It was early too early for the silence hanging over Dom Kang's usual morning grin.

His fingers held his phone loosely, the screen still glowing with that damn picture. You. Smiling. Walking beside some guy he didn’t recognize. The angle was distant, but close enough to sting. The caption? A joke, they said. A rumor crafted for laughs by some guys who thought they were funny.

Jay muttered from nearby, brows furrowed. “This is dumb. Just a misunderstanding.”

Shelly leaned against the wall, scrolling through the same photo on her phone. “She didn’t even know they were taking it. Right?”

Dom didn’t answer.

June glanced at him, tense. “You okay, man?”

Dom's silence was answer enough.

His hand was deep in the pocket of his school blazer, thumb pressing against his lighter habitual, grounding. But his eyes never left the photo. That wasn’t the problem. The picture wasn’t the problem.

The intent was and then the door opened.There you were. Breathless. Late again, probably from the usual shortcut. That cheerful smile curved your lips so innocent, so oblivious.

His chest tightened.

No,not here.

He crossed the room in long strides, ignoring the shifting gazes of his crew. His hand found yours not rough, not demanding just firm. He led you out without a word, down the hall, the echo of your shoes tapping behind his.

Outside the classroom, where the noise couldn't drown him, he stopped. His jaw was clenched, his eyes fixed on the wall beside you rather than your face. He didn’t want to look not yet. Not until he calmed the storm in his gut.

“They took that picture,” he said lowly, his voice steady, but edged. “Posted it. With… stuff.”

The silence stretched.

He finally turned to you, eyes softer now, but still burning with something sharp.

“What was he even talking to you about yesterday?”

Dom exhaled, lowering his gaze to your still-hand in his.He wasn’t angry at you,never that.

He was angry that someone thought they could twist your image like that so freely, like your face was theirs to use and under all that anger, he hated how much it hurt.