INT- CLASSROOM -7:30 AM
The first day of the semester had arrived.
The classroom buzzed with a low, drowsy hum—rustling backpacks, yawns hidden behind hands, and the quiet tapping of keyboards. Some students stared blankly at the whiteboard, others still hadn't fully accepted that break was over.
Then the door creaked open.
Silence fell like a dropped curtain. The professor entered, composed and calm, her presence drawing every eye.
"I hope you all had a restful break," she said, her voice warm but firm. "Before we begin, I have a small announcement."
She paused just long enough to let curiosity bloom.
"You have a new classmate joining us this semester. Please welcome her kindly. Ms. Asfault, come in."
The door opened again—and it was as if the lights in the room got brighter.
Zafire Asfault stepped in, her every movement brimming with cheerful energy. Her long hair, glossy and wild like a river of black silk, bounced with every step. Her skin was as pale as porcelain, but her expression sparkled with life.
"Good morning, everyone!" she beamed. "I'm Zafire Asfault—but my friends call me Fire! And I really hope you'll be my friends!"
She bowed with enthusiasm—almost too enthusiastically. The entire room was instantly lighter.
Her smile could've powered the school for a week. It wasn't just warm—it was alive, magnetic in a way that made people want to smile back.
The professor smiled faintly. "Ms. Asfault, you're seated next to Mr. Atlas."
Zafire glanced at the chart, then made her way across the classroom with a cheerful bounce in her step, scanning for her mystery seatmate.
And there he was.
Sitting perfectly still at his desk. Back straight. Eyes on the board. Not even a twitch when she approached. His hair fell in neat layers around a sharp jawline, his expression unreadable.
He didn't look up as she slid into the seat beside him.
She sat down, peeked at him again.Nothing.She wasn't used to silence. Or to being ignored.
Especially not on purpose.
The professor began the lesson. "Today, we'll be learning how to cook recipes from various cultures. The goal is not just to cook, but to understand their traditions."
Zafire slouched with a sigh. This would've been fascinating—if she weren't sleep-deprived and sitting beside a human wall.
She tried to pay attention, but her body was in protest. Her legs bounced under the desk. Her fingers tapped rhythmically against her notebook. Her brain—still half in a different time zone—drifted in and out of the lecture.
She had flown in from Gangnam just hours ago. Two hours of sleep, max. Not ideal.
She yawned.
Then glanced at her seatmate again.
Still no reaction. Not even a blink?!
She leaned toward him slightly.
"Hey there! I'm Fire!" she whispered, her voice chipper and bright like a morning TV host. "What's your name?"
She extended her hand in an overly friendly shake. A few students turned their heads.
He didn't move. She blinked. Did he seriously just ignore her?
Her expression twisted into disbelief. She pulled her hand back slowly, as if she'd touched something cold.Rude.
But she wasn't giving up.
Zafire Asfault didn't not get responses. This was new. This was... interesting.
She tapped the edge of his desk with her pinky. "Psst! Hello? Mister I'm-too-cool-for-words? Are you always this quiet, or is it just me?" she said with a playful grin.
Still nothing.
She sighed dramatically, then leaned her cheek on one hand, pouting like a bored kid in detention. He didn't flinch.
She narrowed her eyes at him. He wasn't ignoring her out of shyness—no, this was intentional. Like a cat watching a bird and pretending not to care.
"Okay. Be mysterious. See if I care." She crossed her arms, muttering to herself. "But I will get you to talk. One way or another."
The boy finally turned. Just for a second.
His eyes, a clear and distant gray, met hers—and something flickered there. Amusement?
A tiny smirk played at the corner of his lips.
And then, just like that, he looked away again. He wasn't ignoring her because he disliked her.
Was he playing hard to get? Or just… uninterested?
Either way, he had her attention now.
And whether he liked it or not, she wasn't going to let this go.
She didn't come here to stand out for her modeling career. She wanted a fresh start, a quieter life. But maybe… making one friend wouldn't hurt.
Especially if that friend was the quiet mystery sitting next to her.
Fire sat in the corner of the cafeteria, enjoying her meal with quiet satisfaction. The food was surprisingly good, though she couldn't tell if it was simply because she was starving. She let out a small sigh, her thoughts drifting to the ice cream she had been craving.
Her mind wandered back to earlier that day, to the memory of a frustrating yet oddly intriguing encounter with a guy named Keice. Or Ice, as he preferred to be called. Fire had tried to be friendly, approaching him several times, hoping to strike up a conversation. But each time, he had coldly brushed her off, not even bothering to offer his name.
