Queen woke up to the sound of her phone buzzing incessantly. She rubbed her eyes and reached for it, her heart sinking when she saw the messages from Jihoon. She had ignored his texts all night, and his persistence only added to her frustration. She wasn't ready to talk to him yet—not after what happened the night before.
Jihoon: Are you okay?
Jihoon: I'm worried.
Queen sighed and turned off her phone, deciding to focus on the day ahead. Fika had already sent a message saying they were grabbing coffee before class. Queen didn't want to deal with anything heavy today, so she got dressed and headed out of her room.
At Campus
The trio made their way to campus. Queen, Fika, and Mey sat in their usual spots in the lecture hall, and though Queen tried to focus on the professor, her mind kept drifting back to Jihoon.
Suddenly, she noticed three students seated behind her, their gaze lingering on her longer than necessary. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She glanced at Fika and whispered, "Do you know those guys sitting behind us?"
Fika quickly glanced over her shoulder, a small frown crossing her face as she observed them. "Yeah. They're in our major. The guy in the middle is Mondy, the one on the right is Marchelle, and the one on the left is Rey."
Queen raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "I've seen them around, but we don't really talk much."
"Right," Fika replied, her tone a little uneasy. "But they've been around for a while. Actually, they're all big fans of your books. They follow your work closely."
Queen looked confused. "Wait, they're readers? You mean they've been reading my stuff?"
Fika nodded. "Yeah, they've been following you for a long time. Mondy, Marchelle, and Rey—they comment on your chapters, leave feedback, and always seem to know what you're up to, even if you don't notice."
Queen's heart skipped a beat. "But I've never met them outside of class."
Fika hesitated before responding. "Well, they're not the type to introduce themselves, but I know them because of their involvement in your fanbase. Mondy's actually the one who stands out the most. He's pretty vocal about his admiration for your work, but always from a distance."
The Secret Admirers
Mondy, Marchelle, and Rey were not just casual classmates. They had been quietly following Queen's novels for years, reading every chapter she published with rapt attention. They had never once revealed their identities to Queen, each of them taking different approaches to hide their admiration.
Mondy was the boldest of the three. He had a sharp mind and an even sharper tongue. Though he never directly approached Queen, he would often leave comments on her social media posts—comments that were always thoughtful, encouraging, and filled with admiration for her writing. However, he used an alias, a pen name that kept his identity a secret. While he sat behind Queen in class, he rarely spoke to her directly, too shy to make his presence known.
Marchelle, on the other hand, was the most calculating. He took a quieter approach, studying Queen's writing and trying to decipher her personality through her stories. His admiration for her had grown into something more—an obsession, though one that he kept hidden behind his polite, reserved demeanor. Marchelle often kept to himself, but he was known to ask questions in class that were eerily close to the themes Queen explored in her novels. He wanted to understand her deeper, more than any casual reader could.
Rey, the quietest of the trio, admired Queen from a distance. Unlike Mondy and Marchelle, Rey wasn't as vocal about his admiration. Instead, he often wrote anonymous messages, complimenting her writing and leaving cryptic messages about how he "understood" her stories better than anyone else. His messages were always heartfelt and sincere, but they were never signed with his name.
Despite their shared admiration for Queen, none of them had ever made their presence known to her—until now.
A Strange Encounter
Later that day, Queen couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. It had been bothering her since the lecture, and as she walked through the campus courtyard with Fika and Mey, she spotted Mondy again. This time, he was sitting at a table in the café, his eyes locking with hers for just a fraction of a second before he quickly looked away.
Fika noticed her gaze and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Queen shook her head. "I keep seeing him—Mondy. He looks like he's always watching me."
Fika frowned, not entirely sure how to respond. "He does that. He's... been into your work for a while. I think he really admires you, Queen."
"I don't even know him," Queen muttered, trying to dismiss the odd feeling in her chest.
Unanswered Messages
As they sat in the café, Queen's phone buzzed again. It was another message from Jihoon, but she didn't open it. She couldn't bring herself to respond. Instead, she placed the phone face down on the table, trying to focus on her friends.
"I'm not ready to talk to him yet," Queen said softly, not realizing she had voiced her thoughts aloud.
Fika glanced at her. "Are you sure? He's been asking about you. He said he's worried."
Queen clenched her jaw. "I don't know, Fika. I don't want to talk to him right now. I can't deal with all the pressure."
"I get it," Fika said, her voice softer now. "But just don't keep avoiding it. You can't shut him out forever."
Queen didn't reply. Instead, her eyes wandered back to Mondy, who was now talking with Marchelle and Rey at the next table. They were all laughing, but something about the way they looked at her seemed off. She couldn't explain it, but it was as though they were waiting for something, and she was the missing piece they were hoping to find.
A Growing Concern
Back at Queen's apartment later that evening, the three of them sat down to a quiet dinner. The weight of the day seemed to have settled around Queen's shoulders, and she wasn't sure whether it was from the conversation with Fika or the unsettling feeling she couldn't shake.
"Do you think I should confront them?" Queen asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
"Confront who?" Fika asked, looking up.
"Mondy, Marchelle, and Rey," Queen replied, her eyes narrowed. "I don't know what's going on, but it's like they're always... there. Watching me. They keep showing up at all the places I go."
Fika's face softened, but there was a hesitation in her expression. "I don't think they mean harm, Queen. They've been following your work for a long time. They admire you, that's all."
"I don't know, Fika. It feels... too much."