The morning of the water festival arrived like a dare.
The sky was clear when XH first opened his eyes, the kind of bright blue that made everything look harmless. He lay still for a moment, listening to the distant sounds of campus already waking. Footsteps in hallways. Laughter too early. Someone blasting music from a speaker like they were trying to summon bravery.
XH sat up slowly.
His shirt from yesterday was still hanging on the chair, stiff from drying badly. His hair smelled faintly like chlorine and plastic cups. His phone was face down on the desk, but he could already imagine the messages waiting.
He stood, stretched his shoulders, and felt that familiar tightness in his chest, light but present.
He paused.
Breathed.
In. Out.
The tightness loosened.
But it left behind a faint warning, like his body was whispering, careful.
XH reached for his phone anyway.
Group chat was already screaming.
JP: WAKE UP IT'S D-DAYTZ: water dayHS: i want to disappearNS: meet at courtyard 10:00. don't be late.
Then two private notifications.
Kitty: don't disappear todayJune: no silence today
XH stared at both messages.
Same theme.
Same pressure.
He typed back to both.
XH: I'm here. see you soon.
He didn't add anything extra. No hearts. No jokes. No softening.
Because today would not forgive extra.
By the time XH reached the courtyard, it looked like a different world.
Booths were fully built now. Colorful banners hung from railings. A small stage had been set up near the center, speakers testing sound with bursts of static. There were stalls selling festival snacks and "waterproof" phone covers that looked like scams. Major flags waved in the breeze.
The biggest change was the people.
Students were dressed like they were attending a summer concert, not a school event. Bright shirts. Shorts. Waterproof sandals. Some wore goggles around their necks like they were about to go underwater.
And water weapons were everywhere.
Big pump guns, buckets, balloons in nets, even homemade contraptions made from plastic bottles.
Engineering majors gathered like an army in dark blue bands.
Business majors in red looked like they were there for drama more than games.
Computing majors in green looked strategic and nervous.
Health track in white looked like they were about to be sacrificed again.
XH spotted his group immediately.
JP was already yelling at someone, hyped like a tournament day.
TZ bounced on his feet, grinning.
HS held a towel over his shoulder like a shield, eyes wide.
NS stood calm, scanning the crowd like a security guard, posture steady.
Andrew stood near them too, holding a black notebook, flipping pages like he was actually coaching a sports team. His calm presence made everything feel more serious, even if the event was supposed to be fun.
XH walked up.
JP threw an arm around him. "Bro. You are about to become a legend today."
XH frowned. "Why."
JP laughed. "Because you have two queens watching you."
HS whispered, "Don't say that."
TZ snorted. "He's right."
NS's gaze flicked to XH's face. "You okay."
XH nodded. "Yeah."
NS didn't look fully convinced, but he didn't push. "Good. Stay near us."
Andrew tapped his notebook. "Health track strategy meeting."
JP groaned. "We are playing water, not war."
Andrew's expression stayed calm. "Water is war."
TZ laughed. "Okay coach."
Andrew flipped a page. "Engineering will target our girls. KM will target Kitty. Shinso is here too. Business majors are watching for drama. Computing will play defense and try to embarrass us with tricks."
JP blinked. "Why do you know all this."
Andrew shrugged. "I observe."
HS whispered, "That's scary."
Andrew continued, "We keep Kitty and June in our circle. Not because they can't fight, but because if something escalates, we control the situation."
NS nodded. "Agreed."
JP grinned. "So, bodyguard arc."
TZ bumped fists with NS. "We got you."
XH listened, jaw tight.
Because every time someone said Kitty and June, it felt like they were talking about two fires he was standing between.
Then the crowd roared suddenly.
The Headmaster stepped onto the stage.
He wore a light jacket and carried a microphone like he was hosting a concert. Behind him, THKM and Lola stood as presenters, holding clipboards, smiling politely like professionals forced into chaos.
"Welcome," the Headmaster shouted. "To the water festival."
The crowd screamed.
The Headmaster smiled wider, enjoying it. "Today is tradition. Today is freedom. Today is the only day you can assault your classmates with water and still call it community building."
Laughter exploded.
"Rules," he continued. "No targeting faces with buckets. No pushing people down stairs. No stealing phones. If someone cries, you are not allowed to laugh."
The crowd laughed anyway.
The Headmaster raised his hand. "Majors will compete in rounds. Points will be counted. Winners get bragging rights, cash prizes for their major club, and something else."
He paused dramatically.
People leaned in.
The Headmaster grinned. "The winner major gets priority booth placement for the next campus event."
Boos and cheers mixed.
"Also," he said casually, "best couple photo contest will run all day. Student council will select winners tonight."
A scream went through the crowd.
XH felt his stomach drop.
JP leaned close and whispered, "You're finished."
HS whispered, "We're all finished."
TZ laughed. "We're finished beautifully."
NS's eyes narrowed. "Ignore it."
XH nodded, but his heart didn't listen.
Because he already saw students turning their phones toward him.
Not just him.
Toward Kitty and June too.
Toward the triangle everyone had been feeding on since the tournament.
And today was the kind of day the campus loved to make stories.
Kitty arrived with the girls just as the Headmaster finished speaking.
Kitty wore a simple white top and shorts, towel tucked into her waistband, phone in a waterproof pouch. Her hair was tied tight. She looked prepared.
June arrived a second later.
June wore a white hoodie tied around her waist and a fitted top. Her hair was down. She looked like she had decided she would not be embarrassed today, no matter what happened.
NC, Jihye, Anna, and Cherry were with them.
