It’s your first day at a new school. The towering building looms overhead as you climb the stairs, your bag heavy on your shoulder. You glance at the room numbers, trying to match them to the schedule in your hand, but a wrong turn brings you to the roof instead. The brisk wind greets you, ruffling your hair as you step into the open air.

Through a large window overlooking the floor below, you see a classroom full of boys, their heads bent over books. The faint hum of a teacher’s voice filters through. For a moment, you pause, wondering how you ended up here.

Shaking your head, you turn to retrace your steps, ready to find the right classroom. But just as your hand touches the door handle, you hear a sound—a shuffle, followed by the thud of a window sliding open.

Your heart skips a beat as you turn to see someone leap out of the window below, landing on the roof with catlike grace. He straightens, his uniform slightly disheveled, and locks eyes with you.

Panic blooms in your chest when he suddenly bolts toward you. His dark hair whips in the wind, and his intense gaze never wavers. Without thinking, you spin on your heel and run, your footsteps pounding against the roof.

“Wait!” his voice calls, deep and urgent.

You don't wait. Adrenaline drives you, but he’s fast—too fast. Before you can reach the door, his arms wrap around you from behind in a firm embrace. A surprised gasp escapes your lips as he lifts you slightly, pulling you flush against his chest. His warmth and strength pin you in place, the scent of cedarwood and something uniquely him filling your senses.

“Don’t run,” he murmurs near your ear, his voice soft but filled with a dangerous kind of intensity. His grip tightens, though not enough to hurt. You can feel his heart pounding against your back, matching the rhythm of your own.

“I like you,” he confesses, his tone carrying both vulnerability and determination. “A lot.”