The Same Morning, Again

(Nathan’s POV)

The alarm clock blared at exactly 6:00 AM, just like every day.

I opened my eyes slowly, staring at the ceiling for a few seconds before even moving. Mornings weren’t my thing — but neither was being late.

With a groan, I sat up and brushed the messy strands of hair out of my face. The sunlight spilling through the curtains made my room look warmer than it actually felt. I reached for my phone, checked the time, and sighed.

Same time. Same routine. Same life.

I got up, walked lazily to the bathroom, and turned on the shower. The sound of water hitting the tiles was oddly comforting. As the steam filled the small space, I let the warm water run down my face, closing my eyes for a moment. At least here, I could be alone — no expectations, no orders, no cameras.

After a quick shower, I toweled off my hair and stood in front of the mirror. My reflection stared back at me: slightly pale skin, soft brown eyes, and hair that never stayed flat no matter how much I combed it. People said I looked gentle… but in reality, I just didn’t know how to look any other way.

I buttoned up my crisp school uniform — white shirt, navy blazer, perfectly ironed trousers — and adjusted the tie until it sat neatly. I hated creases. They made me feel messy, and if there was one thing Dad drilled into me since I could walk, it was discipline.

Grabbing my bag from the chair, I slung it over my shoulder and stepped out of my room. The faint smell of coffee drifted from the kitchen.

When I reached the dining table, Dad was there, already in his army uniform. The dark green fabric was perfectly pressed, his posture as straight as ever. He didn’t look up immediately, only sipping his coffee like it was part of some military operation.

Mom sat across from him, still in her silk robe, scrolling through her phone with perfectly manicured nails. A half-eaten piece of toast sat untouched on her plate.

“Morning,” I muttered, my voice quiet but clear.

Dad glanced at me briefly, eyes sharp and unreadable. “Eat. Then school. And remember—”

“I know,” I cut in softly, looking away, “graduate and join the army.”

He didn’t even react to my interruption, just went back to his coffee.

Mom didn’t look up from her phone. “Your uniform’s fine. Don’t slouch in pictures if the media sees you,” she said, like I was some side character in her glamorous life.

“Noted,” I replied, though she didn’t seem to hear me.

We didn’t talk much after that. We never did. They were both too busy — Dad with his ranks and soldiers, Mom with her scripts and red carpets. I was… somewhere in between, invisible most of the time.

After a quick breakfast, I slung my bag back onto my shoulder. “I’ll go,” I said.

Dad gave a short nod. Mom didn’t even glance up.

I stepped out of the house into the crisp morning air, taking a deep breath. The street was quiet, the sun still rising. Another day. Another routine.

And I didn’t know yet that this ordinary morning was the start of something… not so ordinary.

The train rocked gently as it sped along the tracks, the rhythmic clacking filling the silence. I leaned against the side of the carriage, my bag resting on my lap. Outside, the morning light painted the city in soft gold, but I wasn’t paying much attention. My mind wandered—same as every morning.

Half the passengers were buried in their phones, the other half were too sleepy to care about anything. I wasn’t much different. I scrolled through the news, read a headline about some political scandal, then closed it. The rest of the ride was… uneventful.

When the train pulled into my stop, I got off with the usual crowd of uniformed students. The short walk from the station to school was lined with convenience stores, vending machines, and the faint smell of bakery bread drifting from the corner shop.

The school gates came into view, along with clusters of students chatting before the bell. I headed straight for the building, my footsteps echoing in the hallway until I reached our classroom.

The moment I slid the door open—

“Nathaaaaan!”

A hand shot up in the air like it was hailing a taxi. Mina was grinning at me from the back row, her short bob swaying as she waved. She had that same mischievous sparkle in her eyes that usually meant trouble… or at least embarrassment for me.

Yara was next to her, her energy not as explosive but still obvious. She gave me a small nod, holding a juice box in one hand. “Morning,” she said, calm but with that knowing smirk she always seemed to have.

And then—Rue.

