#nalin

In Phukan's group, Nalin was the only one in a different major, so their class schedules didn't match. She spent the entire morning catching up with seniors at the business faculty. When she saw it was almost time for her friends to finish their morning classes, she headed back.

"Ouch!"

But then someone bumped into her shoulder, almost knocking her over. Her ice cream fell to the ground.

"What's your problem? Were you even looking where you were going?" The beautiful girl snapped, looking up at the unfamiliar face.

"And you? Did you check if the guy you're messing with is taken?"

What?!

Nalin was confused, but a few seconds later, she sighed and pulled out her phone to make a call.

"If you mean Achi, you should talk to him yourself."

Nalin's job was to fend off unwanted attention for Achira. Saying, 'Ew, who'd want a guy like that?' wasn't the right approach, so she brushed it off.

"What are you talking about?"

What again?!

Nalin frowned, looking up at the taller girl with heavy makeup and an even more extravagant outfit.

"Who's crazy here? You're the one picking a fight. If the guy isn't interested, talk to him directly."

Nalin swore she'd never help Achira again!

"Are you saying Cir isn't interested in me!?!"

Wait, who?

Nalin, who was about to walk away, stopped and turned back, not believing her ears.

Wait, wait, wait. The only Cir I know is P'Cir.

"What did you say?"

"Don't pretend you didn't hear. I saw you smiling with him this morning."

There was only one Cir this morning. But that Cir already has a boyfriend, you know.

"You mean... P'Cir?"

The woman in front of her raised her chin arrogantly, making Nalin wonder how she could still see her from that height.

"So now you're admitting that you're involved with a taken guy. Remember, I'm his fiancée."

What!?!!

Nalin's jaw dropped. At first, she was furious at Cirrus for having a fiancée and still messing with her beloved Phukan. But then she remembered the look and the voice of the guy who said he loved Phukan.

If there was a scale, Cirrus' side would be so heavy it'd break the floor.

She'd been a fan of Cirrus for many years. She'd never seen him get involved with anyone. Everyone who tried to get close to him was pushed away. Only Phukan seemed to be a special person to him. Maybe she was just a crazy girl imagining things. Why should she believe it anyway?

"You're his fiancée, but is he your fiancée?"

I'm ready to fight for my friend!

Nalin thought as she faced the taller woman.

"So, you're admitting that you've got your eyes on Cir!"

Oh, she must be crazy.

"So what if I do? Everyone in the university has their eyes on him."

"But I'm his fiancée. I've known him since we were kids. Don't you dare mess with someone else's man!" Lukprae shrieked, declaring her ownership without shame.

"That's why I'm asking, does he know he's yours? Has he ever smiled at you? Has he ever told you he loves you?"

The sudden change in her expression made Nalin realize immediately.

Okay, I made the right decision.

The beautiful girl then spoke with a sweet smile.

"Looks like it's a no, right? So, next time, don't be delulu. It just makes you look pathetic," Nalin said even more sweetly, then walked past Lukprae, bumping her shoulder indifferently.

"Move, you're wasting my time."

Who said a cute girl like Nalin can't be mean? That wasn't true. Any woman could be mean if they had to.

"You really want to get slapped, don't you? Fine!"

Nalin flinched, turning sharply to see that Lukprae had raised her hand, her eyes widening.

"Hey!"

Nalin shouted, not because she was about to get slapped, but because Phukan was running towards them.

"Stop!"

Her close friend ran in and grabbed Lukprae's arm, causing her to step back in shock and scream.

"What's wrong with you? Last time, it was in the hospital, and now at my university. Do you have any brains?"

Wow, I've never seen Phu this angry.

Nalin's eyes widened because her friend had never insulted anyone before.

"You! It's because of you! I'm Cir's fiancée! Do you hear me? I am his fiancée!"

As soon as she saw Phukan's face, Lukprae's anger intensified. Even though one hand was held, the other was raised, and...

Slap!

It landed squarely on Sisira's face amidst the shock of everyone witnessing the scene.

[TN: Sisira = Phukan]

They weren't shocked that Phukan got slapped, but just thinking about how angry Phukan's boyfriend would be... it sent chills down their spines.

Phukan wasn't someone who got angry easily, but the moment he heard Nalin's voice calling out, he was utterly shocked. He sprinted at full speed and arrived just in time to see Lukprae raising her hand, about to slap Nalin. An unknown fury surged through his chest.

You can curse me, you can hit me, but don't you dare touch someone important to me!

If anyone had never seen Phukan angry, they were about to witness it today.

The slap that landed on his cheek was no light tap, causing Phukan's face to turn to the side. But the young man quickly turned back, his usually clear and endearing big eyes now glinting with a terrifying intensity.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Phukan shouted loudly.

"What the hell are you doing, messing with someone else's fiancée?" Lukprae screamed back, trying to yank her hand away, but Phukan wouldn't let go.

"Let go of me, you gay! Don't spread your perversion to me! Let go, do you hear me?!"

