"Y-you?!" we both blurted at the same time.
I shot up from my chair so fast it scraped loudly against the floor.
My heart started racing.
No—
Not racing.
Stampeding.
"Woah! W-wait… do you two know each other?" Mark asked, staring between us in confusion.
And just like that, I was trapped.
Standing right in front of him.
Frozen.
Everyone at the table looked back and forth between us.
So this pervert studies here too?!
Shit… what do I do now?!
"Damn," Lance muttered, narrowing his eyes at us. "So you and this girl… hmm?"
"Oh… actually—"
"Shit!"
Before he could finish, I lunged forward and clapped my hand over his mouth.
Gasps erupted around the table.
Then I grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of the restaurant.
"Hey—!"
People turned to stare as we hurried past.
My face burned with embarrassment.
"Gosh…" I muttered under my breath, avoiding everyone's eyes as we pushed through the door.
They looked completely shocked.
Did I pull him too hard?
I didn't care. The only thing that mattered was getting him away from that table.
By the time we stopped, I was completely out of breath.
My lungs burned like I had just run a marathon.
I bent slightly, trying to catch my breath.
Only then did I realize—
I was still holding his wrist.
And I had absolutely no idea where we had ended up.
"And now what?"
His voice was cold.
Flat.
Emotionless.
I froze.
Right.
I had just dragged him halfway across the restaurant like a maniac.
I slowly released his wrist, suddenly unable to look at him.
Oh my God… I want to faint.
He stood there, watching me in silence.
"So?" he said impatiently. "Are you just going to stand there?"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Why did you drag me out here?"
God… he's angry.
My heart pounded even harder.
"S-sorry!" I blurted out quickly. "I didn't know what else to do! Were you planning to tell them what happened between us—"
"Nothing happened between us."
He cut me off instantly.
My mouth snapped shut.
Wow.
Brutally honest.
"I mean—no—I mean—" I stammered, shaking my head quickly. "What I meant is… they can't know about that night. They can't find out that you were the one with me."
"And why not?"
His tone was calm.
Too calm.
"Do you think I'd be okay with them knowing that?" I said, my voice rising slightly. "It would be so embarrassing if they found out I was with you!"
His eyebrows lifted.
"Wait."
He stared at me.
Then slowly narrowed his eyes.
"You're embarrassed because you were with me?"
"N-no! That's not what I meant!"
"They don't know what really happened that night," I rushed to explain. "What do you think they'll think about me?"
"Well," he said coldly, "you're the only one who should be embarrassed."
His gaze hardened.
"You got drunk. Then you showed up and ruined my night."
A pause.
"And now you're ruining my day too."
"That's exactly why they can't know!" I snapped, frustration slipping out before I could stop it.
"Oh?" he said slowly.
One eyebrow lifted.
"Now you're angry?"
"N-not like that… please." I swallowed nervously. "Just don't tell them."
"And why," he asked quietly, studying me carefully, "should I keep your secret?"
I froze.
His words echoed in my head.
Why should I keep your secret?
And suddenly—
It hit me.
Why would he?
We weren't friends.
We weren't even acquaintances.
The only reason we were standing here together…
Was because of one stupid night.
Oh God… what have I gotten myself into?
"I… I know it's strange," I whispered, lowering my eyes. "But can you just help me out? I'm in a really difficult situation."
"Well," he said indifferently, "you should deal with your own problems. Don't drag me into them."
The words stung.
"Shit… I'm running out of time," he muttered, glancing at his watch.
"You know what? I'll just go back."
He turned to leave.
Panic shot through me.
"Wait!"
I rushed forward and grabbed his arm again.
"Please…" I whispered, my voice cracking. "I'm begging you. Don't tell anyone. I'll do anything. Anything you want. Just please keep my secret."
He looked down at me in silence.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Something unreadable flickered in his eyes.
I swallowed nervously.
"Fine," he said at last with a quiet sigh. "I won't tell anyone."
"Really?!" I blurted.
Relief rushed through me so suddenly that I didn't realize I was still holding his hand.
"May I?" he murmured, glancing down at it.
"Oh—s-sorry!" I quickly let go.
"Thanks for keeping it secret," I said, forcing a small smile.
But then—
Something shifted in his expression.
A slow, dangerous smirk appeared.
"I'll keep your secret," he said calmly. "But my condition is…"
My eyes widened.
Condition?
"I thought you were—"
"So you thought I'd just play along with your little game for free?" he said, stepping closer.
I instinctively stepped back.
"No… I just—"
My back suddenly hit the wall.
I froze.
He lifted his hand and brushed his thumb lightly against my lips.
"You said you'd do anything, right?" he whispered near my ear.
His breath brushed against my skin.
A shiver ran down my spine.
"T-then what do you want?" I asked, my face burning.
"Well…" he said lazily. "Maybe I'll call you."
"What the hell?" I frowned. "Isn't that basically blackmail?"
"Why would I blackmail you?" he replied calmly. "You asked me to play along, right?"
"If I'm going to play your game then—"
"Alright! I get it!" I cut him off, pushing him away.
"You don't have to keep repeating it."
"Good," he said simply.