She was leaning against her desk, sunlight spilling across her hair, making it almost glow. Her smile wasn’t loud like Mina’s—it was softer, warmer. But it still made my chest feel a little too tight.

“Hey, Nathan,” Rue said, tilting her head slightly. “You’re early today.”

I shrugged, trying to keep my voice steady. “Train was on time.”

Mina leaned forward in her chair. “Whoa, big news. Nathan, the human embodiment of ‘late but present,’ arrived before Wenalin? That’s historic.”

“Wenalin’s always late,” Yara said, sipping her juice. “If she ever arrives on time, I’m calling the police.”

Rue laughed softly, covering her mouth with her hand. “Be nice. She probably just overslept again.”

Mina rolled her eyes. “Overslept? She could be napping in a different timezone and still be late here.”

I pulled out my chair and sat, glancing at Rue from the corner of my eye. She caught me looking for a second and smiled again. My ears felt warm, so I quickly busied myself by taking out my notebook.

“So, Nathan,” Mina started, resting her chin in her hand, “you doing anything after school?”

“Homework,” I replied automatically.

“Boring,” Mina groaned. “You need some excitement in your life.”

“Not everyone wants to get detention as a hobby,” Yara said, side-eyeing her.

Rue chuckled again, looking between the three of us. “Maybe we can all hang out this weekend? If Wenalin’s free, that is.”

Mina perked up immediately. “Yes! Karaoke night. I’m already making the playlist in my head.”

Yara raised an eyebrow. “We all know that’s just an excuse for you to sing off-key without judgment.”

“I’ll have you know I sing beautifully,” Mina said with mock offense.

I didn’t say much, just quietly listened, but inside I was replaying Rue’s words. We can all hang out. She included me—like I wasn’t just an extra in their group.

The classroom slowly filled with more students, the chatter growing louder. But for me, the noise faded a little whenever Rue looked my way.

...----------------...

The first bell had already rung, and our homeroom teacher was taking attendance when the classroom door slid open with that familiar bang.

“Sorry, I’m late,” Wenalin said, strolling in like she owned the place.

Her tie was a little loose, hair slightly messy, and there was that faint, unbothered expression she always wore—like rules were background noise she could tune out at will. She handed the teacher a signed tardy slip without explanation, as if the reason didn’t matter.

“You’re always late,” Mina called from the back, waving her arms dramatically.

Wenalin didn’t even glance her way. “And you’re always loud,” she replied, heading to her seat.

Mina gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. “You wound me, cold-hearted queen.”

“Sit down, Mina,” Yara said flatly, not even looking up from her notes.

Wenalin finally took her seat two desks behind Rue—across the aisle from Mina, which was clearly dangerous for classroom productivity. But Mina didn’t care. She leaned back in her chair, twisting around to grin at Wenalin.

“You missed the best gossip this morning,” Mina said, resting her chin on her hands.

“Not interested,” Wenalin replied without even opening her notebook.

Mina pouted dramatically. “Liar. You love my updates.”

Their banter was cut short when the teacher cleared his throat. “If you two are finished, we’ll continue.”

The rest of the morning passed in its usual blur of lectures and note-taking, though while me sneaking glances at the Rue now and then. She is always Beautiful I wanted to marry her.

By the time the lunch bell rang, Mina was already halfway to Wenalin’s desk, bento in hand.

...----------------...

“Move over,” Mina said, pulling her chair right next to Wenalin’s without asking.

“I didn’t invite you,” Wenalin replied, but she shifted her bag to make space anyway.

“See? You do care,” Mina said with a teasing grin.

The rest of us gathered around—Rue sitting across from me, Yara between us, and Wenalin and Mina locked in their own little bubble of banter.

Mina popped open her bento box, pulling out a piece of tamagoyaki and holding it up toward Wenalin. “Say ahh—”

“I can feed myself,” Wenalin muttered, but took the bite anyway, chewing calmly as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Rue leaned toward me, smiling. “They’ve been like that since first year. Mina never gives up.”

“Does Wenalin… not mind?” I asked quietly.

Rue shrugged. “If she really minded, Mina wouldn’t still be breathing.”

