Noon stood before Seen, who was sitting quietly on a bench in the university garden. Her gaze was fixed on the ground, and he looked at her with hesitant eyes. A moment passed before he spoke in a low, awkward voice.
"Um... what was it you wanted to tell me, Seen?"
She remained silent, her eyes still glued to the earth beneath them.
A strange feeling began to grow inside Noon—no longer just embarrassment, but a mix of unease and anxiety. He wondered if he had done something wrong. His stomach churned, and his hands fidgeted with his hair as sweat trickled down his forehead.
"Did I say something wrong? Why isn't she talking? Should I just leave?"
Just before his patience gave out, Seen slightly moved her hand and raised her eyes to meet his. Her cheeks were flushed, her expression filled with a delicate nervousness that made Noon's heart ache in the softest way.
"Why do I feel like this...? I'll just be honest!" she thought.
She spoke in a shy, hesitant voice:
"Um... it's nothing important. I was just... looking at you. My friends noticed and asked about you, so I said you're someone I know... and um..."
Her words faltered, and she looked like she couldn't continue.
Noon gave a gentle smile. It was as if he had gathered a bit of courage in that moment. He sat down beside her on the edge of the bench, leaving a respectful space between them, and said softly:
"Oh, I see. It's okay—you don't need to explain. Actually... I wanted to talk to you too. I don't know why exactly, but ever since that day... I've wanted to."
She looked at him quickly, her expression easing into something calmer—or perhaps something closer to comfort.
She replied softly:
"I felt the same way too. Do you mind if we talk more from now on, Noon?"
He smiled instantly, his voice stumbling:
"Of course not! I mean—yes! I mean... I'd like that!"
Seen chuckled lightly, then smiled at him and said:
"I really want to get to know you better, Noon."
Noon froze for a second before his face flushed red and a shy smile appeared without him realizing. His heart was racing, something inside him quietly coming to life.
"Me too..." he said, shy and sincere.
And so, they sat there, talking. There was no specific topic—just random questions and simple words. Moments of awkward silence mixed with bursts of excitement. They spoke about themselves, their families, even silly things they had experienced.
An hour passed like a fleeting moment. They sat under the shade of a school building, surrounded by greenery and the soft whispers of the breeze, sharing a warm moment between two separate worlds.
As for Seen's friends, they had long decided to leave her be, watching from afar with knowing looks. The questioning could wait for later.
Eventually, Noon stood up, brushing off the last bits of tension, and looked at Seen with a nearly excited smile.
"I think your class starts soon… I'll head home now."
Seen looked up, surprised.
"Wait… Your classes are over? Then why didn't you go home earlier?"
He turned his face away, blushing as he scratched his head nervously.
"I guess… because I wanted to stay… because of you."
Seen's eyes darted between his and the ground, clearly flustered.
Noon continued:
"I thought… if we left at the same time, maybe we'd find a reason to talk. That's all."
She looked at him for a moment, then tilted her head with a gentle smile.
"So… are you going to keep waiting for me then?"
He smiled back, this time with a little more confidence.
"Of course, if you don't mind."
"Why would I mind?" she replied lightly, then added, tilting her head a bit more:
"But give me a way to contact you. We wouldn't want a repeat of last time, right?"
Noon's expression softened, as if he had regained his balance, and he smiled genuinely.
"You're right. Let's not let that happen again."
And just like that, they exchanged contact info. Seen headed off to her class, while Noon wandered aimlessly around campus. It wasn't random—he was trying to calm the little storm inside him. He was happy, nervous, and overflowing with emotions he couldn't quite name.
He thought back on everything that had happened. He had talked to her, learned more about her, and even exchanged numbers. He didn't know if what he felt was real love yet, but something in his heart whispered that it might be... soon. And he didn't mind at all.
She was different—her life, her details, her way of being. But he didn't reject any of that. On the contrary, he wanted to learn even more. He was proud of himself for stepping out of his comfort zone, overcoming his fear. With a wry smile, he thought:
"Since when did I start acting like this? Have I always been such a stranger to myself?"
His face flushed all at once. He slapped his cheeks with both hands and screamed silently inside:
"Stop! Stop right now!"
He headed toward the campus bathrooms and entered one. Standing before the mirror, he stared at his reflection. His hair looked longer than usual, covering much of his forehead and sticking out in all directions. He noticed his favorite black shirt, but for the first time, he felt like trying another color.
"Maybe people are getting tired of seeing me in black all the time…" he mused.
He stayed in front of the mirror for nearly half an hour, observing, thinking, quietly deciding to make some small changes. Not for anyone else—just for himself. Because he wanted to see a new version of who he was.
Afterward, he bought a bottle of water and sat on a garden bench. He tried reading his favorite fantasy-drama novel—but he couldn't focus. All he could think about was:
"What should I say when we meet again? Will I stutter? Will I look like an idiot?"
He took a long sip of water and looked back at the pages—or at least tried to.
And then...
Suddenly, a pair of shoes stopped in front of him.
He looked up—it was Seen.
She smiled gently. A soft smile, but enough to shake him to his core.
He returned the smile, and together they stood in a peaceful silence before walking side by side toward the bus stop. There was no need for words—her presence was comforting enough.
Seen glanced at him silently and thought:
"I wasn't like this before… I didn't expect to feel this way. Everything I did today felt unlike me, like I stepped out of my own skin. I smiled at him more than I've smiled all year, and it wasn't something I decided to do… it just happened."
She wasn't sure what she was feeling, and she wasn't the kind to believe in real feelings born from just two conversations in two weeks. But... the idea of those feelings didn't bother her. In fact, it sparked a pure kind of curiosity. A genuine interest.
"But… I need to stay calm. I don't want to look like some silly girl smiling for no reason, right?"
She turned to him—he was lost in thought, his expression deep, like something was weighing on his mind.
She asked curiously:
"What's on your mind, Noon?"
He turned to her, as if she had pulled him out of another world. He smiled softly and said:
"Nothing… I was just thinking."
As he lifted his gaze, they arrived at the bus stop.
"I guess we'll part ways until the neighborhood station, huh?" Noon said as he paused.
She nodded gently, hiding her curiosity about what had been on his mind:
"Yeah, at the neighborhood station… And thank you for waiting for me, Noon."
She walked ahead quickly, entering the women's door, while he entered through the front.
Noon took a seat. The bus was crowded, as usual. He put in his earbuds, turned on his playlist, and leaned his head against the seat.
Something in his expression had changed.
That faint light that had sparkled in his eyes minutes ago had faded, replaced by a shadow of quiet exhaustion… like everything he had felt today had quietly slipped away.
He closed his eyes, silently.
And said nothing.