I... didn't choose the wrong major, right?
The class had started sixty minutes ago, and I'd spent every second of it staring blankly at the wall, my mind a million miles away. The teacher droned on and on about the importance of basic fashion, how to have the right appearance, blah, blah, blah.
Ugh! I thought beauty class was just about makeup or something!
Frustration bubbled up inside me like a pot about to boil over. My head hit the table with a soft thud, my hands raking through my hair. Did I choose the wrong major? Am I in over my head? What am I even doing here? The questions looped in my mind like a broken record, each one louder and more insistent than the last.
"NO!"
The word burst out of me before I could stop it, and I slammed my palms on the table, the sound echoing through the room like a gunshot. Every head turned in my direction, eyes wide with surprise.
There's no point in regretting it now, I told myself, my chest heaving. Hard or easy, just go through it, Collin!
I stood up abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. But my bravado faltered the second I locked eyes with the teacher. She stared at me sharply, her hands on her hips and her left index finger pointing toward the door.
"Something bothering you, Collin? So you decided to interrupt me?" Her voice was icy, her tone cutting through the silence like a knife. "Out. Now."
A small, wry smile tugged at my lips, and even my eyes seemed to smirk. Great job, Collin. First day, and you're already getting kicked out of class. Bravo.
Maybe Mom wouldn't find out. So... a little detour wouldn't hurt, right? As long as I wasn't getting into fights, I was technically keeping my promise.
I shoved my hands into the pockets of my coat and sauntered toward the door at the back of the classroom, my steps slow and deliberate.
That girl. Yeah, her. Again. She was staring at me, giggling with her friends like I was some kind of joke. Oh, darling, I thought, my smile widening. You have no idea how happy I am to be kicked out of class. This is the teacher's mistake, not mine. Because now, I get to...
Go to the cafeteria!
Let's see what's on the menu today for the new juniors, I thought, humming a little tune as I made my way down the hall. Sure, I'd probably get in more trouble sooner or later, but for now, I was free.
The cafeteria was just up ahead. All I had to do was turn right, and—
Oh.
A thin wisp of smoke curled into the air, coming from the right corridor. Someone smoking? There were surveillance cameras everywhere. Whoever it was had guts.
As if sensing my presence, a head popped out from around the corner, like some curious idiot. The guy was tall—almost two meters—with black hair that half-covered his eyes before he brushed it back with his fingers. I recognized him instantly. It was Jax, the loudmouth from earlier.
"Woah, who do we have here?" His voice was low and teasing, his eyes narrowing as he smirked at me.
His friend stepped into view next—a blond guy who looked even more like a troublemaker than Jax. His sharp eyes lazily scanned me, and I could feel his gaze stripping me down, judging me. Ugh, I feel humiliated just standing here.
"...you know her?" The blond took a drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling out of his mouth as he spoke.
"I don't know her. But we met. Junior beauty class," Jax replied, his grin widening.
I just snorted and walked closer, my steps steady despite the unease prickling at the back of my neck. The amused expression on Jax's face only grew as I approached. The closer I got, the more they seemed to tower over me—no surprise for fighters. Good genes, I guess.
"What's a beauty class junior doing out here?" Jax asked, his tone dripping with mock curiosity.
I shrugged, my hands still buried in my coat pockets. "Got kicked out. Thought I'd grab a snack."
The blond chuckled, taking another drag of his cigarette. "Cute. You got guts, I'll give you that."
"Yeah, well," I said, meeting his gaze head-on, "guts are about all I've got right now."
Jax laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that echoed down the hall. "I like this one. She's got fire." Fire, huh? I thought, my lips curling into a smirk. You have no idea.
Finally. I squeezed past them both, heart hammering, but that damn gaze never let up. Like a wolf tracking a lone rabbit, eyes sharp, patient, calculating. Over his shoulder, Jax threw a lazy elbow into the blonde's arm, snickering.
"Look at her eyes. Bet I can take her down?"
The blonde—Felix—scrunched his brows, let out a slow sigh, and took a drag of his chigirate before exhaling like he had all the time in the world. His voice came out smooth, deep, unreadable.
"…Don't bother, Jax. She's just a junior."
Jax's smirk faltered, just for a second, before he slapped Felix's back with a laugh. "Oh, come on, man! You're such a buzzkill."
Felix shot him a glare that could kill. Jax immediately raised his hands, mock surrender. "Ooooh, alright, alright~ no need for the murder eyes."
Inside my coat pocket, my hands clenched into fists. Don't react, don't react, Collin. Just let it go. Promise, promise.
I took a deep breath and picked up my pace, putting as much distance as possible between me and those two walking red flags. But even as I neared the canteen, I could still feel it. That lingering stare. Cold. Assessing. Not Jax's.