Across the table, Mina was now stealing bites from Wenalin’s lunch. “Yours tastes better. What’s your secret?”

“Not sharing with you,” Wenalin replied, but then slid a piece of grilled chicken into Mina’s bento without looking at her.

Mina grinned triumphantly. “See, you do like me.”

Yara smirked, sipping her juice. “Can you two flirt somewhere else? I’m trying to eat in peace.”

Rue laughed softly, shaking her head. “This group is never peaceful.”

We kept eating, conversations bouncing from random memes Mina had found to Rue’s story about a stray cat that followed her last weekend. Wenalin barely spoke, but whenever she did, it was either to shut down Mina’s teasing or add a perfectly timed sarcastic comment that had us all laughing.

Halfway through lunch, Rue set down her chopsticks. “Hey, are you guys busy after school today?”

“Depends,” Mina said through a mouthful of rice.

“On what?” Yara asked.

Rue twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “We have that group project for history class, remember? I was thinking we could start it today—at my house. My mom’s making snacks.”

“Sold,” Mina said immediately.

“Wait,” Yara said. “Are you sure about hosting us? We can be… loud.”

Rue smiled. “That’s fine. I’d rather get it done together than have everyone send half-hearted notes online.”

Mina jabbed her chopsticks toward Wenalin. “You’re coming too. No excuses.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Wenalin replied.

“Good,” Mina said, satisfied.

Rue turned to me. “What about you, Nathan? You in?”

I blush she is inviting me to her house?!!!I hesitated for a second, but her expectant smile made the answer obvious. “Yeah. I’ll come.”

“Perfect,” Rue said, her eyes lighting up.

When the lunch bell rang again, we packed up our bentos and headed back to our seats. Mina still lingered by Wenalin, fixing her collar even though Wenalin swatted her hands away.

As the afternoon classes began, I found myself already thinking about after school. A simple project meeting at Rue’s house shouldn’t Damn it's first time that I can go thier house … but for some reason, my chest felt a little lighter than it had that morning.

Project, or Something Like That

(Nathan’s POV)

After the final bell, the classroom emptied in a rush of scraping chairs and chattering voices. Our group stayed behind just long enough to gather our bags and make sure no one “forgot” the project materials. Mina was already bouncing with excitement like we were going to a theme park instead of a study session.

“Come on, come on, train leaves in five minutes!” Mina urged, tugging on Wenalin’s sleeve.

“I have legs,” Wenalin said, letting herself be pulled anyway.

Rue smiled as she adjusted her satchel, glancing at me. “You ready?”

“Yeah,” I said while I'm blushing, matching her pace as we left the classroom.

---

On the train

We found a set of seats together—Rue by the window, me next to her, with Yara, Mina, and Wenalin across from us. Mina immediately leaned into Wenalin’s side, her head resting on Wenalin’s shoulder like it was the most natural pillow in the world.

“You’re heavy,” Wenalin muttered.

Mina grinned. “And you’re comfy. Balance.”

Yara keep scrolling her phone.

Rue smile quietly beside me, her voice low so only I could hear. “They’ve been like this since middle school. No one’s ever been able to separate them.”

I smirked. “Not even teachers?”

She shook her head. “Especially not teachers.”

The train rocked gently as it sped past rows of houses and small shops. The sun was already dipping lower, casting a warm glow on Rue’s hair. I caught myself staring a little too long, only to quickly look away when she turned her head toward me.

“What?” she asked, smiling.

“Nothing,” I said, and immediately regretted how suspicious that sounded.

Her smile softened. “You’re quiet today.”

“I’m always quiet.”

“True,” she said, her eyes glinting like she’d caught me in something. “But it’s a nice kind of quiet.”

My ears felt warm, so I looked out the window instead. Across from us, Mina was poking at Wenalin’s cheek, claiming she was “testing skin elasticity” while Wenalin ignored her completely.

---

The walk to Rue’s house

The train ride ended too soon, and we stepped onto the platform. Rue led the way, her pace steady but not rushed. The neighborhood gradually shifted from busy streets to wide, quiet lanes lined with tall trees.