"Oh wow, what a mouth," Nalin's voice cut in, but Phukan didn't have time to look at her. Tee had caught up, and someone like Tee wouldn't let anyone harm Nalin easily.

"Listen to me," the young man tried to control his anger, not yelling in her face.

But the other party had no intention of being friendly either.

"I won't! I won't listen to someone trying to steal what's mine. I've already told you that he's mine. He's my fiancée now. Sooner or later, he'll marry me. Mother decided this since we were kids. Remember that, you gay!" Lukprae not only refused to listen, but also screamed loudly as if to announce to everyone that Phukan was gay.

That made someone who rarely got angry see red.

Phukan didn't care if anyone called him gay. If being with a man made him gay, then fine, he was gay. But he wouldn't tolerate this unreasonable woman.

Last time, it was just him, but now she was dragging his friend into it.

"Listen to me, damn it!" Phukan yanked her shoulder, pulling her face-to-face, shouting so loudly that the screamer flinched.

No one thought that Phukan could be scary, but today, the young man was terrifying.

"W-what are you going to do?"

"I'm not going to do anything to you. I just want to talk," Phukan said sternly.

"I don't know how you were raised, but running around causing trouble like this is disgusting. I don't understand why you do this. If you're so confident that you're his fiancée, that he loves you, then go talk to him. Don't run around barking like this. You already caused trouble for me once, and now you're messing with my friend. If you don't care about your high-status family, at least think about yourself. No one wants to see a woman chasing after a man like this, and I don't want to see it either!"

She might think Phukan was stealing her fiancée, but from his perspective, she was an unrelenting harasser.

Is this what P'Cir's dad had to endure before the divorce?

Who could stand it?!

Even though he wasn't Cirrus, he was already annoyed. Even if they weren't anything to each other, he didn't want Cirrus to end up with a crazy fiancée like this.

"Do you understand what I am saying?"

Phukan looked into her eyes, asking seriously, but...

"You! Are you insulting me? Are you insulting my upbringing? Are you insulting my parents?" Lukprae, who'd momentarily been scared of the younger guy, shouted loudly. She shook her hand free from Phukan's grip, wanting to point and scream at him for daring to question her upbringing.

How I was brought up is my business. This guy didn't even know I'd loved Cir since I was under ten years old.

Lukprae thought. She didn't know where this guy came from, but if he dared to stand by the person she loved, she wouldn't spare anyone.

It has to be me, Lukprae, who will stand by Cir!

"I'm not insulting your parents!"

"But you insulted my upbringing. Besides messing with Cir, you're insulting my family too. If I don't slap you today, I'm not leaving!" Lukprae raged even more, scratching and clawing at Phukan, who was starting to struggle against her strength.

"Ouch, stay still!"

"Let go of me! I'm going to slap you! Let go!"

Splash!

"..."

"..."

After that... there was only complete silence.

In the midst of the struggle, Tee, who'd appeared out of nowhere, quietly walked up behind Lukprae and... poured a glass of soda over her head.

Everything fell silent... for a moment.

Then...

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

The person drenched in soda from head to toe screamed loudly, dancing around like a centipede in hot water. Phukan stepped back several paces, blinking at his fierce friend, who was smiling wickedly.

"You're a bit messy, Phu. Go wash up in the bathroom."

Phukan looked down at his student uniform sleeve, which was stained with soda. Compared to the other person...

Phukan was much better.

"Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

The angry woman, whose rage had quickly subsided, looked at Lukprae, who was trying to brush the sticky, sweet liquid off her neck and legs, dancing as if it'd help get the soda off her expensive dress. It was a sight that was hard to tell if it was pitiable or funny.

"How could you do this to me? Do you know who I am?"

"I don't know, and I don't care."

It wasn't Phukan who said it, but Tee in a cold voice.

If Nalin was small enough to have to look up to talk to Lukprae, Tee was a perfect match for the woman.

"This has nothing to do with you. Don't butt in!" The person drenched in soda screamed shamelessly.

Tee just shrugged.

"I don't really want to get involved, but I pity my eyes. Seeing someone screaming like this is such an eyesore."

"You bitch!"

"Don't mess with my friend."

Seeing Lukprae about to lunge at Tee, Phukan stepped in between them.

"If you have business with me, deal with me."

It was like pouring gasoline on a fire, because Lukprae's eyes turned red with rage. She was furious that she'd come to cause trouble but ended up being retaliated against, and it was enough to lead to...

"Ouch!"

Her brightly colored nails dug into Phukan's scalp, yanking yard, showing no trace of her high-society upbringing.

Unfortunately, it was the same moment someone else ran in.

"Stop right now!"

Phukan was in so much pain that tears welled up, but he recognized the voice well.

At that moment, the newcomer grabbed Lukprae's hand and twisted it, making her scream, "Let go of me, you idiot! Let go!"

"Stop this nonsense!"

The newcomer spun Lukprae round to face him and shouted loudly, breaking his usual demeanor.

