CHAPTER 4 - weird feeling.

Hiro and Astrid separated, each heading to a different room, while Rina walked alongside her.

"So... how did it go with Hiro?" Rina asked with a smirk.

"Oh, it went great! I definitely didn't agree to fight with him again," Astrid said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Rina gasped, her brow furrowing.

"Academic rivals? AGAIN??"

"What else?" Astrid rolled her eyes, nodding in confirmation.

Rina groaned dramatically, tossing her head back. "Oh, for the love of- You two are like a broken record at this point!"

"Oh, I know," Astrid deadpanned. "It's almost like I totally didn't see this coming."

Rina huffed, crossing her arms. "You could just admit you like the guy instead of turning every conversation into a battle of egos."

Astrid shot her a glare. "Yeah, and you could stop breathing, but we can't all get what we want, can we?"

Rina gasped, clutching her chest. "Wow. Rude."

"And yet, you're still here," Astrid said with a smirk, nudging Rina's shoulder.

Rina sighed, shaking her head.

"Fine, whatever. But don't come crying to me when you two accidentally fall in love mid-argument."

"Pfft." Astrid scoffed. "As if."

"Riiight..." Rina snorted, nudging Astrid's shoulder.

"Oh, absolutely! Because clearly, my lifelong dream is to have a romantic moment with Hiro," Astrid said, dripping with sarcasm. "No, no, NO! Ew!" She dramatically gagged for effect.

"Stop pretending!" Rina groaned. "You two would actually look cute together."

Astrid scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh yeah, totally. You know what? You date him. Be my guest. I'll even throw you a party."

Rina gasped, placing a hand over her chest like Astrid had just insulted her entire existence. "Excuse me? Me? Date Hiro? Oh, honey, I have taste."

Astrid snorted. "Yeah? And yet, here you are, shoving me into a fake romance arc with him."

"Because it's obvious, duh!" Rina waved a hand dramatically. "You two have the whole 'bickering-but-secretly-care' trope going on. Classic enemies-to-lovers material."

Astrid made a disgusted face. "Okay, first of all, gross. Second of all, I'd rather get launched into space without a helmet than 'secretly care' about him."

"Mmmhmm," Rina hummed knowingly, smirking. "Denial looks good on you, Trix."

Astrid groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "Why am I even friends with you?"

"Because I'm right, and you hate it." Rina grinned.

"Yeah, keep making things up. It totally made everything SOOO much better, really," Astrid grumbled, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she picked up her pace.

"Awhh, anytime!!" Rina chirped, practically skipping to keep up, a mischievous grin plastered on her face.

...

1 MONTH LATER

Astrid stepped onto campus wearing nearly the same outfit Rina had forced on her last time-except this time, she swapped the black fitted shirt for a dark red one and added fingerless gloves. Her black backpack hung loosely off one shoulder as she trudged forward, mentally cursing herself for staying up way too late last night.

Running on fumes, she collapsed onto a bench, pressing her fingers against her temples in a desperate attempt to soothe her pounding headache. The rhythmic motion was almost hypnotic, and before she realized it, her eyelids grew heavier, the world around her blurring as sleep threatened to pull her under.

Astrid barely lifted her head as a voice broke through the haze of exhaustion.

"Woah, woah-first day, and you already look like... that?" A woman's slightly concerned tone cut through the dull throbbing in Astrid's head.

"Please," Astrid groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I really don't have the energy for small talk right now, ma'am."

Instead of taking offense, the woman chuckled. "Relax, I'm here to help."

Astrid finally looked up, blinking at the sight before her. The woman was stunning-long hazelnut-brown hair cascading over her shoulders, her style effortlessly soft yet elegant. She wore a white off-shoulder dress decorated with delicate sunflower patterns, a matching cardigan draped over her arms, and light yellow six-inch heels that somehow didn't seem impractical on her.

Great. Astrid thought. Even the helpful strangers here looked like they walked straight out of a fashion magazine.

"Here," the woman said, handing Astrid a pill of ibuprofen along with an unopened bottle of water.

Astrid hadn't expected the kind gesture. She hesitated for a moment before taking them. "Wow, free medicine? What's the catch?" she joked before muttering, "Thank you, though."

The woman chuckled. "No catch. Unless you count me expecting a 'thank you' as a price."

"Fair enough," Astrid smirked before swallowing the pill with a sip of water.

"Are you new here?" the woman asked.

"Yeah, actually. I was just about to meet my guide," Astrid replied.

"Oh, that's great!" the woman giggled. "So, are you doing one of those group tours where they herd you around like lost sheep, or are you going solo?"

"Solo," Astrid said proudly. "Figured I'd avoid getting trampled by a group of overenthusiastic students."

"Smart choice," the woman laughed. "Though, if you get lost, don't expect me to come rescue you."

"Noted," Astrid grinned, placing the water bottle down on the bench.

The woman chuckled. "Name's Kaori." She held out a hand.

Astrid smiled as she took it. "Astrid."

Kaori returned the smile.

"Beautiful name. Caucasian, perhaps?" she guessed.

