Velithra didn't usually like mornings. They were too loud, too bright, too full of people who didn't really see her.
But today felt different.
She took her seat, and while the classroom buzzed with random chatter, she felt calmer than usual—anchored, somehow. Maybe because she knew Kai was just a few feet away.
Kai sat at his desk, leaning back slightly, tapping a pencil absently against the edge. He looked relaxed, but his eyes kept flicking toward her when he thought she wasn't paying attention.
She noticed.She pretended she didn't.But she noticed.
Halfway through the lesson, their eyes met accidentally.
Velithra looked away instantly, heat blooming in her cheeks.
Kai didn't look away.
He tilted his head a little, studying her with that unreadable softness—like he was trying to understand something about her without pushing her. Like he cared enough to be patient.
Velithra swallowed.It was too much and not enough at the same time.
When the teacher called for group work, Velithra expected Kai to partner with the people who usually tried to get his attention.
But he walked straight to her desk.
"Can I sit here?" he asked, even though he was already pulling the chair out.
Velithra blinked. "You didn't really wait for my answer."
"You looked like you'd say yes."
She rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth twitched.
They worked quietly at first, exchanging simple comments.
Then Kai's voice dropped a little.
"You seem… lighter today."
Velithra froze. "Lighter?"
"Yeah. Like something isn't dragging you down as much." He tapped his pencil once. "I like seeing that."
She stared at him. No one had ever said anything like that to her—not without judgment, not with actual care behind it.
Her voice came out soft. "It's… new to me."
Kai didn't smile. But his expression warmed in a way that felt steadier than a smile.
"Good," he said. "You deserve new."
Velithra didn't trust herself to reply.
When the teacher walked by, Kai leaned slightly closer—not enough to touch her, but enough that she felt his presence, like a quiet shield between her and the world.
His voice lowered.
"Tell me if it becomes too much," he whispered.
Velithra looked up at him, surprised. "Tell you what?"
"If this… whatever we're doing… becomes overwhelming." He paused. "I don't want to push you."
Her heart tightened—not painfully, but in a way that felt like something inside her was trying to open.
"Okay," she murmured.
Kai nodded once, satisfied.
And then, as if to balance the intensity of the moment, he flicked her notebook gently with his pencil.
"You spelled that wrong," he said.
Velithra gaped at him. "Are you serious?"
"Completely."
She tried to hide her laugh—but Kai saw it.
And for the first time that day, he let a small, quiet smile slip across his face.