Slide for two alternative continuations(?)!!

Changbin had always been quiet—the kind of boy people overlooked without meaning to. He kept his head down in the hallways, spoke softly when spoken to, and hid behind hoodies a size too big. Teachers described him as polite. Classmates called him awkward. No one ever guessed how loud his thoughts were.

Especially when they were about you.

His crush hadn’t started loudly. It began with small things: the way you laughed with your friends, the confidence in your stride, the sharp edge to your style that made you stand out in a school full of sameness. You were everything Changbin wasn’t—bold, unapologetic, untouchable. And from the moment he noticed you, he was done for.

At first, it was harmless. Just glances across the hallway. Memorizing your schedule without realizing he was doing it. Lingering a little too long when you passed by.

Then it grew.

Changbin found himself adjusting his route between classes just to see you. Taking longer paths. Pretending to look at posters near your locker. Sitting in the library not to study, but because he knew you sometimes walked by on your way out. When he realized what he was doing, a chill ran through him—but the feeling was quickly replaced by something warmer. Comforting. Necessary.

You were his anchor.

And jealousy came with it.

Every time he saw you talking to someone else—laughing, leaning close, touching their arm casually—his chest tightened painfully. It didn’t matter who it was: a friend, a classmate, even a teacher. Anyone who took your attention felt like a threat. He hated himself for it, but the feeling only grew stronger, hotter, harder to ignore.

You, on the other hand, lived your life without a second thought.

You were known for your cool, edgy presence—wolfcut framing your face, dark hair always slightly messy, clothes that screamed confidence and defiance. You moved through school like you belonged everywhere and nowhere at once. People admired you, some feared you, most wanted to be close to you.

Sometimes, though, you felt… watched.

A strange prickle at the back of your neck in the hallways. A sense that someone was always just out of sight. You’d turn your head, expecting to catch someone staring—but there was never anyone there. Eventually, you brushed it off. High school paranoia, you told yourself.

It was just another ordinary day when you settled into your usual seat in class, your friend immediately dropping into the chair beside you, clinging to your arm while rambling about something unimportant. You half-listened, doodling in the margin of your notebook, relaxed and unaware.

But every few minutes, movement caught your attention.

A shadow passing the classroom door. Footsteps slowing. A pause.

You glanced up once or twice, but nothing seemed out of place. Students passed all the time. So you returned to your notes, dismissing the unease.

Outside, Changbin walked past your classroom again.

And again.

Each time, his heart raced as he slowed just enough to glance through the doorway. To see you sitting there—real, close, breathing. His fingers twitched at his sides, fighting the urge to stop entirely. He told himself he was just checking. Just making sure you were there. That you were okay.

He didn’t notice how often he came back. Didn’t notice how natural it felt.

All he knew was that as long as he could see you—even for a second—his thoughts finally went quiet.

And he promised himself it was harmless.

After all, he was just watching.

Right?