That was until, finally, after several attempts, he had sighed heavily, clearly annoyed with her persistence, and said, "The name is Keice. Ice for short. Happy now? So stop bothering me, because you're irritating." And just like that, he had turned on his heel and walked off, disappearing just as the bell for break rang.
Fire couldn't help but frown at the memory. How can he be so rude? she thought, still feeling the sting of his words. But despite his harsh tone, she had to admit one thing: He was cute. Really cute. She hadn't expected someone like him to act that way, but there was something about him that piqued her interest. Maybe he's just having a bad day?
Her thoughts were interrupted as a voice broke through her reflections. A girl, with a bright smile, had seated herself across from Fire.
"Bonjour! Can I sit here?" the girl asked, her smile warm and inviting. Fire blinked, taking a moment to look her over. The girl was pretty, definitely.
"Oui!" Fire responded, offering her own friendly smile in return.
French was the common language around here, and although Fire wasn't fluent, she had learned enough to understand a little more with each conversation.
"Merci! Est-ce que vous parlez anglais?" the girl asked, her tone light and casual. Thank you. Do you speak English?
Fire raised an eyebrow, amused. Merci, she thought, knowing she had just spoken French.
"I do," Fire said with a nod.
The girl's eyes lit up. "Hello! Fire, right? My name is Oriel Kauthner, just call me Oriel. We're classmates, actually. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier—I'm a bit shy." Oriel's words came with an air of warmth, and Fire could sense that the girl was genuinely kind.
"Oh, it's okay," Fire replied, offering her hand. "Nice to meet you! Can we be friends?"
She wasn't sure what to expect, but Fire couldn't help but hope that Oriel would accept. She'd been feeling lonely since arriving, and maybe this would be the start of something good.
Oriel grinned, shaking her hand firmly. "Sure!" She looked genuinely happy. "I'm so lucky to be your friend. Not a lot of people here know you, but I do. And believe it or not, I'm one of your fans."
Fire's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected that. Although she had worked as a model for years, most of her work had been in Asia. It felt strange to be recognized here, in a foreign country. She'd kept her feet on the ground, never expecting much beyond her niche audience.
"Wow, thanks!" Fire replied, smiling sheepishly. "But how did you know?" She was genuinely curious.
Oriel seemed unfazed, her smile unwavering. "I've watched all of your fashion shows, and I have copies of almost all of your magazines. Hmm, I'm a part-time model, so I keep track of who's in the fashion scene. And you're definitely in, Fyre."
Fire's eyes widened, both flattered and humbled. "Thank you!"
"I was just wondering, why here?" Oriel asked, her brow furrowing slightly. "It's so far from your home country and your work. It must be quite a hassle."
Fire had anticipated the question. It was one she had prepared herself for, knowing it would come up sooner or later. With a calm smile, she replied, her voice steady: "I don't want special treatment just because of my job. It's really not a big deal."
Oriel nodded eagerly. "No problem, I get it."
Fire let out a relieved breath. She was tired of people only wanting to be around her because of her fame. It was refreshing to meet someone who seemed to like her for who she was, not just for her model persona.
By then, Fire remembered something else. "By the way, I saw you talking to Ice earlier, right?" She tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing in thought.
Fire nodded.
Oriel smiled knowingly and commented "That guy is unwelcoming. He can be kind sometimes, but he doesn't really have any close friends in our section."
Fire couldn't help but laugh softly. "Yeah, he's definitely got that vibe," she agreed. Ice was cold and distant, something about him rubbed her the wrong way.
The conversation was cut short by a sudden ringing sound from Oriel's pocket. She pulled out her phone quickly, glancing at the screen. "Hello? Yah, DJ, why... oh, what? Okay, okay, I'll be there in five minutes. Yep, okay!" Oriel ended the call with a swift tap.
"Who was that?" Fire asked, curiosity piqued.
Oriel flashed a quick smile. "Ah, DJ, my best friend. I'll introduce you to him next time. But I've got to go now. It was really nice meeting you! Bye Fyre." She waved while standing up, already heading toward the door.
Fire waved back, her heart feeling a little lighter.
As Oriel disappeared from view, Fire couldn't help but sigh. She'd just made a friend, but the feeling of loneliness still lingered. At least I'm not alone anymore, she thought, though a deep part of her still ached for more.
With an hour left before class resumed, Fire decided to make the best of her time. I'll just tour the whole school, she thought, her gaze scanning the room. Maybe I'll get more familiar with the place.