After class that day, Lina practically bounced over to Evan.
"Hey Evan, let's go to the school lounge," she said, her eyes sparkling.
Evan tilted his head, curious. "Why?"
"For karaoke, obviously," Lina said, grinning. "I am super happy today, and I just want to sing my heart out."
Evan hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "hmmm.. I don't know, and I get… shy in front of people."
"Of course I know that," Lina said, smirking. "But I'll be with you, silly. It'll be fun."
Evan looked at her, a small smile tugging at his lips. There was something infectious about her energy, and he couldn't help but feel drawn in.
"Okay," he said finally.
"Come on, let's goooooo!" Lina exclaimed, tugging him along the walkway with playful force.
They arrived at the school lounge's karaoke center, the walls buzzing with colorful lights and the faint scent of popcorn. Lina approached the person in charge. "Please, put on a Kai song. Feeling it."
The first notes of the song filled the room, soft and familiar. Lina turned to Evan, eyes gleaming. "I'll sing first, okay? Then you pick another song."
Evan nodded, trying not to stare too openly, though he was already captivated by her excitement.
As Lina sang, her voice was chaotic, quirky, and imperfect, a little like a cat being stepped on, but full of life and heart. She swayed, laughed mid-line, and occasionally made exaggerated dramatic gestures. Evan could not take his eyes off her. There was something breathtaking about the way she gave herself entirely to the moment, fearless and unselfconscious.
Her performance was both funny and beautiful, making everyone around them smile, laugh, and clap. Evan could not stop himself from grinning, feeling a flutter in his chest. He admired how she dared to be herself so completely.
When she finished, Lina bowed in a ridiculous, over-the-top way, letting out a triumphant squeak. She handed the microphone to Evan with a flourish. "Your turn," she said, her eyes twinkling.
Evan laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Okay… I want to do Kai's Imagination Gone Wild."
As he sang, his voice unexpectedly smooth and melodic, Lina's gaze stayed glued to him. She sang along quietly, following every note, mesmerized. Suddenly, a shiver ran down her spine. Something in his tone, the softness, the subtle harmonies, made her stop mid-line. Her eyes went wide. That voice, so familiar, so haunting, sounded exactly like Kai's.
When Evan finished and said thank you, the applause started, but Lina could hardly focus. She stared at him, heart racing.
Evan noticed her staring and leaned closer slightly, concerned. "Lina… what's wrong?"
She blinked rapidly, then blurted, "Are you… Kai?"
Evan froze mid-step, his face going pale. "W-What… what are you saying?"
"Of course you're not," Lina said quickly, laughing and waving her hands. "I'm just joking! But bro… your voice sounded exactly like Kai's. Same tune, harmony, softness. You could probably be his double in a concert or something."
Evan laughed nervously, running a hand through his hair. "You're insane."
"Come on, let's go get some ice cream," Lina said, tugging him gently by the sleeve. "I need to cool my head before I hit the books for the States debate competition."
As they walked, Evan asked, "What's it about this time?"
Lina rolled her eyes, sarcasm dripping. "Singing and dancing, obviously. Didn't you hear the name? It's about debate."
Evan smiled, amused. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'll behave."
Lina ducked her head, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "No… I should be the one sorry. I shouldn't have snapped like that."
Evan reached out gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
She sighed, glancing up at him with a small, nervous smile. "It's just… I feel anxious about the debate. Every time I go, I feel pressured and scared. And I'm always the chief speaker, which means… even more pressure."
Evan's expression softened. "Hey, just relax. You know what? I'll help you prepare for the debate."
Lina blinked at him. "What do you know about debates?"
"Not much," he admitted, shrugging, "but I know a few helpful things. And I'm a good cheerleader."
She laughed, a little breathless from relief. "You're ridiculous. But… okay. Thanks."
Evan smiled, draping his arm casually around her shoulders. Lina felt a subtle warmth creep up her neck, a blush threatening to betray her.
"Come on," Evan said, tugging lightly as they strolled toward the ice cream stand. "Let's get that ice cream and then head straight to the library."
Lina giggled, leaning into him slightly as they walked. "Deal. But you owe me one… you have to survive listening to me explain every single debate rule."
Evan laughed, shaking his head. "Bring it on. I'll survive… maybe."
The two of them walked side by side, sunlight falling on their shoulders, a quiet warmth and playful tension lingering between them as they shared laughter and stories, their steps perfectly in sync.
The library was quiet, the kind of quiet that made every shuffle of paper sound like a drumroll.
Lina and Evan settled at a long wooden table stacked with books. Lina had a notebook open and a pen in hand, her face set in determined focus. Evan leaned back in his chair, pretending to look serious but already smirking.
"So," Evan said, tapping a pencil on the table like a drum, "the debate topic is technology. Humans versus machines, or… what exactly?"
Lina rolled her eyes. "It's about the impact of technology on society, genius. You know… how it changes how we live, think, and communicate. And yes, robots taking over is part of it."
Evan leaned closer, lowering his voice like it was a big secret. "So, I can still use my robot voice later, right?"
Lina groaned dramatically. "Fine, but only if it's hilarious. We have serious points to cover too."
They dove into the books, pulling them from the shelves like they were hunting treasures. Pages rustled, notebooks slammed onto the table, pens rolled everywhere. Lina pointed at Evan's notes. "You wrote 'Tech is evil.' Really? That's your argument?"
"It is!" Evan protested. "It's concise, clear, and dramatic. People love drama."
"Drama doesn't win debates!" Lina exclaimed, grabbing a stack of books to emphasize her point. She accidentally dropped a heavy encyclopedia with a thud that made her jump.
"Oops," she muttered, embarrassed, while Evan tried not to laugh.
