Chapter 1: The Cold-Hearted Leader
1072 Words
The campus of Westbridge University was already bustling with students despite the early hour. Freshmen hurried through the hallways carrying maps, seniors chatted near the cafeteria, and professors walked across the grounds preparing for another busy day.
Among the crowd, one name stood above all others.
Midnight.
Students whispered his name whenever he passed by.
"There he is."
"The organization president."
"He's the top student in the entire university."
"He looks so scary."
Midnight ignored every word.
Dressed in a black button-down shirt and dark slacks, he walked across campus with his usual expressionless face. His black hair was neatly styled, and his sharp eyes seemed to see everything around him while revealing nothing about himself.
As president of the prestigious Student Leadership Organization, he was respected by faculty members and feared by students.
He wasn't cruel.
He simply didn't care.
To Midnight, emotions were distractions.
Friendships were temporary.
Love was pointless.
Success was all that mattered.
As he entered the organization's office building, several members immediately stood up.
"Good morning, President."
"Morning, President Midnight."
He gave a small nod.
"Meeting in ten minutes," he said.
His voice was calm but firm.
Everyone quickly prepared.
No one dared argue with him.
No one dared waste his time.
Meanwhile, on the other side of campus, Sabrina Reyes was running late.
"Oh no!"
She clutched her books against her chest while rushing across the courtyard.
Her long brown hair bounced behind her as she hurried toward class.
Unlike Midnight, Sabrina wasn't famous.
She wasn't a student leader.
She wasn't a top achiever.
She was simply an ordinary college student trying her best to get through university.
But what she lacked in status, she made up for with kindness.
Everyone who knew Sabrina described her the same way.
Helpful.
Friendly.
Warm-hearted.
As she hurried past the library, she noticed a freshman standing alone with tears in her eyes.
Sabrina immediately stopped.
"Hey, are you okay?"
The girl nodded nervously.
"I-I can't find my classroom."
Sabrina smiled.
"It's your first day?"
"Yes."
"Don't worry. I'll help you."
The freshman's face brightened.
"Really?"
"Of course."
For the next ten minutes, Sabrina walked her to the correct building.
By the time she arrived at her own class, she was even later than before.
But she didn't regret it.
Helping people always made her happy.
Little did she know someone had been watching.
From the second-floor window of the Student Leadership Organization building, Midnight had seen the entire interaction.
He watched Sabrina guide the freshman across campus.
He watched her smile.
He watched her patiently explain directions.
For some reason, he found himself staring longer than necessary.
A strange feeling settled in his chest.
Annoyed, he looked away.
Why was he paying attention to a random girl?
He had more important things to do.
The organization meeting ended shortly before noon.
Midnight reviewed several documents while members discussed upcoming projects.
"We'll need volunteers for the charity event," one member said.
"We're short on manpower."
Midnight didn't even look up.
"Recruit more students."
"Most students are busy with exams."
"Then find students who aren't."
The room fell silent.
His solutions were always straightforward.
Practical.
Emotionless.
Just like him.
After the meeting, Midnight headed toward the library.
As he entered, he immediately noticed someone sitting near the window.
Sabrina.
She was quietly reading a book while eating a small sandwich.
Sunlight streamed through the glass, illuminating her face.
She looked peaceful.
Happy.
A feeling Midnight rarely experienced himself.
He frowned.
Why was he noticing her again?
Without another thought, he walked past.
At least that had been the plan.
Suddenly—
Crash!
A pile of books fell from a nearby shelf.
Sabrina quickly stood.
"Oh no!"
She rushed over to help collect them.
Midnight happened to be standing closest to the mess.
Their hands reached for the same book.
For the first time, their eyes met.
Sabrina blinked.
The famous Midnight was standing right in front of her.
His reputation was impossible to miss.
Everyone knew who he was.
She quickly smiled.
"Sorry."
Midnight simply stared.
"..."
The silence stretched awkwardly.
Sabrina laughed nervously.
"You're Midnight, right?"
He nodded.
"And you're blocking the aisle."
Her smile disappeared.
"Oh."
Without another word, he walked away.
Sabrina stared after him.
"Wow."
A student beside her sighed.
"That's President Midnight for you."
"Is he always like that?"
"Pretty much."
Sabrina shook her head.
"What a grumpy person."
Unfortunately for her, Midnight heard every word.
He kept walking.
But for some reason, the comment lingered in his mind.
The following week brought preparations for the university's annual Leadership Summit.
As organization president, Midnight was responsible for overseeing everything.
The event would attract hundreds of students.
Failure wasn't an option.
While reviewing volunteer applications, one name caught his attention.
Sabrina Reyes.
He immediately recognized it.
The girl from the library.
The girl who called him grumpy.
He should have moved on.
Instead, he continued reading.
Strong communication skills.
Volunteer experience.
Excellent recommendations.
Qualified.
A few moments later, one of his officers entered.
"We still need volunteers."
Midnight placed the application on top of the pile.
"Accept this one."
The officer glanced at the form.
"Sabrina Reyes?"
"Yes."
"Understood."
The officer left.
Midnight returned to work.
Yet for reasons he couldn't explain, he felt strangely unsettled.
Two days later, Sabrina arrived at the Student Leadership Organization office.
She had volunteered because she wanted to gain experience and help during the summit.
What she didn't know was who would be supervising her.
The moment she entered, she froze.
Standing at the front of the room was Midnight.
Their eyes met instantly.
His expression remained unchanged.
Sabrina, however, nearly groaned.
Great.
Just great.
Of all people.
Midnight looked at the group of volunteers.
"Welcome."
His voice was calm.
"Your responsibilities will begin immediately."
Several students nodded nervously.
Sabrina folded her arms.
Midnight noticed.
"You have a question?"
"No."
"Then focus."
Sabrina raised an eyebrow.
There he goes again.
Bossy.
Cold.
Impossible.
Yet something about him felt different from the rumors.
Behind those emotionless eyes seemed to be someone carrying a heavy burden.
Someone who had forgotten how to smile.
And for reasons she didn't understand, Sabrina found herself wondering why.
Across the room, Midnight glanced toward her.
Only briefly.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
For the first time in years, someone had caught his attention.
He just didn't know it yet.
Their story had only begun.
- Writer
