The Boy Everyone Feared

The morning sky was still gray when Ariana Sen stepped out of the crowded bus with tired eyes and aching legs.

The bus drove away immediately, leaving behind a cloud of dust and the loud sound of honking traffic.

Ariana adjusted the straps of her faded backpack and looked up.

Westbridge Academy stood in front of her like something out of a movie.

Tall black gates.

Huge glass buildings.

Perfect green lawns.

Students wearing expensive uniforms laughed beside luxury cars while drivers carried their bags for them.

Ariana looked down at her own shoes.

Old. Slightly torn. Cleaned carefully last night by hand.

She sighed.

“Fantastic,” she muttered. “I already feel poor.”

Her phone buzzed.

MOM: Did you reach safely?

A small smile appeared on Ariana’s face.

ARIANA: Yeah. Don’t worry.

MOM: Eat your lunch on time. And don’t argue with teachers.

ARIANA: No promises.

Her mother immediately sent an angry emoji.

Ariana laughed softly before locking her phone.

For a moment, her nervousness disappeared.

Then someone bumped into her shoulder.

“Watch it,” a girl snapped before walking away with her group.

Ariana blinked.

“…Nice school.”

She took a deep breath and entered the gates.

The moment she walked inside, she felt eyes on her.

Students glanced at her simple appearance before whispering among themselves.

“Who’s she?”

“New student?”

“She’s probably a scholarship student.”

“She doesn’t even look rich.”

Ariana pretended not to hear anything.

She was used to people judging her.

Back in middle school, everyone knew her as the girl who worked part-time after classes.

The girl with excellent grades but no money.

The girl who never joined school trips because she couldn’t afford them.

But none of that mattered now.

Westbridge Academy was her chance.

If she maintained top grades, she could get into one of the best universities in the country.

That was her goal.

Study hard.

Graduate.

Get a good job.

Help her mother.

Simple.

No distractions.

Especially not romance.

Romance only existed in dramas and novels anyway.

Real life was about surviving.

Ariana checked the schedule paper in her hand.

“Building C… second floor…”

The school was so huge that she got lost within five minutes.

Every hallway looked expensive.

Bright chandeliers.

Digital notice boards.

Air-conditioned classrooms.

Even the students smelled expensive somehow.

Ariana frowned.

“Why does everyone here look like shampoo models?”

Suddenly someone grabbed her arm dramatically.

“You’re new!”

Ariana almost screamed.

A girl with short brown hair grinned at her excitedly.

“I’m Maya! You looked confused, so I adopted you.”

“…Adopted?”

“Yes. Congratulations.”

Ariana stared at her.

Then laughed unexpectedly.

Maya immediately pointed at her.

“AHA! You laughed. Good. You’re officially my friend now.”

“That was fast.”

“I work efficiently.”

For the first time since arriving, Ariana relaxed slightly.

Maya walked beside her while talking nonstop.

“So where are you from?”

“North district.”

“Ohhhh. That’s far. No wonder you look exhausted.”

“I woke up at five.”

“Tragic.”

Ariana smiled faintly.

Maybe this school wouldn’t be completely terrible.

Then Maya suddenly stopped walking.

“Oh no.”

“What?”

Maya grabbed Ariana’s shoulders dramatically.

“There’s one very important rule in this school.”

Ariana raised an eyebrow.

“…Don’t die?”

“Close.”

Maya lowered her voice.

“Never mess with Kian Roy.”

Ariana blinked.

“Who?”

Maya looked horrified.

“You seriously don’t know him?”

“No?”

“You’re either brave or doomed.”

Before Ariana could ask further, students nearby suddenly became quieter.

Whispers spread through the hallway.

“He’s here…”

“Kian Roy…”

Ariana turned curiously.

A tall boy walked through the hallway surrounded by silence.

Not friends.

Silence.

Students moved aside automatically to make space for him.

He wore the school uniform perfectly, sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows.

Black hair.

Sharp jawline.

Cold expression.

And eyes so emotionless they almost looked unreal.

Girls stared openly.

Some students lowered their heads nervously.

But the boy ignored everyone.

Like none of them mattered.

Ariana frowned slightly.

“He looks annoying.”

Maya slapped a hand over Ariana’s mouth.

“DO YOU WANT TO DIE?!”

“What?!”

“That’s Kian Roy!”

Ariana looked back at him.

“So?”

“So?!” Maya whispered aggressively. “He’s basically the king of this school!”

