My sister, Sophie, had this uncanny ability to be everyone's favorite. Family, strangers—it didn’t matter. No one was immune. One complaint from her about needing a room to practice her dancing, and just like that, I was shipped off to the school dorms. Through the haze of my insecure and sensitive teenage years, Jax was my only lifeline. So when I heard Sophie was transferring to our school, a knot of anxiety tightened in my stomach. I was so lost in thought that I didn't even hear the final bell. A lazy grin on his face, Jax tapped me on the head. “That scared I’ll get snatched away?” “Shit, who the hell isn’t watching where they’re going…” The next second, Jax’s cursing died in his throat. My sister was standing there, bathed in sunlight, smiling right at him. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I bumped into you.” The next day, I went to find Jax in his classroom for our usual tutoring session. But then I heard his laid-back voice drift out. “Tsk, her sister’s not as bad as she makes her out to be.” “Kinda cute, actually.” 1 The chatter and laughter from the classroom carried on. I stood at the back door, my vision blurring as I slowly blinked. A tear escaped, hitting the tiled floor with a soft splat. “Sophie’s not as bad as Ivy makes her out to be.” Jax’s voice was casual, punctuated by a soft click of his tongue. “Kinda cute, actually.” My knuckles turned white as I clutched the notebook in my hand. His friends immediately started hooting. “Known her for one day and you’re already an expert?” “Shut up, man.” Jax laughed, aiming a light kick at the guy’s leg. “She bumped into me yesterday, spilled her bubble tea all over my uniform.” “She went out of her way to add me on Insta this morning to send me money for the dry cleaning.” The laughter in the room grew louder. “Ooh, I bet she just thought you were hot. A different guy wouldn’t have gotten the same treatment…” “Wait, so does that mean you accepted her follow request?” “Hahahaha, since when does our ‘Campus King’ Jax add girls?” Just yesterday in the hallway, Sophie had smiled and said, “Any friend of my sister’s is a friend of mine! It’s so nice to meet you, I’m Sophie.” Jax had pointedly ignored her outstretched hand, letting her smile freeze on her face. “I’m your sister’s friend. That’s all.” That evening, as he walked me back to my dorm, he’d been so proud of himself. “Ivy, see? I’m always on your side. Anyone you don’t like, I won’t have anything to do with them. Promise.” The lamplight was a dim yellow, but his eyes shone brighter than stars. In that moment, I truly believed the nightmare that had haunted me for years was finally over. But now, reality had just slapped me across the face. I scrambled to wipe my tears away, turning to leave. But I moved too quickly. A pen slipped from my pocket, clattering onto the floor. The conversation inside the classroom stopped cold. I bent down to pick it up, my fingers just brushing against the cool plastic when Jax rushed out. “Ivy?” “How long have you been here?” Jax had beautiful eyes—almond-shaped, with a slight upward tilt at the corners. I used to love sketching them. But looking at them now, they felt like a stranger’s. “Just got here.” I pulled my hand back, my voice so calm it surprised even me. “You guys seemed busy catching up. Didn’t want to interrupt.” “You’re being too sensitive.” Jax ran a hand through his hair, a rare flicker of panic on his usually carefree face. “She was just being persistent this morning, insisting she had to pay me back. I figured if I just took the money, that would be the end of it, and we wouldn’t have to deal with any misunderstandings.” “So it’s over now.” I looked him straight in the eye, enunciating each word. “If I asked you to delete her, right now, would you do it?” Jax’s expression froze, then hardened with a flicker of annoyance. “Ivy, don’t be like that. Just deleting someone out of the blue? How awkward is that? She was just trying to apologize. Is it really that big of a deal?” Is it really that big of a deal? Those words were like a dull knife, carving me up piece by piece, leaving me a bloody mess. Something inside me shattered. I slowly pulled my hand from his grasp, my voice barely a whisper. “Yes, it is.” The situation was laughable, but I couldn’t bring myself to smile. Tears started falling, hot and fast, and I