When courage meets kindness, even the quietest heart can shake the proudest soul.
The girl in front of Valentine had her hand on her waist, a small frown twisting her pretty face. She looked both cute and fierce — like a kitten pretending to be a lion.
Alice tilted her head, the smirk never leaving her lips. "Well, what do we have here?" she drawled before waving to one of her girls. "Teach that brat some manners."
The little girl beside Valentine flinched as a tall senior stepped forward. But before the girl could take a single step, Valentine pushed herself off the ground. Her knees screamed in protest, but she stood straight — calm, steady, and firm.
"Touch her," Valentine's voice was low but sharp, "and I'll make sure you regret it."
The senior girl stopped mid-step, startled by the chill in Valentine's tone. Her eyes darted to Alice for approval.
Valentine took a slow step forward, positioning herself between the little girl and Alice's crew. Her heart pounded, but her gaze didn't waver.
Alice laughed. "Oh, look at that — the quiet girl suddenly found her tongue."
The girls behind her giggled cruelly.
Valentine didn't respond. Her calmness only seemed to make Alice more annoyed.
"You think you're some kind of heroine?" Alice sneered. "Putting on a show for the crowd?"
Valentine's lips tightened. "What do you really want, Alice? Because I don't have the time or patience for your drama."
That made Alice's smirk falter for a second. Then she stepped closer, tapping Valentine's chest with her finger. "You really think anyone's going to save you this time? You're on your own."
Her perfume was strong, her words stronger — filled with venom.
"Drop out of the election," Alice hissed. "You don't deserve to be anywhere near the council."
Valentine stayed still. Her mind was working quietly, strategically. "If I drop out," she said slowly, "you'll leave the girl alone."
The little girl behind her gasped. "Why would you give up something for someone who isn't even worthy?" she said in a trembling voice, glaring at Alice with fiery eyes. "You're a mean witch!"
Alice's face darkened. "You—"
Valentine stepped in front of the child again. "You heard me," she said, voice low. "Let her go, and I'll make it official right now."
Alice crossed her arms. "You think I'm stupid? You'll post it on the school forum. Right now."
Valentine unlocked her phone with calm fingers. The screen's glow reflected in her steady eyes.
Alice's smirk widened — until she saw Valentine's fingers actually typing. "Wait, you're serious?"
Valentine didn't answer. The notification dinged — post uploaded.
Alice blinked. Her triumphant smile faltered, then returned with forced confidence. "Guess you're not as brave as you look," she whispered, tilting Valentine's chin up with a single manicured finger. "If you were that easy, I wouldn't have bothered wasting my time."
She turned away, her group following behind with cruel laughter echoing in the courtyard.
Silence fell.
Then, unexpectedly, the little girl shoved Valentine slightly. "You're stupid!" she burst out, her small face red. "Why did you let them bully you like that?"
Valentine smiled faintly and took the girl's hand, ignoring her protests. Limping slightly, she led them both to a bench.
The girl folded her arms and looked away, pouting.
Valentine chuckled. "You're angry at me?"
The girl didn't reply.
Valentine leaned back and studied her. The uniform looked familiar — then she remembered, the junior and kindergarten section was behind the senior college , she gazed at the uniform as she guessed—a junior section student, maybe kindergarten level. The girl's features stirred something in her memory… but she couldn't quite place it.
After a pause, Valentine said softly, "You don't need to worry. I recorded everything."
The girl turned to her, eyes wide. "You what?"
Valentine smiled. "Their words, every insult. I'll send it to the disciplinary head and the homeroom teacher."
The girl blinked, then grinned mischievously. "So you're not weak after all."
"Not really," Valentine said with a wink. "I just wanted her to feel like she was winning."
The girl giggled, showing a small tooth gap. "I like you already!" she said, hugging Valentine's arm.
Valentine laughed. "You're a funny kid. What's your name?"
The girl only shook her head, smiling mysteriously.
