Chapter 1 The first time

As soon as he arrived at the door, David met his father. The older man silently retreated, not uttering a single word, his gaze obscuring a sea of despair upon witnessing the melancholy etched across the face of his most cherished son. He concealed his sad eyes towards the distant void, unwilling to reveal his vulnerability. David stepped inside a living room splattered with fragments of a once intact atmosphere. The large flower vase lay shattered, likely the victim of his mother's explosive anger - a scene all too familiar, signaling the remnants of a vehement argument that had just ensued.

Years had passed, and his parents' marriage had lingered on, unpalatably like bland rice and soup unsweetened. Their encounters always sparked fierce disputes; indeed, they had yet to find a common ground despite the years spent under the same roof.

Gazing upon the wreckage before him, a profound sadness welled within David. He pedaled his bicycle toward the sea, every set of strength in his body funneling into his legs, seeking to distance himself from the chaos as swiftly as possible. The road ahead seemed to stretch into infinity, the summer sky blissfully unaware, expansive, and bright, contrasting starkly with the turmoil within his heart.

Silently, David moved towards the ocean, waves boisterously greeting the shore as if they sought to engulf him. Yet, he continued to walk, each successive wave taller than the last, while David appeared merely a tiny entity bobbing upon the boundless sea. He wished to sink into the abyss with the waves, unable to imagine anything but vanishing from existence.

"Hey, you can't do this, no matter what's happening, stay calm, don't lose yourself," a girl's voice whispered from behind.

Startled, David spun around; darkness enveloped the surroundings, objects barely discernible. He swung his arm with force, yet the girl clung tightly.

"Who are you? Why are you stopping me?"

An overly aggressive jerk of his arm sent the girl sprawling into the water, where she sputtered and flailed. Realizing she couldn't swim, David hastily pulled her ashore.

...

Bella woke up early today, neatly dressed, her lengthy hair braided down her back. Her tiny hands gently shielded her forehead, guarding against the playful, mischievous rays of sunshine aimed directly at her face. Her dimpled cheeks seemed to smile sweetly at the gentle autumn.

This was the first morning that Bella absorbed the city's scene since moving there. The journey from the countryside to the province had proven more challenging than Bella had anticipated. Alone and busy with renting a house and purchasing essential items, her little pocket of time had been entirely consumed.

Unlike her peers, Bella opted not to stay in the dormitory. She was determined that, once enrolled and settled, she would find part-time work to help alleviate her parents ' financial burden. Living in a dormitory would make commuting particularly challenging, especially for night shifts.

Bus number 18 halted its journey as if honoring a prearranged rendezvous. Bella gingerly stepped aboard, quietly and deliberately carving through the city streets.

Aboard, her heart danced to an orchestration of joyous melodies. The sun peeked cautiously overhead, shrouded by a slender veil of clouds, as the picturesque and poetic view of the school appeared crisply before her.

This week, Bella was obliged to partake in a freshman civics course at Lecture Hall A4, a mandatory session for all new students. Her wandering thoughts, yet to settle in a clear direction, were interrupted by an unintentional collision with another. A phone plummeted to the ground, though not her's. She stooped to retrieve it, but a young man quickly scooped it up before her fingers grazed its frame.

Disconcerted, she wondered if she had somehow erred. The boy remained silent, his gaze lingering on her face momentarily before silently departing. Their eyes locked in a slow-motion cinematic exchange that Bella would only recognize much later. She chased after him, timidly inquiring with a soft voice, "Do you know where Lecture Hall A4 is? It's my first day at school."

The gentle morning sunlight unintentionally drew a visual barrier between them, or perhaps his indifferent demeanor made the conversation awkward. "It's my first day here, too." He spoke, then departed-cold and lofty as their initial encounter-his sturdy, tall frame weaving through the crowd swiftly, leaving no trace behind. A gentle breeze swept through, carrying a masculine scent that lingered familiarly and affectionately in the air.

The trees in front of the schoolyard whispered straightforward, cheerful tunes akin to a buoyant symphony of youthful beings basking in the glow of their prime. Anyone in a university lecture hall would feel bewildered, anxious, and anticipatory for the first time.