couldn't stop them. Jax was stunned. He reached out, about to wipe them away. “Ivy, I’m sorry, I messed up…” Before he could finish, another voice cut in. Sophie was coming up the stairs. Her hair was in a high ponytail today, bouncing in the sunlight, looking painfully bright. “Jax!” She jogged over, her smile sweet as sugar. “Thank you so much for agreeing to tutor me! I just transferred and don’t know anyone. I was so scared…” Her gaze landed on me, paused for a beat, then her eyes crinkled into another smile. “Oh, is Ivy here for tutoring too? Perfect, we can study together!” My head snapped up, my eyes wide with disbelief as I stared at Jax. A chill washed over me. Jax was a top student, but he was also known for his pride. Teachers had often asked him to share his study methods or help struggling students. He’d turned every single one of them down. Except for me. All this time, I had cherished that special treatment, thinking it was just for me. But for Sophie, it was just another thing she could have for the asking. Seeing my silence, Sophie’s voice softened. “We’re sisters. You wouldn’t mind, would you, Ivy?” My whole body was trembling with emotion. I took a deep breath and said evenly, “I mind.” Sophie’s eyes instantly welled up with tears, her expression a mask of confusion. “Ivy, are you mad at me?” “Then… then I won’t do it. Just please, don’t be mad.” Jax stepped in front of her, his brow furrowed. “Ivy, she was a dancer before this. Her grades are really bad, and switching to this academic track now… she really needs the help.” So, he already knew that much about her. “Then she can get a private tutor.” My voice started to shake. “Why does it have to be you?” “Ivy, please don't be angry…” A single, perfect tear rolled down Sophie’s cheek. “I won’t do it, really. I don’t want you two to fight because of me.” She clutched her textbooks and ran off, her steps frantic. Maybe because she was in such a hurry, she stumbled on the stairs. “Ah!” Sophie clutched her ankle, her face twisted in pain. Jax instinctively moved to go after her. I called out to him, my voice firm. “Jax, if you go after her right now, we are done. For good.” Jax stopped and turned back to look at me. My eyelashes fluttered, a tiny spark of hope igniting in my chest. But he just let out a cold laugh, his eyes filled with disgust. “Ivy, no wonder even your own parents don’t like you.” The hallway suddenly felt vast and empty. A draft blew through, and I shivered. The notebook had fallen from my hand at some point. It lay open on the floor, its pages flipping in the wind, revealing the math problems Jax had stayed up all night to organize for me. I knelt to pick it up, my vision so blurry I couldn’t make out the words. A tear splashed onto the page, spreading into a wet, circular stain, like a faded memory. I guess that’s what Jax and I were now. Just a watermark. Soon to dry up, leaving nothing behind. 2 I stumbled back to my classroom in a daze. I couldn't help it; I collapsed onto my desk and wept. My shoulders shook with each sob. I don’t know how long I cried. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the back of the room. Startled, I shot upright. In the last row, a pair of long, pale fingers pushed aside a school uniform that had been draped over a desk. A cool, sharp-featured face was revealed. Rowan. The genius who perennially held the top rank in our year, and Jax’s sworn rival. He always slept in the back of the classroom but still managed to beat Jax on every single exam. “So damn loud.” Rowan sat up, the uniform sliding into his lap. His voice was raspy, thick with sleep. “S-sorry…” I hastily wiped away my tears. “I didn’t see you there…” Rowan didn’t respond to my apology. Instead, he stared at me for a few seconds before speaking slowly. “What are you doing here? Don’t you usually go to Jax for tutoring around this time?” I froze. How would Rowan know about that? He was a total loner, never paying attention to anyone else’s business. Once, our homeroom teacher asked him to collect names for a competition. He glanced at the sign-up sheet and said flatly, “Who’s this?” “In our class? Oh. Don’t recognize them.” But his family was so prominent that even the principal greeted him warmly. No one at school dared to gossip about him. “How did you know…?” The words slipped out before I could stop