INVISIBLE STRINGS ~ Scoups [C]

🎀17

Y/N stiffened at the interruption, her shoulders tense. Scoups’ face darkened, but he didn’t say anything.

Dino casually sat down beside Y/N, completely oblivious to the silent tension that had been hanging between her and Scoups.

“Hey, noona,” Dino said with a playful grin. “You okay?”

Y/N forced a smile. “Yeah, just studying.”

Dino turned to Scoups with a raised brow, noting the cold silence between them. “What’s up with you two? Is there some kind of tension I’m missing here?”

Scoups clenched his jaw but didn’t respond.

Y/N glanced between the two of them. The situation was becoming suffocating. Her past with Scoups, her growing feelings for Dino—everything was tangled up in a way that made her head spin.

She excused herself, standing up abruptly.

“I’ll be back later” she said, and before either of them could reply, she walked out of the library.

Scoups stared after her, frustration mounting once more. He was so close. But she was slipping away.

Days passed, and the tension between Y/N and Scoups seemed to grow, thickening with every encounter. The lines between them were blurred—neither of them knew how to move forward. Y/N continued to keep her distance, determined to protect her heart, while Scoups... Scoups couldn’t let go. He couldn’t let her slip away.

Everywhere she went, he followed.

At first, it was subtle. He’d be near, but not too close. Just enough to feel her presence but not to suffocate her. He’d sit in the same cafe or at a nearby table in the library, pretending to study, pretending to be unaware of how often his eyes would dart over to her.

Y/N, however, was becoming more aware of him. She tried to ignore the weight of his gaze, but it was impossible. His presence lingered like an invisible thread, tugging at her, even when she walked across campus.

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It was one of those late afternoons, the kind where the light filtered through the trees, casting long shadows on the sidewalk. Y/N walked alone, her thoughts consumed with the overwhelming whirlwind of emotions that had been building for weeks. She tried to focus on the path ahead, but something kept tugging at the back of her mind.

It was him. Scoups.

She could feel him trailing behind her, just a few paces away. At first, she told herself it was a coincidence but when she turned a corner and saw him there, still following, her patience began to wear thin.

She didn’t turn to face him but she could feel his presence growing closer. The familiar weight of his footsteps matched her own. He wasn’t even trying to hide it anymore.

Annoyance and frustration bubbled up in her chest, but she wasn’t sure why. She had told him to stay away. She had made it clear she wanted space.

"Why are you following me?" she finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as if she didn't want anyone else to overhear. She stopped in her tracks, crossing her arms, not even bothering to turn around and face him.

Scoups slowed down, his footsteps coming to a stop behind her. For a moment, he didn’t respond, and the silence between them stretched on like a taut wire. Then, with a deep breath, he spoke.

“I’m not… following you.” His voice was quiet but steady, as if he was trying to convince himself as much as her. “I’m just... walking in the same direction.”