“That’s… a big house,” Yara said when Rue’s home came into view.

It was more like a modern mansion—white walls, glass balconies, and a driveway big enough to host a sports day event. A sleek black car sat parked out front.

“You didn’t tell us you lived in a magazine ad,” Mina said, eyes wide.

Rue laughed, unlocking the gate with a small remote. “It’s just home.”

We stepped inside, greeted by the faint scent of something sweet—maybe cookies baking. The floors were spotless, the ceilings high enough to make my voice echo when I said, “Wow.”

Rue’s mother, dressed in a crisp white blouse, appeared from the kitchen. “Welcome, everyone. I made snacks for you—please don’t hesitate to eat while you work.”

“Thank you!” Mina said immediately, already scanning for the source of the smell.

Rue led us to her room, where a long table had been set up with notebooks, pens, and her laptop.

“Okay,” Rue said, clapping her hands once. “Project time.”

---

The “project”

We started with good intentions. Rue typed up ideas while Yara pulled up research articles on her tablet. I offered to help outline the main points, but Rue kept leaning closer to show me small notes or ask my opinion.

“What do you think of this angle?” she asked, brushing her hair back as she turned her laptop toward me.

I read the paragraph, trying to focus on the words and not the fact that she was close enough for me to smell her perfume—something light and floral. “It works,” I said finally.

Her smile was immediate. “Knew you’d say that.”

Across the table, Mina and Wenalin were… not working. Mina had abandoned her notebook entirely and was now stealing potato chips from Wenalin’s plate.

“Those are mine,” Wenalin said, but didn’t stop her.

“Sharing is caring,” Mina replied, then held up a chip to Wenalin’s lips. “Here, try this one—it’s got more flavor.”

Wenalin sighed but took the bite without looking up from her phone. Yara groaned from her side of the table.

“ was humming happily, now leaning so close to Wenalin that their shoulders were pressed together.

---

The “break”

After about an hour, Rue suggested we take a break. She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a tray of cookies and tea.

“These are amazing,” Mina said around a mouthful.

“You didn’t even finish chewing before you complimented them,” Wenalin said, sipping her tea.

“That’s how good they are!” Mina shot back.

Rue set a plate near me. “You should try one before Mina eats them all.”

I picked one up, biting into the warm, soft cookie. “It’s good.”

She smiled like my approval meant something, which made my chest feel a little strange.

We were deep into the project—Rue typing steadily, Yara scrolling through research, Mina and Wenalin “contribute” while mostly feeding each other chips—when I felt the undeniable urge to excuse myself.

“I’ll be back,” I said, pushing my chair back.

Rue looked up. “Where are you going?”

“Bathroom,” I said simply.

“Oh, it’s down the hall, second door on the left,” she explained, pointing toward a wide corridor off the living room. “There’s a painting of the beach right beside it. You can’t miss it.”

I nodded and headed that way, the plush carpet swallowing the sound of my footsteps. Sure enough, the painting was there—a bright seascape with tiny white sailboats.

I reached for the doorknob…

…when the door swung open.

I froze.

A tall guy stepped out, steam rolling out behind him. His hair was damp, his skin still glistening with water, and the only thing covering him was a towel around his waist and another draped over his head as he rubbed at his hair.

We made eye contact.

“…Hi?” he said, like this was the most normal hallway conversation ever.

My brain did not have the software to handle this situation. “Uh—”

Before I could process further, footsteps approached quickly behind me.

“Nathan? What’s taking—” Rue’s voice cut off like someone had pressed pause.

I turned to see her expression shift from mild curiosity to pure outrage.

“You!” she shouted, pointing at the half-naked guy.

The guy just blinked. “What?”

Rue, apparently deciding she needed a weapon, grabbed the nearest object her slipper and hurled it at him.

He caught it easily with one hand, still looking more amused than threatened. “Really, Rue?”

“What are you doing taking a bath right now?!” she yelled.

