"Do you believe in the saying 'two is better than one'? There's a reason we were born—to eventually meet the person fate has chosen for us…"
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The school year opened with warm sunlight spilling through the campus gates. Zhaira Loverial, now in her fourth year of high school, walked with steady steps toward a future she couldn't quite imagine yet. Because she ranked Top 1 last year, she had been transferred to Section A—the home of achievers, prodigies, and expectations heavy enough to crush anyone who wasn't prepared.
When she entered the classroom, the soft murmur of new classmates filled the air. She scanned the room for an empty seat.
"Hi! You can sit here if you want," a cheerful voice called.
A girl with kind eyes smiled at her.Zhaira returned the smile and settled into the seat beside her.
"I'm Sena," the girl introduced.
"I'm Zhaira. Nice to meet you," she replied.
Before they could talk further, another girl plopped down in front of them with a giggle.
"And I'm Miriam! Hi!"
The three immediately fell into conversation, their voices mixing with laughter as they discovered shared interests, hobbies, and quirks—as if fate had gently nudged them together.
Then the classroom shifted.
A boy entered quietly, almost unnoticed—except by Zhaira, whose attention snapped toward him the moment he walked in.He moved straight to the last row, expression blank, aura heavy, and presence undeniably cold.
It was Enoh Thatcher.
Everyone in school knew him.Quiet. Unapproachable. Mysterious.A boy who avoided crowds as if they were poison.
Class began with introductions, then the first lecture of the year. By lunch break, Zhaira, Sena, and Miriam were already inseparable. They talked about everything—music, favorite snacks, childhood memories—laughing like they'd known each other for years.
As Zhaira sipped her juice, her gaze drifted across the cafeteria.
There he was—Enoh, sitting alone in the far corner, eyes fixed repeatedly on his wristwatch. Waiting. Expecting someone.But as minutes passed, his expression hardened with disappointment.
Their eyes met.
Zhaira immediately looked away, pretending to focus on her food, heart fluttering for no reason she could explain.
.....
Enoh eventually rose from his seat. He already knew—the person he'd been waiting for wasn't coming.
He picked up the food he'd bought and headed to the auditorium.
Inside, the soft melody of a piano filled the air. Cali, his ex-girlfriend, sat at the instrument, fingers dancing effortlessly across the keys.She was graceful—beautiful in a quiet, unreachable way.
"Sorry I didn't meet you at lunch. I had to practice," she said without looking at him.
"It's fine. I understand," he replied gently.
She didn't even glance at the food he brought. Didn't smile. Didn't ask.
Instead, she continued playing, letting her music drown everything else.And Enoh… watched her.Still loyal.Still hopeful.
Still chasing a love that might never return.
.....
Later that day, as Zhaira stepped out of the school gate, someone bumped into her hard enough to make her stagger.
She turned—Enoh.
He kept walking, headphones in, completely ignoring her.
"Hey!" she called.
He paused, annoyance flashing in his eyes as he pulled off his headset.
"You bumped into me. You should apologize," she said firmly.
"And why should I apologize? Do I even know you?" he replied, voice cold and sharp.
Zhaira's irritation spiked.
"I'm only asking for a simple sorry! Is that really so hard?"
"And what if I don't feel like it?" he shot back, arrogance dripping from every word.
"Oh, really?"
Before he could react, Zhaira stepped on his foot, hard—then bolted away with all the righteous fury of someone who refused to be disrespected.
Enoh shouted after her, rage coloring his voice, but she didn't look back.
Left standing there, he glared at her retreating figure, jaw clenched.
"Tch. You'll regret this…" he muttered under his breath.
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The next day, Zhaira immediately noticed that Enoh didn't come to school. It was a relief for her—after all, she knew he was still furious with her.During recess, Sena and Miriam grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her toward Section B's room.
"There's a transferee—and he's super handsome!" Sena whispered excitedly.
Zhaira peeked through the small glass window. Her eyes widened. They were right—the new guy was undeniably good-looking.
"OMG, he's so handsome!" Sena squealed, fanning herself.
"I wish he was our classmate instead," Miriam pouted dramatically.
Just then, the transferee glanced in their direction. His eyes met Zhaira's. For a second, everything around her stilled as he gave her a small, polite smile.Zhaira's cheeks warmed; she shyly returned the smile before stepping away from the door.
.....
Meanwhile, Enoh and Cali were seated together behind the school building, where it was quiet.
"I'm sorry, Enoh," Cali began softly, unable to look him in the eyes. "But you need to stop pursuing me. I know you're still hoping we'll get back together… but Enoh, there's no chance anymore. Please stop waiting."
"But why?" His voice cracked as he stepped closer. "Do you really not feel anything for me anymore? I promise—I swear I won't get in the way of your studies. Just… don't shut me out."
He pulled her into a desperate embrace, but Cali gently pushed him away.
She shook her head firmly, eyes glistening. "I'm not thinking about getting into another relationship, not while I'm still studying."
"I can wait," he said immediately. "No matter how long it takes—I'll wait for you."
Cali's expression softened with pain, not love. "I'm sorry, Enoh… but don't wait for me. You'll only hurt yourself."Then she turned her back on him and walked away.
The moment she disappeared from sight, Enoh slammed his fist into the wall. The sharp pain shot through his knuckles, but it was nothing compared to the agony spreading through his chest—worse than the day she first broke up with him.
.....
It was already six in the evening when Zhaira finally finished checking all the quizzes—the task her adviser had conveniently assigned to her alone. Tired and hungry, she took the shortcut through the school field, though it was already dim and eerily quiet.
As she walked, she noticed a figure staggering ahead.
"Is that… Enoh?" she whispered.
Before she could call out to him, Enoh suddenly collapsed onto the ground.
Zhaira rushed to him in panic. "Hey! What happened to you?" she asked frantically.
The moment she got close, she smelled it—alcohol. Strong, unmistakable.
He was drunk.
Zhaira looked around desperately, but the field was empty. No guards, no students, no one who could help.
"Oh my god… seriously?" she muttered. Left with no choice, she slipped his arm over her shoulders and struggled to lift him. He was heavy, and she nearly lost her balance multiple times, but she refused to leave him there.
Since she had no idea where his house was, she brought him to her own apartment—the small place she rented because her parents lived far away in the province.
She laid him gently on her bed, breathing hard from the effort.
As she straightened up, her eyes drifted to his face.
His lashes were long. His features were sharp. In sleep, he looked almost heartbreakingly vulnerable.
"You'd be perfect if you weren't such a jerk," she murmured under her breath.
She was about to step away when Enoh suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Cali…" he whispered brokenly.
Zhaira froze.
Cali? Who was Cali?
Is he dreaming?