A small boy, wearing old, worn-out pants and a faded white t-shirt, was kneeling in front of a rough-looking man. The man was short and black, with smooth skin and a sculpted face. You could say he was beautiful—almost too beautiful to be a boy. His features were delicate yet striking, with an almost ethereal quality that seemed out of place in the dark, grim room they occupied.
The man sat comfortably, his legs propped up on the desk in front of him as he lazily smoked a cigarette. He was a big man, well into his forties, with broad shoulders and a heavy build. The room was poorly lit, shadows clinging to every corner, creating a heavy atmosphere that pressed down on the boy like a weight.
Taking a long drag from his cigarette, the man exhaled slowly, the smoke curling into the stale air like thin fingers reaching into the darkness. Without saying much, he reached into the desk drawer, pulled out a stack of documents, and handed them to the boy.
"Here, take a look," he said, his voice flat and indifferent, showing no concern whatsoever.
The boy went through the papers with a calm, straight face, carefully scanning each page. After a moment, he spoke politely, "Thank you, sir. But you've got my name wrong."
The man merely grunted. "Mmmh. That's your problem, not mine. As long as I've given you what you wanted, does it really matter? It's just the last letter. What's the big deal?"
The boy sighed as he signed the papers. "It is a big deal. It changes a lot."
The man turned to face him, narrowing his eyes. "Well, I don't see the difference. You look the part anyway. Get up and prepare. Tomorrow, you'll be going. Unless, of course, you don't want to…"
"No, no, thank you, sir. I'll go," the boy quickly replied, bowing slightly before standing up and walking away into the darkness.
The next day, inside a bright classroom, a teacher stood at the front, addressing the students.
"Class, I want to inform you that we have a new student joining us today. Please introduce yourself."
The small boy stood up confidently, though his face showed no emotion. "Good morning. My name is Alexander Romero. I'm from Sunpack, and I'll be studying here. Thank you."
Despite his blank expression, soft whispers and excited giggles erupted from the girls in the room. His handsome features and calm demeanor captured their attention instantly.
"Alright, with the introductions out of the way, let's start the lesson. Alex, go take a seat," the teacher instructed.
Alex walked to the back of the classroom and took the last desk by the window. As he settled in, his gaze landed on the young girl sitting next to him. She had soft brown hair, wore light makeup, and her delicate beauty was hard to miss. Without saying a word, Alex pulled out his textbook and placed it neatly on his desk.
Time passed, and soon it was lunchtime. The girl approached him, standing confidently in front of his desk.
"Hi, my name's June. Would you like to have lunch together?" she asked with a bright smile.
Alex immediately declined, "No, thank you," and politely excused himself.
June watched him leave but, instead of getting upset, a mischievous smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. His rejection only piqued her interest.
Later that day, as Alex was walking home, June suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"Hey! Can we walk home together?" she asked cheerfully.
"No," Alex replied coldly and continued walking.
June followed him closely from behind, which irritated him.
"What's wrong with you? Why are you following me?" he snapped, turning sharply to face her.
"Nothing. I'm going home," she answered nonchalantly.
"Oh." Alex was momentarily caught off guard by her reply. Embarrassed, he clenched his fists and hurried away, not wanting anyone to see him in that state.
The next day, June sat at her desk, glancing at Alex. Using her pencil, she gently poked his cheek.
"Cut it out," Alex muttered, shooting her a death stare.
Unfazed, June smiled. "Do you ever smile or laugh? Do you even have any emotions?"
Without responding, Alex turned around and rested his head on his desk, returning to his nap.
Later, after returning from PE class, Alex found yet another love letter placed on his desk. Since enrolling at this school, he had attracted plenty of attention from the girls, while the boys treated him with increasing hostility. But what annoyed him the most was June—she was always hovering around him, constantly in his space.
As he was thinking about how persistent June was, she suddenly appeared behind him.
"Another love letter, huh? Who wrote it this time?" she teased. "You should tell them that you're mine, so they stop pestering you."
Alex's expression remained unreadable, but internally, he was quite surprised by her bold claim. His eyes locked onto hers as he asked in a low, deep voice, "When did I become yours?"
His voice sent chills down her spine. She began to stammer, "I... I..."
Alex closed the distance between them, towering over her. His face was only inches from hers. June's heart raced; this was the first time she had found herself at such a loss. Usually, Alex would simply ignore her teasing remarks or offer a brief glance, but today, he cornered her completely.
June instinctively stepped back, but Alex took a step forward, leaving her pinned against the wall. Placing one hand on the wall beside her head, he leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "Or was that supposed to be a confession?"
June's face turned bright red in an instant, her eyes wide with shock. In a panicked state, she bent down, slipped out from under his arm, and bolted out of the room without looking back.
Alex watched her run, tilting his head slightly as he smirked. "So that's how to handle her," he muttered to himself.
He calmly walked back to his desk and went back to sleep.
After the incident, things between Alex and June didn't cool down. If anything, June became even more intrigued by Alex's unpredictable reactions. She was naturally persistent, and Alex's cold, distant personality only added fuel to her curiosity.
In the following days, June continued her playful antics. She would leave small candies on his desk, sneak glances during class, and occasionally sit a little too close during group activities. The other girls whispered about her boldness, while the boys watched with jealousy and annoyance. But June didn't care. To her, Alex was different from the others, and she was determined to get closer to him.
Alex, on the other hand, remained unreadable. No matter how many love letters he received, how many envious glances were thrown his way, or how persistent June was, he maintained his usual calm facade. However, deep inside, he couldn't help but feel a slight shift. He was growing used to June's presence. Her voice, her bright smile, her stubbornness—they were starting to chip away at his carefully built walls.
One rainy afternoon, while most students had already left for the day, Alex found himself trapped in the classroom, staring out the window at the heavy rain pouring outside. As he sighed, lost in his thoughts, the classroom door slid open.
June walked in, carrying a small umbrella.
"I figured you didn't bring one," she said softly, walking over to his desk.
Alex glanced at her. "You shouldn't bother."
"But I want to," she replied with a warm smile. "Besides, you'll get soaked walking home like this."
There was a short pause before Alex finally stood up, accepting her silent offer.
As they stepped out into the rain, June opened the umbrella, holding it between them. The narrow space under the umbrella forced them to walk close together. Neither spoke, but the silence was oddly comfortable. The soft sound of raindrops hitting the umbrella filled the air, blending with the distant city noises.
After a few moments, June broke the silence. "You know... you're not as cold as you pretend to be."
Alex glanced sideways at her, but said nothing.
"You let me walk with you, after all," she added with a small, teasing grin.
Alex sighed. "You're stubborn."
"And you're difficult," she shot back playfully. "I guess that makes us even."
As they reached the intersection near Alex's apartment, June stopped. The rain had lightened up, and a soft glow from the streetlights lit her face.
"I'll stop bothering you—for today," she said. "But tomorrow, I'll be back."
Alex smirked faintly. "I figured."
They stood there for a brief moment before June suddenly leaned in and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. Alex froze, wide-eyed and caught completely off guard.
"There. That's for not being a total jerk today," she said with a giggle before turning and walking away under her umbrella.
Alex stood still for a moment, watching her disappear down the street, his heart pounding unexpectedly. Slowly, he reached up to touch his cheek, still warm from the kiss.
"What am I going to do with you..." he whispered to himself, shaking his head with a faint smile before heading home.