Chapter 8: The Hook

The classroom was quiet, with an almost palpable tension hanging in the air.

Evan sat at his desk, his expression calm and serious. The aura around him made it clear he wasn't someone to be trifled with. A subtle intensity radiated from him, drawing the attention of many girls in the room, who couldn't help but gaze in his direction, mesmerized.

Behind him, Nia glanced at Evan, her face painted with confusion. She couldn't quite figure it out.

Why had Evan spoken up for her?

They'd just met, after all. It didn't make sense.

Unless…

Nia quickly shook off the thought. No, it must be a coincidence. That's all.

But as she tried to convince herself, a soft pink hue crept across her cheeks. She quickly turned her head away, embarrassed.

At the front of the room, Mr. Tian paused, holding his thermos in mid-air, his eyes widening.

Did I miss a decimal point?

He stared at the board, quickly realizing that Evan had indeed pointed out a mistake.

For a brief moment, an awkward flush crossed his face, but with his back to the class, no one noticed.

Clearing his throat, he fixed the error and smiled awkwardly. "Ah, thank you, Evan. My mistake."

Evan nodded, an almost imperceptible smile playing at his lips as he returned to his seat.

"Actually," Evan continued, his tone casual yet confident, "this problem seems a bit beyond the typical curriculum for high school seniors. Even in past exams, questions of this difficulty haven't shown up. Don't you think?"

Mr. Tian paused, his eyes momentarily meeting Evan's. For the first time, he felt a twinge of uncertainty.

"Well…" He cleared his throat again, adjusting his composure. "You make a good point, Evan. I'll double-check with the team that set this test."

He quickly dismissed the class to study on their own before walking out, leaving behind a classroom buzzing with energy.

Once the door closed, whispers and chatter filled the room.

"No way, that new guy just called out Mr. Tian!"

"And he was right!"

"He noticed the mistake first—what a sharp guy!"

The boys were exchanging impressed glances, their previous indifference now replaced with admiration.

As for the girls, they weren't shy about their reactions.

"He's so cute…"

"And smart, too. He's got the whole package!"

"Seriously! He's like a perfect mix of brains and looks!"

From the front row, Nia's friend Rae leaned in and grinned. "Wow, looks like you're sitting next to a heartthrob. Aren't you going to do something about it?"

Evan raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanged. "It happens."

Rae blinked. "What? That easy to brush it off?"

"I've been through this before," Evan replied, nonchalant. "Back at my old school, it was basically a daily occurrence. I'm used to it."

Rae stared at him, a mix of disbelief and amusement in her eyes.

She turned to Nia with a raised eyebrow. "I don't get you, Nia. How are you still focused on studying when he's right there?"

Nia rolled her eyes but kept her focus on her notes. "Don't start, Rae. I'm busy."

"Fine, fine," Rae said, sighing dramatically as she grabbed a romance novel from her desk. "You never have any fun."

Nia couldn't help but smile slightly, the corners of her mouth curling before she returned to her work.

Evan, however, was paying attention. He noticed how Nia's gaze kept drifting toward the board, her face furrowed in concentration. She was clearly struggling to understand the solution.

He leaned back, a faint smirk on his lips. It was only a matter of time before she asked him for help.

And sure enough, after a few moments, Nia spoke up, her voice soft but tentative.

"Evan?"

He looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Yes, Nia?"

She hesitated, her face flushing slightly. "Could I… ask you about the problem on the board? I don't quite get your solution."

"Of course," Evan replied immediately, a hint of amusement in his voice.

He glanced at the clock. "Class is almost over, and the next period is gym, right? I heard it's optional here."

Nia blinked, surprised. "How do you know that? You just transferred."

Evan gestured toward the door. "The schedule's posted outside. Didn't you notice?"

Nia's cheeks flushed crimson, her embarrassment evident. Of course, he'd be the one to notice something like that.

"I guess we can talk after class," Evan suggested, leaning a little closer, his tone teasing.

Nia's heart skipped a beat at the proximity.

Evan chuckled softly, his voice low and warm. "You're cute when you blush, you know that?"

Nia's face turned even redder, and she quickly looked away.

Evan, on the other hand, couldn't help but smile to himself. This was almost too easy.