them. “The so-called ‘Campus King’ practically lives in our classroom. It’s not exactly subtle.” “The gossip is everywhere. Hard not to know.” Rowan’s tone was flat, impossible to read. “So, why the tears? Because he’s not tutoring you anymore?” I looked down, unsure how to answer. “Yeah…” “He’s only second in our year. What’s so great about that?” Rowan raised an eyebrow, his voice laced with his usual indifference. “With his level of understanding, what could he possibly teach you?” It was such an arrogant thing to say that I couldn't help but retort, “You’re first in our year, of course you don’t care…” “Then I’ll tutor you.” “What?” I blinked, sure I had misheard him. Rowan stood up and walked over to my desk. He was tall, even taller than Jax. Standing beside me now, he cast a long shadow over my desk. Looking up at him this close, I realized how strikingly handsome he was. If it weren’t for his anti-social nature, the title of ‘Campus King’ probably would have gone to him, not Jax. “I said, I’ll tutor you.” Rowan looked down at me, repeating himself slowly, deliberately. “R-really?” I felt like I’d just won the lottery. I was completely stunned. “But on one condition.” Rowan leaned down slightly, bringing his face level with mine. His eyes were unique—not almond-shaped like Jax’s, but long and narrow, with a faint mole at the outer corner. “What condition?” “From now on, the breakfast you bring for Jax, you bring for me.” Rowan spoke slowly, as if observing my reaction. “Oh, and the water you bring him after his basketball games? That’s for me now, too. Basically…” He paused, the corner of his mouth ticking up in a barely-there smile. “From now on, you’re my sidekick.” It wasn’t a difficult request. And it worked out perfectly, since I had no intention of having anything to do with Jax ever again. “Okay.” I heard myself agree. “I promise.” “Tomorrow morning. Cafeteria, second floor, window three. The breakfast sandwich.” He turned and started walking toward the classroom door, his tone cool. He paused at the doorway and glanced back at me. “And get milk. I don’t drink soy milk.” “Mission accepted.” I gave him a solemn nod. 3 The next morning, I was stopped just as I was leaving the cafeteria with breakfast in hand. Jax had dark circles under his eyes. He clearly hadn't slept well. “Ivy,” he said, his gaze falling to the bag in my hand. His brow relaxed slightly. “I knew you wouldn’t stay mad at me…” “I was wrong yesterday. I said some harsh things.” As he spoke, he reached for the bag as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “This isn’t for you.” I sidestepped, moving the bag out of his reach. Jax’s hand froze mid-air, the expression on his face stiffening. “What did you say?” “It’s for Rowan.” I looked him in the eye, my tone perfectly even. Jax’s expression shifted from confusion to disbelief. After a moment, he let out a cold laugh. “Ivy, are you done with this little tantrum?” “Do you have any idea what the doctor said yesterday? Sophie’s sprain was serious. If she hadn’t gotten to the hospital when she did, she might not have been able to dance properly ever again.” He sighed in frustration, his tone softening a little. “So, in that situation, I would’ve helped a complete stranger. Can you just stop overthinking it?” “You can help whoever you want. You don’t need to explain it to me.” “The food’s getting cold. I have to go.” “Ivy.” Jax grabbed my wrist, his grip surprisingly strong. “Stop joking around. Rowan? Everyone knows he’s arrogant as hell, not to mention his family background.” His fingers tightened, digging into my skin. It hurt. “There’s no way he’d ever give you the time of day…” Before Jax could finish, a cool voice cut him off. “What’s taking so long?” Rowan had appeared out of nowhere. His eyes were fixed on the hand Jax had clamped around my wrist. The morning light outlined his tall frame. His usually distant face was expressionless, but it radiated an unexpected pressure. Rowan casually took the bag from my other hand, completely ignoring Jax. “Did you do the problems I sent you last night?” It took me a second to process. “Y-yes, I did.” “Good. Give them to me.” Rowan held out his hand. “I’ll correct them during morning study hall.” “Come find me after class to get them back. I want them revised before school ends. I’ll go over them with you then.” I immediately started digging through my backpack as I fell into step beside him. “Here.” I pulled out the neatly completed worksheet and handed it to him. Rowan took it, his eyes scanning the page. “Hmm, not bad. You got most of the multiple-choice questions right.” He turned, then glanced back at me after a few steps. “What are you waiting for? Study hall is about to start.” “Oh, right!” I hurried to catch up, ready to learn. “But for the long-form problems, I’m still a little fuzzy on that type of derivative question, especially the second part…” Jax stood frozen in place, his face ashen as he watched the two of us walk away together. 