Let me introduce you to someone.

She’s blunt. Hilariously blunt. She’ll tell you your eyeliner’s uneven and then offer you her last piece of gum without blinking.

She’s kind, without even realizing it. She can't even remember sometimes your name . She’ll stand up for you before you even notice someone crossed the line.

She’s funny in the way that makes your ribs ache. But she’s also… complicated.

Because when she don't know what she likes likes to someone really

She turns cold, awkward, distant. She doesn’t mean to push people away… but she does.

And then she overthinks it for the next 48 hours while pretending everything’s fine.

for a second, that fate throws her into the path of someone completely different.

Someone patient.

Someone who listens more than she speaks.

Someone who’s emotionally mature, secure, and knows how to hold space for herself, and for others.

A green flag in human form.

What do you think would happen?

Would it be a train wreck of missed signals and quiet longing?

Would the green flag wait? Would the emotionally clumsy girl learn how to soften or at least try?

Could love grow between someone who doesn’t know how to show it… and someone who’s always ready to give it?

This isn’t a love story that starts with fireworks.

It starts with side-eyes. Awkward silences. Accidental flirting. Emotional panic.

But it’s still a love story.

So come and read

Let’s see what happens when they meet.

What happens when a girl who doesn't know how to show love... meets someone who does?

CHAPTER 1: I Didn’t Sign Up For This

: 5:30 AM – Waking Up in the Loudest House in Japan

My eyes blinked open to the sound of Welgico yelling in his sleep again.

"NO! Don't take my yakisoba!" he shouted, flailing under his blanket from another room

I rubbed my face and groaned. Every. Single. Morning. next a room with Welgico and Welwen was like being in a live-action comedy show that I never asked to be cast in. It was still dark outside, but I could already hear the soft hum of a delivery truck outside and the quiet buzz of early cicadas starting their symphony.

I slowly sat up on my futon and stretched, bones popping a little. It was early june, but the morning air was cool, brushing against my skin through the open window. I stood, careful not to step on Welwen’s sketchbooks scattered on the floor. He liked drawing trees, rivers, anything that lived outside. He said nature "spoke to him."

After tiptoeing past the sleeping chaos, I pulled on my usual outfit: fitted jeans, a plain white shirt, and my black jacket with frayed sleeves. That jacket had seen every season of my life. I slipped into it like armor, zipping it halfway up before brushing my messy hair into a low ponytail.

I grabbed my toothbrush, quietly left the room, and headed into the bathroom. The mirror was foggy from someone showering earlier I brushed my teeth while squinting at my own reflection.

No makeup. No accessories. Just me.

I liked it that way.

After washing my face with cold water, I felt more alive. I dried off, sighed, and walked toward the kitchen, following the familiar scent of soy sauce, garlic, and miso.

---

The kitchen was bright, filled with the sound of a sizzling pan and the rich smell of miso soup already brewing. Mama stood by the stove, flipping tamagoyaki expertly with chopsticks. Her apron had tiny yellow flowers on it, and her hair was tied back, a pencil tucked behind one ear.

My dad was sitting at the table, reading the paper and sipping coffee with the seriousness of a samurai reading a battle plan.

“Ohayou,” I greeted them both.

mom turned, beaming. “ finally Wenalin! You woke up early .”

“I always do,” I said, sliding into the chair beside my dad.

He looked up from his newspaper. “Still wearing that same jacket, huh?”

“It’s comfy,” I shrugged, sipping the cup of green tea mom placed in front of me.

“You’ll never get a boyfriend like that,” Papa joked, raising an eyebrow.

I nearly choked on my tea. “I don’t need a boyfriend.”

Mama giggled softly. “That’s my girl.”

Welwil ran into the kitchen next, his socks mismatched, hair sticking up like a bush. He grabbed the edge of my jacket and tugged.

“sis!sis! I can’t find my kanji notebook!”

“Check under the table. You dropped it last night,” I replied, not missing a beat.

He gasped and ran off like his life depended on it.

Next came Welgico, scratching his butt and yawning.

“Who stole my banana?” he demanded.

“No one wants your banana,” I muttered.

My dad shook his head and took a long sip of coffee like it was giving him the strength to survive another day with us.

By the time the rice cooker dinged, all nine of us were in and out of the kitchen. Welfrido Jr had already called earlier to tell mom about his shift as a policeman. Wenagene, the second sister, sent pictures of her two kids in yukata. Welly Boy’s and his daughter is in the kyoto ,Wenajoy’s and her children are in another city.

