Students filled the open courtyard, laughter and chatter mixing with the sound of shoes on stone. Backpacks swung, papers fluttered, and sunlight spilled across the campus like a golden crown.
Eiden and his crew stood just beyond the gate, their usual confidence drawing stares. His friend—the one still sulking from the "shoe incident"—nervously scanned the crowd. Then his eyes lit up.
"There! That's her!" he hissed, pointing toward a girl walking with a group of classmates.
Eiden followed his gaze. The moment he saw her, time slowed. The noise of the courtyard seemed to dim, the crowd blurring around her. She moved with an effortless grace, sunlight catching her hair, laughter spilling from her lips like music.
Eiden's breath caught. For the first time in years, the undefeated fighter felt his heart stumble.
The friend sneered, "That's the girl who hit me—"
Smack!
Before he could finish, Eiden's hand landed across his cheek, the sound cracking through the courtyard. Students stopped, stunned, turning toward the commotion.
Eiden's voice rang out, sharp but strangely admiring. "Look at her. She beat you with a shoe—and you came crying? That's not her fault. That means you are at fault."
The friend gawked, rubbing his cheek. "Wh-what?"
Eiden stepped forward, his eyes never leaving the girl as she glanced curiously toward the scene. His tone softened, almost reverent. "A woman strong enough to stand up for herself? To fight back without fear? That deserves respect."
The courtyard buzzed with whispers. His crew exchanged bewildered looks. One finally spoke, incredulous: "Eiden… you slapped your own friend—for her? Are you out of your mind?"
But Eiden only smirked, gaze fixed on the girl like she was the only person left in the world. "Mind? No. For the first time, I think I've found someone worth fighting for."
His words hung in the air, bold and unexpected. His friends fell silent, shaken by a side of him they had never seen before.
And Eiden—untouchable, undefeated—stood there, mesmerized, as though he'd already lost the most important fight of his life
The whispers spread like wildfire. Dozens of eyes darted between the tall fighter with his crew and the girl who had suddenly become the center of his praise.
Her friends tugged at her sleeve, urging her to ignore the scene, but curiosity flickered in her eyes. She stepped forward, her stride calm, confident, each step drawing her closer to Eiden.
Eiden's friends shifted uneasily. One muttered, "She's really coming this way…" Another crossed his arms, watching like this was some kind of showdown.
When she finally stopped in front of him, she tilted her head, her gaze sharp but steady. "So," she said coolly, "you're the one making a scene in my college?"
Eiden's lips curled into a grin. "Scene? No. I was just telling the truth. You're extraordinary."
The friend he'd slapped earlier scoffed. "Extraordinary? She hit me with her shoe!"
The girl's eyes flicked to him. "And you deserved it." Her voice carried with quiet authority, making a few students nearby chuckle.
Eiden chuckled low, his admiration only deepening. He tapped his chest. "See? Even she agrees. You lost fair and square."
His crew exchanged stunned looks, unused to seeing their leader so openly humbled—and smitten.
The girl folded her arms, unimpressed but curious. "And why are you defending me?"
"Because," Eiden said without hesitation, "anyone who can knock sense into my men with a shoe deserves my respect." His grin softened into something rarer, almost gentle. "And maybe… a chance to know her better."
The courtyard buzzed again, students whispering at his boldness. His friends were wide-eyed, muttering in disbelief: "Is he… flirting?"
But Eiden didn't care. For the first time, his undefeated streak meant nothing—because in this moment, the only victory he wanted was her attention.The girl studied Eiden for a long moment, her arms still folded. Then, with a faint smile tugging at her lips, she asked, "So tell me, what do you actually do for a living? You don't look like a student."
Eiden straightened, brushing invisible dust from his shirt. "I am," he said proudly. "A medical student."
Her brows lifted, impressed. "Oh? And what's your specialty?"
Before Eiden could answer, one of his grinning friends butted in. "He's training to be an animal doctor."
The girl blinked, then burst out laughing. "A veterinarian?"
Eiden shot his friend a glare, but the damage was done. She leaned closer, her smile bright, eyes sparkling with sudden mischief. "That's actually perfect. You see, my pet—Jojo—he has a heart problem. Could you… maybe do his operation?"
The courtyard erupted with muffled laughter, students covering their mouths as they listened in. Eiden's friends tried and failed to hold back their snickers.
For once, the undefeated fighter looked cornered. His jaw tightened, but then he let out a short laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "An operation, huh? On Jojo?"
"Yes," she said sweetly, tilting her head. "You can do that… right, Doctor?"
Eiden's tough façade cracked. He nodded firmly anyway, smirking as if nothing could rattle him. "If it's for you, I'll make sure Jojo gets the best treatment in the world."
The girl grinned, clearly enjoying herself, while his crew whispered in disbelief. "Did Eiden just agree to do surgery on a pet?!"
For the first time, the king of the streets had been put on the defensive—not by fists, but by a girl with a clever smile and a pet named Jojo.
The girl's teasing grin lingered, but Eiden's crew wasn't about to let the moment slide. One of them leaned in, laughing, "So, Doc, when's the operation on this legendary Jojo? Tomorrow, right?"
Another chimed in, smirking, "Yeah, tomorrow itself. Don't keep the lady waiting."
Eiden hesitated for a fraction of a second, then gave a confident nod. "Fine. Tomorrow it is." He turned back to the girl, his grin sharp yet oddly sincere. "See you tomorrow then… and say hi to Jojo for me."
She chuckled, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "I will."
Eiden's heart hammered in his chest as she began to turn away. Almost without thinking, he called after her, "Wait—"
She stopped, glancing back, curious.
His voice softened, the grin slipping into something genuine. "…What's your name?"
For a heartbeat, the courtyard fell quiet, all eyes on her. She smiled, the kind of smile that seemed to light the morning even brighter.
"Aelin," she said simply.
The name echoed in Eiden's mind like a bell. He repeated it under his breath, as if tasting it for the first time. Aelin.
As she walked away, the courtyard buzzed again with whispers, but Eiden barely heard them. For the first time in his life, he wasn't thinking about fights, bets, or victory—just a name, and the girl who carried it.
Eiden stood frozen, watching her until she disappeared into the building. His lips still shaped her name. Aelin.
His friends stared at him for a long moment, then suddenly burst out laughing.
One clapped him on the back. "Bro… how are you going to do an operation tomorrow?"
Another doubled over, wheezing, "You don't even know how to spell operation!"
The group roared with laughter, holding their stomachs, tears in their eyes. A couple of students passing by snickered, clearly overhearing.
Eiden scowled, trying to keep his cool, but his ears burned red. "Shut up. I'll figure it out."
"Figure it out?" one friend snorted. "What are you gonna do—Google it? 'How to fix Jojo's heart in one day'?"
The others howled, nearly collapsing on each other.
Eiden glared at them, though the corner of his mouth twitched like he was fighting a grin. "You think it's funny? You'll see. Tomorrow I'll show her I can handle anything."
"Yeah," one teased, wiping his eyes, "including spelling lessons."
The laughter echoed across the courtyard, but under it all, Eiden's heart still whispered one name over and over: Aelin