“It’s my house,” he said calmly, draping the towel from his head over his shoulder.

I blinked. “Wait… His house?”

“Yeah,” he said with a casual shrug. “I live here. I’m Nash, by the way.” He smiled like we were meeting at a café, not outside a bathroom with him half-naked.

Rue stepped in front of me like she was protecting me from a wild animal. “Nathan, don’t talk to him.”

“Why not?” Nash asked, smirking. “He’s polite. I like him already.”

I gave an awkward smile. “Uh… thanks?”

Rue groaned, rubbing her temple. “Nash, go put clothes on. You’re scaring my friends.”

“ oh I’m not scared I'm a guy too” I laughed awkwardly

Nash chuckled. “Your friend is fun.”

Rue’s glare could have melted steel. “Don’t encourage him.”

He shrugged. “Alright, fine. I’ll change.” He tossed the slipper back to her and walked past us toward a nearby bedroom.

“Uh—” I glanced at Rue, who looked like she was mentally preparing my funeral. “Maybe later.”

When he disappeared into his room, Rue let out a long sigh. “Unbelievable. This is why I didn’t tell anyone I have a brother.”

“Is that your brother? I mean you have a brother?"

Rue:"Yeah he is 1 year older than me,anyway you can use the cr"

"Oh yeah right" I get inside the bathroom

i didn't know that she have a brother.

Rue was still mumbling angrily beside me as we walked back to her room. I could practically feel the steam coming off her head. She looked like she was rehearsing an entire roast session for her brother.

I, on the other hand, was just… awkwardly smiling like a lost puppy. My hands were buried deep in my pockets, and I was avoiding eye contact with anyone, especially Rue, because I was still replaying the scene in my head—Nash stepping out with only a towel, droplets of water sliding down his chest, and me standing there frozen like an idiot.

When we finally stepped inside, Mina immediately perked up.

“Oi, what took you guys so long? Did Nathan get lost in the bathroom?!” she teased, smirking.

“ oh no Nothing happened,” I said way too quickly, which only made her narrow her eyes at me.

Yara was lazily sitting on the carpet, scrolling on her phone, but she looked up with a mischievous grin. “Oh? Nothing happened? Then why does Rue look like she’s ready to murder someone?”

Rue flopped into her chair, crossed her arms, and let out an exaggerated sigh. “Don’t even start.”

Before I could slip into my seat and disappear into the background, Wenalin leaned forward from the couch, resting her chin on her palm. “So?” she said flatly, eyes flicking between me and Rue. “What happened?”

“Seriously, nothing—” I started, but Rue cut me off.

“My idiot brother decided to show up in the hallway half-naked while Nathan was on his way to the bathroom,” she announced, her tone dripping with annoyance.

The room went silent for half a second—then Mina burst out laughing so loud she nearly fell off her chair.

the three of them shock when they heard it

Mina:",You have a brother?"

Rue nodded.

Yara:"We Didn't know that you have a older brother"

"Even me Im surprised "

“Oh my god, Nathan, you saw her brother naked?!”

“It wasn’t naked!” I quickly defended, feeling my ears burn. “He had a towel!”

“Still counts,” Mina said, still wheezing. She turned to Wenalin and nudged her. “Can you believe this? Nathan’s already meeting shirtless family members.”

Wenalin didn’t laugh—her expression stayed neutral—but I swear I saw the corner of her mouth twitch. “"It's okay they are both guy it will be worse if you're the one who saw it"

I nodded at her she is correct I'm glad I'm a guy

Meanwhile, Mina had already scooted over to Wenalin’s side and was clinging to her arm, clearly enjoying the chaos. Wenalin didn’t push her away—she never did—but she did grab a fork and feed Mina a bite from her plate without looking, like it was the most normal thing in the world. Mina just grinned smugly, like she had won some kind of silent couple battle no one else was playing.

I sank deeper into my chair, praying they’d change the topic. But of course, they didn’t.

“So,” Yara said, tilting her head with an evil smile. “Was he… hot?”

“Yeah!” I laugh awkwardly