The days went on just the same…
A few days later, Yuna was walking beside her bicycle near the school gates. As usual, she felt excited to attend class—school was interesting for her, and she enjoyed learning. She had always been a top student in her previous school, consistently coming first. Her passion for academics made her naturally competitive.
As she walked, she noticed Juno ahead, calmly walking toward the school. Without hesitation, Yuna jogged up to him.
"Hey! Wait up—I'll walk with you," she called.
Hearing her voice, Juno turned around and stopped.
"Hi, Juno!" she greeted him cheerfully.
"Oh, Yuna... hey," he said with a small smile, waiting for her to catch up.
They walked together in silence for a moment before Juno asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, thanks to you I'm doing fine," she said with a grateful smile. "Since you're the class president, everything's running smoothly."
Juno nodded, smiling gently.
Yuna hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Why are you always alone? I mean, it's been a month since we joined this school, and I've barely seen you talk to anyone outside of classwork."
She added, "But whenever someone tries to talk to you, you're always polite and kind. So... why keep your distance?"
Juno looked ahead as he replied quietly, "I've always been like this. I just prefer being by myself. I don't really enjoy being around too many people."
Yuna simply nodded and continued walking beside him.
---
They eventually reached their classroom. Juno settled into his seat and began reading and taking notes. Meanwhile, Yuna sat near the window, quietly gazing outside.
Through the glass, she spotted Nyx sitting alone in the school ground. He seemed lost in thought.
Yuna stared at him, remembering the incident from the other day—the moment everything changed. Since then, Nyx had completely ignored her, as if she didn't exist. He didn't even glance her way anymore, and that thought lingered in her mind.
Suddenly—
"Boo!"
Yuna jumped, startled. It was Iris.
Yuna held her chest. "I swear, I just got a mini heart attack!"
Iris burst out laughing. "Sorry, I just couldn't resist!"
Yuna shook her head, chuckling. "You're impossible."
Iris leaned in and grinned. "So... why were you staring at him?"
"I wasn't," Yuna quickly replied, looking away.
"Alright, alright," Iris teased. "Anyway, did you finish your homework?"
Yuna blinked. "Yeah, why?"
"I forgot to do it," Iris said sheepishly. "We had that bike race yesterday, remember? I got too caught up in it. You know how much I love bikes!"
Yuna smiled in amazement. "This is the first time I've ever met a girl who's crazy about bikes. You're so cool, Iris. I wish I had your confidence!"
They both giggled.
Just then, Ren and Nyx walked into the classroom.
Yuna glanced at Nyx, but he ignored her again and quietly took his seat.
Ren looked at Iris, but she didn't acknowledge him and simply turned away.
A few minutes later, their teacher, Jensy ma'am, entered the classroom and began the session. Everyone returned to their seats as she took attendance.
"Alright," she said, placing her book on the desk, "let's talk about the homework project. First—who hasn't completed it? Don't worry, I won't do anything harsh."
Slowly, a few students stood up—Iris, Nyx, Eira, and two other boys.
Jensy ma'am raised an eyebrow. "What happened to you all? Anyway, since you didn't complete the homework, I'll give you all a small punishment instead."
She pointed to the front. "Come here, all of you."
Iris and Eira protested. "No, ma'am… please! We'll do it next time!"
"No excuses," the teacher said firmly. "Come in front of the class."
The five of them—three boys and two girls—reluctantly stood before their classmates.
"I'll give you two minutes each," Jensy ma'am announced. "You have to speak in proper language—either a short speech, a poem, or an essay. Anything you like. That's your task."
The entire class perked up in excitement.
"Who wants to go first?" she asked.
To everyone's surprise, Eira eagerly raised her hand. She looked excited—partly because she loved public speaking, and partly because Juno was watching.
She stepped forward confidently and began.
"Good morning, everyone! I'm really excited to speak today. The first thing I want to say is—I always want to be cheerful. I don't like being sad, and I want the people around me—my friends, my classmates—to always feel happy too.
"For that, I'm willing to do anything. I love seeing people smile. A smile is the most powerful thing a person can wear. Even when I'm feeling low, I try my best to keep smiling. I don't care what others think—I just want to be genuinely happy.
"I know that all of us go through tough times, but we always have someone nearby who truly cares and wants to see us happy. So I'm here... always, for anyone who needs a friend or someone to talk to."
As Eira finished, she glanced briefly at Juno.
Yuna noticed it immediately—those words were meant for him. She looked at Juno and Eira, realizing the connection between them.
The class erupted into applause.
Juno smiled softly, clearly touched by her words.
Eira blushed under his gaze.
"Well done," said Jensy ma'am. "That was a wonderful speech. You can take your seat now."
Next, she looked at the others. "Who wants to go next?"
No one stepped forward.
"Alright, I'll choose," she said, scanning the group. "Iris—come on."
Iris looked uncomfortable as she took a deep breath and stood before the class.
"Good morning, everyone," she began nervously. "If there's one thing I really love…"
She trailed off, struggling with her words.
"It's alright," Jensy ma'am said gently. "Just talk about what you like. Be yourself."
Iris smiled slightly and nodded. "Okay… I really, really love bikes. Riding bikes, racing, everything about them. Yesterday, I went to a race—that's why I forgot about the homework."
She started describing the race, the engines, and the types of bikes. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, and the passion in her voice captured everyone's attention.
The class was amazed by how much she knew—her excitement was real and infectious.
Even Ren looked surprised, seeing a side of Iris he hadn't noticed before.