Felix's.
I raised an eyebrow but didn't turn back. Not worth the trouble. Just get to the canteen—
"HEY! YOU TWO!"
I flinched. That voice was sharp enough to slice air. Oh, shit.
I risked a glance over my shoulder. Student council. In their pristine uniforms, standing tall like damn enforcers. Nope. Not my problem. I bolted for the canteen. Luckily, no teachers. Just the usual employees. I slid behind the double doors and peeked out.
The duo was cornered. The girl in glasses—the one barking orders—clearly wasn't taking any bullshit.
Jax groaned, ruffling the back of his hair in frustration. His rolled-up sleeves showed off scars and lean muscle, but his whole body screamed exasperation. "God, you're so damn loud," he grumbled.
Meanwhile, Felix? Completely unbothered. He took another slow drag of his cigarette, like the chaos didn't concern him at all.
Oh, so he's the chill type, huh?
The student council girl wasn't having it. In one swift motion, she snatched the cigarette from Felix's lips. "No more smoking, Felix."
He didn't even flinch. Just rolled his eyes, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and turned toward the canteen, leaving Jax to his fate.
"HEY! Where do you think you're going!?" She pointed at him, the cigarette still between her fingers. "Go back to class, or your points get deducted again!"
Felix didn't acknowledge her, didn't even pause. Jax, on the other hand— "FELIX! FELIX, YOU ASSHOLE!"
Poor guy was being dragged back to class, wailing in protest. I couldn't help but grin. Damn, that girl's got guts.
— A shadow. Looming.
I slowly lifted my gaze… and there he was. Felix. Staring right at me. "You done?" His voice was low, rough, like he barely cared to speak.
Shit. Caught red-handed. I forced an awkward smile, straightening up. "Uh… yeah. Whatever."
He did it again. That damn gaze. Like he was sizing me up. That same unsettling feeling I got when I first saw him. That mysterious fighter with the deep blue eyes…
I shook the thought away, only to realize—Felix was already at the snack display, studying the options like it was a life-or-death decision.
Hah. That's… kinda cute.
He glanced at me. Act cool, act cool.
I pushed off the wall and strolled over, my eyes landing on something familiar.
My favorite snack.
There was only one left.
I needed it.
Felix, as if reading my thoughts, casually pointed at it. "Oh. And this one."
Oh, hell no. My fingers formed an 'X' as I shook my head furiously. "Nope. It's mine."
He stared at me, unfazed, and then—without a single damn hesitation—handed over his payment. "I bought it. So it's mine."
And then he just… walked off. Like I was nothing. My hands clenched. That damn bastard…!
"…If you want," his voice called from the double doors. He glanced over his shoulder, green eyes flashing with something unreadable.
I blinked, waiting.
"Follow me now."
I frowned. "Where?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he slowly opened my snack.
…FUCK. He's good at this.
"Okay! Fine! I'm coming!" I grumbled, trailing after him like a pissed-off puppy.
Where the hell is he taking me?
I followed, wary. If he pulled anything, I needed an escape plan. "Pfft." I didn't see it, but I felt it. That bastard was smirking.
I sped up, walking beside him. Jabbing a finger at his face, I hissed, "You. Don't mess with me. Just give me the snack, I'll pay."
"Just shut up and follow." His voice was a low, lazy grumble.
I stopped dead in my tracks. He did too, looking back, eyebrow raised in amusement. "What if I don't want to?" My arms crossed, chin raised defiantly.
Felix sighed through his nose, then took a step forward. Slowly. Too slowly. And suddenly, he was right there.
My breath hitched.
His presence was overwhelming. That gaze locked me in place, sharp, heavy, suffocating.
"You don't want to?" His voice was just above a whisper. "Then I'll force you." Before I could react, his hand snapped out, uncrossing my arms, gripping my wrists—tight.
My eyes widened.
W-what the fuck—?!
His hold wasn't just strong—it was like iron. I struggled, but his grip barely budged.
"Let go," I growled.
Felix's frown deepened. "No."
And just like that, I was being dragged toward the second floor of the Nexus building.
—gulp.
The atmosphere here was different. Dangerous. The kind of place where eyes lurked from the shadows, waiting to tear you apart the second you let your guard down.
My pulse skyrocketed.
"Ey, mate. Whatcha doin' here? Shouldn't ya be in the ring?"
A guy—shorter than Felix but still taller than me—stood in the hallway, a piercing on his lower lip, tattoos peeking from his rolled-up sleeves.
Felix barely spared him a glance. "Brought a guest." The guy leaned, peeking around Felix's towering frame—then smirked.
"Hm? Ya brought a kitten?"
…EXCUSE ME.
My eye twitched. "Who the hell are you calling a kitten, you prick?!"
