James - Cortis

The first thing James noticed that morning was that she was laughing.

The second thing he noticed was who she was laughing with.

Jaeyun.

James stood across the hallway, one hand in his pocket, watching them talk. Jaeyun said something that made her laugh again, and James' expression barely changed.

Anyone else would've thought he was simply looking around.

But his eyes never left them.

He had been watching her for weeks.

He knew which hallway she took between classes. He knew what made her laugh. He knew when she was tired just by the way she walked.

And lately, Jaeyun had been everywhere.

James hated that.

When she finally noticed him, her face brightened.

“James!”

His expression immediately softened.

“Hey.”

She walked over, leaving Jaeyun behind.

“You disappeared yesterday,” she said.

“I was busy.”

“With what?”

James shrugged.

“Nothing important.”

His eyes briefly moved toward Jaeyun.

Jaeyun noticed.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, neither of them looked away.

Then Jaeyun walked over.

“You coming to lunch with us?”

James smiled.

“No.”

Jaeyun raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Because I don't want to.”

The answer was so blunt that she looked between them.

“Okay…?”

Jaeyun laughed awkwardly. “He's in a mood today.”

James' smile disappeared.

“I noticed.”

Jaeyun stared at him.

She quickly stepped between them.

“Can we please not start something?”

James looked at her.

Not Jaeyun.

Her.

His expression softened again.

“I'm not starting anything.”

But when Jaeyun turned away, James' eyes followed him.

Cold.

Calculating.

Later that afternoon, she was sitting with Jaeyun outside when James appeared.

He didn't say anything at first.

He simply stood there.

Jaeyun looked up.

“Dude, do you need something?”

James smiled.

“No.”

“Then why are you standing there?”

James' eyes moved to her.

“I wanted to see her.”

Jaeyun sighed.

“She can talk to whoever she wants.”

“I know.”

James' voice remained completely calm.

“I just don't understand why she keeps choosing you.”

She frowned.

“James…”

He looked at her.

“I'm joking.”

He wasn't.

That evening, Jaeyun received a message from an unknown number.

Stay away from her.

He stared at the screen.

A second message appeared.

I'm serious.

Jaeyun immediately showed her.

Her stomach dropped.

“That's creepy.”

“Yeah.”

She looked at James across the room.

He was sitting alone, scrolling through his phone.

Then his screen lit up.

He glanced at it.

And smiled.