The blaring ring of my alarm sliced through the remnants of sleep, but in my daze, I smacked the snooze button without a second thought. The hours of playing *Black Myth: Wukong* overnight had caught up with me. I had planned on getting just a few hours of sleep, but apparently, even that was a stretch. Groggily, I reached for my phone, squinting at the screen.
8:45 AM.
Panic hit me like a punch in the gut. I was late for class. University had only started a week ago, and here I was, running behind schedule like an amateur. My heart raced as I jumped out of bed, rushing to throw on the first semi-decent outfit I could find—dark jeans, my trusty black hoodie, and the sneakers I had worn yesterday. No time to think. I glanced at my reflection: disheveled hair, sleepy eyes, and the telltale signs of a late-night gaming session. Not great, but passable.
Mom and Dad had already left for the day. It was no surprise—they had been consumed by high-stakes meetings recently, preparing for their company's IPO in Malaysia. With business ventures spanning everything from hotels and cruises to global theme parks, their schedules were insane. The quiet house felt larger and emptier as I darted downstairs, grabbing a protein bar from the kitchen counter on the way out. No time for breakfast, either.
I barely had time to register the guilt gnawing at me. I'd let my academic priorities slip for *Black Myth: Wukong*—a game I'd been obsessing over since its release. This wasn't how I had pictured my first few weeks of university.
Luckily, my driver was waiting outside, sensing the urgency. "College. Fast!" I managed between rushed breaths, sliding into the backseat. He nodded and pulled away from the house, the engine roaring down the quiet streets.
The car ride felt like it took forever, though it was probably just ten minutes. My foot tapped against the floor impatiently as the campus came into view, its towering buildings both welcoming and intimidating. The moment we stopped, I threw open the door, thanking the driver hastily before sprinting toward the main entrance.
The corridors were buzzing with students—everyone was moving to their next class. I weaved through the throng of people, my backpack bouncing against my shoulder, the clock ticking louder in my head. My class was on the far end of the building, and I was trying to calculate just how late I was going to be when—
Bam!
I slammed straight into someone.
Books scattered, my backpack thudded against the floor, and I found myself face-to-face with her—the girl from the Rolls-Royce. The one with the hazelnut hair and turquoise eyes. She was even more stunning up close, her surprised expression slowly melting into a soft smile.
I froze, heart pounding for an entirely different reason now. She was wearing a soft, flowery dress, her scent light and intoxicating, and in that moment, it felt like time slowed down. K-drama style, as if we were caught in a scene from some romantic TV show.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I blurted out, scrambling to pick up her books.
"No, it's okay," she laughed, bending down to help. "I didn't see you coming either."
There was a light in her eyes, a sort of amusement, and I felt the heat rising in my face. This wasn't how I imagined meeting her again. Not like this.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice kind. Her hands brushed against mine as we gathered the last of her books, and I felt a jolt of electricity run through me.
"I—uh, yeah, just late for class," I stammered, trying to regain my composure.
She straightened up, giving me a curious look. "You're in Graphic Design, right?"
How did she know that?
I nodded, still trying to process how I had ended up in this cliché romantic moment. "Yeah… How did you know?"
"We're in the same department. I've seen you around." She smiled again, and I swear my heart skipped a beat. "I'm Hana."
Hana. Her name rang in my head like a song. I tried to respond smoothly, but I was pretty sure my voice cracked.
"I'm… uh… nice to meet you, Hana. I'm… I'm—"
"I know. You're the guy with the eye patch. You're hard to miss," she teased gently.
I chuckled, feeling less embarrassed now. "Yeah, that's me. The guy with the eye patch."
She gave me a small nod, her eyes lingering on mine for a moment longer than usual. "Well, I better get to class. Don't be late again, okay?"
I managed a sheepish grin. "Yeah… I'll try."
She turned, her hazelnut hair swaying as she walked away, and for a moment, I just stood there, watching her blend into the sea of students.
I felt like I was in a dream, and it took me a second to snap back to reality. I was still late.
As I rushed toward my classroom, my mind raced. *Hana.* The girl from the Rolls-Royce. We talked. We introduced ourselves. And somehow, amidst all the chaos of the morning, I had managed to bump into her—literally.
I reached my class, slipping into the back row unnoticed. My heart still raced, but this time, it wasn't because of my frantic morning or the dread of being late.
Something felt different. Maybe it was because of Hana, or maybe it was the spark I felt when we talked. Whatever it was, I couldn't shake the feeling that this moment marked the beginning of something unexpected.