After a while, Haarun slowly sat down on the sofa. Mayya followed him and sat right beside him.

  As soon as she did, Haarun silently rested his head on her lap and said in a tired voice:— “That Ymraan messed everything up… and Mayya, I’m sorry. I’ll have to stay at your apartment for a few days.”

  Mayya gently touched Haarun’s head with both hands and smiled softly:— “What are you saying? That’s not a problem at all.”

  Then, as she ran her fingers through his hair, she asked in a calm tone:— “Haarun… can I ask why you argued with your father?”

  Haarun let out a quiet sigh and said:— “You already know my father’s a bit of an old-fashioned man. And since you’re from a middle noble family, he doesn’t like you much.”

  Then, after another sigh, Haarun continued:— “But that’s not really the main issue. The real problem is that when I was a kid, my father promised one of his friends that I’d marry his daughter someday.”

  Mayya said nothing — she just kept listening silently. Haarun went on in a softer tone:— “I told my father straight up that I love you. And that’s why we argued.”

  When he finished, Mayya said gently:— “It really means a lot that you did all this for me. But hearing that you fought with your father over it… that doesn’t make me happy.”

  Haarun smiled faintly. Still resting his head on her lap, he touched her cheek and whispered:— “You can say whatever you want… but remember what I told you that day when we confessed to each other.”

  Mayya gently removed his hand from her cheek and said with a joyful tone:— “Of course I remember. Now get up, I’m going to make a cake.”

  Haarun sat up, and Mayya walked off toward the kitchen. Haarun kept watching her for a moment and thought to himself:— “I’ll never forget how we first met…”

  Backstory Begins—

  The story drifts backward in time — to the days when the school was taking in new students. The time when, amidst the winter mist, Haarun Aev Inazum and Mayya Shizqar met for the very first time.

  It was the end of winter break, the beginning of a new year. At The Lumynara International High School, the graduation ceremony had just ended, and admissions for the new batch had begun.

  Among many students from Royal families, there was a girl from a noble household — Mayya Shizqar.

  Because she had ranked first every year in middle school, Mayya had earned a scholarship to Lumynara High. But surrounded by so many Royal students,

  she began to feel small, out of place. She hardly talked to anyone and carried a quiet sense of fear everywhere she went. A few days after joining, three Royal girls from her class came up to her with bright smiles, offering friendship. Their names were Faiha Aev Jalezar, Afiya Aev Karezon, and Ayira Aev Salqeen.

  At first, Mayya hesitated, but her kind heart believed them — and soon, she became their friend. For the first time, school didn’t feel lonely anymore.

  The four of them studied together, joked around in the cafeteria, and sat under the trees after class sharing stories. Mayya thought to herself:— “Maybe this is what true friendship feels like.”

  But that happiness didn’t last long. A few days later, those same three girls began asking Mayya to do their homework, saying they were too busy. At first, Mayya agreed without thinking much — she thought, “It’s fine. I can help my friends a little.”

  But that one-time favor soon turned into a daily routine. They would drop off their assignments saying:— “You’re smart, it’s easy for you.”

  Mayya couldn’t manage her own studies properly anymore, but she didn’t have the courage to refuse. One day, exhausted and frustrated, she finally said no. And that was the moment their true colors were revealed.

  They mocked her, humiliated her, and even threatened her into continuing their work. They’d talk down to her in class, making sure everyone saw that Mayya was beneath them. Days went by like that — dull, fearful, and lonely. Mayya’s spark began to fade, her smile disappeared. She became quieter, and slowly built a wall inside herself...

  Three weeks passed in the blink of an eye. The thick fog still blanketed the entire city — as if everything were wrapped in a white shroud.

  The first exam for the newly admitted students had just ended. Most of them did well, but today Mayya sat quietly at her desk, feeling disheartened — because she was the only one in the entire class who had failed. A few moments later, the teacher entered the room, closed the door, and said cheerfully:— “Good morning, everyone!”

  The class stood up together and replied:— “Good morning, Sir!”

  When everyone sat down again, the teacher spoke in a clear voice:— “Before we begin today’s lesson, I’d like to introduce you all to a new student.”

