The line outside the academic office wasn't long.
That was the part that scared people.
If panic were sudden, loud, explosive, it could be dismissed as hysteria. But this line was quiet. Orderly. Students stood with folders tucked under their arms, eyes fixed on the floor or their phones, like they were waiting for a medical diagnosis they already suspected.
XH stood near the back, hands in his pockets, jaw tight.
In front of him, two students whispered.
"I'm switching to the local government program.""My parents said at least it's guaranteed.""I can't risk an international pathway right now."
The words landed heavier than any rumor thread.
Campus 2 wasn't collapsing.
It was bleeding people slowly.
TR stood beside XH, unusually quiet. PL clutched a printed form so tightly the edges bent. JP read something on his phone, expression unreadable. NS leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes tracking the room like he was counting exits.
"This happens every year," a senior muttered from further ahead in line."Every year?" someone asked."Yeah. Private university rumors. Same cycle. Same fear."
XH felt something sink into his stomach.
So this wasn't new.
It was seasonal.
When it was their turn, the administrator smiled politely in a way that carried no warmth.
"We understand your concerns," she said. "The university is fully accredited."
JP leaned forward. "Then why are external verifications delayed?"
The smile tightened. "Administrative review takes time."
TR couldn't help himself. "So… are we safe or not?"
The administrator folded her hands. "You are enrolled. Classes continue."
PL's voice shook slightly. "What about international medical school prep?"
"We advise students to consider alternative pathways if they feel uncertain," the woman replied smoothly.
Alternative pathways.
Local government majors.
Safe degrees.
The meeting ended without answers.
When they stepped back into the hallway, the silence felt heavier than before.
TR broke it first. "That was useless."
JP exhaled. "That was intentional."
NS spoke quietly. "Fear is cheaper than truth."
As they walked away, XH's phone buzzed.
A message from Kitty.
Kitty: busy today. don't wait for me.
It was polite.
It was distant.
It hurt more than she probably intended.
Kitty POV: Choosing Armor
Kitty sat in the café near campus, sunlight cutting across the table in neat rectangles. She stirred her drink slowly, watching the ice melt.
Across from her sat someone new.
Not important.
That was the point.
He laughed easily. Complimented her without depth. Asked questions that didn't require honesty to answer. He was attentive in the way people were when they wanted to be noticed.
Kitty smiled at the right moments.
She leaned in when expected.
She laughed louder than she felt.
This was armor.
Attention was easy. Predictable. It didn't ask her to wait. It didn't ask her to hope. It didn't ask her to believe someone would eventually choose.
When the guy asked, "So… are you seeing anyone?"
Kitty answered smoothly. "Not seriously."
That wasn't a lie.
She glanced at her phone.
No new messages from XH.
Good.
She didn't want him interrupting this.
Because if she let herself be still, she would remember the way he listened when she spoke. The way he hesitated. The way hesitation had cost her something she couldn't name without breaking.
Kitty lifted her cup and smiled again.
If love required patience, then she would choose distraction.
It was safer.
June POV: Planning Is Also a Test
June sat alone in a quiet corner of the library, papers spread neatly in front of her. She had printed out alternative program pathways, transfer requirements, timelines.
She didn't panic.
She prepared.
That was how she survived environments that pretended stability while quietly shifting beneath your feet.
XH found her there, hesitant.
"You're really taking this seriously," he said.
June looked up. "You're not?"
He sat across from her. "I don't want to overreact."
June studied his face carefully.
"This isn't overreaction," she said gently. "It's foresight."
She slid a paper toward him. "Some students are switching majors. Back to local government tracks. Guaranteed jobs. Lower risk."
XH frowned. "Are you?"
June shook her head. "No."
Relief flickered across his face.
"But," she added calmly, "I want to know what you'd do if we had to choose."
The word we landed again.
XH swallowed. "I don't like being cornered."
June nodded. "I don't like being unprotected."
The honesty between them was sharp, but clean.
"I don't want to build something that collapses the first time pressure appears," June continued. "If we move forward… I need to know you won't disappear."
XH stared at the papers.
This wasn't romance.
This was reality asking permission to enter.
"I'm trying," he said quietly.
June softened slightly. "I know. That's why I'm still here."
She leaned back, watching him carefully.
This wasn't a demand.
It was a test.
Campus Shift
By evening, the shift was undeniable.
Students openly discussed changing majors.
"I already filed the form.""My parents won't let me risk it.""At least government positions are stable."
Campus 2 felt thinner.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Dreamers were retreating.
Pragmatists were taking over.
In the common area, the group gathered again, fractured in subtle ways.
Kitty arrived late.
She looked radiant.
Too radiant.
New energy. New laughter. Someone new beside her.
XH noticed immediately.
June noticed faster.
TR whispered, "Oh no."
PL murmured, "That's… different."
Kitty smiled at everyone, perfectly composed. "Hey."
XH forced himself to smile back. "Hey."
She didn't linger near him.
She didn't explain.
She didn't owe him anything.
June watched the exchange carefully, then looked at XH.
"Is this part of the plan?" she asked softly.
XH shook his head. "No."
Kitty laughed at something the new guy said, resting her arm casually on the table.
Armor.
NS watched quietly, jaw tight.
TR tried to break the tension. "Okay! Who wants snacks?"
No one answered.
Later, as people drifted away, Kitty stood first.
"Goodnight," she said easily.
XH nodded. "Goodnight."
Their eyes met for half a second.
Nothing passed between them.
That hurt more than anything else could have.
June stood beside XH after Kitty left.
"She's protecting herself," June said.
"I know," XH replied.
June looked at him steadily. "Are you?"
XH didn't answer.
Outside, Campus 2 glowed under artificial lights. Classes continued. Schedules held.
But something fundamental had shifted.
People were choosing safety over dreams.
Distraction over patience.
Armor over honesty.
And love—real love—was starting to demand more than silence.