By the next day, the entire school felt different. Every hallway Noelle walked through buzzed with sidelong glances and not-so-subtle whispers. Some girls looked at her with envy, some with curiosity, and others with conspiratorial grins. The guys mostly clapped Ren on the back whenever he passed, whistling or making jokes about how "the golden boy finally found his match."
Ren pretended to take it in stride, but inside, he was burning. Every time a rumour got wilder, he wondered what Noelle must be feeling. Had he gone too far? Should he have confessed more privately? He'd acted on instinct, on the rush of wanting to say what was lodged in his chest for months. Now, half the school had turned it into entertainment.
When Ren spotted her by the lockers between classes, surrounded by Mei Ling and two other friends, his pulse quickened. He wanted to pull her aside, just the two of them, to hear her answer. But with the gossip so thick in the air, he didn't want to corner her in public again.
That afternoon, Noelle herself decided she couldn't let it drag on. The rumours weren't going to die down, and the longer she stayed quiet, the more stories people invented. If she wanted her answer to be hers, not something twisted by gossip, she needed to tell Ren directly.
She waited until after badminton practice, hovering near the gym doors. Her palms were sweaty, her stomach flipping as she rehearsed what she'd say. When Ren finally emerged, hair damp from the shower and a bag slung over his shoulder, he froze at the sight of her.
"Noelle?" His voice softened instantly, his usual easy confidence edged with hope. "Were you… waiting for me?"
Her throat tightened, but she nodded. "I… I wanted to talk. Just us."
Ren's smile was small, almost tentative, his chest tightening with a flutter of nerves. He was terrified she might reject him, but he forced himself to keep it hidden, not wanting her to see how much was riding on this moment. His eyes, however, betrayed the flicker of hope inside him, lighting up as if someone had switched on a hidden spark.
"Then let's go somewhere quiet," he said, his voice steadier than he felt.
They ended up by the side of the field, the same place where everything between them had started. The bleachers were empty now, the sky awash in soft hues of pink and violet. Noelle's hands fidgeted at her sides as Ren dropped his bag on the grass and turned to her fully, standing just a little straighter to mask the nervous tremor he felt.
For once, he didn't joke or tease. He simply looked at her, waiting, every second stretching longer as his heart raced.
Noelle took a deep breath, her voice trembling as she began. "Ren… about yesterday. When you said those things… about me... that you've liked me since the first day…" Her cheeks flushed instantly and she pressed her lips together before she could ramble. "I didn't know how to react then. Everyone was staring. And I—" She laughed nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm just not sure how I should respond."
Ren's stomach knotted but he forced a steadying breath. He silently willed himself to stay calm, to let her hear only confidence in his voice even though inside, every heartbeat screamed.
Ren's brows knit, and he stepped closer, his voice low but certain. "Noelle. I didn't mean to throw it on you. It just happened."
Her heart flipped, his sincerity pressing in on her chest until she couldn't breathe. She forced herself to look at him, really look, at the boy whose laughter always made her ease up, whose presence somehow made her feel more like herself.
"I… like you too," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Then, stronger, because she saw the way his eyes widened like he hadn't dared hope. "I like you, Ren. And when you stood in front of me yesterday, when you got hurt… all I could think was how much you matter to me."
For a heartbeat, silence hung between them. Then Ren broke into the brightest, most unrestrained grin she had ever seen on him.
"You have no idea," he murmured, "how happy you just made me."
Noelle's pulse raced so hard she thought she might collapse. She let out a shaky laugh, swatting at his arm. "Well, don't get used to me confessing twice. That's all you're getting."
Ren laughed too, his relief spilling into pure joy. "Once is enough. I'll take care of the rest."
For a few heartbeats, they simply stood there, caught in a quiet, fragile space. Neither of them knew what to do next. It was the first time for both and every small movement felt weighted with possibility or the fear of doing too much, or too little. Noelle's cheeks burned, and she kept glancing at the grass beneath their feet while Ren's hands twitched at his sides, restless.
Finally, he broke the silence. "May I…?" he asked softly, extending his hand toward her. His voice was steady but his pulse betrayed the flutter of nerves underneath.
Noelle hesitated for the briefest second, then shyly lifted her hand. The moment their skin touched, warmth spread through her like electricity. He wondered at her small hand in his. After a long, quiet beat, he led her out of the school grounds, hand in hand.
The walk to the bus stop was quiet, comfortable in a way neither of them had expected. Their fingers brushed occasionally, hesitant touches that lingered just long enough to set her pulse racing. Noelle found herself stealing glances at him, at the way his dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, at the way his jaw looked sharper in the soft evening light. Ren, meanwhile, was acutely aware of how easy it was to be near her, how warm her dainty hand felt and how much he wanted to linger in this small bubble of intimacy.
When they reached the bus stop, the streetlights cast a warm glow over the emptying pavement. When the bus arrived, Ren held the handrail with one hand, keeping the other lightly around hers, guiding her onto the bus. He gave a subtle, protective squeeze as she found a seat beside him and she felt the heat of his hand through the thin fabric of her sleeve.
The bus ride was slow, the low hum of the engine mixing with the quiet murmur of other passengers. They didn't talk much at first, just shared occasional smiles and sidelong glances but every look carried weight, every small brush of their arms sparking awareness.
Noelle absently fiddled with her sleeve, aware of how close he was. She noticed the faint scent of his cologne, the warmth radiating from him and the easy way he seemed to occupy the space beside her without being overbearing. Ren, for his part, was mesmerised by the way she leaned slightly toward him, how her soft features caught the glow of the overhead lights and the subtle way she shifted when their knees brushed.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, Ren tightened his grip on her hand, refusing to let go. He guided it to rest on his thigh, placing his other hand lightly over hers. The warmth of his skin seeped through, grounding her in a way that made her chest flutter uncontrollably. Noelle's breath hitched and before she fully realised it, she leaned toward him, resting her head gently on his shoulder. Ren's thumb traced gentle circles over her palm, lingering longer than necessary, her gaze flicking up to meet his with a small, tentative smile.
Ren's heart skipped, a quiet thrill running through him at the unexpected closeness. He kept his hand steady over hers, letting the moment linger without forcing it. The low hum of the bus, the gentle sway with each turn and the shared warmth created a cocoon around them, their private world.
Noelle's eyes closed slightly, comforted and exhilarated all at once. For the first time in a long while, she felt completely at ease, yet acutely aware of every little detail of his presence, the faint scent of him, the solidity of his shoulder beneath her head. Ren, watching her relax against him, found himself silently vowing to protect this moment, to keep it suspended just a little longer.
Finally, Ren broke the quiet, voice low and careful, "So… after this, maybe we could grab something to eat? Nothing fancy, just—" he hesitated, cheeks warming slightly, "—to hang out. You know, continue the day?"
Noelle's heart skipped. She nodded, her own shyness mirrored in her smile. "Yeah… I'd like that."