Then suddenly—
My eyes widened.
"Oh no…"
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"What am I supposed to tell them about how we know each other?!" I groaned.
He crossed his arms.
"Well," he said calmly, "since you caused that scene back there… they're obviously going to ask."
"I don't know!" I groaned, grabbing my hair. "Do I have to solve that problem too?!"
Then I glared at him.
"This is your fault! If you hadn't shown up earlier—"
"And why are you blaming me?" he interrupted coolly. "You're the one who made the scene."
I froze.
"Hey," he added, studying my face. "Are you okay?"
"Okay?!" I snapped. "Does it look like I'm okay?! I have a huge problem right now!"
He sighed.
"Since it's your problem… you figure out the story."
"What?! But—hey!"
"I'm hungry. Let's go back," he said casually, already walking toward the restaurant. "Just make up something believable."
And then he disappeared around the corner.
Leaving me standing there.
Completely speechless.
I thought he was going to help me.
But no.
He was awful.
"Ughhh! I'm so stupid!" I groaned, burying my face in my hands.
"Why did I say I'd do anything?!"
Now I had to deal with that arrogant jerk.
My face burned again as his words replayed in my head.
You said you'd do anything.
"Oh God…"
Wait.
Did he mean—
"No way."
"If he dares…"
"I swear I'll kill him."
But right now, that wasn't even my biggest problem.
The real question was—
What the hell am I going to tell them?
...........................
The moment I sat back down at the table, everyone stared at me like I had just committed a crime.
Chloe was the first to lean forward.
"Sam…"
Her eyes were full of curiosity.
"What was that about?"
Mika looked just as shocked, her brows furrowing.
"You literally dragged that guy outside!"
Mark let out a quiet laugh.
"Yeah… that was intense."
France crossed his arms, studying me like I was some kind of puzzle he needed to solve.
"Do you two know each other?"
I froze.
For a moment, my brain completely stopped working.
Think, Sam. Think.
"Oh… that?" I let out a small, awkward laugh.
Even to my own ears, it sounded painfully fake.
"It's nothing. Really."
"Nothing?" Chloe repeated slowly.
"Yes!" I nodded a little too quickly.
"Then why did you pull Ryan outside like that?" Mark asked.
Ryan.
So that was his name.
I groaned quietly and covered my face for a second.
"Okay, fine! Maybe I overreacted."
Mika laughed.
"Poor guy probably thinks you're crazy."
If only you knew.
My stomach tightened.
France raised an eyebrow.
"So what actually happened?"
I hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then I blurted out the first reasonable lie that came to mind.
"I accidentally bumped into him."
"Bumped into him?" Mika repeated.
"Yeah," I said quickly. "Near the library."
France nodded slowly.
"And?"
"And I dropped my notes," I continued, forcing my voice to sound natural. "He helped me pick them up."
Mark smiled.
"Oh. That's nice."
"Yeah," Mika added. "But that still doesn't explain why you dragged him outside."
Before I could even think of an answer—
A chair moved behind me.
My spine stiffened instantly.
Ryan walked past me like nothing unusual had happened.
Like we hadn't just had that conversation outside.
I didn't dare turn around at first.
But when I finally looked up—
He was already watching me.
Calm.
Unreadable.
For a brief moment, our eyes locked.
Then something dangerous appeared at the corner of his mouth.
A faint smirk.
Like he had heard everything.
Like he knew exactly how ridiculous my story sounded.
France noticed him and leaned back in his chair.
"Ryan," Lance said with a teasing smirk. "Care to explain what that was about?"
Ryan didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he slowly leaned back in his chair, completely relaxed.
Then he looked away, as if the question meant nothing.
"We met before," he said casually.
My heart nearly stopped.
The entire table fell silent.
"Wait—really?" Mika asked.
Mark looked between the two of us.
"Where?"
My whole body went rigid.
Don't say it.
Don't you dare say it.
Ryan rested his elbow on the table, looking perfectly calm.
Then he spoke.
"She bumped into me once."
A pause.
"Like she said. Near the library."
My eyes snapped toward him.
That's it?
"She looked lost," he added lazily.
I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
That… was the story?
Chloe looked at me suspiciously.
"Sam?"
"Oh—yeah!" I said quickly.
"Yes! That's exactly what happened!"
I forced out an awkward laugh.
"I got lost around campus during my first week here."
France nodded slowly.
"Ah… that makes sense."
Mika sighed in relief.
"Oh my God, I thought something dramatic happened."
I forced another laugh.
"Of course not."
But when I glanced across the table—
Ryan was already watching me again.
That same faint smirk was still on his lips.
Like he knew exactly how panicked I had been.
Like he was enjoying every second of it.
I quickly looked away.
This guy is unbelievable.
For the rest of lunch, everyone went back to chatting like normal.
Lance started telling some ridiculous story.
France argued with him halfway through.
Mark and Mika talked quietly with each other.
Everything felt normal again.
Except for one thing.
I could still feel Ryan's gaze on me.
And somehow…
That made everything worse.
Because now I couldn't stop thinking about what he said earlier.
You said you'd do anything.
My face grew warm again.
This is bad.
Very bad.