Lukprae's eyes widened in shock.

"Cir!"

"Yes, it's me." Cirrus squeezed the arm of the fiancée his mother had chosen for him, shouting in her face. "Stop your lowly actions, Lukprae!"

Phukan had never seen Cirrus this angry before.

"I didn't do anything. I didn't!"

"Didn't do anything? I saw it with my own eyes. I told you, even if my mother wants me to be engaged to you, I won't. I don't love you. How many times do I have to say it? I don't love you!"

Phukan knew the woman's actions were bad, but he thought Cirrus' words were like a knife cutting into her wound.

"Cir, listen to me first. I didn't cause trouble for anyone. Listen to me, please."

But Lukprae didn't seem to be remorseful at all. Instead, she clung to Cirrus' arm, pleading for him to believe her, while he looked at her with cold eyes.

"Let go of me!"

"P'Cir, she slapped Phu!" Nalin, who'd called Cirrus (because she got his number that morning), interjected angrily.

That made Cirrus' eyes change from cold to furious.

The inferno in the middle of a snowfield could be seen in his eyes.

"Don't let me see your face again!"

"Ouch!"

Phukan knew Cirrus didn't care about anyone, but he didn't expect to see him throw Lukprae to the ground, speak in a cold voice, and then just turn back to him.

"Are you hurt?"

Phukan wanted to cover his swollen cheek, but it was too late. Cirrus saw everything.

The tall man reached out with trembling hands to gently cradle Phukan's face, his fingers brushing softly as if afraid of hurting him. His eyes trembled with disbelief.

"Are you hurt, Phu?"

If his voice to Lukprae was ice cold, his voice to Phukan was like marshmallows in hot chocolate: sweet and gentle.

"No, I'm not hurt at all," Phukan tried to smile. He didn't want Cirrus to be angry.

Cirrus wouldn't take it out on Phukan, but it was the woman screaming on the ground who'd face his wrath.

"Even if you're not hurt, you need to put on some ointment. Is your head hurt? Are there any wounds?"

The tall man scanned Phukan from head to toe, but just the red mark on his cheek was enough to make the big guy look like he was about to die.

"Really, I'm not hurt. I'm strong, you know," Phukan tried to joke, but the person in front of him wasn't amused.

"Let's go home and put on some ointment."

"But I have another class."

"Please, Phu. Let me make sure you're okay."

Cirrus must be thinking Phukan didn't just get hurt on his face. If Phukan were to say that nothing really happened, it wouldn't be believable. Cirrus even looked like he was about to strip Phukan down to check his entire body right then and there. So, he could only nod quickly.

"Alright."

"Let's go home."

"Stop right there, Cir! You can't do this to me! I'm your fiancée!" Lukprae screamed, causing Phukan to turn and look.

However, the person being called didn't even glance back.

"P'Cir, what about..."

"Don't mind her."

Wow, that's harsh.

The person with the bruised cheek laughed dryly because his boyfriend didn't pay any attention to the woman who was supposed to be his fiancée. There was no need to be jealous or possessive; Cirrus always made it clear who he belonged to.

"Let's go home then... We'll leave first," Phukan said the last part to his two friends, who nodded in agreement.

"Go ahead. I'll make a copy of the notes for you tomorrow," Tee said.

"Yeah, go ahead. We can handle things here," Nalin said cheerfully, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

Well, it's obvious who the sassy one is.

"Let's go."

"Cir, you can't just leave me like this! I won't allow it!"

Since Cirrus didn't pay attention to that woman, Phukan thought he shouldn't either.

As Cirrus led Phukan away, the woman who was left on the floor struggled to get up and tried to run after them, but...

Thud!

"Oops!" Nalin tried not to laugh, feeling a bit sorry for the woman who had been scolded by Phukan, splashed with soda by Tee, and dismissed by Cirrus. But when Lukprae stepped on the melted ice cream on the ground and slipped again, she couldn't help but laugh.

Well, she was the reason why I dropped the ice cream on the floor, and she stepped on it later. That's karma!

"Ugh, damn it!"

The woman sitting on the floor looked like she was about to cry, and at that moment...

"Hey, Jin, when did you get here?"

Suddenly, Jin walked past the two girls towards the woman on the floor.

"Don't come near me! Go away!" Lukprae screamed at the person who was about to help her, but it didn't stop Jin, who crouched down.

He just looked at Lukprae and then at...

"You shouldn't litter."

... an ice cream stick.

What Jin picked up from the floor wasn't the beautiful woman named Lukprae, but Nalin's ice cream stick.

Then, the guy stood up and threw the stick into a nearby trash can, leaving everyone there stunned.

"Let's go, or we'll miss lunch," Jin said to his two friends and led the way back to the cafeteria.

Of course, Tee and Nalin didn't hesitate to follow.

Everyone who witnessed the scene but didn't dare intervene could only swallow hard and feel sorry for the woman. It seemed like she'd messed with the wrong person.

Phukan wasn't mean, but everyone around him was!

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