Unspoken

CHAPTER 8 : A Warning in the hallways

THIRD PERSON POV

Y/n sat at the student council office, the soft click of her pen against the edge of her desk punctuating the quiet room. The task before her seemed endless—university event proposals, budget sheets, and the few emails she had yet to respond to. But none of it felt urgent. Not like the way her thoughts kept drifting toward Mikha.

She tapped the pen against the paper, her mind wandering again. It had been like this for weeks—whenever Y/n tried to focus on something, Mikha's face appeared, unbidden. Her laugh, her thoughtful words, the way Mikha made Y/n feel... like she wasn't just another face in the crowd. Like she mattered.

Y/n sighed and rubbed her eyes. It was easier to bury herself in the work. When her head was full of tasks, there was less room for the distractions that came with this—whatever it was between her and Mikha. She wasn't ready to define it. Not yet. Not when she couldn't even bring herself to admit it to herself. Not when she wasn't even sure how Mikha felt about her.

Just as she started to wonder if she should take a break, a soft knock at the door broke her concentration. Y/n straightened up in her chair, glancing toward the door as it slowly creaked open.

Rajo, one of her fellow student council members, stood in the doorway. Y/n gave him a polite, albeit distracted, smile. "Hey, Rajo. What's up?" She motioned to the stack of papers on her desk, hoping it would signal that she was busy, but Rajo didn't seem deterred.

Rajo hesitated, his eyes lingering on Y/n for a moment before he stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He leaned against the desk, arms crossed, looking like he was debating something.

"I've been meaning to talk to you," Rajo said, his voice casual, but there was something underlying his tone that Y/n couldn't quite place.

Y/n raised an eyebrow, setting down the paper she was holding, and tried to shake off the unease that crept up her spine. "About what?" she asked, masking the faint edge of curiosity in her voice.

Rajo shifted slightly, eyes flickering between Y/n and the papers in front of her. Y/n couldn't quite read the look in Rajo's eyes, but it was definitely more than just idle conversation.

"I couldn't help but notice..." Rajo's voice trailed off, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You and Mikha, huh? You two seem... pretty close lately."

Y/n's heart skipped in her chest. It was as if the world around her slowed down, her thoughts scrambling to make sense of the words. Rajo's gaze remained steady, studying her, and Y/n quickly looked down at her desk, trying to avoid the pressure of his stare.

"What about it?" Y/n asked, hoping her voice didn't betray her. She didn't want to entertain this conversation—not now, not when everything between her and Mikha was still so fragile, still so new.

Rajo didn't answer immediately. Instead, he uncrossed his arms and took a small step closer, lowering his voice just a little, as though he were about to share something important. "I mean, it's hard not to notice," Rajo continued. "You're both always hanging out together, laughing, talking... you've got this... connection. It's pretty obvious to anyone who's paying attention."

Y/n's face flushed. She quickly glanced up at Rajo, then away again, her heart racing faster. It felt as though Rajo could see straight through her, to the confusion and emotions Y/n had been trying so hard to hide. Mikha hadn't just become a friend to Y/n —she had become a thought, a presence, a constant in the back of her mind. But Y/n wasn't ready to face that just yet, let alone acknowledge it out loud to anyone.

"I mean, it's nothing serious," Y/n stammered, desperately trying to keep her voice level. "We've just been getting to know each other more, that's all."

Her attempt at sounding nonchalant didn't seem to convince Rajo, who leaned in a little more, his expression soft but knowing. "Y/n..." he began, his voice now laced with something more serious. "Be careful."

Y/n froze. Her gaze lifted to meet Rajo's, her pulse spiking as she tried to understand where this conversation was heading.

Rajo's eyes softened, but there was still something urgent behind them. "I don't mean to step into anything. But everyone knows Jaz has had her eye on Mikha for a while now."

The mention of Jaz made Y/n's stomach twist. Jaz was confident, undeniably magnetic, and always surrounded by people who seemed to gravitate toward her. Y/n had always felt a bit intimidated by the way Jaz looked at Mikha—assured and effortless, like Mikha was someone she was naturally drawn to. It wasn't that Jaz was doing anything wrong; it was just that Y/n couldn't help but feel like she was so much more than she could ever be. And so, Y/n had pushed those thoughts aside, burying them under the comfort of their growing friendship.

But now, Rajo's words hung in the air, each one settling like a weight on her chest. Jaz and Mikha. Jaz, with her effortless charm and presence. Jaz, who somehow made it clear that Mikha was someone she was interested in.

Y/n swallowed, but the lump in her throat didn't go away. "I... I hadn't thought about that," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Rajo nodded, his gaze compassionate but firm. "I just don't want you to get caught in the middle, Y/n. Mikha's in the public eye. Jaz—well, Jaz is Jaz. People talk, and if this goes further, you don't want to be the one stuck in the fallout, you know?"

Y/n could feel the weight of Rajo's words settling on her shoulders, and for the first time, the excitement she'd felt in Mikha's presence seemed like a burden. Was it worth it? Was Mikha worth all the complications, the whispers behind their backs?

"I... I'll keep that in mind," Y/n said, her voice thick with uncertainty. She forced a smile, trying to regain some semblance of composure, but the unease was still there, gnawing at her.

Rajo gave a small nod, his lips pressing together in a tight line. "Just think things through, okay? I'm not telling you what to do. I just know how these things can turn out."

As Rajo turned to leave, Y/n sat back in her chair, her thoughts spiraling. The office had never felt so quiet, and the hum of conversation outside seemed a distant echo. Her fingers drummed nervously on the edge of the desk as her mind raced.

How long could she pretend that everything with Mikha was just casual? How long could she keep burying the feelings she was starting to acknowledge?

Y/n closed her eyes for a moment, letting the words sink in. She didn't know what to do with the warning Rajo had given her. She didn't know what to do with her feelings for Mikha, either.

One thing was clear: Y/n had been standing on the edge for a while now, but with every passing second, she was inching closer to the fall. And despite the fear gnawing at her insides, she couldn't quite convince herself she was ready to stop.

Y/n exhaled slowly, glancing at the clock on the wall. She was running out of time.

But before she could process anything further, Rajo cleared his throat, making Y/n jump. He hadn't left. "We've got that student council meeting in ten," he said with a small, teasing smile, though the weight of the conversation still lingered in the air.

Y/n nodded, taking a deep breath. "Right, I'll be there."

Rajo gave her one last look before heading out the door. Y/n sat in the stillness for a moment longer, feeling the tension between what was unsaid and the reality of the meeting that awaited her. There was no escaping the storm inside her head—not yet.