It was just another normal morning at school. The air was cool as Ningning and Ara walked into the building, their footsteps echoing softly through the quiet hallways. The sun streamed in through the windows, lighting up the rows of lockers, and for a moment, everything felt calm.
"I heard there's a new student transferring here," Ningning said as she dug through her locker for her biology book.
"Yeah, I heard that too," Ara replied, her voice curious.
Ningning's eyes lit up. "I can't wait to meet them!"
Ara laughed, shaking her head. "You get excited about anything new, don't you?"
"Of course!" Ningning grinned. "New people mean new stories, new drama... maybe even a new crush." She wiggled her eyebrows.
Ara rolled her eyes, but smiled. "You and your hopeless romantic heart."
The bell rang sharply, echoing through the hallway. They exchanged a quick wave before splitting up... Ara heading to Economics, Ningning to Biology.
Sliding into her usual seat, Ara pulled out her notebook, ready to drift off into the rhythm of class when...
"Peek-a-boo!"
A loud whisper right next to her ear made her jump.
"Zhong Chenle!" she hissed, glaring at the boy beside her. Chenle only grinned, his laugh soft but bright in the quiet classroom.
"Sorry, you looked so serious. I couldn't resist!" he teased.
Ara rolled her eyes again, but a small smile slipped out despite herself.
Before Chenle could say more, the classroom door swung open. Mr. Jung walked in, banging on the desk the way he always did to get everyone's attention. But this time, he wasn't alone.
A boy stood beside him, shoulders stiff, hand gripping the strap of his bag. His calm expression betrayed a hint of nerves.
"Class, this is our new student, Huang Renjun," Mr. Jung said. "Please make him feel welcome."
The boy slowly lifted his head.
Renjun.
His brown eyes scanned the room, stopping on Ara. She was here.
For a split second, his breath caught. Then he quickly masked it with a small smile and a polite wave.
"Renjun, you can sit next to Chenle," Mr. Jung directed.
Renjun walked over, and Chenle immediately greeted him with a bright, friendly grin. "Hi! I'm Chenle. And this is Ara."
Ara gave a small wave, uncertain. "Hi."
Renjun hesitated, glancing between the two of them. Then he nodded. "H-Hi."
Chenle leaned forward eagerly. "We'd love to be your friends, if that's okay!"
Renjun's shoulders relaxed slightly. "Yeah, sure," he said, smiling more naturally this time.
It felt warm. Familiar.
But as his gaze returned to Ara, something flickered in his eyes.
She doesn't remember me... does she?
A small pang of longing passed through him, but he quickly forced his expression back into a friendly smile, hiding the weight of recognition behind a mask of politeness.
Ara, meanwhile, glanced at him curiously, unaware of the history that hovered quietly between them. For now, it was just the start of something new.
