I sat in the corner of the cafeteria, quietly enjoying my meal. It was surprisingly good—though maybe that was just because I was starving. Either way, I sighed contentedly, leaning back in my seat as my thoughts began to drift.
Ice cream. I'd been craving it all day. Maybe I'd treat myself after class.
But of course, my mind didn't linger on dessert for long. Instead, it wandered back to him.
Earlier, while I was walking back to the cafeteria, I passed the school bulletin board. An organization chart with photos caught my eye. Curious, I stopped and scanned it from bottom to top. The lower section showed smiling seniors and juniors, caught mid-laugh during the photo shoot.
I lifted my gaze. The vice president had a ponytail and black glasses—neat, but approachable. She's pretty, I thought.
Then I looked a little higher—and there it was. That same stoic face from this morning. Keice Atlas. Not smiling. Just like in class. The only sophomore in the Supreme Student Council… yet somehow, he was the president.
That's weird.
I'd tried to be friendly—more than once, actually. I approached him with smiles, casual greetings, even light jokes. I thought I'd at least get his name. But every attempt was met with icy indifference. No words. No reaction. Just… frozen silence.
Until finally, after what felt like my fifth attempt, he let out this heavy sigh—like I was the biggest burden in the world—and snapped, "The name is Keice. Ice for short. Happy now? So stop bothering me, because you're irritating."
Then he turned and walked off, right as the bell rang.
I groaned at the memory, stabbing a piece of meat with more force than necessary. How can someone that cute be such a jerk?
But I couldn't lie—he was cute. Really cute. I hadn't expected someone with that kind of face to be a walking iceberg. Still… maybe he was just having a rough day?
Before I could fall deeper into overthinking, a cheerful voice broke through my thoughts.
"Hello! Can I sit here?"
I looked up, blinking in surprise. A girl stood in front of me, smiling warmly. She had this soft, kind aura about her—pretty, definitely, but more than that, she radiated gentleness.
Her short bob complemented her rounded face, and she wore a beaded headband that matched her pale skin and hazel eyes.
"Sure," I replied with a nod.
Her eyes lit up. "Hello! Fyre, right? I'm Oriel Kauthner—just call me Oriel. We're classmates, actually. Sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier—I'm a bit shy."
She spoke with an easy warmth that instantly made me feel comfortable.
"Oh, it's okay!" I said, offering my hand. "Nice to meet you! Can we be friends?"
I wasn't sure what she'd say. Part of me was nervous, but… I hoped. Just one friend could make all the difference.
She grinned and shook my hand. "Of course! I'd love that. I'm so lucky to be your friend. Not a lot of people here know you, but I do. Actually… I'm one of your fans."
Wait—what?
My heart did a little somersault. "Really?"
She nodded. "Yup! I've seen all your fashion shows. And I have almost all your magazines. I model part-time, so I follow people in the scene. And you, Fyre, are definitely in."
She pronounced my name a little differently—but it sounded cute when she said it.
I blinked. "Oh wow. That's… thank you."
It was unexpected. Most of my work had been overseas, especially in Asia. I never thought someone here would recognize me, let alone call themselves a fan.
Still, it felt… nice.
"Can I ask?" she said, tilting her head. "Why did you choose this school? It's so far from your country and your career."
I'd been waiting for that question. I knew it would come eventually.
"I just want a normal life," I said softly. "No special treatment. No fame. Just school."
Oriel smiled, nodding like she understood completely. "I get it. That makes sense."
I let out a quiet breath of relief. It was rare to meet someone who didn't treat me like a celebrity.
Then something clicked. "By the way, I saw you talking to Ice earlier, right?"
Her expression shifted into something between amusement and exasperation. "Ah, Ice. That guy's… unwelcoming. Don't mind him. He's like that with everyone."
I chuckled. "Yeah, he definitely gives off that energy."
Our conversation was interrupted by a loud ringtone from Oriel's pocket. She pulled out her phone, frowned briefly, then answered.
"Yah, DJ? Why—? Oh! Okay, okay, I'll be there in five minutes. Yep, got it!"
She hung up and stood abruptly.
"Who was that?" I asked, curious.
"Oh, DJ—my best friend. I'll introduce you to him next time, he's also in the same class. But I've gotta go now." She slung her bag over her shoulder and smiled. "It was really nice meeting you! Bye, Fyre!"
"Bye!" I waved as she hurried off.
I sat there for a moment, still holding onto the warmth of our conversation.
I'd made a friend.
It wasn't much—but it was something. A start.
Still, a strange kind of emptiness lingered in my chest. Maybe it was homesickness. Maybe it was just the weight of everything changing so quickly.
***
The next day, I found myself running to school again. The meeting with my manager had kept me up all night. I yawned as I waited for bread from the same bakery I'd gone to yesterday.
I glanced at my watch. Five more minutes… gotta hurry.
"No running in the hallway, transferee."
The voice came from behind—sharp and commanding. My body stopped on instinct, frozen by the sheer authority in his tone.
I turned to look back, but all I saw was a boy's retreating figure as he walked away.
I let out a sigh. I definitely didn't want to get in trouble.