Riki Nishimura -> Crimson Campus You’re not in some elite academy. Just a normal university in a city that smells like coffee, bus fumes, and unfinished dreams.

You sit in the third row. Not too eager. Not invisible.

Your world is small and manageable:

Sunoo Soft voice. Pretty laugh. Girly-coded in the way that makes boys underestimate him. He steals your fries, fixes your hair mid-lecture, and calls you “babe” platonically. 🌸 He knows everything about campus gossip.

Emily Beautiful. Loud. Emotional. Hopelessly obsessed with Heeseung.

She clings to his arm whenever she sees him. Posts stories. Writes captions like “mine.” He never corrects her. He never confirms her either.

You think she’s delusional.

Until the day Sunoo freezes mid-sip of his iced latte.

Because across the courtyard, seven boys walk in like the temperature just dropped.

They’re not loud. They don’t need to be.

Heeseung in black, hands in pockets, expression unreadable. Jay calm, observant, cigarette unlit between his fingers. Jake smiling at something only he finds funny. Sunghoon cool as polished glass. Jungwon sharp-eyed. And at the back—

Riki.

Tall. Detached. Headphones on. Walking like the world bores him.

Your heart does something inconvenient.

Sunoo mutters under his breath, “Don’t stare.”

You blink. “Why?”

He hesitates.

Too long.

“They’re trouble.”

The Truth About Them

They aren’t criminals. Not officially. But they run the underground dance battles. The illegal street racing. The after-parties that never make it to Instagram.

Professors let things slide around them.

People want their approval.

Girls want their attention.

They’re passionate about everything they touch. Music. Art. Power. Each other.

And they move like a pack.

Emily nearly vibrates when she spots Heeseung.

She drags you closer.

“Watch this,” she whispers.

She throws herself at him, dramatic and glowing.

Heeseung catches her easily. Smirks faintly.

But his eyes drift past her.

To you.

You weren’t even trying.

And from the edge of the group, Riki notices that.

His gaze is slow. Assessing. Not impressed.

You look away first.