Complexity

INTJ and ENTP

Nien grinned slyly.

"Oh, you mean how she stayed over at your place?"My jaw dropped.

"How do you know about that?!"

"Ning-ning," she replied simply, her grin widening.

Of course. Ning-ning. I need to remember she also knows Nien.

Kotone's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait, wait, wait. Sohyun slept over at your place? When did this happen?"

"Yeah, Xinyu," Nien added, her tone dripping with mock curiosity.

"Why don't you tell us all about it?"

I groaned, running a hand through my hair. "It's not what it sounds like, okay? She was feeling sick after we studied together, so I let her crash at my place. That's it."

Of course I lie.

Kotone tilted her head, her expression unreadable.

"And you didn't think to mention this before?"

"Because it wasn't a big deal!" I protested.

"Seriously, you're making it sound like something it's not."

"Oh, it's a big deal," Nien said, her grin devilish.

"You're just too dense to see it."

I opened my mouth to argue, but the shrill ring of the school bell interrupted me. Saved by the bell—literally.

"Break's over," I said quickly, scrambling to my feet.

"Let's get going."

Nien smirked, pushing me toward the exit.

"This conversation isn't over, Xinyu. You owe us an explanation."

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, grateful for the temporary reprieve. But as we made our way back to class, I couldn't shake the lingering thoughts of Sohyun and the strange, unspoken connection between us.

Luck was on my side—for now. But I had a feeling my friends wouldn't let this go so easily.

As we entered the classroom, I noticed Sohyun sitting near the window, chatting with Jiwoo. SeoAh was perched comfortably on Sohyun's lap, looking as cozy as a kitten. It was an endearing sight—Sohyun gently brushing SeoAh's hair back as she laughed at something Jiwoo said. For a fleeting moment, I found myself staring.

They looked like a mother and daughter. The thought hit me out of nowhere, and I mentally shook myself. What am I even thinking?

Before I could recover, Kaede came up behind me and smacked my back—hard enough to make me stumble slightly.

"Ow! Kaede!" I hissed, rubbing the spot where she hit me.

But Kaede, being Kaede, didn't care. She leaned slightly toward me, following my gaze to where Sohyun was sitting. A devilish smirk crept across her face.

"Is your face red because you're staring at Sohyun again?" she announced, loud enough for half the class to hear.

My heart stopped. Immediately, heads turned, and I felt dozens of eyes boring into me. Heat rushed to my cheeks so quickly it was like my face had caught fire. I wanted to dig a hole and bury myself.

"Kaede!" I whisper-yelled, glaring at her, but it was too late.

Even Sohyun had heard her. She turned her head, and her eyes locked onto mine. Her expression shifted, her lips curling into a soft smile. She raised her left hand, gesturing for me to come over, while her right hand patted to my desk.

I froze. My heart pounded in my chest, louder than it ever had before. I could feel my face turning an even deeper shade of red, which only seemed to amuse Kaede more.

Muttering a curse under my breath, I forced myself to walk toward Sohyun. My steps felt heavy, like I was wading through quicksand. As I approached, SeoAh hopped off Sohyun's lap, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she glanced between the two of us.

"Xinyuuu~" Sohyun's voice was soft and teasing, and before I knew it, her arms were wrapped around my waist.

I froze. My brain short-circuited. Was this even the same Sohyun I met on my first day here? The girl who wouldn't even look at me, who kept to herself in the corner of the classroom? Now, she was clinging to me like we'd known each other forever, her cheek resting lightly against my side.

"Uh... Sohyun," I stammered, struggling to form coherent words.

"W-what are you doing?" Sohyun tilted her head, looking up at me with a playful grin.

"Why? Can't I hug my Xinyu?"

My Xinyu. The words echoed in my mind, and my heart skipped a beat. Around us, a few of our classmates snickered, whispering to each other. Jiwoo, who was still nearby, raised an eyebrow and gave me a knowing smile.

"Look at you two," Jiwoo teased.

"It's like watching a rom-com in real life."

"Cut it out, Jiwoo," I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady, but it only made Sohyun cling tighter.

"Jiwoo's not wrong," SeoAh chimed in, her smirk wide.

"You two are practically inseparable. Maybe you should just start dating."

"SeoAh!" I blurted, my voice louder than I intended. A few people laughed, and I wanted to crawl under the desk.

Sohyun just laughed softly, completely unfazed.

"What do you think, Xinyu?"

My brain shut down. Completely. I could feel the entire room watching us, waiting for my response, but all I could manage was a strangled.

"Uh..."

"That's enough teasing," Kaede said, finally swooping in to save me, though her smirk suggested she was thoroughly enjoying the show.

"The poor girl looks like she's about to explode." Sohyun chuckled, finally letting go, but not before giving my arm a playful squeeze.

"Okay, okay. I'll stop—for now."

As I slumped into my seat, my face still burning, I couldn't help but glance at Sohyun. She was back to chatting with Jiwoo, as if nothing had happened, but her hand is tapping on my thigh.

What just happened? Do I like her?

That question hung heavy in my mind, but the answer was becoming harder to deny.