'I really like you, Cynthia'

Tian found himself immersed in a whirlwind of thoughts, his mind replaying the moment from earlier that morning when he had pulled Cynthia closer to shield her from the reckless biker. The memory was etched vividly in his mind—the sudden adrenaline rush, the way their bodies had briefly pressed together, and the way her eyes had widened in surprise before softening with gratitude.

As he settled into his seat behind Cynthia, he couldn't shake off the lingering sensations. His heart seemed to have a mind of its own, still racing from the close encounter. Every time he glanced at her, a wave of warmth washed over him, and he couldn't help but notice the way her hair fell in gentle waves, framing her face like a halo.

As Tian gazed at Cynthia's side profile, the gentle sunlight streaming through the window lent a softness to her features as she concentrated on the teacher. His eyes then wandered to the view outside, where the Ferris wheel stood tall, its lights reflecting off the nearby water. A smile played on his lips as he took in the scene.

'I think,' he thought to himself, tilting his head back slightly to steal another glance at Cynthia, 'I really like you, Cynthia—more than I realized.'

The realization brought a flutter of excitement and nervousness to his chest. Tian couldn't help but wonder how Cynthia would react if she knew the depth of his feelings, a mix of hope and uncertainty swirling in his mind.

The thought of Cynthia's reaction made him slightly breathless, prompting him to take a deep breath before trying to focus on the teacher, but alas, his attempt was futile.

His thoughts then drifted back to how he had sometimes felt that his feelings were mutual. Her blushing face, stuttering words when their friendship had just begun, and especially those hazel eyes that he loved so much—they always betrayed her and revealed the emotions that mirrored his.

This brought a chuckle out of his lips, his eyes closing for a moment as his chest rumbled with his laugh. His eyes came in contact with those lovable hazel ones and that's when he realized that he had just laughed out loud while sitting in the class. Glancing at Cynthia, who looked back at him with questioning eyes and a hint of a smile, then at Nia, who stared at him as if she had just seen a clown, and at another classmate behind him who frowned at him, he thought, 'Well, this is awkward.'

He cleared his throat and said, "Sorry about that."

"Everything good?" Her voice drew his attention, and he looked at her, noticing how her eyes were fixed on him once she confirmed that the teacher wasn't looking their way. 'Don't look at me like that. You're the reason I'm slowly going crazy,' he thought with an internal sigh before replying, "Absolutely."

The classes passed without any major incidents as Tian made a conscious effort not to embarrass himself further. During the lunch break, the four friends naturally gravitated toward each other at a table, with the established couple sitting side by side and the yet-to-establish couple aka Tian and Cynthia taking seats adjacent to them.

The conversation turned to their recent test scores, with Ryan teasing Cynthia about his slightly higher marks in history. Cynthia retaliated with pride in her literature grades, eliciting a chuckle from Tian as he observed their playful banter. On the opposite side of the table, Nia, accustomed to their antics, calmly enjoyed her drink before noticing Tian's gaze fixed on Cynthia with unmistakable affection. She couldn't help but chuckle at his obvious admiration.

Leaning closer to Tian while ensuring Cynthia and Ryan were engrossed in their conversation, Nia whispered, "You're not exactly subtle, you know." Tian's eyes widened in a comedic fashion, his cheeks flushing slightly at Nia's candid observation. "But being obvious isn't enough," she continued.

Pointing discreetly at Cynthia, Nia added, "Her emotional intelligence is too low to pick up on these signs." Tian glanced at Cynthia, silently agreeing with Nia's assessment. "How did you figure it out then?" he asked.

Nia nearly choked on her drink at his question. "Almost everyone in school knows obviously except her. Her emotional intelligence is too low," Nia said, flipping her blonde hair. "Unlike mine."

Tian nodded, his smile widening. "Yeah, your emotional intelligence is high, but your IQ..." he trailed off, shrugging playfully. Nia grabbed a fork and jokingly pointed it at him, causing him to lean back with a laugh. "As her best friend, I rescind my approval," she mockingly declared.

"What approval? And what's going on here?" Ryan's voice interrupted, drawing their attention to how they were now the ones bickering while Cynthia and Ryan observed. Nia dropped the fork with an innocent smile and stood up. "Nothing. Anyway, let's head to class."

The group dispersed as they headed back to their respective classes after lunch, the playful banter lingering in the air. Tian couldn't shake off the smile on his face as he walked back with Nia, Ryan, and Cynthia. However, as the day progressed, instead of the usual routine where Tian and Cynthia walked home together, Tian hesitated before speaking up.

"Cynthia, I need to take care of something nearby. Would you mind going home by yourself today?"

Cynthia, surprised by the unusual request, furrowed her brow but nodded understandingly. "Of course, Tian. Is everything alright?"

Tian managed a reassuring smile. "Yes, everything's fine. I'll see you tomorrow and please be safe on the road."

As Cynthia walked away, Tian's gaze lingered on her retreating figure, a mix of protectiveness and concern settling in his chest. Pulling out his phone, he quickly opened the chat where he had hurriedly sent a message to one of his friends, noting down the bike's license plate number that had nearly caused an accident that morning.

Clutching his phone in a firm grip, he turned to move towards his destination.

The police station loomed ahead as Tian entered, his steps purposeful yet weighed down by worry. Tian stood before the officer's desk, his expression serious yet composed. His words flowed with a clarity born from urgency and genuine concern as he recounted the morning's events.

"The bike came out of nowhere," Tian began, his voice steady despite the underlying tension. "It was speeding, weaving through traffic recklessly. I had to pull my friend out of the way to avoid a collision."

He paused, his gaze locking with the officer's, conveying the gravity of the situation. "It wasn't just about us nearly getting hit. It was about how close it was to hitting her," Tian emphasized, his tone carrying a protective edge.

Describing the bike and its erratic maneuvers, Tian's words painted a vivid picture of the danger they had faced. "The license plate," he added, pulling up the message on his phone to show the officer. "I managed to catch a glimpse of it before they sped off."

His eyes reflected determination as he continued, "I need to make sure whoever was riding that bike faces consequences. It's not just about breaking traffic rules. It's about endangering lives."

Tian's concern then extended to gathering evidence, and he mentioned to the officer about the possibility of CCTV footage capturing the incident. "Additionally, there might be CCTV cameras in the area," he pointed out, tapping into his knowledge of the neighborhood. "If we can access that footage, it could provide clear evidence of what happened."

The officer nodded, acknowledging the importance of CCTV footage in such cases. "We'll check the CCTV recordings from nearby locations," the officer confirmed, jotting down notes as Tian provided details about the time and location of the incident.

Tian felt a sense of relief knowing that the police were taking swift action. "Thank you," he said earnestly, his gratitude evident in his tone.

The officer nodded, impressed by Tian's clarity and resolve. "No need for that. We should thank you for reporting this to us. We'll do everything we can to track down the culprit," the officer assured him, appreciating Tian's quick thinking and attention to detail.

Tian left the station with a sense of accomplishment tempered by lingering worry. His actions were driven not just by duty but by a deep-seated need to protect Cynthia, a sentiment that echoed in every word he spoke to the officers. His protective instincts had kicked into overdrive, his determination to keep Cynthia safe unwavering as Tian made a promise to himself to never let this determination die down.