xinyu. "that's crazy that you think you own this chair."

xinyu leans forward, resting a hand on the back of the chair. "i don't need to. you gave it up when you left."

nakyoung raises an eyebrow, "i'm back now though, aren't i?" her tone is smug, almost daring xinyu to do something about it.

xinyu doesn't move for a beat. then, without a word, she places her hand on nakyoung's shoulder, not too forcefully, but firm enough. "move."

nakyoung's eyes flicker with something, a mixture of surprise and defiance, but she doesn't budge right away. the silence stretches on, the two of them locked in this unspoken standoff.

you clear your throat, hoping to break the tension. "uh... it's really fine, guys. we can sit somewhere else xinyu."

"no," xinyu cuts you off, her eyes still locked on nakyoung. "we're staying right here." her voice softens a little when she addresses you.

nakyoung lets out a small laugh, "i think i can let you have this for a little; i'll come back for it later though." she slowly rises from the seat and turns her attention to you. "i'll talk to you later y/n."

you can't even get out a response before she walks away, leaving you sitting next to xinyu, who immediately takes the now-vacant seat happily.

xinyu's gaze finally shifts to you, her expression softening slightly. "you good?"

you nod, "yeah, just... didn't expect whatever that was."

xinyu leans back in the chair, her arm brushing yours. "don't worry about it. you're with me."

you glance at her, trying to read between the lines of that last comment. something is reassuring in the way xinyu says it, but also possessive, like she's staking a claim in this ongoing silent battle. the tension in the room slowly starts to go away as people return to their own conversations, but you can still feel the lingering stares from some of the other students.

"i can't believe she would cause a scene like that," you mumble.

xinyu shrugs like it's nothing. "she's just being weird because sohyun isn't here.. don't even stress it."

you glance toward the front of the class, where nakyoung has sat near the opposite end of the room. she hasn't looked back, but you can feel her presence. part of you wonders what that whole thing was supposed to be about and her motives behind it.

"still... she didn't have to do it before class like that." you let out a small sigh, leaning back into your chair.

xinyu gives you a sidelong glance, her expression softening even more. "she thinks she can win you back like that but it's not gonna work. she's gonna have to get through me first."

"oh yeah," you reply, sarcastically. "because you're so threatening."

xinyu laughs lightly, nudging you with her elbow. "i am, i have a whole height advantage on her too."

you glance at her, "i mean that's true but i don't know about the whole intimidating part"

"you think i can't take her? you underestimate the power of long legs." xinyu gives you a mock-offended look.

you roll your eyes but can't help the small laugh that slips out. "yeah, you don't even need to fight her, just one kick and it's game over."

"seriously though, you can't let her get to you."

you sigh, your voice quieter now. "i know. i'm trying really hard not to, i kind of just feel stuck"

"i get it. but you're not stuck, okay? you're with me." there's confidence in her voice, but it's not possessive, it's reassuring.

"that's true. i'm so glad we became friends again," you admit as you look at xinyu, "and as fucked up as this might sound, i'm kind of glad we're going through this together."

xinyu's eyes soften at your words, her expression shifting from playful to more sincere. "me too," she says.