On Friday afternoon, Lena arrived at the library almost thirty minutes early. She chose a table by the glass window and laid her books out as she always did. Neat. Ordered. Nothing excessive, nothing missing.

She told herself she was simply being careful by coming early. Not waiting. Not expecting. Yet her hand rested on the page more tightly than usual.

Outside the glass, afternoon sunlight spilled across the campus lawn. Footsteps passed by. Wind moved through the trees. Everything blended into a calm that felt almost unreal.

Lena opened her book, but she was not truly reading. Every few minutes, her gaze lifted toward the library entrance.

⸻

Right on time, Miu appeared.

She pushed the door open and hurried inside, hair slightly messy, another cup of milk tea in her hand. Her eyes swept the room, then lit up when she spotted Lena.

"Lena," Miu walked over and set the cup down. "I changed the topping today. I thought you would like it."

Lena looked at the drink, then at Miu. "You bought it again?"

"Because I feel happy bringing it to you," Miu said simply.

Lena kept herself from smiling too openly. "Sit down."

Miu pulled out a chair and sat closer than necessary. The faint scent of her hair drifted over, and Lena had to take a steadying breath.

"Help me with this problem," Miu opened her math notebook, pointing at a page filled with tangled numbers. "I messed it up completely."

Lena leaned in. Miu leaned in as well. The distance between them was so small that Lena could see faint pencil marks on Miu's fingers.

"You added this part wrong," Lena said.

"Where?" Miu bent even closer. Her hair brushed lightly against the back of Lena's hand.

Lena did not pull away.

They continued studying like that, quietly, gently, until a male voice spoke directly behind them.

"Miu. Did you submit the sketch this morning? The instructor was asking."

Lena looked up.

A tall male student with a canvas bag stepped closer. His smile was directed entirely at Miu, unmistakably familiar.

Miu jumped up. "Oh no. I forgot."

First handed her a folder. "I kept it for you. You forgot because you ran off to buy food for someone this morning, right?"

First glanced briefly at Lena.

Miu flushed. "No. I was just in a rush."

"In a rush because of someone?" First teased.

"Stop it." Miu lightly hit his arm, laughing.

Lena did not laugh.

"Oh right," Miu turned back. "Lena, this is First. We are in the same major."

Lena nodded. "Hello."

First smiled brightly. "Hi. I work with Miu a lot, so we see each other often."

"He helps me all the time," Miu added. "First always saves my sketches."

Lena looked at the two of them.

Very lightly.
No frown.
No visible reaction.

But inside her, a thin line of feeling appeared, sharp as a blade.

Not anger.
Not explosive jealousy.

But intrusion. Someone was standing a little closer to Miu than Lena wanted.

After a few more words, First left. When his figure disappeared behind the shelves, Miu returned to the table.

"First is cute, right?" Miu asked casually, as if she were talking about a friendly cat.

Lena set her pen down. Not hard, but with enough sound to be heard.

"You think so?"

"Yes. He is nice. My friends say he is the ideal boyfriend type."

Lena remained silent. Her gaze stayed calm, but deep within her eyes, something dark shifted.

"People who are too nice," Lena said slowly, "sometimes make it easy for others to get used to them."

"Get used to what?" Miu asked.

"To their presence." Lena met her eyes. "And it makes it easy for them to get used to you."

Miu froze. Her ears reddened slightly.

"What are you talking about? I did not do anything."

"You do not need to," Lena replied. "You are already like that."

Miu pressed her lips together and looked back down at her notebook. "You talk strangely..."

"One day, you will understand."

Miu was quiet for a moment, then let out a small laugh.

"You are making me feel shy."

Lena did not respond. But something inside her loosened, like a wire finally pulled taut in the right way.

⸻

After they finished studying, as Miu packed her things, she turned back.

"Earlier... you do not like First, do you?"

Lena looked up.

"It is not that I dislike him," she said. "I am just careful."

"Careful about what?"

"About people getting too close to you too quickly."

Miu stood still, eyes widening.

"You care about me that much?"

"Yes."

No hesitation.
No denial.

Miu's face reddened so clearly that Lena could see it.

"You say things like that... it is embarrassing."

"Being embarrassed is fine," Lena replied. "As long as you keep distance from the people you should."

Miu hesitated, then asked softly, "What about you? Do I need to keep distance from you too?"

Lena looked straight at her.

"No."

Miu turned her face away, a small laugh slipping out.

"Lena, honestly..."

Then she ran off, light as wind.

Lena remained seated, her fingers brushing the page.

The paper was blank. But her heart was not.

A first ripple had appeared.
Very small.
But sharp.

And Lena knew that from this moment on, she would not allow anyone to step into Miu's world too easily again.