4 The final bell rang, but I was still staring blankly at my physics worksheet. Rowan sat across from me, his red pen flying across the page, leaving a trail of precise marks. He read through the problems incredibly fast, but every correction was scarily accurate. “Your force analysis is wrong,” he said, tapping my paper. “Right here. Gravity and the normal force aren’t a balanced pair. You forgot friction.” “Got it…” I quickly started making the correction. The classroom door opened quietly. Sophie stood in the doorway, her eyes red and puffy. She was wearing a pale pink dress that made her skin look incredibly fair. She had her school uniform, but she never seemed to wear it. “Ivy,” she said softly, “can I talk to you for a second?” My hand paused, then I went back to my work. Sophie bit her lip and walked in anyway, stopping by my desk. “Ivy, I’m so sorry about yesterday. I didn’t know you didn’t want me asking Jax for help… Can you forgive me?” The tip of my pen stalled, bleeding a small black dot onto the paper. “You’ve said what you wanted to say. You can go now,” I said without looking up. “I’m studying.” “I’m not leaving until you forgive me.” Sophie stood her ground, her voice catching with a sob. “Then you can stand there all day.” My voice was flat, devoid of emotion. The room was quiet except for the scratch of my pen on paper and the soft rustle of Rowan occasionally turning a page. The minutes ticked by. Sophie must have been getting tired of standing. She suddenly turned to Rowan, her eyes glistening. “Rowan, have we met before?” Rowan didn’t reply, but she wasn’t deterred. “Can you help me convince my sister? I just really want her to forgive me…” At the sound of his name, Rowan looked up. My heart gave an odd little squeeze. A hopeful light flickered in Sophie’s eyes. Then, Rowan spoke flatly. “Move. You’re in my light.” Sophie’s expression froze solid. I blinked, a strange feeling stirring in my chest. Outside, the sky was growing dark. The security guard came by on his rounds. “Still studying? C’mon, time to go home. I’ve gotta lock up.” I only just realized it was almost eight o’clock. “That’s enough for today.” Rowan packed up his books and pulled a packaged pastry from his bag, holding it out to me. “It’s late. Eat this for now.” He was surprisingly thoughtful, completely at odds with his cold exterior. “Thanks…” I started to reach for it. Suddenly, Sophie swayed, grabbing the desk for support. Her face was pale. “I… I stood for too long, and I haven’t eaten… I think my blood sugar is low…” She looked at the pastry in Rowan’s hand. “Um… could I have that? I feel really sick…” Rowan looked at me. “It’s yours. Your call.” I didn’t quite understand. “She’s asking you,” Rowan repeated patiently. “If you want to give her the pastry.” I turned to Sophie with a fake smile, my voice clear and calm. “Oh. I’m not obligated to give it to you.” A crack appeared in Sophie’s carefully constructed expression. “But… but I really don’t feel well…” She didn’t give up, turning her pleading eyes back to Rowan. “Don’t you have another one? I promise I’ll pay you back tomorrow…” Rowan zipped up his backpack and said, without a trace of emotion, “Sorry. I’m a germaphobe.” A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. Sophie’s face flushed red, then went pale. Finally, she stormed out in a huff. Now it was just me and Rowan in the classroom. “Tomorrow, I want the shumai from the first cafeteria.” Rowan’s expression was neutral. “Rowan.” I called out to him. “Thank you.” He turned back, raising an eyebrow. “For what?” “Nothing,” I smiled, hugging the pastry to my chest. “I just wanted to say thank you.”
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