After that day, Ice stopped showing up to class as often.
The professor said it was because of SSC work, but I couldn't stop thinking about what happened.
It was like nothing had happened at all.
Everyone just kept going—laughing, chatting, stressing over deadlines.
No one talked about how someone tried to hurt him.
Was I the only one still thinking about it?
…Or was I just overreacting?
"Hey, are you alright?"
Oriel's voice was soft in the library, but I still caught the concern in it.
"Yeah… I'm okay."
I forced a smile. It felt thin. Awkward.
Dhylan returned with a stack of books and dropped them on the table.
"I think that's enough," he said cheerfully as he plopped down next to Oriel.
I leaned on the table, chin in hand, and peeked at Oriel.
"Say… why do people hate Ice so much?"
Oriel sighed—clearly unimpressed by the topic.
Dhylan looked thoughtful. "Because he's a culinary genius? Can I say that?" He looked at Oriel for backup.
"Sure," she muttered without enthusiasm.
"Oriel got in on a scholarship. I'm just here because I didn't know what else to do," Dhylan added, laughing—until Oriel jabbed him in the ribs.
I raised an eyebrow at her.
She shrugged. "Hey, it's a great school. I couldn't say no."
Dhylan continued, "We don't really care about being top of the class. We just want to pass. Some of the students here are the same."
"But not Ice. You know that already," he added, glancing at me.
I nodded.
Yeah, I knew. More than I wanted to admit.
"He's not the only one who works like that," Dhylan said. "But Ice? He made enemies—big ones. Rich kids. Important families."
He stood up suddenly and started rummaging through the nearby shelf.
"I saw it here somewhere…"
A moment later, he came back holding a folded newspaper. Oriel didn't even look up.
"Here," he said, handing it to me.
In the photo, Ice was holding a trophy. The headline screamed in bold:
'First-Year Student Takes the Crown by Landslide'
"That contest's usually for upperclassmen," Dhylan explained as I scanned the article.
The write-up was glowing. Inspirational, even.
"They only let Ice join because they didn't think he could win. But he crushed everyone."
"And people hated that," he added. "Especially the seniors. So they banned him from ever joining again."
"What? That's not fair." I frowned.
The librarian gave us a sharp look and raised a finger to her lips.
I mouthed a quiet sorry and leaned closer as Dhylan lowered his voice.
"They made up rules. Changed criteria. But everyone knew. They just didn't want to look bad. A first-year making fourth-years look like beginners? The school hated it too."
I opened my mouth to reply, but the librarian was still watching. I closed it and gave Dhylan a look to keep going.
"He topped every class. Never cheated. Never got favors. So when he became SSC president, they couldn't stop it. Not even the staff."
Dhylan shrugged. "Next step? Gossip. It's all they had left."
"Turning the whole school against him with rumors?" I whispered. My chest tightened. "That's messed up."
"Well… Ice doesn't help himself," Oriel muttered, flipping a page. "He's got a bad attitude. Super competitive. Doesn't know when to shut up."
"But he's kind," I said quietly. I tried to sound calm, but even I heard the edge in my voice. I knew she didn't like him.
"I don't hate him," Oriel said, finally looking up. "But I can't stand how he treats you. Still, yeah—I get why people can't stand him."
"And the way he coldly rejects girls? That doesn't help either."
My thoughts flicked to that memory. The one I saw myself.
It was true. He was cold. But still…
Something about it felt off.
Maybe he just didn't know how to show feelings.
Maybe he wasn't as heartless as everyone thought.
But I didn't say any of that out loud.
I was walking toward the SSC building now, the Foundation Day proposal in my arms.
My class had asked me to lead the booth project.
It had been my idea, after all.
Everyone pitched in—brainstorming, designing, editing.
It had been tiring… but also fun.
Still, none of that was on my mind right now.
Ice.
We hadn't spoken since the incident.
And now, I had to hand this proposal to him.
Was he okay?
That question had been stuck in my head for days.
I couldn't forget the sight of his hand—bloody and scratched. It kept replaying over and over.
I tried to find him after it happened. But I never did.
Now, standing in front of the SSC room, I paused.
There were voices inside. Lively. Chatty.
What would he say if he saw me?
Would he even care?
Would he be… happy?
…Probably not.
I reached for the doorknob.
But just as I was about to turn it, a girl's voice came from inside.
"We should kick her out too!"
I froze.
"Suspension isn't enough! What if she attacks us next?" The same girl again—this time more anxious.
"She won't."
Ice's voice.
Calm. Steady.
He didn't sound mad. Just sure.
"Her boyfriend was a bully and a cheater. That's why he got expelled. What if she's just like him?" another girl said.
Expelled? Boyfriend?
They were talking about her. The girl from that day.
"I checked her record. She's clean. No violations," Ice said. Still calm. Still unreadable.
"But I'm still scared. What if she—"
"She won't," he repeated.
But this time… I understood.
He said it like that because he knew how it felt.
Because they hated him, too.
"Don't worry, girls! I'll protect you!" a guy said with an exaggerated tone.
I flinched when a voice behind me suddenly spoke.
"Are you going in?"
I turned. A girl stood there—probably from the council.
"Y-yeah. Just here to pass something… for Foundation Day."
I hugged the folder tighter to my chest.
"You can just give it to me." She smiled politely.
I hesitated… then handed it over.
Just like that, I was back in the hallway.
Proposal delivered. Mission complete.
But for some reason… something didn't feel right.
Why do I feel so—
I didn't even know what to call it.
Frustrated? Disappointed?
I told myself it was fine. I did what I came to do.
That was what mattered.
And yet—
Before I could stop myself, one quiet, lingering thought slipped in.
I wanted to see Ice.
Next Chapter: A warm bath. Flickering candlelight. A mind that refuses to stay still.
Even as Fire sinks beneath the surface, the weight of his words pulls her deeper.
Cruel voices echo, memories rewind, and Oriel's warning repeats like a quiet drumbeat in the back of her mind.
But Foundation Day won't wait for heartbreak.
The classroom is glowing, the students are buzzing, and for once… Fire isn't expected to do anything at all.
Pushed outside with nothing but time and a grateful heart, she steps into a festival built with her effort—and their appreciation.
But can she really enjoy the day…
…when her thoughts keep dragging her back underwater?