And yet, even with so many siblings, I never felt lost. I knew exactly who I was.

The 7th child. The calm in the chaos.

After breakfast and a quick check that I had my homework (barely), I laced up my sneakers, slung my bag over my shoulder, and stepped outside.

The air was cool, and the early sun filtered through the cherry trees lining the street. I walked briskly past the local shrine, nodding at the old woman sweeping its steps. The same one every morning. Always muttering blessings under her breath.

My school was two train stops away. I liked the walk to the station. It gave me time to think or not think. To just breathe.

I reached the platform just as the train arrived. It hissed like a tired dragon, and the doors slid open with a beep. I stepped in and found an empty window seat. My favorite.

As the train rolled forward, I watched the landscape pass by: tiled rooftops, vending machines, clusters of students in uniforms. I saw a group of elderly men playing shogi in the park, a white cat sleeping on a postbox.

I didn’t wear a skirt like the other girls. My jeans and jacket stood out in a sea of pleats and blazers. But I liked that. I didn’t want to be a copy-paste student. I wanted to be...me.

The train rocked gently as we passed over the river bridge. The water glistened in the sun.

I wasn’t thinking about love. I wasn’t thinking about crushes or dates. I didn’t even know what I liked—girls? Boys? Neither? I didn’t care. Life was already full.

---

As I stepped off the train and walked towards school, students flowed like a river around me. The front gate was already packed with noise shoes clacking on tile, teachers shouting reminders, and the distant school bell ringing once, then twice.

I walked past the main building, up the stairs, through the long hallway filled with shoe lockers, until I reached Class 11-B.

And there they were.

“Wenalin!” Discirie waved from the front row, holding her phone up with a Suho video paused mid-smile. “He posted again! He’s drinking americano! He’s so husband!”

Discirie was the group’s eomma—nerdy, sarcastic, and always two steps ahead. Her glasses were fogged up from laughing at something.

Next to her was Jerneth, brushing her hair behind her ears, whispering, “I swear my boobs grew again. Feel them!”

I made a face. “No, thanks.”

“But they’re getting rounder.”

“Still no.”

Grejie was leaning back in her chair, long legs stretched out, hands behind her head. Her tall figure and toned arms made her look like she belonged in a sports anime. “Morning, captain,” she smirked.

“I’m not the captain,” I said.

“You’re the oldest,” she replied.

Wenmar was flapping a hand fan dramatically. “Y’all are too loud for this hour. My delicate gay senses can’t handle this noise.”

Everyone looked at him.

“You’re not delicate,” Discirie said. “You’re loud.”

“And definitely not subtle,” Jerneth added.

“I am a mystery,” Wenmar said, flipping his bangs.

Finally, Lorces was slumped on her desk, eating a rice ball and sniffling.

“I think I failed the quiz yesterday ,” she mumbled. “

“its okay it's only a quiz,” Grejie said, ruffling her hair.

I dropped my bag at my seat and smiled. These were my people. Messy, weird, loud. But real.

---

Homeroom started. The teacher droned on about upcoming tests and field trips, but I was barely listening. I glanced around at my friends.

Discirie was doodling Suho’s name in her notebook. Jerneth was writing equations Grejie was half-asleep. Wenmar was drawing hearts. Lorces was listening to the teacher

And me?

I just sat there, and annoyed them.

I didn’t have a crush. I didn’t feel sparks. I wasn’t wondering what it meant to be in love.

I just liked this being here. Existing beside people who made me feel seen. Living my life in jeans and a jacket, with tofu in my backpack and a little too much miso in my lunchbox.

Wenalin’s POV

It was already 9:02 PM.

"Wenalin! Where do you think you're going at this hour?!" My dad voice was firm, his eyes narrowing.

"You're not going out again tonight, are you?" mom added, stepping in front of the door.

I sighed, already slipping my arms through the sleeves of my jacket. My outfit was the same as always—jeans, a simple shirt, and my worn black jacket. Comfort over everything. I tied my shoelaces and avoided their gazes.

"I'll be back before midnight," I mumbled.

"You said that last time! its already late it's not good for a young girl like we'll go out especially in the night ." dad said again, his tone less angry and more tired.

"I'm just going somewhere peaceful. I’m not doing anything bad," I replied, my voice colder than I intended.