"You're not going to tell me?"
"Nope!"
Valentine sighed, amused. "Fine then, mystery girl. What are you doing here?"
The girl leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "Guess."
Valentine blinked. "Guess what?"
"Who I came to see."
"Give me a hint."
"He's popular," she said proudly, "respected, and a little scary."
Valentine furrowed her brows. "Scary?"
The girl nodded seriously.
Valentine thought for a moment. "Is it Mr. Han, the principal?"
The girl laughed. "Nope."
"Maybe...?" Valentine says, before snapping her fingers and said:
"Alex! The disciplinary head."
"Wrong again!"
Valentine sighed. "You're impossible."
The girl giggled. "Then maybe fate wants it to stay a secret. But you'll know soon — sooner than you expect."
Valentine frowned slightly. "That's... cryptic."
"Bye-bye, Miss Hero!" the girl said, waving as she skipped off toward the junior block.
Valentine watched her go, her smile softening.
A buzz in her pocket pulled her attention back.
Rachel: Where are you? You're always late! Arcade, now!
Valentine: On my way. Which section?
Rachel: Archery house! Maysha's already shooting everything in sight.
Valentine laughed quietly to herself and started limping toward the arcade.
Inside, the noise was chaotic — laughter, digital pings, shouts of victory. She spotted Rachel perched on a bar seat and Maysha taking aim at a row of digital targets.
"Finally!" Rachel said, eyes widening as she noticed Valentine's limp. "What happened to you?"
Maysha spun around. "Don't tell me Alice again—"
Valentine nodded, her tone even as she told them what happened. The more she spoke, the more Rachel's expression shifted from disbelief to pure fury.
"That witch!" Rachel snapped.
Maysha slammed her plastic bow on the counter. "She doesn't learn, does she? Remember the first day?"
Rachel grinned. "Oh, I remember. 'Don't ruin what you can't afford.'"
Valentine couldn't help a small laugh.
Rachel crossed her arms. "Then it's decided. We're teaching her a lesson."
Maysha cracked her knuckles. "Count me in."
Both turned to Valentine expectantly.
Valentine sighed, then smiled. "Then... count me in too."
The three of them burst out laughing.
For a while, the arcade echoed with their chatter and laughter — Rachel dominating the shooting board, Valentine scoring bullseyes at the archery game, and Maysha sinking basketballs one after another.
As they walked back toward the dorm, the sun had dipped below the horizon, washing the campus in gold and violet.
Then — a buzz.
A new message.
André: Where are you?
Valentine froze, staring at the name.
Rachel noticed. "The President?" she teased. "Ooooh."
Valentine rolled her eyes. "Just go ahead. I'll join you soon."
She waved them off and stood there, heart thudding.
Moments later, headlights swept across her face. A sleek black car glided to a stop in front of her. The windows tinted, the engine quiet — expensive, elegant, intimidating.
The glass rolled down with a soft hum.
André sat inside, his elbow resting casually on the window. Two buttons of his crisp white shirt were undone, letting the evening breeze toy with the edges. His silver wristwatch glimmered under the streetlight.
His dark hair fell slightly over his brow, his expression unreadable — cool, sharp, beautiful in a way that made her pulse stutter.
"Get in," he said simply.
Valentine hesitated, her phone clutched tightly in her palm.
The world seemed to slow. The hum of crickets, the distant sound of laughter from the dorms — everything faded as she stared into his eyes.
And despite herself, her heart pounded wildly.
As she opened the door and slid in beside him, a quiet thought echoed in her mind—
Why now?
Why me?
And what did he want... this late?
💌 Author's Note:
Hey everyone 🌸
Thank you so much for reading Valentine! This chapter was one of my favorites to write — it shows that strength isn't always loud. Sometimes, it's in how calmly you rise after being pushed down. 💫
What do you think André wants from Valentine this late at night? 😳
Drop your theories below — I love reading your thoughts and guesses! 💬❤️