Cherry looked amused, like she was already judging everyone.
Jihye waved at the boys, bright and friendly.
NC smiled calmly.
Anna looked slightly nervous but excited.
Kitty's eyes met XH's.
June's eyes met XH's.
XH felt like his throat got tight.
He stepped toward them anyway.
"Good morning," XH said.
Kitty's voice was soft. "Morning."
June's voice was calm. "Morning."
Kitty glanced at the boys. "So you brought your whole army."
JP grinned. "We are your loyal knights."
TZ added, "We accept payment in snacks."
HS whispered, "I'm not a knight, I'm a victim."
NS said nothing, but his presence spoke for him.
June's lips curved faintly. "Good. Because we might need you."
Kitty glanced at June, then looked away quickly.
XH caught that.
Not anger.
Something else.
Recognition.
The Headmaster's whistle blew.
Round one announced.
Health track versus computing.
Computing majors cheered, raising their green bands.
Health track gathered.
JP cracked his knuckles. "Time to humble the nerds."
HS protested. "We are also nerds."
TZ laughed. "Different type."
Andrew opened his notebook again. "Remember, they will use shields."
NS nodded. "We break their formation."
XH's eyes flicked to Kitty and June.
Both girls stood behind the health track line, holding their water weapons, watching the computing line with calm focus.
Kitty leaned toward June and whispered something.
June nodded once.
They looked like generals too.
Not cheerleaders.
That made something warm in XH's chest.
Then the whistle blew again.
Chaos.
Water exploded like fireworks.
Computing majors used lids and plastic boards as shields, advancing in a tight formation.
Health track charged in scattered waves, loud and messy.
JP sprinted forward and dumped a bucket on the computing captain like a declaration.
TZ chased someone screaming, laughing like a man possessed.
HS actually fought, surprising himself, throwing balloons with shocking accuracy.
NS moved like a defender, blocking attacks aimed at Kitty and June, stepping into buckets like it was normal.
XH fired his water gun, but his attention kept splitting.
He watched Kitty.
She moved fast, dodging, hitting targets cleanly. She laughed when she landed a hit, but her eyes stayed focused.
He watched June.
June didn't laugh much. She smiled when she hit someone, but her expression was sharper, more competitive. She moved like she wanted to win not just the game but the narrative.
At one point, a computing student aimed a bucket at Kitty's head.
XH saw it too late to shout.
Kitty ducked just in time, water splashing behind her.
Then Kitty twisted and fired back, soaking the attacker's chest like a punishment.
Kitty turned, breathing hard, and her gaze flicked to XH like she was checking if he saw.
He did.
He nodded slightly.
Kitty's expression softened just a fraction.
Then June shouted, "XH."
XH turned.
June tossed him a full net of balloons.
XH caught it awkwardly.
June smirked. "Don't be useless."
XH blinked, then laughed despite himself. "Thanks."
June fired at a computing student who was sneaking behind XH. Water hit him square in the face. The guy screamed.
XH stared.
June shrugged. "You're welcome."
Kitty saw that exchange.
Kitty didn't react outwardly.
But her eyes held something like a quiet ache that she quickly buried.
The match ended with health track winning by points, mostly because computing's shields couldn't survive JP's bucket insanity.
The crowd cheered.
Health track students hugged and screamed like they won a championship.
JP climbed onto a bench and shouted, "WINGS GAMING NEVER DIES."
The crowd laughed.
TZ joined. "HOVER YOUR WINGS."
HS covered his face. "Please stop."
June laughed quietly.
Kitty smiled too.
XH watched both smiles and felt that dangerous warmth again.
Because both smiles were for the same moment.
For the same victory.
For the same group.
And that was exactly why it hurt.
During break time, students refilled water, bought snacks, took photos.
The couple photo contest booth was already busy.
People posed under banners.
Friends screamed at each other to get better angles.
XH tried to stay near the boys, but the campus moved like a tide.
Kitty approached him near a drink stall.
Her voice was quiet. "You kept your promise."
XH nodded. "I'm here."
Kitty's eyes searched his face. "Look at me."
XH froze slightly, remembering last night.
Then he did.
He looked at her fully.
Kitty held his gaze for a moment longer than necessary.
Then she leaned in slightly and said, so softly only he could hear, "Tomorrow I don't want to be your waiting room."
XH's throat tightened. "You're not."
Kitty's lips pressed together, like she wanted to believe him, but didn't want to risk it.
Before XH could say more, June appeared beside them.
June's voice was calm. "Round two is about to start."
Kitty straightened, expression neutral again.
XH looked at June. "Okay."
June's eyes flicked between them. "You two look serious."
Kitty's voice stayed calm. "We're just talking."
June's smile was faint but sharp. "Talking is dangerous."
Kitty met her gaze. "So is silence."
June's eyes narrowed slightly, then she turned to XH. "Don't disappear."
XH nodded. "I won't."
The whistle blew again.
Round two announced.
Health track versus business.
The crowd roared.
And across the courtyard, engineering majors watched with dark blue bands and smiles that looked like they were waiting for the most entertaining part.
KM stood with them, smirking.
Shinso stood nearby, hair dyed white, grinning like he was in an anime opening.
Thoon, HTN, and SRM stood together like they were queens of their own world, eyes fixed on Kitty and June.
XH felt the air tighten.
Water festival wasn't just games.
It was theater.
And the first act had ended with health track winning.
Now the real drama was moving into position.
The sun was still high, bright and harmless.
But XH could already smell rain somewhere far away, like the sky was saving it for the moment everything broke.
And this was only part one.