“He looks more like he hasn’t slept in ten years.”

Maya stared at her like she was insane.

“You really are fearless.”

Kian passed by them without looking.

But for one brief second—

His eyes shifted toward Ariana.

A cold, unreadable glance.

Then he walked away.

Ariana exhaled.

“…Definitely annoying.”

Maya looked ready to faint.

Before she could continue panicking, the first bell rang loudly.

“We’re late!” Maya cried.

The two girls rushed upstairs toward Class 12-A.

Inside the classroom, students immediately noticed Ariana.

Some curious.

Some judgmental.

The teacher adjusted his glasses.

“You must be Ariana Sen.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You’re the scholarship transfer student, correct?”

The entire room became quieter.

Ariana hated that word already.

Scholarship student.

It felt like a label separating her from everyone else.

Still, she nodded politely.

“Yes.”

The teacher smiled slightly.

“You ranked first in the entrance exams. Impressive.”

Murmurs spread across the classroom.

“First?”

“She beat Kian?”

“No way.”

Ariana froze.

Wait.

She beat who?

Before she could ask, the classroom door opened.

And suddenly the room became silent again.

Kian Roy entered calmly with one hand in his pocket.

Without apologizing for being late.

Without even looking guilty.

The teacher didn’t scold him.

Of course he didn’t.

Rich people privilege.

Kian walked toward the back seat lazily.

Then stopped.

His eyes landed on Ariana.

The room held its breath.

For a second, nobody moved.

Then Kian sat down without saying a word.

Ariana frowned.

Weird atmosphere.

The teacher cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Ariana, introduce yourself.”

She looked away from Kian and faced the class.

“My name is Ariana Sen. I like coffee, quiet places, and people who mind their own business.”

Several students laughed quietly.

Even the teacher smiled.

“Alright, you may sit beside Maya for now.”

Ariana walked toward the empty seat near Maya.

As she sat down, Maya immediately leaned closer.

“You beat Kian in the entrance exam.”

“…And?”

“And nobody has beaten him before.”

Ariana glanced toward the back of the classroom.

Kian wasn’t listening.

Or at least he pretended not to.

He stared out the window silently while spinning a pen between his fingers.

Completely uninterested.

Ariana looked away.

Good.

She wasn’t interested either.

Classes continued normally for the next hour.

Mostly.

The girls kept staring at Kian.

The boys acted nervous around him.

And nobody spoke to him directly unless necessary.

It was honestly ridiculous.

At lunch break, Maya dragged Ariana toward the cafeteria.

The cafeteria looked more like a five-star restaurant.

Ariana nearly cried after seeing the prices.

“One sandwich costs THIS much?!”

Maya laughed.

“Relax. Rich kids don’t care.”

“Well, I care. This sandwich costs half my bus fare.”

Maya eventually convinced her to buy something small.

The two girls sat near the corner.

Maya immediately began gossiping.

“So basically every girl in school likes Kian.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s handsome.”

“That’s all?”

“And rich.”

“Ah. There it is.”

Maya giggled.

“But seriously, nobody understands him. He barely talks.”

“Maybe because people worship him like a celebrity.”

“That too.”

Ariana took a bite of her sandwich quietly.

Then suddenly—

The cafeteria became louder.

Students whispered excitedly.

Girls fixed their hair.

Maya sighed dramatically.

“The celebrity has arrived.”

Kian entered the cafeteria with another boy beside him.

Unlike Kian, the other boy smiled easily and greeted people casually.

“That’s Daniel,” Maya explained. “Kian’s best friend.”

Kian looked completely uninterested in the attention around him.

His gaze swept across the cafeteria lazily—

And stopped on Ariana.

She frowned.

Why was he looking at her?

Kian suddenly began walking toward their table.

Maya nearly choked on juice.

“No no no no—why is he coming HERE?!”

Ariana blinked.

A second later, Kian stopped directly beside their table.

The entire cafeteria stared openly now.

Kian looked at Ariana calmly.

“You’re Ariana Sen.”

Not a question.

A statement.

Ariana crossed her arms slightly.

“And you’re Kian Roy. Congratulations.”

Daniel burst out laughing beside him.

Kian’s expression didn’t change.

“You beat my exam score.”

“…Okay?”

“You don’t seem proud.”

“Should I throw a party?”

Daniel laughed harder.

Even Kian looked slightly amused for a second.

Maya looked like she was witnessing the end of the world.