Instead, I opened the door, stepped out, and closed it gently behind me.

---

The night air hit my face the moment I walked out of the house. Crisp, cool, and comforting. The streetlights flickered above as I made my way down the quiet roads of our neighborhood. The sound of cicadas buzzed faintly in the background.

By the time I reached the train station, my legs already felt lighter. I knew this route by heart.

The train screeched to a stop, and I stepped inside. As always, the last were nearly empty. I chose a corner seat and stared at my reflection in the window. Cold eyes, tired face, blank expression.

---

When I arrived at our hideout—an abandoned but clean rooftop space on the sixth floor of a quiet building—I pushed open the heavy metal door.

"Eris!" a cheerful voice called. Mark.

No one knew my real name here. That was the rule: No real names, no real identities, no personal details. , code names, and the safety of not being judged. Here, I was Eris, their cold yet trusted leader.

Mark jogged toward me with his usual beaming smile. Tall, pale, always friendly.

"You’re late," Josh said, leaning against the wall with a flirtatious smirk. "I was starting to think you ran off with another guy. Should I be jealous?"

I ignored him.

Ash was sitting alone near the back, reading a thick book under the soft yellow lights strung across the ceiling. He looked up briefly. His face stayed blank, but his eyes lingered on me for a second too long.

"We can start now,"

Around me were familiar faces with unfamiliar names: Zake, Zack, Zacky, Blake, Kookie, and fifteen other members. Most of them wore hoodies or jackets.

---

"Today’s activity," mark announced, pulling out a folded paper from my jacket pocket, "is called 'Fake Relationship'."

A chorus of groans, giggles, and whistles erupted.

"Really?" Zake laughed. " you’re making us play pretend lovers?"

"Sounds fun to us," Mark chimed in, grinning.

"It’s idiotic," Ash muttered from his seat, still reading.

"It’s fun," Zack repeated. "And required."

We explained the rules again.

No real names.

You act like a couple in front of the group.

Private interactions are optional, but public tasks are required.

The game lasts it's depends

No actual confessions allowed this is pretend.

Then the leaders included me gathered to choose the pairs. A mix of logic and chaos followed.

Zake ended up with shanny

Zack and Zacky—who everyone already suspected had feelings for each other—got paired easily, causing a wave of teasing laughter.

Then came the moment everyone was waiting for.

"Who will be Eris’s partner?" someone asked.

Kookie stepped forward. "Me. I volunteer."

There was a pause. A thick, suffocating pause.

"What?" Mark’s voice cracked just a bit.

"Wait, no way—Eris doesn’t get to just say yes to the first guy who raises his hand!" Josh complained, crossing his arms.

Ash didn’t say anything. He just stared, his book forgotten on his lap.

Mark stepped forward. "she can’t. We leaders need to agree.And only the leaders can choose the partners."

Josh nodded. "Exactly. It’s unfair."

Kookie:"But there's no rules that the leader can only choose"

everyone nodded.

mark is going to say something when i interrupt him .

"he's right" I finally said, coldly. " and It’s just a game"

"That’s the problem," Ash said quietly. "It’s not just a game for everyone."

I looked around. Everyone else had gone silent.

I sighed.

"I don’t care who my partner is," I said honestly. "If Kookie volunteered, then fine. I accept."

Mark’s jaw tightened.

Josh clicked his tongue and looked away.

Ash stood and left the circle.

But I didn’t care. I never cared about love. I didn’t even know what I liked.

I was here to lead, to keep them together. The rest was just noise.

Kookie looking directly at me while smiling.

Several heads turned. Mark blinked. Josh scoffed. Ash looked away sharply, gripping the edge of his book tighter.

I kept my face neutral. “That’s fine,” I said, standing up. “I don’t mind.”

Josh frowning. “Seriously? You’re okay with that?”

I met his gaze. “It’s a game.”

Mark hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. “I… guess that settles it.”

Ash muttered something under his breath. Probably a curse.

And just like that, the board began to fill with couple names written in dry-erase marker.

Pairs for Round One:

Eris × Kookie

Zack × Zacky

Black × Cherry

Zake × Nyla

Josh × Bunny

Ash × Iris

Mark × Sora

(…and more to be announced)

I stared at the board, feeling oddly detached. Kookie smiled brightly at me, probably already planning our challenge strategy. But I couldn’t shake the heavy air around the leaders.

