Kaizer's POV
The classroom wasn't loud.
But to me… it never felt quiet.
Sir's voice was right there, steady and clear, chalk scraping lightly against the board as he explained something I knew I had read before. The words reached me...but they didn't stay.
Because everything else did.
"I didn't complete the assignment…"
"Why is he staring like that…"
"I'm so tired…"
Fragments of thoughts drifted in, overlapping, clashing, refusing to let anything else settle.
I tried to focus.
I really did.
But the harder I tried, the more everything blurred.
"Kaizer."
The noise thinned for a second.
I looked up.
Sir was looking straight at me.
"Can you answer this?"
I stood up. I knew this. I had read it last night. I remembered the lines, the explanation… everything.
But when I tried to speak,
The words broke.
They came out incomplete. Misplaced.
A few students shifted in their seats. Someone let out a faint laugh.
Sir's expression didn't harden. It softened.
That made it worse.
"What's bothering you these days?"
I looked away.
"Headache, sir."
A lie.
And yet… not entirely.
---
"Kaizer, wait."
I stopped at the door as the bell rang.
The class slowly emptied, voices fading into the corridor, until it was just the two of us.
Sir stepped closer.
"You're not like this. Tell me honestly..what's the problem?"
I hesitated.
Then said quietly, "I can't focus around too many people."
For a moment, he didn't respond.
Then he sighed, adjusting his glasses.
"I would've helped you personally… but my schedule is very tight these days."
I nodded.
Of course.
And then,
"I can't waste extra time… maybe he just can't keep up anymore."
…
Right.
He looked back at me.
"You can try asking a senior. Someone who can guide you regularly."
A senior.
For a brief second,
Her face crossed my mind.
I immediately looked away.
No.
---
"Bro, what did sir say?"
Lux dropped into the seat beside me as soon as I stepped out.
"Said I should ask a senior for help."
"That's actually a great idea!"
He didn't even think.
"Ask Sister Iris."
…
"No."
"She has her own studies."
"So what? Just ask once."
I frowned.
"Why would she even talk to me?"
Lux rolled his eyes.
"She already knows us. That helps."
I didn't respond.
But I didn't refuse again either.
---
By the end of the day, I had her number.
From Lux.
I didn't ask how.
---
I found myself standing at the bus stop.
Without remembering when I got there.
My eyes moved on their own...searching.
And then I saw her.
At a distance.
Walking beside her cycle.
Not waiting for a bus.
…so she usually doesn't take one.
I looked away.
Why did that matter?
---
The bus ride felt longer than usual.
I sat by the window, phone in hand, staring at nothing in particular.
Typing lines in my head.
Deleting them.
Rewriting.
Again.
And again.
Then suddenly,
I paused.
Why am I thinking this much?
It's just about studies.
Nothing else.
…
And then I noticed something strange.
The noise.
It was still there.
But I hadn't been listening.
For a few moments… it had faded.
---
I reached home.
Dropped my bag.
Sat on the bed.
Phone in hand.
Chat open.
Cursor blinking.
I typed.
Deleted.
Typed again.
Erased everything.
Stared.
Typed again.
"…Hello Senior Iris…"
No.
Deleted.
Again.
Finally,
I stopped thinking.
And just sent it.
---
Hello… Senior Iris. This is Kaizer here. You might know me. I wanted to ask if you could guide me in my studies.
---
The moment it went through, I dropped back on the bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
Like I had just finished something exhausting.
---
Iris's POV
The café felt unusually quiet.
Or maybe I was just too tired to notice anything properly.
I moved from table to table, taking orders, cleaning cups, repeating the same motions without thinking much.
Then I saw her.
Grace.
So she actually got the job.
I didn't react. Just continued working.
But she walked up to me anyway.
"Hey."
Her voice wasn't sharp like before.
It wasn't warm either.
Just… unsure.
We exchanged a few words. Simple. Short.
Nothing meaningful.
Soon, she went back to her work.
And so did I.
---
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I ignored it.
Continued working.
But my mind didn't.
It kept pulling me back.
Again.
And again.
Finally, I sighed and checked.
---
The first line—
Hello… Senior Iris. This is Kaizer here.
…
What?
I blinked.
Read it again.
Then continued.
You might know me. I wanted to ask if you could guide me in my studies.
Short.
Simple.
Straight to the point.
A small smile formed on my lips.
Of course.
---
I immediately called Anya.
She picked up,
And before she could even say hello,
I started talking.
Fast. Excited. Teasing.
She caught on instantly.
"Ohh… so HE messaged you?"
"Shut up."
She laughed.
"So what are you going to reply?"
I leaned against the counter, thinking.
"I'll say yes… if I have time."
"Good. Don't act too available."
"I know."
---
I opened the chat again.
Took a deep breath.
Typed.
Stopped.
Deleted.
Typed again.
Paused.
Then finally,
Sent.
---
Kaizer's POV
Seen.
No reply.
…
Fine.
Normal.
Still,
Why is it taking so long?
---
My phone buzzed.
Lux.
"What happened?"
"…"
"Bro??"
"…"
Three dots.
He called immediately.
"She might be busy. Why are you sounding like that?"
"I'm not."
"Yeah, sure."
I exhaled.
"She probably has more important things."
---
Then,
A notification.
---
I opened it.
---
Ohh hlo! I recognised you. I would like to guide you through your studies.
---
I sat up instantly.
---
Thank you. When are you free?
Typing…
Stopped…
Typing again…
---
This Sunday? In the school library?
---
"Okay."
---
A deep breath escaped me.
---
I called Lux.
Told him.
He immediately started,
"Ohhh… look at you—"
"Stop."
He stopped.
---
I looked at the calendar.
Four days.
Sunday.
---
I leaned back.
Stared at the ceiling.
For some reason,
It didn't feel like the first time.
Not this feeling.
Not this… waiting.
A faint image crossed my mind.
A small hand tugging at my sleeve.
A voice I couldn't fully remember,
But it felt familiar.
Too familiar.
…
I closed my eyes.
And let it fade.
---