Holiday ended faster than either of them expected. The campus returned to life with its usual chaos—early morning classes, assignment deadlines piling up, and student council meetings that felt endless.
In one of the cafés that had quickly returned to its usual buzz, Lyra sat calmly, sipping coffee while scrolling through notes on her laptop. The rhythm wasn't new. She'd long since grown used to the shift from holidays to routine.
Across from her, Robin slouched in his seat, chin in hand as he yawned."I forgot how exhausting this place is."
Lyra glanced up briefly before returning her focus to her tablet."You were on break for a few weeks, not a few years."
Robin huffed."You don't get it. Holiday is a basic human right."He stirred his coffee lazily, as if hoping the caffeine would magically erase the reality of being back in the grind.
Bit by bit, their routine began to re-form—student council meetings, mounting assignments, impromptu discussions in the hallway, and lunch breaks squeezed between everything else. To an outsider, it probably looked like nothing had changed.
But Robin knew something had.
And the change was inside him.
Lyra looked up, brow slightly furrowed."You okay?"
Robin blinked, caught off guard by the sudden eye contact. He cleared his throat."Yeah. All good."
"You sure?" Her gaze narrowed with quiet suspicion. She was smart—sharp in a way that came from spending way too much time around him. Even the smallest shift in his mood didn't go unnoticed."You look kind of... restless? Haven't eaten? Or did the new year already dump a pile of assignments on you?"
He was quietly grateful that she wasn't quite sharp enough to guess the full truth."Something like that. I'm still adjusting, I guess. First semester's behind me now, and I didn't realize college breaks were this long compared to high school."
Thank god his brain always managed to come up with a semi-reasonable excuse on demand.
Lyra let out a soft laugh."You're such a child. Welcome to the real world, college edition. And to think, just last month you looked so wise handling that committee chaos."
"That has nothing to do with this," Robin muttered flatly.
She shrugged, her smile still in place. At some point, she'd started enjoying moments like this—pushing back at his sarcasm the way he always did to her. Or maybe, the more time she spent with him, the more his habits started rubbing off on her.
Robin exhaled, but his thoughts were far from the surface.
He hadn't been able to shake it.
The way he felt about Lyra.
For the longest time, he'd kept it vague, distant, something unspoken and undefined. But now? Now he'd admitted it—at least to himself. And that changed everything.
The problem was, now that he knew... he had no idea what to do with it.
Should he say something? Wait it out? What if she never saw him as more than just a friend?
He inhaled deeply, eyes fixed on the girl across from him, still lost in her laptop—completely unaware of the silent war going on inside his head.
One thing was certain:He had to figure it out.
And he needed to do it before life moved on without giving him the chance to take that one step forward.
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Ever since New Year's Eve, Robin hadn't been able to stop thinking about one thing—he had to tell her.
But when? How? Was Lyra ready to hear it? More importantly… was he ready to say it?
It wasn't his first time liking someone. But it was the first time he genuinely cared about how his feelings might be received.
Sitting in the media room lounge, headphones on, Robin stared blankly at nothing. The music in his ears was just background noise now, muffled by the whirlwind of thoughts in his head. His fingers tapped absently against his phone, creating a rhythm that made no sense—just something to fill the silence.
He was trying to figure it out. What step to take. What words to say. What moment to choose.
Then Nelson—his classmate and longtime partner-in-chaos—dropped onto the seat beside him without warning. He casually snagged one of Robin's earbuds and popped it in.
"You look like a man with too many thoughts," he said mid-crunch, holding a half-eaten bag of chips Robin hadn't noticed before. "New year's just started, man. Why the long face?"
Robin sighed. He wasn't in the mood to dodge."I'm thinking about confessing to someone."
Nelson raised an eyebrow, suddenly alert."Well, well. Finally. So... when's it happening?"
"That's the problem." Robin raked a hand through his hair, frustrated."I don't know. I just... I don't want to mess up what we already have. Things are good now. Especially after... well, New Year's."
Nelson, who'd been half-tuned out before, now turned with an amused gleam in his eyes."New Year's, huh?"
Robin blinked—then cursed under his breath, realizing what he'd just implied."I mean… yeah. She spent New Year's at my place."
Nelson's grin grew wide and shameless."Whoa. Brought her home already? Getting that early blessing from the fam, huh?"
Robin shot him a flat look."She was alone that night, so I invited her. That's it."
"Mmhmm," Nelson said, clearly not buying the innocent tone. "Weird, I don't remember getting my invitation."
"You were with your family. Don't be dense."
Nelson gasped theatrically."Still, a formal invite would've been nice. Even just to reject it."
Robin rolled his eyes."Spare me the fake drama."
"Ugh, so now my rival is Lyra?" Nelson clutched his chest like he'd been betrayed. "I always knew it'd come to this."
"Knock it off."
