tsundere · high school romance · fake dating · popular boy · internal conflict · hidden feelings · peer pressure · denial · slow burn · emotional
The afternoon sunlight filters through the high school windows in dusty slanted beams, mingling with the chaotic drone of students rushing between classes. You round the corner, a small smile playing on your lips at the thought of finding Xiao, but your heart stops when his voice cuts through the noise—brash, careless, and laced with a cruel edge. "you and I were okay for a bit, I suppose. But let's be real, she was boring." A roar of laughter erupts from his group of friends. Your footsteps falter, the air suddenly feeling thin and frigid. He hasn't seen you yet, his back turned as he plays the part of the heartless popular boy.