  Saying that, he turned toward the door and called out to the boy waiting outside. The boy walked slowly into the classroom — white shirt, black pants, black blazer, and a calm, steady gaze in his eyes. Every eye in the class turned toward him.

  The teacher stood beside him and said:— “This boy is your new classmate. I hope you all treat him kindly.”

  Then, on the digital screen board, his name appeared:— Haarun Aev Inazum.

  The teacher instructed him to take a seat in the back row. Following his words, Haarun walked to the back — and sat down right next to Mayya.

  A few moments later, the teacher asked everyone to take out their math books.

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  But since Haarun was a new student, he didn’t have one yet. After a brief pause, Haarun turned to his side and said softly:— “Excuse me… if you don’t mind, could you share your math book with me?”

  The moment she heard his voice, Mayya flinched. Her breathing quickened, her face turned pale — as if she’d just seen something terrifying.

  Slowly, she moved a little away from him. Haarun stared, confused. There was uncertainty in his eyes, but his expression remained gentle — because he could tell Mayya was genuinely afraid.

  Ever since the incident, Mayya had grown terrified of anyone from Royal families. And realizing that Haarun was one of them, that old fear crept back into her chest.

  Seeing how frightened she looked, Haarun didn’t say another word — He simply closed his book and turned to gaze silently out the window.

  Through the fog outside, a faint ray of sunlight fell across Mayya’s desk, as if slowly opening the very first page of their story. After a while, Sir started collecting everyone’s homework.

  One by one, each student handed in their work. But when it was Mayya’s turn, she slowly stood up. Her voice trembled nervously:— “So… sorry, Sir… I couldn’t finish my homework again today.”

  Sir looked at her with a displeased expression, then said in a firm tone:— “This is becoming a daily habit for you, Shizqar. Can you even remember the last time you submitted your homework?”

  After a short pause, he sighed deeply and continued in a calm but stern voice:— “I can’t imagine how you even got a scholarship. You don’t do your homework, you don’t pay attention in class, and you never explain why.”

  The entire class fell silent. Now, every eye was on Mayya. From the back, three girls — Faiha, Afiya, and Ayira — were quietly giggling, their eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

  Tears began to gather in the corners of Mayya’s eyes. She tried hard to hold them back, but her lips trembled, and her voice broke:— “S-sorry, Sir…”

  Sir said coldly:— “Sorry won’t help, Shizqar. You’ll stay after school today and finish your homework. Now sit down.”

  Mayya said nothing and quietly took her seat. Her hands were shaking, eyes brimming with tears, but her lips stayed sealed.

  Beside her, Haarun silently watched. His eyes held curiosity — and a faint trace of sympathy — as if trying to understand why this girl was so afraid.

  Lunch Break — Most of the students left the classroom and headed toward the cafeteria. Haarun was slowly walking toward the door when he noticed the three girls surrounding Mayya’s desk.

  They were whispering something and shoving their notebooks into Mayya’s hands, and she quietly took them, head bowed, without protest. Seeing this, Haarun narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn’t say a word, but in his mind, he thought:— “So, that’s how it is…”

  After School — Time passed, and school was finally over. The afternoon sun faded, and as dusk fell, the fog began to roll in again, a cold wind sweeping softly through the air.

  Everyone had gone home — except Mayya, who stayed behind as punishment to finish her homework.

  Haarun was still in the classroom too. He sat by the window, looking out at the fog-covered sky, and every now and then, his gaze drifted toward Mayya.

  Mayya pretended to ignore him, but Haarun could tell — she was actually avoiding his eyes. After a while, Haarun spoke softly:— “Looks like you still have a lot to do. Want some help?”

  Mayya flinched, startled. Her voice stammered nervously:— “N-no, t-thanks… I’m done anyway.”

  She closed her books in a hurry, stood up, and ran out of the classroom — without finishing her work. Haarun looked at the doorway for a moment. Then a faint, amused smile curved his lips:— “I’ve never seen a girl this timid before…”

  he murmured, and turned his eyes back toward the thick fog outside the window.

  The Next Morning. A thick blanket of fog covered the entire city. Through that mist, one after another, cars of every color — red, blue, white, and black — pulled up in front of the school gate.

