Chapter 6

Nani Hirunkit

I walked through the campus beside Dew and Win, the familiar paths of the university feeling strangely foreign today. Maybe because everything about today felt wrong. My bag hung heavily over my shoulder, but not nearly as heavy as the weight in my chest.

"Just stick to the plan," Win's voice pulled me back, low enough that only I could hear. "You've got this."

I gave a small nod, not trusting my voice.

The cafeteria doors came into view, and I could already hear the noise from inside-laughter, conversations blending together, trays clattering. My fingers twitched at my sides. I forced them into fists, hiding the unease crawling up my spine. I had to act normal. If I gave in to everything I was feeling, I'd fall apart.

We stepped inside, and it didn't take long for me to spot him. Sky.

He was sitting at the table, phone in his hand, staring at it like he was waiting for something. For a second, my chest tightened-was he waiting for me?

No. No, I couldn't think like that.

I turned back to Dew and Win, pretending to focus on whatever they were saying. My heart was pounding, but I forced my face to stay calm, casual, like I hadn't spent all morning feeling like a mess.

I walked with them toward the table, keeping my steps steady. I could feel Sky's presence even before I looked at him. I knew he was there. Knew he saw me. But I refused to let my expression falter.

Just when we got close enough, I turned my head slightly, meeting his gaze. The second our eyes locked, something inside me wavered-but I shoved it down.

"Hey, Sky," I said, my voice smooth, controlled. It felt unnatural.

His reply came almost immediately. "Hey, Nani." His voice was... careful. Like he wasn't sure how to talk to me. Like I was something fragile.

I hated it.

I sat down beside him, my body tense but my expression unreadable. The others were still chatting, but it all blurred into background noise. Sky was looking at me. Studying me.

I knew he was waiting for me to say something. To acknowledge what happened. But I wouldn't.

"You good? Haven't heard from you." His voice was quieter this time. Hesitant.

I forced my lips into a small, effortless smirk-one I knew would make it seem like I wasn't bothered. "Yeah. I was occupied and forgot to tell you."

A lie. But it came out too smoothly.

Sky's expression shifted, just slightly, and for a moment, I thought he'd call me out on it. But he didn't. Instead, he just nodded, looking away like he wasn't sure what to say next.

Dew's gaze flickered toward me, sharp and knowing, like he was checking if I was handling this okay. I ignored it.

I had to keep this up. I had to act like last night didn't shake me. Even if, deep down, it was breaking me apart.

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I sat there, keeping up the act. Laughing when I needed to, nodding along to whatever the others were talking about. But I wasn't really listening. I could still feel Sky's presence beside me, his occasional glances like a weight pressing against my skin.

Every now and then, I caught him shifting, like he wanted to say something. Like he wanted to ask. But he never did. And I never gave him the chance.

I forced myself to keep eating, even though my appetite was nonexistent. Every bite tasted like nothing.

Win casually leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms. "So, Nani," he said, voice light. "How's it been staying with us? You surviving Dew's constant nagging?"

Dew shot him a glare. "I don't nag."

Win raised an eyebrow. "You literally told Nani to fix his posture this morning."

"That's not nagging. That's looking out for him."

A small chuckle left my lips-real this time. But I felt Sky tense beside me.

"You're staying with them?" His voice was careful, but I caught the edge of something beneath it.

I turned to him, my expression perfectly composed. "Yeah. Needed a change of scenery."

Sky's jaw tightened. Just barely.

"Didn't think you'd leave without saying anything."

I shrugged, looking back at my tray, pushing around a piece of rice with my fork. "Didn't think it was that big of a deal."

Lies.

I could feel Dew's gaze burning into me, like he was silently telling me to stick to the plan. I was. But it was getting harder.

Sky didn't say anything else. But the silence that settled between us was loud.

The others kept talking, completely unaware of the storm brewing under the surface. But I could feel it. The unspoken words. The tension that wasn't going away, no matter how hard I pretended.

And Sky... Sky wasn't buying the act. Not completely.

I could tell by the way he looked at me. Like he was trying to figure me out. Like he knew something was wrong.

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Sky Wongravee

The rest of lunch passed in a blur. I wasn't even listening to the conversation anymore. All I could focus on was Nani-how he was acting like everything was fine when I knew it wasn't.

He was good at pretending. Too good. But I knew him. I knew the way his fingers fidgeted when he was nervous, the way he barely touched his food when something was bothering him. And right now? He was doing both.

But he didn't slip up. Not once. He kept the conversation going, laughing at the right moments, nodding along like nothing had happened.

Like last night had never happened.

The more I watched him, the more frustrated I felt.

I wanted to talk to him. I needed to. But how was I supposed to do that when he wouldn't even acknowledge that something was wrong?

When lunch ended, the group slowly started to disperse, heading off to their next classes. Nani stood up, grabbing his tray, and for a second, I panicked. He was going to leave.

I got up quickly, grabbing his wrist before I could stop myself. He turned to me, his expression unreadable.

"Can we talk?" I asked, voice low.

Nani didn't pull away. But he didn't answer right away either. He just stared at me, like he was debating something in his head.

Then, finally, he sighed, slipping his wrist from my grip. "Later, Sky," he muttered before walking off.

And just like that, he was gone.

I stood there, frozen, my hand still slightly raised.

What the hell was I supposed to do now?