The first thing everyone noticed about Ari was her smile the cute and pretty smile which is like sunshine.

The second was that she somehow knew everyone's favorite snack before they told her.

She held doors open, remembered birthdays, helped first-years find their classrooms, and somehow never made anyone feel like a burden.

"You're too nice," her friends often complained.

"I just like seeing people smile," Ari would laugh.

On the other side of campus sat Mina.

Quiet.

Soft-spoken.

Always hidden behind a novel or sketchbook.

She preferred the library over noisy cafeterias, rainy afternoons over sunny ones, and hoodies two sizes too big because they made her feel safe.

Most people thought she was cold.

She wasn't.

She was simply afraid of being too much for people.

One rainy afternoon, Mina rushed across the courtyard without realizing how slippery the ground had become.

"...Ah!"

She stumbled.

Before she could hit the floor—

A warm hand caught hers.

"You okay?"

Mina blinked.

Amber eyes.

A gentle smile.

Ari.

"I-I..."

Her cheeks turned bright pink.

"I'm fine."

"You almost introduced yourself to the ground."

"..."

"..."

"...That sounded cooler in my head."

A tiny laugh escaped Mina before she could stop it.

Ari grinned proudly.

"There it is."

"What?"

"Your smile."

Mina immediately looked away.

"I wasn't smiling."

"You were."

"No."

"You definitely were."

"...Maybe a little."

"Mission accomplished."

The rain became heavier.

Without saying a word, Ari pulled off her oversized green hoodie and draped it over Mina's shoulders.

"W-What are you doing?"

"You're shivering."

"But you'll get cold."

"I'll survive."

"I can't take your hoodie."

"You already are."

Mina looked down.

It smelled faintly like vanilla and fresh laundry.

It was warm.

Comfortably warm.

"...I'll return it tomorrow."

Ari smiled.

"You can keep it for another day if it makes you smile again."

Mina's heart skipped a beat.

Why was this girl so unfairly kind?

The next morning, Mina arrived early just to return the hoodie.

Ari looked at her, then tilted her head.

"...You look cute in it."

Mina froze.

"...Huh?"

"I think it suits you."

Mina covered her burning face with the sleeves.

"D-Don't say things like that..."

Ari laughed softly.

"Sorry."

"...Not really."

"...Not really."

Mina peeked at her through the oversized sleeves.

"...You're impossible."

"And yet," Ari teased gently, "you came early just to see me."

"I came to return your hoodie!"

"Mhm."

"..."

"...And maybe to see you a little."

Ari's eyes lit up as if she'd just won the lottery.

"Really?"

Mina immediately regretted admitting it.

"I-I take it back!"

"No refunds."

She smiled so brightly that Mina couldn't help smiling too.

Neither of them realized it yet, but from that rainy afternoon onward, Ari would become the person who always reached for Mina's hand first—and Mina would slowly learn that being loved gently didn't have to be something she was afraid of.

The next morning, Mina clutched Ari's hoodie a little tighter as she walked through the campus gates.

She had planned to return it immediately.

That was the plan.

But the warmth of the soft fabric made her hesitate.

Before she could gather the courage, someone gently tapped her shoulder.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

Mina turned around and almost hid behind the hoodie.

Ari stood there with two cups of hot chocolate and the same sunshine-like smile.

"I wasn't sleeping."

"Mhm. Then why do you still have my hoodie?" Ari teased.

"I... forgot."

"You forgot?"

"...Maybe."

Ari laughed, the kind of laugh that made everyone nearby smile without knowing why.

"Then keep it for today."

"What?"

"You look happier wearing it than I ever did."

Mina stared at her.

"You're... strange."

"I've been called worse."

Ari handed her one of the cups.

"Extra marshmallows. I guessed you'd like them."

"You... remembered?"

"You smiled yesterday when the café staff added marshmallows by mistake."

Mina blinked.

She hadn't even noticed Ari had been paying attention.

No one had ever remembered such a tiny detail about her.

Her heart felt strangely warm.

By lunchtime, Ari walked into the cafeteria carrying her tray.

The room buzzed with conversations until she spotted Mina sitting alone in her usual corner.

"Mind if I join you?"

Mina looked up.

"You don't have to."

"I know."

"...People will stare."

"They're already staring because you're wearing my hoodie."

Mina's face instantly turned pink.

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

"...I don't."

Ari grinned victoriously before sitting down.

The conversation flowed effortlessly.

Mostly because Ari talked enough for both of them.

She told Mina about accidentally greeting the wrong professor that morning, getting chased by a very determined campus cat after feeding it once, and nearly tripping over her own shoelaces while trying to look cool.

Mina tried to stay quiet.

She really did.

But every few minutes another soft laugh escaped her lips.

"There it is again," Ari whispered.

"What?"

"Your laugh."

"It's embarrassing."

