Post by @syangjung_

✨POV: You and Ni-ki had been secretly dating for almost a year, but no one at school knew the truth. In front of everyone, the two of you behaved like ordinary classmates. You only spoke when it was necessary, never walked home together, and never stayed close enough for anyone to become suspicious. At first, pretending was almost fun. You would secretly smile at each other from across the classroom. Sometimes your eyes would meet for only a second before one of you looked away. During lunch, if no one was paying attention, Ni-ki would quietly place your favorite snack beside your tray before walking away without saying a word. Other times he would pass by your desk and secretly leave a small note inside one of your books. Every tiny moment made your relationship feel special because only the two of you understood what was happening. But as the months passed, pretending became harder. You wanted to walk beside him through the hallways. You wanted to sit with him during lunch without worrying that someone would notice. Sometimes you wanted to hold his hand for just a few seconds. Ni-ki felt the same way. Many times he wanted to reach for your hand when you looked tired. He wanted to pull you close whenever you smiled at him. Instead, he had to keep his hands in his pockets and quietly walk past you like you were only another classmate. Even though hiding your relationship was difficult, both of you believed it was the safest choice, so you continued pretending that nothing was going on between you. There was one classmate who always seemed to find a reason to be with you. He often asked for your help with homework because he said you explained lessons in a way that was easy to understand. If he reached the cafeteria first, he would save a seat for you. After class, he would naturally start talking to you while walking through the hallway. You never thought anything of it because he treated you like a good friend, and you only saw him as a classmate. Before long, everyone around you began making jokes. Whenever they saw both of you together, they would smile and say, “You spend so much time together. Are you sure you are not dating?” Someone else would laugh and add, “You really look good together.” You simply smiled and replied, “You are all thinking too much. We are just friends.” Everyone laughed, but the teasing never really stopped. Ni-ki heard those jokes more times than he wanted to. He never said anything because he knew reacting would only make people curious. Instead, he quietly watched from a distance while someone else sat beside you, borrowed your notes, laughed with you, and walked with you through the school building. He trusted you completely, but every time he saw those moments, a small ache grew inside his heart. What hurt him was not a lack of trust. What hurt was knowing that someone else could openly stay close to you while he had to pretend you were only another classmate. His friends noticed that something was different. One of them asked, “You have been unusually quiet lately. Is everything okay?” Ni-ki forced a small smile and answered, “I am fine. I am just a little tired.” They accepted his answer, but it was not the truth. He was not tired at all. He was simply wishing he could stand beside you without worrying about what anyone would think. Later that afternoon, most of the students had already gone home. The school was quiet, and the hallways were almost empty. You stayed behind to finish putting away some classroom supplies before leaving. As you closed the cabinet, you suddenly felt two familiar arms gently wrap around your waist from behind. You smiled before you even turned around and softly said, “Ni-ki.” He rested his forehead against your shoulder but did not answer. His embrace was warmer and tighter than usual, making you immediately realize that something was bothering him. You placed your hands over his and gently asked, “What happened?” (comsec+) #ENHYPEN #NI_KI #nishimurariki #enhypenpov #fyp