A faint breeze drifted through the air. The surroundings were quiet. From below, the loud laughter of a few students echoed faintly. But up here, it felt like a different world.
Janice stared into the distance.
Lost.
She didn't notice someone approaching from behind.
"Janice."
She flinched slightly when Alonzo gently tapped her shoulder.
Only then did she return to reality.
"Hey…" Alonzo's voice was soft. "Why are you crying?"
She immediately shook her head.
"I'm not."
But it was too late. Alonzo had already seen it. What Janice was feeling wasn't just exhaustion. It was fear.
Fear that one call from her parents could change everything. Now that her sister Lyca had returned, she was afraid they might force her back into the world she had left behind. Afraid they would bind her once again to someone she no longer loved.
Lexus.
"I just… needed air," Janice said, forcing a smile.
Alonzo stepped closer. Not too close. Not too far. Just enough to let her know he was there.
"You don't look like someone who just needed air, Janice," he said gently.
Janice remained silent.
She gripped the railings tightly.
"Maybe I'm just tired," she replied softly. "Sometimes… it's exhausting to always be strong."
Alonzo didn't answer right away.
He studied her profile—strong, composed, yet the weight in her eyes was undeniable.
"You don't have to force yourself to be strong all the time," he said.
Janice smiled, but there was sadness in it.
"I have to," she answered. "I need to finish my studies. I need to prove something—to myself and to my parents."
"Are they pressuring you about school?" Alonzo asked directly.
Janice's breathing faltered for a second.
"N-no," she replied quickly.
"Maybe they just don't understand me," she added. "They just have… heavy expectations."
Expectations.
A single word capable of breaking a person apart.
Alonzo stepped even closer. Now they stood side by side.
Quiet.
"You know," he said softly, "I don't know what you're going through. But if there's anyone who has the right to choose their own life…"
He looked at her.
"…it's you."
Janice turned to him.
Why is it like this? Why does my chest feel lighter, even just a little, whenever I'm talking to him?
"I'm just scared," Janice admitted, almost in a whisper.
She didn't know why she said it.
Maybe because, for the first time—
There was someone who knew how to listen without judging.
"Don't be afraid," Alonzo said gently. "Just believe that you can do it. Do what you can—your best is enough. You don't have to keep forcing yourself or making things harder than they already are."
She couldn't respond to that.
The truth was, she simply wasn't ready to face her parents yet. Not until she graduated. Because they might drag her back into the past. And she wanted something to show them—that she finished her studies not because of money or privilege, but because of her own hard work.
Quietly, Alonzo reached for her hand.
Not tightly.
Not possessively.
Just enough.
"If you ever need help, just call me."
Janice felt the warmth of his palm.
And in that moment…
She was afraid of a clearer truth.
That their growing closeness might disappear the moment her secret was revealed.
When they finally went down from the rooftop, Lexus was standing near the staircase.
"How sweet." Lexus clapped softly.
They both turned. He stood straight, a faint smile on his lips—but it didn't reach his eyes. It seemed like he had been there for quite some time.
"Lexus…" Janice said quietly.
Alonzo couldn't move from nervousness.
Janice didn't miss the way Lexus stared at her. Silent. But there was a message behind it.
"Have you been there long?" Janice asked, her voice composed again.
Lexus stepped forward.
"Actually, yes. I've been looking for you," he replied coolly. "I need to talk to you. The department has a project for the upcoming campus event."
Janice and Alonzo exchanged a brief glance.
"Since you're the council president, I need you, Janice."
Janice nodded, instantly shifting into professional mode.
"Okay. When's the meeting?"
"Now, if you're free."
She glanced at Alonzo for a second.
And in that single second—
Something unexplainable stirred in Alonzo's chest.
"Ah… okay, sure," Janice replied. "We'll go."
Lexus turned to Alonzo.
"And you," he said calmly, "have a new task."
Alonzo raised a brow slightly.
"Task?"
"Yes. You'll create the theme concept for the event."
Alonzo fell silent for a moment.
"Theme?"
"Yeah. You're creative, aren't you?" Lexus smiled faintly. "You'll work with Maverick. He'll be hosting the event."
Maverick wasn't there, but the assignment was clear.
"Is that okay with you, Alonzo? I know you can do it," Janice said.
"It's fine," he replied, forcing calmness into his voice.
Janice stepped a little closer.
"You'll be with Maverick, right? He's your best friend. It'll be easier for you."
He nodded.
"Y-yeah… of course."
But deep inside?
This wasn't about the event.
Alonzo's POV
"Why did she agree so quickly?
Just a moment ago, we were standing side by side—quiet, like we had our own little world. Then one call from Lexus, and she didn't even hesitate. She followed. Why? Because she's the president? Because she has to?
Or because it was Lexus who called her?"
"Let's go?" Lexus said to Janice.
She looked at Alonzo for a brief moment.
"And we have dinner later. I'll wait for you—six sharp," Lexus added.
Simple words.
But to Alonzo, it felt like something was crushing his heart.
"Okay, of course," Janice answered with a smile.
And she walked away with Lexus.
Narrator's note;
There are moments when you don't even know if you have the right to feel anything.
She's not yours.
You're not courting her.
There's no "you."
So why does it start to feel heavy?
But Alonzo didn't know there was a reason Janice had to go with Lexus.
Lexus knew something Janice still wasn't ready to face. A truth that could destroy everything she was trying to build.
And until that truth comes out—
She has to be careful.
As Alonzo watched Janice and Lexus walk away in the distance, tension hung
in the air.
With every step they took, there was a feeling in his chest he couldn't yet name.
It wasn't clear.
It wasn't spoken.
But it was there.
To be continued…