"It's adorable."

Mina immediately buried her face in the sleeves of the hoodie.

"You keep saying dangerous things."

"Dangerous?"

"They make my heart beat weird."

The words slipped out before Mina realized.

Silence.

Mina froze.

"...Pretend I never said that."

Instead of teasing her, Ari simply smiled.

"I won't make fun of you."

"You won't?"

"Never."

There wasn't a hint of mockery in her voice.

Only sincerity.

That somehow made Mina even more flustered.

Classes ended just before sunset.

Dark clouds gathered again, and rain began falling in gentle drops.

Ari opened her umbrella.

"Walk home with me?"

"Our houses are opposite directions."

"I know."

"You'll have to walk back alone."

"I don't mind."

"...Why?"

Ari looked at her as though the answer was obvious.

"Because I like spending time with you."

Mina's cheeks turned crimson.

No one had ever said something so simple with such honesty.

As they walked, Ari quietly held the umbrella a little closer to Mina so not a single raindrop touched her.

Meanwhile, half of Ari's shoulder was getting soaked.

Mina noticed.

Without thinking, she stepped closer.

Their shoulders brushed.

Ari smiled but said nothing.

Sometimes, kindness wasn't loud.

Sometimes, it was standing in the rain, getting wet, just to make sure the person beside you stayed warm.

And for the first time in years, Mina found herself hoping tomorrow would come a little faster.

The next morning, Mina arrived earlier than usual.

Not because she had an assignment.

Not because she couldn't sleep.

But because a tiny, embarrassing part of her hoped she'd see Ari before classes.

She sighed at herself.

"Get a grip, Mina..."

As she stepped into the classroom, she noticed something unusual.

A backpack rested on the empty seat beside the window.

Ari waved the moment their eyes met.

"Over here!"

Mina blinked.

"You... saved me a seat?"

"Obviously."

"There are dozens of empty seats."

"I wanted this one to stay empty."

"...For me?"

"For my favorite person to sit beside."

Mina nearly dropped the books in her hands.

"W-We're not even that close..."

Ari tilted her head with a playful smile.

"I'd like to be."

Mina's heart skipped so hard she was sure the whole class could hear it.

She quietly sat beside Ari, trying to hide the smile threatening to appear.

During the lecture, the professor handed out a difficult worksheet.

The room filled with frustrated groans.

Mina finished hers in less than fifteen minutes.

She looked over and noticed Ari staring at her paper with the most dramatic expression imaginable.

"...You're stuck?"

"I've been betrayed."

"By who?"

"Math."

Mina let out a tiny laugh.

Ari immediately pointed at her.

"There! You laughed again!"

"Shh! The professor will hear."

"Worth it."

Rolling her eyes, Mina gently pulled Ari's notebook closer.

"Look... this formula goes here."

Ari leaned in, listening carefully.

She wasn't looking at the notebook.

She was looking at Mina.

"So that's how you solve it," Ari whispered.

Mina nodded.

"...Ari?"

"Hm?"

"You're staring."

"I know."

"...Why?"

"You look really pretty when you're explaining something."

Mina's pencil slipped from her fingers.

"A-Ari!"

"What?"

"You can't just say things like that in class!"

"Why not? They're true."

Mina covered her face with both hands.

"You'll be the end of me..."

Ari only chuckled softly before finally focusing on the worksheet.

After class, the campus garden was glowing with afternoon sunlight.

Flowers swayed gently in the breeze.

Ari stretched her arms.

"I'm starving."

"You said that an hour ago."

"I was starving then too."

Mina smiled.

"I packed extra sandwiches today."

Ari gasped dramatically.

"Are you... offering me food?"

"I mean... only if you want..."

"I would happily accept anything made by you."

Mina handed her the lunchbox.

Ari took one bite and her eyes widened.

"Mina."

"...What?"

"This is amazing."

"It's just a sandwich."

"It's a sandwich made by you."

Somehow, that made it sound special.

Mina looked away to hide her blush.

"You really like making everything embarrassing."

"I like making you smile."

"...You're impossible."

"And yet you keep feeding me."

"...Because you'd probably forget to eat otherwise."

Ari paused.

No one had ever noticed something that small about her.

Her playful smile softened into something gentler.

"You take care of me too."

The words were quiet.

Honest.

Mina met her eyes.

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.

They simply smiled.

It was comfortable.

Peaceful.

The kind of silence that didn't need to be filled.

As they packed up to leave, Ari suddenly held out her pinky.

"Pinky promise?"

Mina looked at it curiously.

"For what?"

"No matter how busy life gets..."

"...we'll always save a seat for each other."

A small smile bloomed across Mina's face.

She hooked her pinky around Ari's.

"I promise."

Neither of them realized that the promise wasn't really about a classroom seat.

It was about making room for each other in their hearts—a place they would never have to ask permission to belong.