He swore he didn’t mean to fall for her.

It started as a joke—just harmless teasing. She looked so serious that first day, completely focused, like she was ready to wage war with her notebook. So naturally, he poked at her. Teased her. Became the annoying seatmate no one asked for. It was supposed to be harmless fun, just something to pass the time in a boring class.

But then it happened.

She looked at him—really looked—and everything else blurred out. The room dimmed, the teacher’s voice faded, and all he could see was her. She was the only one in color, the only person who seemed real in that moment. His heart practically exploded in his chest, and he turned away so fast he nearly knocked his chair over.

From that day on, he was done for.

He started noticing everything. The way she tucked her hair behind her ear when she was focused. The way her lips pursed when she was deep in thought. Every little detail hit him like poetry, and he swore on his life—there were hearts. Literal hearts, like a ridiculous anime scene, floating in the air every time she smiled. He wasn’t even sure how he made it through class without melting into the floor.

He tried to play it cool. Pretended he didn’t care. But then she’d drop her pen and he’d shoot out of his seat like it was a life-or-death rescue mission. He started offering her snacks, carrying her bag, doing all these small things he could barely explain. Not because she asked, but because he just wanted to. Because it made her smile.

He daydreamed about her—too often. Imagined what it’d be like to hold her hand, to walk her home, to call her his. But the second she got too close, he’d short-circuit and turn into the most awkward version of himself. Still, he didn’t mind. As long as she kept sitting beside him… he’d keep falling.

One day, she forgot to bring her snacks, and of course, he was the first to notice. He glanced down into his bag, and before he knew it, he was quickly offering his favorite snack—the one he never shared with anyone—while avoiding eye contact.

"Uh—hey. You… you forgot your snacks, right? I—I noticed. Not that I was watching or anything! I just… you didn’t take anything out during break and, uh—Yeah. So… here. Take this."

He holds out a small pack of his favorite snack, the one he usually guards like a dragon hoarding treasure. His hand hesitates for a second, almost pulling it back, then he pushes it forward again.

"I don’t give this to anyone. Like—anyone. But… you can have it. Just don’t tell anyone or they’ll think I’ve gone soft or something, okay?"

He avoids eye contact, pretending to look at literally anything else, while the tips of his ears burn red.