I wasn’t dumb.

The First Challenge Begins

Wenalin or rather, Eris — stood at the front of the circle of members, arms crossed loosely over her chest, her expression unreadable. Her dark hair fell slightly over her eyes, and she didn’t bother brushing it back. The room buzzed with the energy of twenty masked identities, eager and nervous.

“All right,” Mark announced, clapping his hands once. “Now that we’ve settled who’s partnered with who, it’s time to begin the first challenge.”

There was a ripple of murmurs, some groans, some excitement.

Josh let out a loud laugh. “ its involves cuddling. I’m great at that.”

“Shut up,” Ash muttered, flipping a page in his book without looking up.

Mark glanced at Eris, silently asking permission to proceed. She gave a slow nod.

Mark stepped forward. “The challenge is simple. You and your partner will go on a mini date. Inside the room. 4 stations, You’ll rotate. Act as real as you can.”

Some of the members started whispering among themselves.

“What do we get if we win?” asked Black.

Josh wiggled his eyebrows. “A real kiss from your fake lover”wink.

Mark ignored him. “The winning couple gets immunity in the next challenge. And…” he paused, his voice calm, “They also get to ask one question to any member — and that person must answer truthfully. No real names or identities, but you can ask… anything else.”

Now the room was silent.

It was a rare prize. One of the few cracks in their rules.

Mark clapped her hands once. “Let’s begin.”

---

Station One: Compliment War

Kookie and Eris sat across from each other at a table decorated with fake flowers and fairy lights. The instructions were simple: throw compliments at each other. Whoever runs out of compliments first loses.

Kookie leaned forward with a goofy smile. “You have the best poker face I’ve ever seen.”

Eris raised a brow, her tone dry. “You look like a boy band reject, but somehow it works.”

Kookie laughed. “I’ll take that as a win. Uh… your voice is so calm it could probably tame a lion.”

Eris tilted her head. “You’re surprisingly not annoying. Impressive.”

Mark, standing nearby with a clipboard, blinked. “That’s… a compliment?”

Josh was howling with laughter in the corner. “This is comedy gold.”

Kookie grinned, completely unbothered. “Your eyes are intense. Like you see everything.”

Eris’s eyes met his. For a second, she didn’t speak. Then: “You don’t act fake. Even in a fake relationship.”

Kookie smiled wider.

Eris turn her gaze to the two.

"You two can you go to your own partner your bothering us"

mark:"Okay okay fine"

josh:"Tsk"

---

Station Two: Drawing Challenge

Each couple had to draw each other with crayons — and then explain their masterpiece.

Kookie held up his drawing. Eris had a cape, spiky hair, and lasers coming out of her eyes.

“This is ‘Super Cold Lady,’” he explained. “She freezes hearts but secretly keeps them in her jacket pocket.”

Eris’s drawing was less dramatic. It was a stick figure with big ears, a backwards cap, and a giant heart drawn in the center.

She held it up without explanation.

“…That’s me?” Kookie asked, blinking.

She nodded.

He clutched his chest. “I’ve been emotionally attacked.”

“Good.”

Station Three: Whisper Game

One had to wear headphones with music blasting, while the other said sentences. The goal: guess what your partner is saying by reading their lips.

Kookie put on the headphones. Eris leaned forward.

“I am going to kill you if you mess this up.” smirk.

Kookie grinned. “You want to kiss me in a spaceship?”

Josh snorted in the background.

“No,” Eris said louder, her lips moving deliberately. “I will throw you in the river.”

Kookie read her lips carefully. “You love how I deliver?”

Eris slowly removed the headphones from him. “Never mind.”

He just laughed and leaned back in his chair. “We’re definitely winning this.”

---

Station Four: Secret Sharing

Each pair had to whisper one secret to each other. No one else would hear.

Kookie leaned forward first. “I once peed in a school plant because the toilet was full.”

Eris blinked. “That explains a lot.”

She hesitated for a moment, then leaned in. “I hate being touched.”

Kookie blinked at her, startled.

Kookie:"It's obvious eris hahah"

But she was already leaning back, eyes unreadable again.

End of Round One

Once all the couples finished their challenges, mark stood again at the center of the circle. She glanced around, calculating. Everyone was flushed, giggling, or awkward.

“Kookie and Eris win this round,” he said simply.

“No fair! You’re the judge!” Josh protested.

