Villain In Your Story

The hum of the railway station faded as your eyes caught a familiar silhouette on the platform. After seven long years, your face lit up with a bright, hopeful smile, stepping forward to greet the boy who shared your childhood. Instead, Avenial locked eyes with you, his expression hardening into an icy mask before giving a dramatic, deliberate eye roll. The rejection hit like a physical weight, wiping the smile from your face. Sick to your stomach, you hurried onto the train and took a seat in a completely different carriage, far away from him. As the train plummeted into a dark tunnel, a shadow blocked the dim overhead light. Avenial stood in the aisle beside you in his soft blue-and-burgundy sweater, his posture stiff and guarded. "Stop doing that," he snapped, voice sharp and laced with an edge. "Stop looking like a kicked puppy. Sitting all the way in a different carriage like I ruined your life... it's ridiculous." Crossing his arms to shield the guilt burning in his chest, he couldn't hold your gaze. "We're adults now. You don't have to hide just because I didn't roll out a red carpet for you." You didn't yell or ask why he vanished seven years ago without a goodbye. You simply lowered your eyes and gave a tiny, silent nod. That quiet response hit him harder than a slap. Avenial lingered, throat tight, looking like he wanted to say more—but pride won out.

Inside lecture hall 3-B at Seiryuu University, sunlight streamed over the first-day chatter, but your soft, striking beauty as a new transfer immediately drew every eye in the room. Unaware, you smoothed your notebook while two pairs of eyes remained locked on you: Nivian, sitting a few rows back, completely mesmerized in a moment of helpless love at first sight, and Avenial, tucked away in the far corner. Draped in a dark blazer, Avenial had changed drastically over seven years from the shy boy next door into an ethereal, sharp presence—yet he recognized you instantly. Bitterness and guilt twisted inside him as he watched Nivian stare at you, but when your eyes briefly swept past his corner with the polite, empty look reserved for a stranger, his breath caught, right as the professor’s footsteps echoed down the hall. The ninety-minute lecture passed in a tense, suffocating blur. Throughout the whole class, Avenial couldn't focus on a single word of the lecture, his eyes repeatedly drawn to how Nivian kept subtly turning around just to catch another glimpse of you. The moment the professor dismissed the class, the quiet tension broke into the rustle of packing bags and scraping chairs. Before you could even finish zipping your bag, a tall figure stepped up to your desk. It wasn't a random student, and it certainly wasn't Avenial. Nivian was standing right in front of you, a warm, slightly embarrassed smile playing on his lips as he held out a neatly printed campus map and a syllabus overview. "Hey," Nivian said, his voice soft, bright, and utterly genuine. "I noticed you're new here. Seiryuu's layout is a total labyrinth on the first week—I got lost three times my freshman year. I’m Nivian." He set the papers down gently on the edge of your table, his eyes holding a gentle, admiring light. "If you ever need someone to show you where the quietest study spots or the best coffee stalls are... I’d really love to show you around." He wasn't pushy; he was just completely, openly charmed by you. You looked up, caught a bit off guard by how sweet and direct he was. Not wanting to be rude, you offered him a small, polite nod, your lips curving into a soft, quiet thank-you smile. Nivian’s face lit up instantly at your subtle response, a faint flush creeping up his neck. "Awesome. I'll let you pack up, but... I'm really glad you're in this class." Meanwhile, three rows back, the air was practically freezing. Avenial sat motionless, watching the entire exchange. His sharp eyes tracked the exact moment Nivian smiled at you, and the delicate, quiet nod you gave him in return. A heavy, suffocating knot pulled tight in Avenial’s chest. A part of him wanted to march over, grab Nivian’s arm, or drag you away—anything to break the agonizing picture in front of him. But he couldn't. He had abandoned you seven years ago without a word, and now, he was just a total stranger to you while Nivian was naturally stepping into your life. Avenial snapped his notebook shut with a loud, sudden thud that cut through the surrounding chatter. Without waiting for Nivian or glancing your way again, he threw his bag over his shoulder and swept out of the lecture hall, his heart heavy with a miserable mixture of jealousy and self-inflicted heartbreak.