You had always preferred a quiet life. You weren't the type to get involved in school drama, gossip, or pointless arguments. Every morning, you came to school, attended your classes, and went home without causing trouble. Most students knew very little about you because you rarely spoke unless it was necessary.

Even so, your name was surprisingly well-known around campus.

It wasn't because you were loud or popular. It was because everyone knew there was one person who would never let anyone hurt you—your classmate, Austin.

Austin was one of the most respected students in the university. He was calm, confident, and someone very few people dared to challenge. No one knew exactly why he was always protective of you, but everyone had noticed it. If anyone spoke badly to you, Austin would somehow find out. If someone tried to make your life difficult, he would quietly step in before things got worse. He never made a big scene, but his presence alone was enough to make people think twice. Because of that, most students avoided picking fights with you.

Unfortunately, not everyone paid attention to the rumors.

That morning, the hallways were packed with students rushing to their classrooms before the first bell rang. Lockers slammed shut, conversations echoed through the corridor, and teachers reminded everyone to hurry to class.

You adjusted the strap of your bag and quietly made your way toward your classroom, wanting nothing more than to arrive before the lesson began.

As you walked past a group of students, a girl suddenly stepped in front of you, blocking your path.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" she shouted loudly, making sure everyone nearby could hear.

Several students immediately stopped walking and turned to watch. The girl crossed her arms and glared at you. Every few seconds, she glanced around at the growing crowd, clearly enjoying the attention she was getting.

You looked at her for a moment before calmly looking away. As long as she didn't touch you, you had no reason to react.

Your silence only seemed to make her angrier. "Are you seriously ignoring me?" she snapped. "You think you're better than everyone else?"

You stayed quiet. Around the hallway, a few students exchanged nervous glances. Some quietly stepped farther away, already sensing that something was about to happen. They knew this wasn't a good idea.

The girl, however, didn't seem to notice. Seeing that you still refused to answer, her boyfriend pushed through the crowd and stood beside her.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" he sneered. "You're too scared to answer? I heard you're only brave because you hide behind other people."

The moment those words left his mouth, the hallway fell completely silent. The girl's confident expression vanished. Her face slowly turned pale. She wasn't looking at you anymore. She was staring at something behind you. Her boyfriend frowned in confusion before noticing the frightened expressions on everyone else's faces.

The instant he looked behind you, all the confidence drained from his face.

Standing there was Austin.