"Just Asian," Astrid replied with a grin. "Half Filipino, half Japanese."

Kaori nodded, her smile growing. "Even better," she murmured.

Astrid stood up from the bench as someone called out, "Group 5!" Kaori quickly turned her head toward the voice.

"That's my cue! I'll see you later!" she said with a bright smile before dashing off to join her tour group alongside the other new students.

Left standing there, Astrid felt like a fool for letting herself catch even the slightest romantic feelings. She had been smiling so much that her cheeks were starting to ache.

"Well, looks like you've found your true love, haven't you?"

A deep, teasing voice cut through Astrid's daze. She blinked, snapping back to reality, and turned to find Hiro standing in front of her, hands casually tucked into his pockets.

Rolling her eyes, she brushed past him. "Excuse me, you're in my way."

Hiro frowned. "What do you mean I'M in your way?"

"Shush, I need to find my guide!" Astrid huffed, hurrying off.

"Find your guide? Hate to break it to you, but he's standing right in front of you," Hiro deadpanned, rolling his eyes. Honestly, how dense could this girl be?

Astrid's face twisted in disbelief. "You??" she practically gagged. "Prodigies aren't allowed to babysit new students."

Hiro let out a dramatic sigh. "Yeah, well, lucky for you, they made an exception. Guess they figured you needed extra supervision, dumbo." He turned and started walking into the halls, not even bothering to check if she was following.

After a few steps, he stopped and glanced back. "Well? You coming, or do you need a formal invitation?"

Astrid exhaled through her nose, looking like she'd rather chew glass. "Fine."

Dragging her feet, she followed him into the hallways, already regretting every life decision that led her to this moment.

...

The tour wrapped up with a series of sarcastic, slightly borderline-offensive remarks exchanged between them. By the time they parted ways, it was almost a miracle neither had strangled the other.

Later, in the cafeteria, Astrid and Kaori sat together at a table, trading sarcastic jokes and lighthearted complaints about college life. Somewhere between the banter, Astrid learned an interesting fact-Kaori was a prodigy too.

A few tables away, Hiro sat with a group of his college friends, completely pretending to be unaware of the two girls chatting nearby.

HIRO'S POINT OF VIEW.

I watched the two of them chatting, their faces lit up with the kind of joy that felt annoyingly contagious. For some reason, a strange ache settled in my chest-completely random and absolutely unwelcome.

"You okay, Hiro?"

I barely registered the voice until Honey Lemon's glasses caught the dim cafeteria light, snapping me out of my daze.

"Huh?" I blinked, realizing I'd been staring at them for... way too long.

"I asked if you're alright," she repeated, her voice laced with obvious concern. "You've been staring at those two fun girls for, like, five whole minutes now."

"I'm fine! Perfectly fine," I said, forcing an innocent smile. "I was just... zoning out."

"I remember that's how my first crush started," Fred sighed, leaning back in his chair like he was reminiscing about some grand love story.

"Crush? That's disgusting," I scoffed, lifting my head just enough to glare at him. "That girl is a literal menace. She spent the entire tour whining, complaining, and-oh, let's not forget-trashing every single invention I mentioned. Every. Single. One." With a groan, I let my head drop onto the table.

"So..." Gogo popped her bubblegum, completely unfazed. "You giving up already?"

I scoffed. "Of course not!"

"Didn't you two make a deal to be academic rivals again?" Wasabi asked, casually chewing on the sushi he'd picked up from the counter.

"We did! So keep that in mind, Fred." I shot a glare at the man in the green beanie, just in case he got any more ridiculous ideas. "I don't have time for that romance nonsense anyway."

Fred barely seemed to hear me. His eyes widened as he looked at his phone. "Realmwalker Chronicles?!" he gasped. "I gotta buy this ASAP! See you guys later!"

And just like that, he bolted toward the cafeteria exit, priorities firmly in place.

"Same old Fred." Wasabi shook his head, clearly unimpressed.

Gogo scoffed. "Why'd you even make that deal with her in the first place?"

"She was practically asking for it!" I threw my hands up, looking at them like they were the crazy ones.

"Alright, little man, no need to get all worked up," Wasabi cut in, giving me a look like I was some kind of overexcited chihuahua.

"I'm just telling the truth," I huffed, crossing my arms. "If she refuses to forgive me and forget the past, then she's getting the same treatment. Simple as that."

Honey Lemon gave me a sympathetic look. "Or... hear me out-you could just talk to her and sort things out?" she suggested. "You were rivals once, but does it really have to happen again?"

I scoffed. "Talk things out? Oh, trust me, I tried. That girl is as stubborn as a mule." I rolled my eyes, already exhausted just thinking about it.

Gogo popped a fresh piece of bubblegum into her mouth. "Yeah... you tried it once."

"Hm. Touché," I said, nodding as I sank back into my seat. "Still a hard no, though."

Gogo let out a groan like she was in physical pain. "Are you blind?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"It's painfully obvious you're starting to like her."

I stared at her like she'd just accused me of eating dirt for breakfast. "Starting to like her? Seriously? No. Nope. Never. Gross." I even threw in an exaggerated gag for good measure.

