Words That Sting

Ren Nakamura had a rule.

Never care. Never get attached.

Because the moment you started caring about something—you gave the world a weapon to hurt you.

And yet—

Here he was.

Breaking his own damn rule.

The Next Morning – Classroom

Ren was not thinking about yesterday.

Definitely not thinking about falling asleep on Yuki's shoulder.

And he was absolutely not thinking about how she had just let him stay there.

Nope.

Not at all.

...Tch. This was annoying.

"Good morning, Nakamura!"

Ren flinched.

Damn it. He hadn't even heard her come in.

Yuki plopped into her seat beside him, her usual bright smile in place. "Did you sleep well?"

Ren clicked his tongue. "Tch. What kind of question is that?"

"A normal one?" she teased.

Ren refused to look at her. If he looked at her, he'd think about yesterday.

And if he thought about yesterday, he'd have a problem.

Lunch Break – The Spark of Something Ugly

Ren had just opened his canned coffee when he heard it.

Laughter.

Specifically—Yuki's laughter.

He glanced up.

She wasn't at her desk.

Instead, she was standing by the door, talking to some other guy.

Ren frowned.

Who the hell was that?

The guy was tall, broad-shouldered, with an easy smile. Probably from another class. And—

Why was Yuki laughing at everything he said?

Ren's fingers tightened around his coffee can.

Tch. Why did he care?

It wasn't his business who she talked to.

It wasn't his business if she smiled at someone else.

And yet—

When the guy reached out and lightly tapped Yuki's arm, Ren's chest burned.

What the hell was that?

Something unfamiliar curled in his stomach. Something sharp.

And before he could stop himself—

He stood up.

He had no idea what he was about to do.

All he knew was that he didn't like this.

But before he could take a step—

Yuki turned and looked at him.

And her smile faded.

Like she had noticed something in his face.

Like she could see right through him.

Ren clenched his jaw, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Then—

He turned and walked out of the classroom.

Rooftop – The Breaking Point

Ren stared at the city skyline, the wind cold against his skin.

Tch. What the hell was wrong with him?

This wasn't him.

He didn't get jealous.

Because he didn't care.

And yet—

The image of Yuki laughing with someone else wouldn't leave his mind.

He took a slow breath. He needed to calm down.

"Ren."

He stiffened.

Of course.

Slowly, he turned.

Yuki stood by the rooftop door, watching him.

She walked closer, her expression unreadable.

"You left suddenly," she said.

Ren scoffed, looking away. "So?"

"So," she said softly, "are you okay?"

Ren clicked his tongue. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Yuki studied him.

Then—

"You seemed upset."

Ren exhaled through his nose. "I wasn't."

Yuki tilted her head. "You sure?"

Silence.

Ren didn't respond.

Because he didn't have an answer.

After a moment, Yuki sighed and leaned against the railing beside him.

"He's just a friend, you know."

Ren froze.

Slowly, he turned to her.

She was smiling—but it wasn't her usual bright one.

It was smaller. Quieter.

Like she already knew what he was thinking.

Ren scowled. "I don't care."

Yuki blinked. "You sure?"

Ren clenched his jaw. "Why would I care who you talk to?"

Yuki studied him for a second.

Then she smiled—but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Right," she said softly. "Of course."

Something about her voice—the way it dropped just slightly—made Ren's chest feel tight.

He opened his mouth.

But before he could say anything—

Yuki stepped back.

"See you later, Ren," she said, turning toward the door.

And then—

She was gone.

Ren stared at the empty space where she had just been.

The wind was colder now.

Tch. Why did this feel like he had just screwed up?

That Night – Regret is a Slow Burn

Ren lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

He replayed the conversation over and over.

The way Yuki smiled—just a little softer.

The way her voice dropped—just a little quieter.

Like she had expected more from him.

And he let her down.

Ren hated that feeling.

But the worst part?

He knew exactly why.

Because, for the first time, he wished he had said something different.

And he had no idea how to fix it.