Jan tried to shake off the lingering feeling from his strange encounter with Ren Taka. For the rest of the afternoon, his mind replayed the conversation over and over, like a broken record he couldn't stop. He could still see Ren's knowing smile, hear the unspoken understanding in his words. But what did Ren mean by ''You are not the only one dealing with stuff''? Jan didn't want to read too much into it, but it was impossible not to wonder.
Later that evening Jan retreated to his tiny dorm room, pulling the curtains shut before sitting at his desk. The lamp cast a dim glow over the scattered papers and textbooks, and he stared at the empty page of his notebook. No matter how hard he tried, his thoughts kept drifting back to Ren.
You're being stupid, Jan told himself. He's just messing with you.
It wouldn't be the first time has taken an interest in him just to pass time. Jan knew where he stood, he wasn't part of the world Ren came from. He had learned long ago to Keep his distance from people like Ren, the wealthy and privileged. They had their lives all figured out while he was still wrestling with questions he couldn't even say out loud.
His phone buzzed, jolting him from his thoughts. It was a message from his grandmother.
Grandma: ''How's school, Jan? Are you keeping up with your studies?''
A pang of guilt hit him. She always worried about him, and he hated that he couldn't be completely honest with her. She sacrificed so much to help him get to this university. And all she wanted was for him to succeed and settle into a ''normal'' life, one with a good career and, eventually, a family pf his own. Jan had never had the courage to tell her that her vision of his future didn't match his own.
He typed back a quick reply: ''Everything is fine, Grandma. I'm studying hard.''
The lie felt heavier than usual tonight.
Jan glanced at a photo on his desk, him and his grandmother standing outside their small house back home. She was smiling full of pride, her arm wrapped around him. Jan looked so different now, so far away from the boy who left home. He wasn't sure he could ever go back, not with the truth of who he was weighing on him.
The knock at his door startled him, snapping him out of his thoughts.
''Jan, you in there?'' came a familiar voice.
Jan opened the door to find Rina, his only real friend at the university. She was carrying two cups of coffee and had her usual bright smile on. Without waiting for an invitation, she stepped inside and handed him one of the cups.
''You've been hiding in here all day. I thought you might need a break,'' Rina said, settling into the chair by his desk. ''You know, a break that doesn't involve reading depressing literature under a tree.''
Jan managed a small smile. Rina had a way of brightening up even his darkest moods.
''Thanks,'' Jan said, taking a sip. ''I've just had a lot on my mind.''
Rina raised an eyebrow. ''Oh? Does it have anything to do with the fact that Ren Taka was sitting under the tree with you earlier today?''
Jan nearly chocked on his coffee. ''How do you know about that?''
Rina laughed. ''People talk, Jan. Besides, Ren Taka isn't exactly subtle. What did he want?''
''I don't know,'' Jan mumbled. ''It was weird. He just… sat down and started talking to me. Like it was nothing.''
Rina gave him a thoughtful look. ''He's always been hard to read. I've heard all kinds of rumors about him. Apparently, his family is super strict, and they are grooming him to take over the family business. But honestly? He seems… complicated.''
''Complicated?'' Jan echoed.
Rina shrugged. ''Yeah like there's more to him than the surface level stuff people see. I've heard that his family puts a lot of pressure on him to be a certain way, you know? And… well, I've heard some rumors that Ren might not exactly fit into the 'perfect son' mold they've created for him.''
Jan felt a flicker of understanding. Maybe that's what Ren had meant earlier. Maybe they weren't so different after all.
''Look,'' Rina continued, leaning forward. ''I don't know what's going on with him, but just be careful. Guys like Ren? They live in a different world and sometimes that world doesn't mix well with ours.''
Jan nodded, although he wasn't sure what to make of it all. Part of him wanted to keep his distance from Ren, just like Rina said. But another part, the part he tried to bury, was drawn to him in a way he couldn't explain. Jan had spent so long hiding from his own feelings that it scared him to think about what might happen if he lets his guard down.
Ren's POV
Across campus, Ren sat in his family's lavish penthouse, staring out at the city skyline. The lights glittered far below, and the hum of life outside felt miles away from the quiet tension inside the room.
His father sat at the head of the dining table, his voice sharp and direct as always. ''Ren, you need to take this seriously. The Taka name carries weight, and your actions reflects on all of us.''
Ren bit back a sigh, his mind drifting as his father continued his lecture about responsibility, family honor and the future he was expected to uphold. It was always the same speech, and Ren had perfected the art of turning it out over the years.
But tonight it felt heavier.
''Do you understand?'' his father asked, his gaze piercing.
Ren nodded automatically, although his thoughts were miles away. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. His life was a carefully constructed lie, a mask he wore to protect himself from the world hos family had built for him. They had no idea who he really was, or what he really wanted.
And if they ever found out?
Ren clenched his fist under the table, the familiar weight of fear pressing down on him. His family had made it clear time and again: there was no room for failure. No room for deviation. And absolutely no room for being anything other than the perfect son.
His mother's voice broke the silence. ''Ren, darling, are you alright? You've been so quiet tonight.''
I'm fine, Mom,'' Ren said, forcing a smile. ''Just thinking about everything you've said.''
But he wasn't fine. Not even close.
As Ren stared outside the city lights, his mind drifted back to the quiet boy sitting under the oak tree. There was something about Jan, something that made Ren feel like he didn't have to hide, at least not completely. For a brief moment, talking to Jan had made Ren feel like he could be honest, even if he couldn't say the words out loud.
But honesty came with a price. And Ren wasn't sure if he was ready to pay it yet.