They both laughed, and that laughter quickly turned into a little competitive banter. Evan leaned over, tapping her notebook. "You're wrong. I read a study that says social media actually improves human empathy."
"Improves empathy?" Lina scoffed. "Are we reading the same book? It teaches people to argue with strangers over memes!"
They argued back and forth, voices growing louder and more animated. Pages flipped violently, pens rolled across the table like tiny rockets, and every few minutes they'd shout a point at each other, forgetting to lower their voices.
From across the library, a sharp, stern voice echoed: "Excuse me! I said QUIET! This is a library, not a marketplace!"
Lina froze, eyes wide, but whispered, "Keep going. We're fine… she didn't see us… yet."
Evan leaned closer, conspiratorial. "We're unstoppable. Totally invisible."
They continued their chaos, scribbling notes, flipping through books, and debating so loudly that a few students shot them disapproving looks. Lina leaned over the table dramatically, pointing at Evan's notebook. "And here, your argument about AI in schools is completely wrong. Wrong, Evan!"
"Completely wrong?" he shot back, voice mock-outraged. "I could cite three examples in five minutes!"
"Try me!" Lina challenged, nearly knocking over a pile of reference books.
From the other side of the library, the librarian's voice sharpened again. "This is your final warning! If I hear one more loud sound…"
Evan smirked at Lina. "You hear that? Final warning. This is getting exciting."
Lina elbowed him lightly. "Exciting? It's terrifying. We could get kicked out."
But neither of them slowed down. They continued arguing, whisper-shouting, laughing, and flipping pages. Each time one of them made a dramatic point, they'd throw their arms up in exaggeration, sending pencils rolling and paper fluttering across the table.
Finally, the librarian stomped closer, her footsteps echoing ominously. "ENOUGH!" she barked. "I've had it with you two!"
Lina's eyes went wide. Evan's smirk faltered. "Uh-oh," he muttered.
Without a word, Lina grabbed Evan's hand. "Quick! Hide!"
They squeezed into a narrow, cramped gap between two tall bookshelves, the kind that was barely wide enough for one person, let alone two. Their bodies pressed together awkwardly, heat radiating from each other in the tight space.
"Ugh… too close," Lina whispered, her heart racing.
"You're too warm," Evan murmured back, a teasing lilt in his voice.
They froze when the librarian's footsteps grew louder, scanning the aisles. Lina could feel Evan's breath on her neck, and she realized just how close they were, so close that the warmth from his body made her cheeks burn.
"Don't laugh," Lina whispered, trying not to giggle.
"I'm not laughing," Evan said, though a smirk was evident in his voice.
The librarian stomped directly past their hiding spot, muttering about "rude students" and "disrespecting the library rules."
Once the coast was clear, Lina and Evan slowly crawled out, their faces flushed from laughter—and something else neither wanted to admit.
"Maybe we should actually study quietly now," Lina said, though her grin betrayed her.
Evan draped his arm lightly around her shoulders as they returned to the table. "Quietly, I think we can do. But only if you admit I'm winning this debate practice."
Lina snorted. "Winning? You're barely surviving, Mr. Kai-Double."
They burst into quiet laughter again, whisper-arguing and plotting debate strategies, the playful chaos simmering between them like electricity. Every brush of their hands, every accidental bump, and every shared laugh sent little sparks flying, making the quiet library feel alive with energy, romance, and the thrill of two people dangerously close to admitting how much they liked each other.
Lina was in the living room with Jessie, her books open in front of her. She was trying to read, but the constant sound of Jessie giggling and tapping on her phone was too distracting. Jessie's face lit up every few seconds as she texted back and forth with her boyfriend.
Lina glanced at her once, twice, then a third time, first with frustration, then with curiosity. Finally, she shook her head, tried to bury her nose in her book, and gave up. With a groan, she dropped her book onto the table.
"Jessie, can I ask you something?" Lina asked.
Jessie didn't even glance up. "If it's about whether you're going to marry Kai, then I don't wanna hear it."
Lina rolled her eyes. "No, no, it's not about that. Well… maybe someday, but that's not the point."
Jessie, still pressing her phone, said, "Okay, I'm listening."
"It's about a boy," Lina said carefully, "who's not Kai."
Jessie froze. Her eyes widened, and in an instant she dropped her phone, scooted closer, and leaned in with all the drama of someone about to hear the world's juiciest secret. "Who is he? Wait—do you like him?"
Lina fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "Well, that's the thing… I don't know."
Jessie tilted her head, confused. "You don't know him?"
Lina shook her head quickly. "No, no, I do know him. I just don't know if I like him."
Jessie squinted at her as if she was trying to read her thoughts. "Hmm. Interesting."
Lina sighed and stood up, pacing across the living room floor. "Oh no. No, no, no. This can't happen. I can't like him. He's my friend."
Jessie crossed her arms, trying not to smile. "Lina, calm down. Who's this person?"
Lina stopped pacing, hesitated, then asked nervously, "Before I tell you, how did you feel before you and Mike started dating?"
Jessie's expression softened, and she leaned back against the couch, her eyes turning dreamy. "It was beautiful," she said. "I'd get butterflies every time he talked to me. My face would get all red, and if he so much as touched my hand, my whole body would feel like it had been electrocuted... but in the good way." She laughed softly at the memory.
Lina's eyes widened, and she groaned. She spun around, clutching her head dramatically. "Oh no, no, no. I can't like him. I can't. This is a disaster."
Jessie narrowed her eyes, leaning forward eagerly. "Lina. Who. Is. It."
Lina bit her lip, hesitated for another long moment, and then blurted out, "I have a crush on Evan."