He chuckled. "Oh. A feisty one, huh?" eyes shifting back to Felix, he smirked. "Why'd ya bring 'er?"
Felix finally let go of my wrists. I rubbed at them, wincing. His grip left red, nearly bruising marks. Damn. Reaching into his pocket, Felix pulled out a cigarette and lighter.
"...Giving her a special tour."
The piercing guy stilled. Then, a slow, knowing grin stretched across his lips.
"...Ahhh~ I gotcha." His tongue flicked out, revealing a forked tip. "Leave 'er to me, mate. I can handle this little firecracker." The piercing guy licked his lower lip—a snake tongue.
shit.
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Felix's POV
Smoke curled between my fingers as I leaned against the cold brick wall, half-listening to Jax ramble on about the new juniors. His words blurred into background noise—just another one of his distractions. I exhaled slowly, watching the smoke dissipate into the crisp air.
Then, I felt it. That shift in the atmosphere.
Footsteps. Light, steady, deliberate.
Jax went quiet. That alone was enough to set off alarms in my head. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye—his usual cocky smirk twitched, like he'd just spotted something worth his time.
My gaze followed his.
Huh.
Tall. Long black hair. Dark coat, expensive cut. She moved with purpose, not a hint of hesitation in her steps. Like she owned the damn hallway. And then—her eyes.
Sharp. Cold. Familiar.
Collin.
The name hit me like a punch to the ribs. I blinked, scanning her again, slower this time. Same name, same eyes... but something's off.
She used to move like a fighter—coiled, ready to strike at any second. Now? She still had that natural confidence, but there was something... muted. Like she wasn't carrying the same weight she used to.
Jax let out a low whistle, cutting through my thoughts. "Well, well. What's a beauty class junior doin' out here?"
Beauty class?
I barely kept my expression neutral. You're tellin' me— Collin. The Collin. The girl who used to wipe the floor with people twice her size. Signed up for beauty class?
She barely reacted to Jax's words. Just shrugged. "Got kicked out. Thought I'd grab a snack."
That's it?
No biting comeback. No challenge. No fists swinging before she even thought to use her words.
I crushed the cigarette against the wall, watching her like a puzzle with missing pieces. The Collin I knew—or thought I knew—would've taken Jax's bait without a second thought.
But this one? She didn't even flinch.
Jax huffed a laugh, looking between us. "Damn, she's got guts, huh?"
"Yeah." My voice came out smoother than I expected. My smirk didn't quite reach my eyes. "She does."
But guts alone weren't enough to explain this.
What the hell happened to you, Collin?
Collin was a puzzle, and I hated puzzles. Too much effort. Too much thinking. And yet, here I was, practically dissecting her every move like she was some kind of unsolved mystery.
She shouldn't be here. Not in this place, not in this situation, and definitely not in this state. The Collin I remembered wasn't this… tame.
Something was off.
Didn't stop me from wanting to poke at it, though. Just a little.
I walked ahead, not bothering to check if she was keeping up. If she was smart, she'd follow. If she wasn't, well… her loss.
The Nexus second floor was a whole different beast from the rest of the school. You either belonged here, or you got chewed up and spat out. No middle ground.
And she? She didn't belong. Not yet.
"Ey, mate."
I barely glanced up as Rio stepped into view, rolling his shoulders like he'd just woken up from a nap. "Shouldn't ya be in the ring?" he drawled, his voice carrying that lazy, dangerous edge he always had.
"Brought a guest."
Rio's eyes flicked past me, locking onto Collin. He tilted his head, his smirk widening when she squared her shoulders like she was ready to throw hands.
"Hm? Ya brought a kitten?"
Oh, that was gonna set her off.
Collin bristled. "Who the hell are you calling a kitten, you prick?!"
Rio let out a low chuckle, tongue flicking out just enough to remind everyone he wasn't exactly normal. "Ohhh~ feisty. Where'd ya pick this one up, Felix?"
I ignored him, pulling out a cigarette and flicking my lighter open. "Givin' her a special tour."
Rio stilled. Then, ever so slowly, his grin stretched wider.
"…Ahhh~ I gotcha." His forked tongue darted out again, slow and deliberate. "Leave 'er to me, mate. I can handle this little firecracker." I exhaled, watching the smoke curl up toward the ceiling. Collin wasn't looking at me anymore. Her eyes were on Rio now, sharp, assessing.
Good.
That meant she was paying attention.
That meant she was already halfway in.
And once she got a taste of this place—the real heart of it—there'd be no turning back.
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This place is too damn clean for a school full of delinquents. No trash littering the floors, everything neatly tucked away in the bins. No senseless graffiti scrawled on the walls. Way different from my old school.