Nelson chuckled, clearly thriving off the reaction."Okay, okay. So what's the holdup?"
Robin sighed again, this time heavier."She saw my middle school photo."
Nelson groaned, flopping back into the couch with a look of deep exhaustion."That again? Dude, how many times—she is not going to hate you because of an awkward photo."
Robin stayed silent.
Nelson turned his head, the teasing finally giving way to something more grounded."Look, not everyone's out to tear you down. I mean, I'm still here, right? And I've seen way worse than that picture."
Still nothing.
Nelson exhaled, then narrowed his eyes."Seriously, man—get over the insecurity. You're always telling Lyra to be honest, to be herself. So what about you?"
There's no such thing as "perfect timing."There's only the moment you decide to stop hesitating.
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"All right, that's it for today's meeting," said Alton, the student council president, closing his agenda notebook with a quiet snap. "We're still riding that New Year energy, so I'll go easy on you guys—but don't forget to update the budget report for the upcoming event, and double-check the list of proposals."
A few light cheers broke out among the group. Their first meeting of the semester had ended earlier than usual. Some of the newer council members looked slightly overwhelmed by the sudden shift back into work mode, while the more seasoned ones were simply relieved to call it a day.
Mei, dressed in a soft cream top and worn-in denim, stretched with a lazy groan."Finally…"
Next to her, Lyra was quietly packing up her things."You look exhausted," she commented, glancing her way.
"Feels like jet lag," Mei muttered. "I got too used to sleeping in and doing absolutely nothing over break."
Lyra let out a soft laugh."Oh, you."
Mei gave a casual shrug as she started gathering her scattered notebooks."How about you? You never told me what you did over the break."
Lyra hesitated, her hand pausing mid-motion as she slid her tablet into her bag. Should she tell her? Her thoughts flicked back to scattered flashes of winter break—moments that had stayed with her more than she'd expected.
Without realizing it, a small smile tugged at her lips.
"Hey…" Mei nudged her with a knowing grin. "Why are you smiling like that? Wait—did you spend time with him?"
Lyra nearly choked, scrambling for composure."Maybe… we saw each other a few times."
"A few times, huh?" Mei's eyes lit up."Okay, so what's the story? What's going on with you two?"
"Nothing," Lyra said a bit too quickly, giving her an unimpressed look. "Don't be weird."
Mei folded her arms, letting out an exaggerated sigh."No, this is what's weird—watching you two circle each other like this. It's painful. I swear, if you don't say something soon, you're going to regret it."
Lyra frowned slightly."What's that supposed to mean?"
Mei's voice softened, but her eyes stayed sharp."Come on, Lyra. You know the kind of guy he is. There's no way he doesn't have other girls eyeing him. Don't wait until the next New Year to realize you missed your shot."
Just then, Mei glanced past her and smirked."Speak of the devil—your prince has arrived."
Lyra turned reflexively—and there he was. Robin, walking toward them in his usual hoodie layered under a denim jacket, his hair messily tousled as always.
Without missing a beat, Mei grabbed her bag and patted Lyra's shoulder with a not-so-subtle grin."Good luck," she said, and strode off.
Robin blinked as Mei passed him, clearly confused by the cryptic exchange.He turned back to Lyra, who was now packing up faster than necessary.
"What was that about?" he asked, brow furrowed.
Lyra let out a soft breath, trying to act unbothered."Nothing important."
Robin didn't push. He just shrugged like he always did."Come on. Let's head back."
Ordinarily, those words would've felt routine. They had walked home together more times than either could count. But this time—Lyra felt something shift.
Her heart beat just a little faster.
Maybe it was Mei's words echoing in her head. Maybe it was something that had been building for longer than she wanted to admit.
She swallowed hard and nodded."Yeah… let's go."
As they stepped out into the corridor, Robin gave her a sidelong glance, casual as ever.And Lyra… did her best to pretend she wasn't falling a little further with every step.
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After the brief meeting, the two of them walked side by side down the campus sidewalk, still dusted with leftover snow. The air was sharp and cold, their breath visible in the fading light, but Lyra seemed calm beneath her coat and scarf.
The evening sky was darkening by the minute. Streetlights flickered to life, casting a warm glow over the frozen ground. Neither of them rushed. Neither spoke of assignments or meetings. Just the soft rhythm of their footsteps filled the space between them.
Robin cleared his throat."Y'know... I think this year might not be so bad after all."
Lyra glanced over, a little surprised by the sudden comment. But then she nodded."I hope it's more stable than the last one," she said, half joking, half sincere.
Robin gave a small smile."I hope… that this year, I stop being afraid. And maybe… I get better at being honest."
Lyra slowed down."Honest about what?"
Robin stopped walking. Just like that. And Lyra, now a few steps ahead, came to a halt too.
