first love by kaiden

The first day of the semester at Crescent Academy was never quiet.

The courtyard pulsed with energy as students poured in, dragging suitcases and waving to friends. Wings brushed against tails, sparks lit the air where fire-users showed off, and laughter tumbled from every corner. The school was a city in itself, and for the new students, it felt like stepping into another world.

For Ren, it felt overwhelming.

He adjusted the strap of his bag, keeping his head low so his messy red hair hid his fox ears. His green eyes flicked toward the clusters of students, then quickly down again. It was safer that way. Don’t make eye contact, don’t get pulled into their noise.

A group of dragon-hybrids passed by, their scales glinting under the sun. One of them nudged his friend and laughed.

“Dude, I swear, this year’s gonna be insane. Did you hear they’re mixing dorm assignments now?”

“Seriously?” his friend groaned. “So I might get stuck with a—what, a vampire or something?”

They both burst into laughter before disappearing into the building.

Ren slipped past them, clutching the strap of his bag tighter. He didn’t hate people; he just didn’t know what to say to them. Words always came out wrong—or not at all. Silence was easier. Silence made him invisible.

He was almost to the dorm steps when a voice cut through the crowd. Clear, bright, and warm.

“Hey! You’re blocking the stairs!”

Ren stopped short. He glanced up and froze.

A girl stood just a few steps away, taller than him by at least half a head. Black wolf ears twitched on top of her head, fluffy and short, the tips catching the light. Her blue eyes were sharp yet kind, framed by strands of dark hair that fell across her shoulders. She wore the same grey uniform, but on her, it looked effortless.

Ren muttered, “Sorry,” and shifted aside quickly.

The girl gave him a small smile as she walked past with her friends. “Thanks.”

Her laugh followed her as they headed toward the courtyard, and though Ren kept his gaze fixed on the ground, the sound lingered like an echo.

His dorm room was small and plain, exactly how he liked it. A single bed, a desk under the window, a wardrobe in the corner. No decorations. Just silence.

Ren unpacked slowly, stacking his folded shirts with careful precision. His tail flicked against the floor, betraying the restless energy he refused to show on his face.

A sudden knock on his door made his ears twitch.

“Yo, you got this room too?”

Ren opened the door to see a tall boy with messy blond hair and a lion’s tail swishing lazily behind him. He carried a duffel bag slung over one shoulder.

Ren hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah.”

“Cool, cool. I’m Jin,” the boy said easily, stepping in without waiting for an invitation. He tossed his bag onto the other bed. “Looks like we’re roommates. Hope you’re not the loud type—I like my naps.”

Ren blinked, unsure how to respond. “…I’m quiet.”

Jin grinned. “Perfect. We’ll get along just fine.” He flopped down on his bed, already pulling out his phone. “So, you new here? Or… second year?”

“Second.”

“Ah.” Jin leaned back, eyes half-closed. “Then you already know the drill. Classes, clubs, endless cafeteria food that tastes like cardboard.” He yawned. “Fun times.”

Ren gave a small shrug. “Guess so.”

Jin cracked one eye open at him. “You don’t talk much, huh?”

“…Not really.”

“Fair enough,” Jin said with a grin. “Then I’ll talk enough for both of us.”

Ren sat down at his desk, trying to focus on arranging his notebooks. He glanced out the window—and froze again.

Down below in the courtyard, the wolf-girl was there. Laughing, her blue eyes shining as she spoke to a circle of students. Her voice drifted up faintly, clear even over the noise.

Ren turned away quickly, his ears burning. Don’t get involved, he told himself. People like her didn’t notice people like him. And that was fine. That was safer.

But even as he unpacked the last of his things, her voice lingered in his mind.

Another year at Crescent Academy. Another year of silence.

At least, that’s what Ren told himself.