Heart whispers || Ni-ki

00

Celine slung her backpack over one shoulder as she darted through the crowded hallway, careful to avoid the gaze of any teachers who might be patrolling. The usual hum of chatter, footfalls, and lockers slamming shut filled the air, but her mind was miles away focused entirely on her mission. Today’s class was nothing but a bore, and she had no intention of being stuck in a room with a bunch of drones scribbling notes. Instead, she was headed to the school’s rooftop a sanctuary, far from the dull thrum of academics.

As she passed a row of lockers, she instinctively tucked her hair behind her ear, quickening her pace. No time to waste. She was almost there when the unmistakable click of a door opening halted her in her tracks.

A figure stepped out from a classroom nearby a boy, tall and lean, his dark hair swept back in a perfectly neat style. His school uniform was immaculate, the blazer shoulders squared as if pressed by an army. He looked every bit the part of a student council president, and that was exactly what he was. Ni-ki, the boy who made it his mission to keep everyone in line known for his cold, calculated approach to rules.

Celine didn’t care for student council, or for Ni-ki. She wasn’t here to make friends. But the moment she locked eyes with him, something stirred inside her a mixture of frustration and irritation.

“Hey!” she called, her voice louder than necessary, trying to make sure he heard her over the noise.

Ni-ki turned toward her, his face blank. He regarded her with that same, distant expression he always wore like he was already bored with the entire situation.

“You skipped class,” he said, his tone low and even, as though he was addressing a child. "Do you have a reason for that?"

Celine blinked, surprised at his directness. “I don’t need a reason,” she shot back, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at her lips. “I just don’t feel like going.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, the only indication that her words had affected him. He stepped closer, and she could feel the shift in the air, the tension tightening between them like a wire ready to snap.

“I don’t think you understand how this works,” Ni-ki said, his voice steady but colder now, almost a whisper. “This is a school. You follow the rules, or there are consequences.”

Celine scoffed, stepping up to meet him, face-to-face. “And what are you going to do? Write me up?” She made a dismissive wave with her hand, as if the idea didn’t bother her at all.

Ni-ki’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m not kidding. If you keep skipping class and disrupting the order, I’ll report you to the administration.” He glanced at her backpack and then back at her, his eyes sharp. “You can’t just do whatever you want here.”

Celine gritted her teeth, her hand tightening into a fist. He had no idea who he was dealing with.

“Look,” she said, her tone darkening. “I didn’t come here to argue with you. I came here to get some fresh air. So, unless you plan on being a little more flexible with the rules, I suggest you step aside and let me go.”

Ni-ki didn't flinch, not even an inch. His gaze was unwavering, as if he had already decided how this was going to go. He crossed his arms, and his stance became even more imposing.

“Flexibility isn’t an option when it comes to rules,” he said, his voice sharp and final. “You’ve been warned, Celine. If I catch you skipping again, you’ll be facing more than just a slap on the wrist.”

She stared at him, her heart hammering in her chest.

Celine had never been one to let anyone tell her what to do, let alone some overbearing student council president with a stick up his... well, she wasn’t going to get into it. She was about to snap back, ready to throw some sarcasm his way when something stopped her. It was the way he stood there, the tension in his posture. He wasn’t just the guy enforcing the rules he genuinely expected her to listen to him. And maybe that’s what irked her the most.

"Look," she said, trying to calm her tone, though the fire still burned behind her words. "I get it, you're all about the rules. But maybe, just maybe, there’s a reason I don’t follow them. Ever think of that?"

For a brief moment, Ni-ki seemed to consider it. His expression softened slightly, just enough that it could be mistaken for hesitation. Then, he shook his head, almost regretfully.

“I don’t have time to play therapist, Celine,” he said, his voice dropping to a quieter, more serious pitch. “I’m here to make sure everyone stays in line. It’s not personal, it’s just how things work here.”

Celine's eyes flashed. She was used to being underestimated, but it still stung when someone assumed she was just another rebellious teenager looking for trouble. She stepped closer, lowering her voice so only he could hear.

“I don’t need you to tell me how things work. And I definitely don’t need you following me around like some kind of... guardian angel.”

Ni-ki’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he gave her a hard look, the silent challenge hanging between them like a dare. For a moment, the hallway felt smaller, as if the whole world had shrunk down to just the two of them.

Celine knew the situation was escalating, but she refused to back down.

“You’re a real piece of work, you know that?” she said, shaking her head. “All cold and distant, like you’re above everyone. But really, you’re just scared. Scared of people who don’t follow the rules because they remind you of how imperfect everything really is.”

Ni-ki’s eyes flashed with something anger? Maybe. Or maybe it was just a flicker of something he didn’t quite know how to handle. He stepped forward, closing the gap between them, his voice low and controlled.

“Don’t mistake me for someone who cares about being liked,” he said, his breath brushing against her cheek. “But if you keep pushing me, you won’t like what happens next.”

Celine’s breath hitched in her throat, and for the first time since they’d started this confrontation, she felt a pang of uncertainty. The air between them was thick, charged with something unspoken. Something that neither of them were willing to fully acknowledge yet.

“You won’t report me,” she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You won’t.”

Ni-ki’s gaze darkened. He was so close now, their faces nearly inches apart, and Celine could feel the heat radiating off him.

“I will,” he said quietly, but there was no conviction in his words only the weight of an unspoken challenge.

For a long moment, they stood there, locked in a silent war of wills.

Finally, Celine backed away, breaking the tension. She turned toward the stairs, her heart still racing.

“Don’t think this is over,” she muttered, more to herself than to him.

Ni-ki watched her leave, his expression unreadable.

For once, though, he wasn’t sure what to make of her.

---

The moment Celine stepped onto the rooftop, the cool air hit her like a wave. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the encounter. But no matter how hard she tried to ignore it, something about Ni-ki lingered in her mind his words, his gaze.

She didn’t like him. Not one bit.

But there was something more to him than she’d expected. And that, more than anything else, was what unsettled her.