Today's class was bustling, filling the auditorium with over two hundred students. The sound of conversations and playful laughter buzzed about. Bella, arriving just as class was about to begin, needed help finding an empty seat. Just as she stowed her backpack into the desk compartment, a lovely girl with sweet chocolate-colored curly hair from the desk above turned around with a friendly smile to introduce herself. "Hey, what's your name? Let's get to know each other. I'm Sara."

Bella hesitated, wondering if she was indeed seeking acquaintance with her. She glanced around to see if there was someone else when suddenly, an agreeable, steady voice from the boy beside her intervened. "I'm David. Don't worry about it."

Having spoken, David quickly buried his nose into his screen within moments, seemingly forgetting the girl he'd just met. Bella realized it was the boy she'd encountered earlier, and his attitude took her on a journey from one surprise to the next. The girl, awkward and embarrassed, spent the remainder of the session without daring to turn around again.

Upon the platform, the teacher engrossed himself in his lecture, passionately unfurling the tendrils of knowledge. A sidelong glance revealed David, his spirit seemingly trapped in a legendary martial arts battle on his phone. At the same time, Bella occasionally cast covert, cautionary glances as if to chide gently.

As David delved deeper into his virtual battle, his keen eyes detected the subtle disapproval from his neighbor. His fingers danced gracefully upon the touch screen, unyielding in rhythm, yet still sparing a moment to cast a "warning" glance beside him. "Staring too much at boys might ruin your eyesight," he whispered audaciously.

The faint whispers did not elude the teacher's ears. He paused, descended from his stage, and approached David, instructing him to stand. His expression was stern, eyes piercing, seemingly peering into the young man's soul. "Why are you using a phone during class?" he questioned.

An eerily silent classroom beheld the spectacle. A plethora of eyes converged in one direction-some curious, some innocently unaware, some slightly smug, and some mocking. However, none could overshadow the calm, composed gaze of the boy now facing the teacher. "Respectfully, sir, I don't have a phone," David responded, serenity coating his words.

The teacher leaned in slightly, a faint smile upon his face, eyes shimmering with the wisdom of years and skepticism for the unfolding drama before him. He thought of his years, of the numerous generations of students he had mentored, and wondered how a single impish youth believed he could deceive him. "Let's check your bag then," he pressed.

David, without hesitation, pulled his bag from beneath the desk and displayed its contents. The subtle shift in the teacher's expression caught Bella off guard. She, who knew the situation better than anyone, was left bewildered - where had the phone gone?

As the bell signaling the end of school rang and the room plunged into chaos, a mild irritation lingered in the teacher's heart. But, with no other option, he warned David before departing, "Don't let me catch you again."

The moment the teacher exited, David's backpack, slung over his shoulder, slipped from the classroom. His feet swiftly whisked him away, blending seamlessly into the crowded corridor. Bella, after organizing her textbooks and notebooks, also made her exit. The sun grew increasingly harsh as midday approached, prompting students to retreat to nearby dormitories hastily. Bella quickened her pace, unwilling to miss the upcoming bus.

Upon reaching the stop, she found David already present. A brief flicker of surprise painted her features, assuming coincidence, but it seemed David harbored something to discuss. He approached, claiming the recently vacated seat beside her, isolating them amongst the masses. "Can I have my phone back?" he whispered.

Bella thought she must have misheard. The blaring horn of a passing vehicle might have hampered her auditory perception, but at this proximity, it seemed unlikely. David gestured towards Bella's fabric backpack, motioning for her to open it. "It's in your bag," he hinted subtly.

As Bella opened her bag, revealing a black phone identical to the one dropped during their earlier collision, David snatched it from her grasp. Without uttering a word, his lips gently shaped a smile-simultaneously grateful and teasingly mischievous.

Only after David's departure did Bella piece together the day's mysterious unfoldings. Alone at the bus stop, amidst a whirlwind of thoughts, she almost missed her ride. This first day of school had indeed etched memorable moments into her mind, catalyzing a string of unforgettable days to follow.