Kian studied Ariana quietly.

“You’re different.”

Ariana raised an eyebrow.

“You say that like it’s an insult.”

“Maybe it’s a compliment.”

Before Ariana could respond, a beautiful girl approached their table confidently.

Long shiny hair.

Perfect makeup.

Expensive jewelry.

And a smile that looked fake.

“Kian,” she said softly. “You forgot your notebook.”

Kian barely glanced at her.

“Thanks.”

The girl’s eyes immediately shifted toward Ariana.

And hardened.

Maya leaned closer and whispered:

“That’s Rhea Kapoor.”

Ariana immediately understood.

Ah.

The jealous type.

Rhea smiled politely at Ariana.

But her eyes said something completely different.

“You’re the new student, right?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sure Westbridge feels very different from schools like yours.”

The insult was subtle.

But obvious.

Ariana smiled sweetly.

“Actually, the students here are less mature than my old school.”

Daniel covered his mouth to stop laughing.

Maya looked seconds away from screaming.

Rhea’s smile twitched.

Kian looked directly at Ariana again.

And for the first time—

Something genuinely interested appeared in his eyes.

Rhea noticed.

And instantly hated Ariana.

The tension became awkward quickly.

So Ariana stood up.

“I need to go before rich people energy kills me.”

Daniel laughed loudly again.

Kian watched her leave silently.

While Rhea stared at Ariana with clear irritation.

The rest of the day passed strangely.

Everywhere Ariana went, people whispered about her.

The new girl.

The scholarship student.

The girl who talked back to Kian Roy.

By the final class, Ariana was exhausted.

As students packed their bags, Maya grabbed her hand.

“Come to the rooftop with me.”

“Why?”

“Because I always eat snacks there after school.”

“That’s oddly specific.”

“It’s therapy.”

The rooftop was quieter than the rest of the school.

The evening wind felt cool against Ariana’s skin.

For the first time all day, she relaxed.

“This place is nice,” she admitted.

“Told you.”

The girls sat near the fence while eating chips.

Maya suddenly looked serious.

“Can I ask something?”

“Sure.”

“Why did you come to Westbridge?”

Ariana looked down quietly.

“My mom works too hard,” she said softly. “I want to give her a better life someday.”

Maya’s expression softened.

“That’s kind of cool.”

“It’s mostly stressful.”

“Still cool.”

Ariana smiled faintly.

Maybe transferring here wouldn’t be completely terrible after all.

Then the rooftop door opened.

Maya groaned immediately.

“Never mind. Peace is dead.”

Ariana turned.

Kian walked onto the rooftop.

Alone.

He stopped after seeing them.

For a second, nobody spoke.

Then Maya stood up dramatically.

“I suddenly remembered I have homework. Goodbye.”

Before Ariana could stop her, Maya escaped.

Traitor.

Now Ariana was alone with Kian.

He walked toward the fence silently.

The sunset reflected softly against his dark hair.

For someone so popular, he looked strangely lonely standing there.

Ariana frowned slightly.

“You always scare people away naturally?”

“They leave on their own.”

“What a talent.”

Kian glanced sideways at her.

“You’re not scared of me.”

“Should I be?”

“Most people are.”

Ariana shrugged.

“You’re just a guy.”

For some reason, that answer made him go quiet.

The wind moved gently around them.

Then Kian suddenly asked:

“Why did you transfer here?”

Ariana looked surprised.

“That’s personal.”

“You can ask me something too.”

“I don’t care enough.”

For the first time—

Kian smiled slightly.

Small.

Barely visible.

But real.

And somehow that tiny smile changed his entire face.

Ariana looked away quickly.

Dangerous.

Way too dangerous.

A notification sound interrupted the moment.

Kian checked his phone.

His expression immediately became colder.

The warmth disappeared instantly.

Ariana noticed.

“Bad news?”

“Something like that.”

He turned to leave.

But before opening the door, he paused.

Then without looking back, he said quietly:

“You really are different, Ariana Sen.”

And left.

Ariana stared at the closed door afterward.

Her heartbeat felt weirdly fast.

“…Annoying,” she muttered.

But for some reason—

She couldn’t stop thinking about him.

Downstairs, students still whispered about Kian Roy.

The cold prince.

The untouchable king of Westbridge Academy.

The boy everyone feared.

But none of them noticed something important.

For the first time in a very long time—

Kian Roy had smiled twice in one day.

And both times…

Because of Ariana Sen.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***