Chapter three : Nyla

"Thank you, Mother" I said, stepping out of the room.

"It's my job, sweetie," she replied, squeezing me in her arms and pressing her bright red lips to my head.

"You are brave and strong, daughter. I love you, baby," she hugged again.

I nodded with a soft smile.

I caught a glimpse of him from the corner of my eye, rushing up the stairs—stairs I had never taken before, especially since I was still new here.

The school cafeteria wasn't crowded, since it wasn't lunchtime yet. I made my order and waited, leaning against the counter. I had skipped my chemistry class just to buy a cup of coffee.

"Thank you," I said to the barista who handed me the cup—a cute lady with attractive blue hair and an eyebrow piercing.

I rushed upstairs with the drink. The corridor was empty, filled only with the muffled sounds of teachers speaking in the neighboring classes. I took the stairs to the rooftop. The cool breeze stroked my cheeks as I hurried up.

I looked around for the person I was searching for—and then my eyes caught him. He stood at the edge, facing the sky.

I took quiet steps and stood beside him, leaning on the wall.

"Hi," I said.

He looked at me, and my heartbeat quickened.

"What are you doing here? Don’t you have any classes?" he asked in a lazy tone.

"I skipped," I answered.

He simply stared at me, and it made me feel like I was about to melt into the wall.

"I brought you this," I said, handing him the drink. "Seems like you missed your morning coffee."

As I watched his eyes grow wider, he took the cup and sipped it.

"I wasn’t sure about your usual order, so I just picked one," I added, hiding my happiness as he took more sips.

"This is fine. I hope my headache fades soon," he said, then drained the rest of the drink.

It was silent after that. He played with the paper cup while I couldn't take my eyes off him.

He was tall, with a naturally balanced build—not too bulky, not too lean—like someone sculpted by ease rather than effort. His hair was silky and black, falling neatly with a gentle shine that caught the light. His eyes were deep and glossy, the kind of black that seemed to hold quiet thoughts.

Smooth ivory skin framed his sharp features—a defined jawline, straight nose, and soft lips that rarely smiled but always looked thoughtful.

Perched lightly on his face were rimless spectacles, delicate and precise, adding to the quiet, serious air about him—like a young professor lost in his own world.

“erm.. I'm Nyla Seraphine. By the way… what’s your name?” I asked awkwardly.

He looked at me again, his eyes tired, showing no hint of interest in the conversation.

"Seth. Seth Chen."

He replied quietly and looked away.

“What subject do you teach?” I asked, trying again.

“Mathematics”,he answered, still staring off into the distance

Maths? I internally groaned. Of all things…

Numbers never made much sense to me—they were cold, confusing, and honestly, my least favorite subject.

But looking at him…

Maybe, just maybe, even maths could sound beautiful coming from his voice.

He wasn’t really paying attention—his body was there, but his soul felt somewhere else.

“You look annoyed by my presence.... I’ll leave you alone,” I mumbled, turning toward the stairs.