My Adorable Little Rascal

After the meeting at the faculty office, Skylar's steps begin to falter. Her arms ache under the weight of the towering pile of documents she insisted on carrying earlier. She glances at Julian, who strolls beside her with only a thin stack in his hands.

"Hey… wanna trade? My arms are dying," she mutters.

Julian smirks: "Oh? So you do get tired? Just earlier, you yanked the heavy stack from me. I honestly thought you were a chimpanzee or something."

Skylar's gaze turns razor-sharp: "Excuse me? Who exactly are you calling a chimpanzee? Be specific, will you? I'd hate to misunderstand."

He gives a mocking shrug: "You really don't know? That's surprising—I thought—"

Suddenly, Julian freezes mid-sentence. His eyes land on her wrist, where a bruise peeks from under her sleeve.

Without thinking, he drops his documents. One hand grabs her wrist, the other yanks back her blazer, sending papers fluttering to the floor.

"What the hell—! These wounds?!" he blurts out: "Why are they so bad?!"

For a second, Skylar's mind blanks.

An image flashes—hazy, fragmented, but clear enough.A tall, menacing man grips a little girl's wrist. The girl lies on the floor in a pool of blood.A voice—low, cold, and cruel—echoes in her ears: "Stop crying. Or I'll make sure you never do again."

She snaps back to reality.

Her eyes go cold.

She yanks her hand away violently and sneers: "Oh? Didn't expect you to be this strong. I thought you were just some pampered rich kid. And now, thanks to your concern, my delicate little wrist hurts."

Julian blinks, startled.

She adds icily: "If you ever pull this kind of stunt again, I'll make sure you regret it. You've been warned."

Julian falters, muttering under his breath: "I thought… her storms had long passed after all these years..."

His voice is almost too quiet to catch.

Skylar crosses her arms and says coolly: "Anyway, you better switch loads with me now. I'm not carrying this mountain anymore."

"What? After all that bravado earlier?"

"I don't care! Do something about it!" She snaps. "I don't care how you do it, but we are splitting these properly! If you don't, I'll scream at the top of my lungs right in the courtyard: 'The cold-hearted hotboy is bullying a poor little girl!' Just try me."

Just then, Mr. Shepix—the homeroom teacher—peeks his head out from a nearby office.

"You two! This is a school hallway, not your private comedy club! Keep it down!"

Skylar jumps up and bows: "S-Sorry, sir! It won't happen again!"

"It better not."

"No, no! Definitely not!" she waves frantically.

As Mr. Shepix retreats, Julian internally sighs: Why would the teacher pick someone this reckless to be vice monitor?

Skylar turns to him, face expectant: "Well? What are you waiting for? Help me pick these up. And make sure I don't get the heavier half!"

Julian rolls his eyes and bends down: "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, princess."

The two return to class just as the classroom buzzes with chatter.

"Ooh, our top students are back!" Niry squeals.

The class quiets slightly as Julian and Skylar take the floor.

"Everyone, please settle down," Julian says coolly.

Skylar smiles and begins passing out the seating charts, explaining where each student should sit. Once done, she distributes forms for optional dormitory registration.

By 10:30, the class is dismissed.

Julian turns to Skylar: "Could you take the dorm forms to Mr. Loin? I've got something to do."

She scowls: "What? Do you think I'm free or something?"

But then she sighs, extends her hand, and mutters: "Fine. Hand them over. I'm too tired to argue."

She snatches the stack and jogs off toward the faculty office.

As she runs, thoughts linger in her mind:That gesture…That look in his eyes…That wasn't how someone looks at a stranger.

Was it all just coincidence… or... have I forgotten something?