00 - Camera
I'm here with my friends. The school’s hosting an event, and all students are required to join. Honestly, I didn’t want to come—I’m way too sleepy—but I don’t really have a choice.
"Hey Joss, should I buy a cake for your sister?" Mark asked. He likes my sister, though she has no clue about it.
"Yeah, get the chocolate one," I said.
"But your sister doesn’t like chocolate. She likes strawberry."
"But I like chocolate," I pouted, giving him my best puppy-dog look.
Luke shook his head. "Just buy both."
"Fine, but you’re paying me," Mark smirked.
While Mark and Luke went to get the cakes, I settled on a bench, camera in hand. I was snapping pictures of random moments when someone caught my attention.
“Fuck.”
He’s a boy—but way too pretty to be just a boy. I lifted my camera and captured him mid-bite of his ice cream. He’s stunning, almost unreal, and I can’t resist capturing this masterpiece.
I adjusted the lens again, hoping to get another shot without being obvious. But once more, his eyes met mine.
This time, he didn’t smile. Instead, he gave a small, guarded look, like he was measuring me.
“You… like taking pictures?” His voice was calm, careful, like he was testing the waters.
“Yeah… I’m a photography student,” I said, trying to sound casual, not pushy.
He nodded slowly, not saying much. “I’m Win. Nursing student,” he said, his tone clipped but polite. “I… don’t really do much exciting stuff.”
I chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. “Saving lives is exciting enough. Way more than me taking pictures of… ice cream, apparently.”
He raised an eyebrow, half-smile forming but still cautious. “Hm. I guess,” he murmured, turning his gaze back to his ice cream.
I felt a spark of challenge. Win clearly wasn’t the type to open up easily, but that only made me more determined. I lifted my camera, aiming for a candid shot, and caught his profile—the perfect mix of guarded and graceful.
“You really like taking pictures of strangers?” he asked suddenly, voice low, wary.
I met his eyes, smiling softly. “Not strangers… just interesting people. And… you’re interesting.”
He blinked, his face betraying a tiny flicker of surprise. Then, carefully, he looked away, scooping another bite of ice cream. Quiet. Reserved. But I could feel a subtle pull—he wasn’t closing the door completely.
I lowered my camera and stood up, brushing imaginary dust off my jeans. “So… since you’re a nurse student, you must know a lot about staying healthy, right?” I asked, trying for casual conversation.
Win glanced at me, his posture stiffening just slightly. “I know the basics,” he said carefully, eyes cautious.
“Good,” I said with a grin. “Because I might need someone to… check my health after all this running around with the camera.” I leaned on the bench near him, keeping my tone playful but relaxed.
He frowned just a little, clearly debating whether to engage or stay quiet. “I… doubt you’d need that,” he replied softly, still reserved, still measuring me.
I smiled, undeterred. “Maybe. But it’s always better to be safe than sorry, right?”
He paused, then gave the tiniest nod, still guarded. “I guess so.”
I took a small step closer. “I promise I’m not dangerous,” I teased, “but I am… persistent.”
Win’s eyes flicked up at me, sharp and careful, and I swear I saw the tiniest twitch of a smile. “Persistent?” he repeated, like testing if I was serious.
“Very,” I said confidentlyou“Even if you reject me, I will still court you.”
He looked away, cheeks faintly pink, hiding his reaction. “I… don’t usually… talk to strangers,” he muttered, almost to himself.
“That’s okay,” I said softly, lowering my voice so it felt private. “I don’t want to be just another stranger.”
For a moment, silence stretched between us. The noise of the school faded again, but this time, Win didn’t close himself off completely. He was cautious, reserved, yes—but he was listening. And that was enough for me.