"So your name's Collin? What's the 'K' for?" The guy with the name tag—Rio—pointed at mine, making me slap his hand away on instinct.
"...It's my last name," I muttered, frowning.
Where the hell did Felix go? Ever since he wandered off, this guy—Rio—has been getting too damn comfortable. At least with Felix around, he wouldn't be so bold. "Yeah, yeah, I figured. So what's it stand for?"
I couldn't ignore his tongue… it was like he was teasing me, on purpose.
I pulled my coat tighter around myself, shielding my body as I slowly put some distance between us. "You don't need to know. Just call me Collin."
"Aw, c'mon now~ Felix went through all the trouble of sendin' ya to me for a 'special tour~'" He licked his lips again. For fuck's sake. I get it. You got a freaky-ass tongue. Move on.
With one hand buried in his pocket, he walked beside me, hazel eyes locked onto me like I was something he planned to own. "Name's Rio. 2-F3." And…?
"Ya never know. Maybe ya wanna visit my class sometime, huh?" He grinned, rubbing the back of his green hair before turning his attention to the first classroom in our path. "This here is 2-F1. Full of geniuses. But—"
—CRASH.
Glass shattered. Right next to me.
Tiny shards sprayed in every direction. One—just one—small sliver shot straight for my eye. Instinct kicked in. I stopped short, jerking my head back just in time to avoid it.
Exhaling sharply, I ran a hand over my face. That was close. Too close. Even a tiny piece like that could do some serious damage.
THUD.
"Shit, man, that kid really tryna kill me~" A student from 2-F1 groaned, sprawled out on the floor after being launched clean through the window. Blood smeared his hands, glass embedded in his skin, but somehow, he still managed a laugh. "Damn, broke another one. Destruction of property, guess I gotta pay up, huh?"
Rio snorted. "Tch. They're arrogant pricks, actin' like they're all that just 'cause they got brains." He smirked. "But I still whoop their asses."
Wait—what?
—Fuck, when did he get so close?
The guy who got tossed out twitched, his eye ticking with irritation. Meanwhile, Rio just stood there, grinning, flicking out that damn forked tongue even though his opponent was glaring at him like he wanted to rip him apart.
"Since when did you ever win against us?" The student growled.
"Pfft, fightin' you once was enough, bro," the guy taunted, Rio already cracking his knuckles.
"Oh?" Rio eyes narrowed. "You wanna go again? Don't cry when you get your ass kicked for the fifth time."
he grin widened. "Tch, don't be salty now." He rolled his shoulders, loose and ready. "Let's see if ya can keep up this time."
His opponent clenched his fists. Muscles tensed. They were about to throw down, no doubt about it.
And then—
"You sure you wanna fight while your girl's watchin'?" The guy sneered. "Might get embarrassing."
Huh? Girlfriend?
Confused, I glanced around. Wait. Where the hell was Rio's girlfriend? He had a girl willing to deal with his shit? Who—
Wait.
…Did he mean me?!
Before I could even process that insult, the guy launched himself forward, and Rio met him halfway. The crack of fists colliding sent a ripple through the hallway.
Rio ducked under the first swing, sidestepping before snapping his leg out, aiming low. The other guy jumped back just in time, skidding across the tile.
"Tch. Too slow," Rio taunted, twisting his wrist before rushing forward again. He feinted left, but when his opponent moved to counter, Rio dipped right, driving his knee into the guy's ribs.
A cough. A stumble. But not down yet.
The 2-F1 student spat blood to the side, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Hah. Lucky shot."
"Lucky? Bro, I ain't even warmed up yet."
Rio darted in again, faster this time. The guy threw a punch—too slow. Rio ducked, twisted, then rammed his elbow into the guy's gut before spinning and slamming his heel into his shoulder, sending him crashing against the lockers with a loud BANG.
Rio chuckled, shaking out his hand. "What, that all ya got? Man, thought geniuses were supposed to be good at thinkin'. You shoulda known you'd lose."
The guy groaned, struggling to push himself back up. But just as he did—
BZZZZT.
A loudspeaker crackled to life.
"Attention, class 2-F1. You've broken the glass—again—and caused a scene. The perpetrator responsible for breaking it, report to the teacher's room immediately."
Silence. Then a deep, dramatic groan from Rio.
"Aww, c'mooon! Just when it was gettin' good!"
The guy on the ground sighed, sitting up and rubbing his jaw. "Tch. Guess we'll have to finish this later."
Rio rolled his eyes, shoving his hands back in his pockets. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just don't run cryin' when ya lose again."
He turned to me, grinning. "Well? Ya enjoy the show?"
I crossed my arms. "You're an idiot."
He just laughed. "Heh. Stick with me, sweetheart. Ya ain't seen nothin' yet."