Everyone at university knew Zhao Yufan—James.

Quiet.

Cold.

Always polite.

Never interested in small talk.

“Morning.”

“Mhm.”

“Finished the assignment?”

“Yeah.”

“How are you?”

“Fine.”

That was usually the longest conversation anyone got.

Rumors spread anyway.

That he hated people.

That he thought he was better than everyone.

None of it was true.

James simply stopped letting people get close a long time ago.

Life had taught him that people left.

So he learned not to need them.

…

Then there was you.

The only exception.

You walked into the library and spotted him immediately.

“Hey.”

James looked up from his book.

“There you are.”

A small smile appeared on his face.

The kind nobody else ever saw.

“You waited?”

“Ten minutes.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“I got caught talking to Martin.”

“I figured.”

You sat beside him and stole one of his earbuds.

“What’re you listening to?”

“Nothing exciting.”

“Liar.”

“You’ll judge me.”

“I definitely will.”

James quietly laughed.

It was soft.

But real.

…

Across the room…

Juhoon looked up.

“…Did James just laugh?”

Martin glanced over.

“No way.”

“He did.”

“And he let someone steal his earbud.”

Martin frowned dramatically.

“How does that guy do that…?”

…

Later that afternoon…

You found James sitting alone outside the science building.

You sat beside him without saying anything.

He didn’t ask why.

You never asked why he liked the silence.

You simply understood each other.

After a while…

“Tough day?”

“Mhm.”

“Wanna talk?”

James stared ahead for a moment.

“My dad called.”

You looked over.

“…Again?”

“He wanted money.”

“I’m sorry.”

Silence settled between you.

Then…

James rested his head lightly against your shoulder.

Only for a moment.

“…Thanks.”

“For what?”

“For not trying to solve everything.”

You smiled.

“I know you don’t need someone to fix your problems.”

“I don’t.”

“…I just need you.”

…

To everyone else…

James was impossible to read.

Reserved.

Distant.

With you…

He smiled first.

Held your hand under the table during lectures.

Sent you pictures of stray cats on his walk home.

Quietly leaned against you when he was exhausted.

The difference was so obvious that even your friends noticed.

One evening, Martin watched James laughing at something you’d said.

“…I still can’t believe that’s James.”

Juhoon smiled.

“It is.”

“Then why’s he so different around him?”

Juhoon looked at the two of you.

“Because that’s what happens when someone finally feels safe.”

James glanced over at you.

You smiled.

Without thinking…

He smiled back.

Small.

Warm.

Completely genuine.

The kind of smile the rest of the world would probably never understand.

But you did.

Because it had always belonged to you.