  A few moments later, Haarun’s car stopped as well. Compared to the others, his was far more luxurious. As soon as he stepped out, a cold gust of wind brushed against his face. With his hands in his pockets, Haarun began walking slowly through the gate.

  Inside, he noticed Mayya walking toward the school building, her head lowered.

  He stood still for a moment, watching her, then a faint smile appeared on his lips as he started following her. After walking a short distance, Haarun called out from behind in a light, playful tone:— “Hi…”

  Hearing his voice, Mayya flinched and turned around. She saw Haarun standing there with a gentle smile. But the moment she saw that smile, memories of those three girls — the ones who tormented her every day — flashed through her mind.

  Before Haarun could say another word, Mayya quickly turned away and hurried off without responding.

  Watching her sudden retreat, Haarun let out a faint, helpless smile — but that smile soon faded, replaced by a flicker of irritation in his eyes. He muttered quietly under his breath:— “This is really starting to get out of hand…”

  A few minutes later, Haarun entered the classroom. Inside, he saw that no one else had arrived yet — except Mayya. She was sitting alone at her desk, still working on the homework from yesterday.

  Without saying anything, Haarun quietly took his seat. He noticed that Mayya was once again deliberately avoiding him. After a moment of silence, Haarun spoke in a calm tone:— “Why did you run away when you saw me?”

  The question startled Mayya. She looked at him nervously and stammered:— “W-what do you mean? I… I have to go out right now.”

  She quickly stood up, ready to leave — But before she could take a step, Haarun’s voice came out cold and commanding:— “You’re not going anywhere until you answer my question.”

  The weight in his tone made Mayya freeze. Slowly, she turned around to see Haarun staring at her — his eyes serious, unwavering. Then, in a lower but firmer voice, Haarun said again:— “Sit down. Quietly.”

  Mayya said nothing. Trembling with fear and unease, she slowly sat back down — just as he had told her to. After a moment of silence, Haarun spoke in a calm tone:— “Are you afraid of me?”

  The question caught Mayya off guard. She stammered nervously:— “Y-yes… I mean, no… I mean… I…”

  Before she could finish, Haarun gently said:— “I know. You’re not afraid of me… you’re afraid of my royalty. And that fear — came from those three girls.”

  Hearing his voice so calm and steady, a faint sense of relief appeared on Mayya’s face. She spoke softly:— “Yes… you’re right.”

  Haarun smiled faintly and said in a gentle voice:— “First, stop being afraid. Then, you’ll stop listening to them.”

  Mayya lowered her eyes and murmured:— “I can’t…”

  Before she could finish, Haarun spoke again — his tone firm yet kind:— “I know you can. My words might sound confusing to you, but I know there’s strength inside you.”

  Mayya said nothing. She just sat there silently, listening to him. After a pause, Haarun continued softly:— “I also know that right now, you’ve lost something called faith. But I want you to understand— not all Royals are the same.”

  Mayya stayed quiet for a while, then lowered her head and asked gently:— “Why are you doing all this for me?”

  Looking toward the window, Haarun replied in a calm voice:— “Because I don’t want someone sitting beside me to keep suffering like this. And I don’t want people to think all Royals are bad because of a few.”

  Then he turned toward her and spoke softly:— “I want you to tell them that you’re not their puppet. You’ll live your life on your own terms.”

  Hearing those words, Mayya’s eyes widened. Tears slowly welled up, and she couldn’t hold them back anymore.

  Wiping her eyes, she began to cry. Seeing her tears, Haarun panicked a little. He quickly said:— “Sorry, sorry… if I said anything that hurt you, I didn’t mean it that way. I really didn’t.”

  Mayya wiped her tears, smiled faintly, and said:— “You don’t have to apologize.

  For the first time in a long while, I feel like I can trust someone again. I can’t even remember the last time anyone spoke to me like that. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  Hearing that, a peaceful smile appeared on Haarun’s face. Mayya extended her hand toward him, her eyes bright with warmth:— “Hello, my name’s Mayya Shizqar. And yours?”

  Haarun smiled, took her hand gently, and replied:— “My name is Haarun aev Inazum.”