He took a deep breath, fists buried in the pockets of his jacket like they were the only things keeping him grounded. This wasn't a casual joke he could throw out and laugh off. It wasn't something he could keep quiet any longer either.
He had to say it.
Now or never.
Robin looked at her, his face soft under the yellow streetlight, eyes steady."I don't know when it started," he said quietly, "but being with you… it just feels right. I'm comfortable around you. I want to stay… right here, with you. If you'll let me."
She froze.
The world felt quieter somehow, as if everything else held its breath to let his words land. The snow didn't bite anymore, and the cold winter air had been replaced by something warmer, blooming quietly in her chest.
Robin let out another breath and kept going, this time even softer."I'm not saying this to pressure you. I just…" He paused, biting the inside of his cheek. "I don't want to regret never saying it."
His gaze dropped, fingers fidgeting with the edge of his scarf. His words echoed in her head, blending with emotions she hadn't dared to fully examine.
The past year had been a rollercoaster—friendships breaking, emotions running high, feelings she'd tried so hard to bury.
And now, Robin was here.
Saying the one thing she never thought she'd hear this soon.
He spoke again, this time gentler, like he was leaving the door open without forcing her to step through it."I know you've got a lot going on. You don't have to say anything right now. I just… I wanted you to know."
Lyra slowly lifted her head, eyes meeting his.
His expression held no demands. No expectations. Just truth.
And strangely, that gave her a sense of calm.
She didn't have to rush. Didn't have to be afraid.She had space—finally—to feel what she needed to feel.
She took a long breath and gave him a soft, quiet smile."Thank you, Robin."
He smiled back. Not one of his teasing grins or smug little smirks, but something softer. Sincere.
And with that, they started walking again, letting the evening wrap around them in a silence that felt... safe.
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That night, Robin lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling with a small smile that refused to leave his face.
Relief.
That was the first thing he felt after finally saying it out loud. Like a weight he'd been quietly carrying had been lifted—at least a little. Still, a tension lingered, just beneath the surface.
What now?
He exhaled, then chuckled quietly as Lyra's surprised face flashed through his mind.
She'd looked so adorably stunned. Her eyes had widened, lips slightly parted like the words she wanted to say got stuck somewhere along the way. Robin wasn't even sure she realized how endearing that moment had been.
He let himself drift back, replaying how it all started.
And honestly? It sounded cliché—even to him.
Just a clumsy run-in while trying to find the right room for a campus festival meeting. He could still remember how rushed Lyra was, how she muttered something under her breath without even looking at him properly.
Looking back, maybe he owed that festival more than he thought. Because after that… everything changed.
They started seeing each other more often—not just as co-workers, but little by little, as something more. Something unnamed, but steady.
He grabbed his phone and opened a photo folder he had carefully—maybe secretly—put together.
Photos of Lyra.
Most of them were taken in secret, especially during the festival itself. He knew she hated being on camera, so these snapshots were the only way to keep a piece of those fleeting moments. Moments that mattered.
One shot had her checking the equipment list, focused and slightly frowning. Another captured her deep in concentration over a notebook, eyebrows furrowed in that way she probably didn't even realize she did. And then, of course, there was that short clip he took when she was ranting about being exhausted.
He chuckled, remembering how she'd gone off the moment she noticed.
"Robin! Delete it. Now!"
"Nope," he'd said lazily, raising the phone out of reach. "This one's going in the archives."
She'd huffed and eventually let it go. And now, he was genuinely glad he hadn't deleted it. Because these moments—they were more than memories. They were proof of something real. And maybe, without knowing it, they were proof that he'd fallen for her long before he ever admitted it.
Robin let out a quiet breath and caught his reflection in the darkened phone screen.
He hadn't always been like this.
He remembered the boy he used to be—thick glasses, dull haircut, a walking target for cruel comments he tried to pretend didn't hurt. Even after the glow-up, even after people started seeing him differently, there was still a piece of that boy inside him—uncertain, waiting to be rejected.
Was Lyra drawn to who he was now?
But then, he remembered New Year's Eve.
That moment when, for some reason, he'd allowed himself to show a sliver of who he used to be.
And Lyra, without flinching, had said,
"But honestly? I think it's a good thing. You stayed true to who you were, even when others thought you were boring. That's better than pretending to be someone you're not."
Robin had been speechless.
He thought she'd say something like "You're not boring," or worse, "Wait, really? I never would've guessed."
But she didn't.
She didn't sugarcoat it. She didn't deny who he'd been. Instead, she offered something simple. And weirdly, it meant more than any comforting lie ever could.
His smile deepened.
His mom once told him: one day, the hurt will stop mattering—when the right person comes along.
And now he knew. That day had come.
He'd found that person.
Now, he just had to make sure of one thing—that he wouldn't let her go. No matter what happened next, he'd do whatever it took to make sure she was happy.
Because she was it.
She was the person.
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*** TO BE CONTINUE ***