Nullen had been testing the pin for weeks. No reaction. No glow. Nothing.
Yet he couldn't let it go.
The way it flickered that one night.
Out of desperation more than logic, he dialed Iridea's number.
"Are you free tonight?" he asked flatly.
There was a pause. "Why?" came her guarded voice.
"Dinner. Just us."
"Have you been drugged?" she deadpanned.
"You can just say yes or no," he muttered.
A small laugh. "Since miracles don't happen often, sure. I'm free tonight."
---
Later That Night at The Restaurant
Nullen arrived first. He swirled his wine, zoning out, until he overheard whispers from the next table.
"Did you see her?"
"She's stunning."
He glanced toward the entrance and froze.
Iridea stepped into the room, glowing under the soft lights like she was born of them. Her dress hugged her frame in all the right ways, hair cascading like gold and fire. Everyone noticed.
Including Nullen.
And for a brief second, just a flicker, his pin lit up. Faint, but real.
Iridea reached their table, expression cool. "Sorry I'm late."
Nullen blinked. "It's fine."
She sat down. "So… what's this about?"
"I was bored," he said flatly.
Her smile faltered. "Right. Should've known."
She looked away, crossing her legs elegantly. "Glad I dressed up for boredom."
---
The silence between them grew heavier with every passing second. No compliments. No questions. Just… silence.
Until a tall, confident man from a nearby table approached them.
"Excuse me," he said, flashing a charming smile at Iridea. "I don't mean to interrupt, but… I've been watching you since you walked in. You're absolutely captivating."
Iridea blinked. Then smirked. "Oh? Thank you."
"Can I have your number?" the man asked, not even acknowledging Nullen.
Nullen's grip on his glass tightened. "You're brave," he said coldly. "But incredibly disrespectful."
The guy scoffed. "She said you're not even on a date. What are you, her brother?"
Before Iridea could speak, Nullen's chair scraped sharply against the floor. "Fiancé," he said in a deadly tone.
The man paused, then glanced between them. "Funny. You two sit like strangers. Doesn't look like there's much between you."
He walked off.
---
Iridea exhaled, her patience thinning. "You invited me out, Nullen. For what? To watch me sit here while you sulk in silence?"
He didn't answer.
She stood, grabbing her clutch. "Next time, don't bother."
She turned to leave but paused as she passed the mirrored wall near their table. Out of the corner of her eye, something caught her attention.
His pin.
It was glowing.
Faint, barely noticeable—but it was there. A soft pulse of color blooming across the gem, just as her reflection disappeared from view.
Her steps faltered for a second. Her lips parted—but she said nothing.
Instead, she walked out, leaving Nullen behind, still silent, still confused—his charm flickering with something he couldn't see.
But she did.
---
Nullen remained seated at the table, the chair across from him empty now.
He exhaled slowly, leaning back.
You invited her. She looked like that. And you let her leave.
He knew he wasn't acting right. She'd made an effort, he saw it the moment she walked in. Everyone saw it. But instead of saying something, instead of meeting her halfway, he shut her out.
Again.
And when that guy approached her? He wanted to break the guy's jaw.
Not because of jealousy.
Because it hit him just how many people noticed her… while he sat there, pretending he didn't care.
---
Iridea slammed her car door shut, the sound echoing in the quiet parking lot. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white.
She wasn't crying. But she was seething.
"He asked me out," she muttered, staring out the windshield. "Then spent the whole dinner acting like I was a chore."
All that effort,her hair, her dress, even her mood. For what?
She leaned her head back against the seat, trying to breathe through the wave of frustration building in her chest.
Every time she thought maybe they were getting somewhere, Nullen would freeze up again. And tonight, after the way he looked at her, after the way his pin glowed, she thought maybe, just maybe, something was different.
But no. Same cold silence. Same Nullen.
Her eyes drifted to her reflection in the rearview mirror. Her makeup was still perfect, but she'd never felt more dismissed.
"Why do I even bother?" she whispered.
---
The next day - Outside the School Gates.
The bell had rung. Students poured out of the academy gates, their laughter and chatter filling the air. Iridea, clutching her sketch folder to her chest, kept her pace calm and steady. She was in no mood to socialize.
She noticed the shift in energy before she even heard the whispers, heads turning, gasps echoing around her.
"Is that who I think it is?"
"Why is he here?"
"That's Nullen Vir, right? From the Academy of Medicine?"
She didn't care. Her heels clicked against the pavement, determined to pass through the commotion unnoticed.
Then—
"Iridea."
That cold, unmistakable voice.
Her steps froze mid-stride.
Asshole. Her jaw clenched as she slowly turned her head, her eyes narrowing.
There he stood just beyond the gate, Nullen Vir, in his pre-med uniform, posture composed as ever. But his presence stirred chaos among the students. A striking figure, mysterious and off-limits, he might as well have been a celebrity.
Iridea's classmates looked at her in shock, waiting to see what she'd do.
She met his gaze, expression unreadable. "What are you doing here?" she asked, voice level, but every word laced with tension.
"I need to talk to you," he said plainly, as if they weren't standing in front of half the school.
"And this couldn't wait?" she shot back, keeping her tone low but biting.
Nullen's jaw tightened slightly. "It's important."
Iridea glanced around at the crowd forming. She hated scenes. And she hated that he was the one dragging her into one.
"Then say it." Her arms crossed. "Or leave."