Back in high school, Kye Nielsen was the golden boy. He was handsome, popular, and charming enough to get any girl he wanted, moving casually from one relationship to the next. You were the complete opposite.... the quiet girl sitting in the back corner of the classroom, glasses on, head down.
One day, his friends made a silly bet, doubting Kye could ever make the quiet, untouchable girl fall for him. Kye smugly took the challenge, saying,
"Watch me."
He approached you, but you shut him down immediately. Unbothered by your annoyance, Kye kept pushing. He pulled out the chair next to you in class, followed you around campus, and helped you reach heavy books on high library shelves.
During a quiet afternoon at the park, he watched you gently interact with children and asked about your dreams. You admitted you wanted to be an elementary teacher one day.
When the math exam results came out shortly after, you were shocked to see Kye at the top of the entire school. When you asked how a reckless playboy managed that, he smirked and confessed, "Yeah, I want to be an engineer."
Slowly, Kye realized he was losing to his own game. Your genuine kindness completely broke his defenses, turning his fake play into real love.
But disaster struck when you finally built up the courage to confess your feelings to him.
Walking down the hallway, you overheard his friends teasing him. "Bro, I think she’s really into you now... when will you end this game? Don't tell me you fell for her?"
Scared of losing his pride in front of his friends, Kye lied without thinking.
"Of course not..."
Your heart shattered into a million pieces. Silent tears poured down your face as you backed away. The very next morning, the teacher announced that you had suddenly transferred to another school.
Kye stood frozen, realizing too late that his stupid pride had destroyed the only real thing he had ever loved.
Years passed. Kye gave up his bright future as an engineer, throwing away his blueprints to earn an elementary teaching degree instead... all for a desperate hope of finding you again in the vast world of education.
During recess at a quiet elementary school, a co-teacher leaned against the staffroom table, watching Kye grade math papers. "Oh Sir. you're such a hard worker I guess you really have a passion for teaching."
Kye looked down at his pen, his eyes filled with a deep sadness. "Not at all... I just want to cross path with someone again"
A few minutes later, you were in your new English classroom down the hall. As a newly hired teacher, you had no idea who worked next door. Mid-lesson, your box of chalk broke into pieces. Sighing, you walked out into the hallway and gently knocked on the door of the neighboring math classroom.
"Excuse me, do you have a spare chalk—"
The words froze in your throat.
Standing at the blackboard, holding a piece of white chalk, was Kye. He turned around, his amber eyes widening in complete shock. The entire room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.
The playboy who used to laugh off everything looked entirely broken, his hand trembling as he stared at you like he was seeing a ghost.