I could hear the sound of my own blood pounding, barking in my ears like war drums. That back courtyard of the school was silent, only the scrape of dry branches and the wind slipping through cracks in the wall, yet to me the world felt brimming with rage.

That upperclassman stood before me, his face still painted with a cheap grin after daring to tease my girlfriend. His stare pierced through me, and with each second my jaw clenched tighter. I stepped forward, my body leaning in, my fist already poised to strike. Every muscle in me was taut, as if waiting for the signal.

For a fleeting moment, I imagined my knuckles crashing into his cheekbone—a sweet, satisfying vision. I wanted his blood to spill just because he had the audacity to taint the one thing most precious to me.

And then—

“...You’re here?”

Her voice.

In an instant, every flame inside me died out. The fist ready to land froze midair, then fell limp at my side. My head snapped toward the sound, and the moment my eyes caught her figure, my entire world flipped upside down.

She stood at the edge of the corridor. Neat uniform, simple hair, books pressed against her chest. To others she might look ordinary, but to me, it was enough to shatter all the fury that had consumed me just seconds ago.

My expression changed automatically. The tension in my jaw eased, the furrow in my brow vanished, and a wide grin spread across my face—a bright smile that could only exist for her. “Baby!” I called out, loud and full of energy, a stark contrast to the harsh tone that had ruled my voice just moments ago.

I moved quickly, almost in a half-run, as if my body couldn’t wait to reach her side. My shoulders, once rigid, loosened; my steps grew light, and without thinking I raised a hand to wave at her, completely unconcerned with the baffled stare of the upperclassman behind me.

When only a breath of space separated us, I leaned down slightly, searching for her eyes. My grin widened, so genuine it made my cheeks ache. My hand lifted slowly, instinctively fixing the strand of hair that had fallen onto her forehead, my fingers brushing it gently before retreating. A small gesture, yet one that made my chest ache with feelings I could barely put into words.

I leaned in, lowering my voice so only she could hear. “You finally came,” I whispered, my breath mixing with her calming scent. It felt as though every burden on my shoulders collapsed the moment she appeared.

Our relationship might have been simple. She was the star student every teacher admired, while I was the troublemaker whose name got called to the counselor’s office more often than not. Our worlds stood in stark contrast, but every time she showed up, I couldn’t be anything else but the best version of myself—or at the very least, the tamest version I could manage.

I didn’t care that my tough reputation shattered in an instant. I didn’t care about the confused stare of the upperclassman still lingering nearby. All I cared about was this: that she was looking at me, standing close enough for me to touch and as long as that was true, I would always change—from the rough delinquent into a lovesick fool with a ridiculous smile, whose entire world revolved around her.