"Wow," Gogo deadpanned. "Such a convincing performance. You should really consider drama club."

"Drop the act, Hiro," Wasabi chimed in with that knowing smirk of his. "You're not fooling anyone."

"I am not fooling anybody. Astrid is the literal definition of stubborn." I huffed. "You will never catch me having a romantic interaction with her."

"Just like what happened with Kar-"

Wasabi didn't get to finish. Gogo clamped a hand over his mouth before he could dig my grave any deeper.

"Karmi? Uh, no." I scoffed. "I never fell in love with her. But I will admit-she was way better than that... Astrid." I shuddered dramatically, dripping with sarcasm.

"Whatever..." Gogo rolled her eyes.

I groaned, throwing my hands up. "You guys seriously think I'd ever develop feelings for her?"

"Yes."

They all said it in perfect sync.

ASTRID'S POINT OF VIEW.

Kaori and I strolled out of the campus together, our pinkies linked in a silent gesture of companionship. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a soft golden hue over the sidewalks. The air was crisp, carrying the distant chatter of students making their way home.

"You going left or right?" Kaori asked, tilting her head slightly as we reached the crossroads just outside the gates.

"Right," I replied. "I live in an apartment with my best friend." A small smile tugged at my lips at the thought of home-our home.

Kaori's face lit up with interest. "Aww! Do you mind if I meet this best friend of yours?" she asked, her warm smile making it hard to say no.

I blinked, caught off guard by the request. "Uh, sure!" I said, returning her smile. It wasn't like I minded, but I wasn't sure how my best friend would react to unexpected company.

Still, something about Kaori's excitement was contagious, and before I knew it, I found myself looking forward to introducing her.

As we made our way through the narrow valley leading to my building, the fading sunlight painted the sky in hues of orange and violet. Shadows stretched across the path, and the distant hum of the city was the only sound accompanying our footsteps.

"So, I'll start with the basics," I said, glancing at Kaori. "Her name is Rina, and just a heads-up-she's very energetic around new people. She'll probably bombard you with fashion-related questions." I let out a small huff, already picturing the interrogation Kaori was about to face.

"Fashion questions?" Kaori's eyes lit up as she clasped her hands together. "I love fashion!"

I chuckled. "Of course you do. But just so you know, she can be a bit overdramatic about it."

Kaori grinned. "Oh, I don't have a problem with that."

I shot her a look. "We'll see."

With that, we continued down the path, the last traces of daylight slipping behind the horizon.

...

AT THE HOTEL

I fished my keys out of my pocket, unlocking the door with a quick turn.

"Rina? You home?" I called out before pushing the door open.

"Yeah??" came a muffled shout from inside. A second later, Rina emerged from the bathroom-face covered in yet another moisturizing mask.

I narrowed my eyes. "Are you using my mask?"

She gave me a guilty side-eye but didn't even bother to deny it. I sighed and shook my head, deciding to let it go. Pick your battles, Astrid.

"Anyway..." I turned back to Kaori, my mood instantly lifting. "This is Kaori! She's my first friend at SFIT. She's new too!" I said, giggling slightly at my own excitement.

Kaori smiled warmly, giving Rina a small wave.

"And Kaori, this is Rina. Rina, Kaori!" I gestured between them like a proud matchmaker.

Rina, still peeling off a corner of the mask, raised a brow at Kaori, assessing her like she was a brand-new outfit on display. "Huh. Interesting."

"Hey, Rina." Kaori extended her hand with a friendly smile.

Before she could even blink, Rina let out a dramatic gasp.

"Oh. My. Gosh." Her eyes widened as she zeroed in on Kaori's cardigan like a hawk spotting prey. "Where did you get THAT?"

Kaori blinked, then glanced down at the soft fabric draped over her shoulders. "Oh, this?" She tugged at the sleeves casually. "It was a gift from my grandmother."

Rina clutched Kaori's hand in both of hers, practically vibrating with excitement. "I am actually starting to like you already," she declared, shooting me a pointed look that screamed Finally, someone with taste!

I groaned. I knew where this was going.

"Now, you and I," Rina turned back to Kaori with a mischievous grin, "are going to help Astrid learn how to dress properly."

My brows shot down in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Rina said smugly.

"Rina, I don't have time for your ridiculous fashion interventions," I huffed, dropping my bag onto the floor and kicking off my shoes into the tiny cabinet. "There are better ways to spend time. Like, oh, I don't know-stargazing? Doing actual research?"

Rina let out a dramatic groan, throwing her hands up. "Stargazing? You seriously think staring at twinkly dots in the sky is gonna get you anywhere? Will it improve your creativity? Your dignity?"

Kaori, sensing the inevitable chaos, quickly raised her hands. "Okay... okay... how about we all just take a deep breath? Settle in? Maybe not start an argument over-"

"Yes, they can!" I snapped, cutting Kaori off. "Can your expensive fabrics take you to outer space?"

Rina gasped, clutching her chest like I'd just insulted her entire existence.

Kaori sighed. "Yeah... this is gonna be a long night."