Mark shrugged. “She’s the leader. Deal with it.”

Kookie gave a thumbs-up.wne looked at eris eyes neutral. But there was a hint of warmth in his nod.

Wenalin's POV

The room was finally starting to settle down. After hours of laughter, awkward glances, teasing, and fake couple challenges that were oddly more thrilling than they had any right to be, people were slumping into the couches or leaning against the walls, half-exhausted and half-satisfied. The dim lights cast soft shadows around the hideout, and the chatter had finally mellowed into quiet conversations and low laughter.

It was already 4:00 AM. The outside world was still deep in darkness, the streetlights dimming slightly as the cold breeze of early morning whispered through the tiny cracks of the hidden building. Most of the members were beginning to gather their things, yawning and stretching as they prepared to leave.

Zake was holding Zack’s hand, grinning like a little kid while Zacky was braiding part of Zack’s hair. Black was half-asleep on the beanbag chair, hugging a pillow. Others were lounging or scrolling through their phones. It was the usual after-activity scene—a comforting sort of chaos.

"Eris, we’re heading out first!" one of the members waved.

I gave a small smile, just enough to seem warm but not too open. I nodded. “See you next time. Same time next week.”

“Bye, Eris!” “Take care, leader!” “Goodnight—or good morning?”

I waved them off silently, crossing my arms and standing with my usual cold but calm expression. I felt the heavy stares behind me before I turned. Of course, they weren’t done.

Mark was already standing close by, jacket slung over one shoulder, that boyish grin on his face.

“You know it’s dangerous going home alone at 4 AM, right?” he said casually.

Josh appeared beside him, popping a gum bubble and winking. “I volunteer as tribute to walk our icy queen home. I even promise not to flirt—unless you want me to.”

Ash, who had been quietly leaning by the wall the whole time, pushed his glasses up and finally spoke. “She shouldn’t go alone.”

And then there was Kookie, stuffing his hands in his hoodie pocket, quietly inching toward me like he wasn’t part of the loud trio. “I don’t mind walking with you,” he muttered.

I sighed inwardly. Of course, all four of them had to offer.

“I’m fine,” I said firmly. “It’s not my first time going home at this hour.”

Mark frowned a little, trying not to show how he was obviously disappointed. “Still, it’s pitch black outside. What if someone—”

I turned toward him with a smirk. “Someone tries to kidnap me?” I chuckled dryly. “They’d be the ones needing help.”

Josh laughed. “Okay, okay, you got me there. Still—”

Ash took a step forward, his face unreadable. “At least let someone walk you to the station.”

“I appreciate the concern,” I said, adjusting the collar of my jacket. “But I’m good. Really. I can take care of myself.”

Kookie looked like he wanted to say something but kept it to himself. That made me glance at him again.

“I mean it,” I added, but my voice softened just a little. “Go home. All of you. Sleep. You’ll need it.”

The four of them exchanged glances. Mark scratched the back of his head. Josh sighed dramatically. Ash looked down, clearly not satisfied. Kookie just nodded.

“Alright,” Mark said eventually. “But next time… I’m walking you home whether you like it or not.”

“We’ll see,” I replied with the same smirk.

Josh threw two fingers up. “Text us when you get home, alright?”

“No texting in this group, remember?” I reminded him.

He winked. “Still. Just for me, then.”

I rolled my eyes and stepped past them. “Goodnight, boys.”

“Goodnight, Eris,” they said almost in unison.

As I stepped out into the cold morning, I zipped up my jacket tighter and took a deep breath. The streets were silent except for the distant hum of early trains and the occasional flicker of vending machine lights. I walked briskly, hands in my pockets, my mind oddly quiet.

Even though I was alone now, part of me felt… watched. Not in a creepy way—just aware. Like their stares lingered even after the goodbye. It wasn’t unwanted. Just… strange.

Kookie’s face flashed in my mind for a second. The way he hesitated to speak, the way he seemed to always hover near but never too close. Mark’s cheerful concern. Josh’s dramatic flirting. Ash’s protective silence.

I shook my head to clear it. This was just a game. The whole group, the fake relationships, the drama… it was entertainment. That was all. Right?

The sky began to shift from dark blue to soft gray, the earliest sign of dawn peeking over the buildings. I reached the train station and boarded the first train heading home, settling by the window. The city still looked asleep, but my mind was racing.

I didn’t understand it.

my chest feel warm even in this cold