Unexpected Love

Chapter Two

Jenny

School wasn’t easier the next day.

The whispers followed me down the hall like gum stuck to the sole of my shoe. The new girl. The one who talked back to Damon. Who even does that?

I heard it all. Felt it too the eyes, the curiosity. They didn’t care about me, they just wanted to see how long I’d survive poking at the lion’s pride.

Truth? I didn’t feel brave. I felt stupid. I barely slept. My dad had gone off to some late night meeting, leaving me in the apartment with nothing but my textbooks, unpacked boxes, and the faint sound of Damon’s music bleeding through the thin walls. Loud, careless, bass heavy, the kind of sound that doesn’t apologize.

I’d pressed a pillow to my ear, but his voice slipped through anyway. He was singing low, gravelly and the strangest thing was, it wasn’t bad. Annoying, yes. But not bad.

The next morning, I walked into class and pretended not to notice Damon slouched in the back, tossing his pen in the air like life owed him entertainment. He caught my eye once, smirked, and mouthed morning, Seoul.

My stomach flipped. I hated that it did.

The teacher droned on about U.S. history, but none of it sank in. All I could think about was my mother. She would’ve told me to breathe, to let people’s words slide off me like rain. But it was hard, because every glance felt like a spotlight I never asked for.

By lunchtime, I was exhausted. I carried my tray to the farthest table, but before I sat, a shadow fell over me.

“You planning to sit alone forever?” Damon. Of course.

I tightened my grip on the tray. “Better than sitting with you.

“Harsh,” he said, sliding onto the seat across from me without asking. His cologne was stronger up close, like smoke and citrus. “Relax, new girl. I’m not here to ruin your day. Yet.

“Could’ve fooled me"

He leaned forward, elbows on the table. “You’re interesting, Jenny. Most people avoid me, or they chase me. You? You fight me. That’s rare

“I don’t fight you,” I corrected, stabbing my fork into my salad. “I ignore you

He laughed, deep and amused, making heads turn. “Ignore me? That’s cute. You’ll learn that ignoring me doesn’t work

And maybe it was the lack of sleep or the ache of missing my mom, but something inside me snapped. “You don’t scare me, Damon. You’re just loud. Loud isn’t the same as strong

The cafeteria went silent. His smirk faltered, just for a second, and I felt an unexpected rush of victory. Then he leaned back, clapped his hands once, slow and sarcastic. “Brave little Seoul,” he murmured. “We’ll see how long that lasts

I hated him. I hated how his words stuck in my chest long after he left.

Damon

She’s either crazy or the bravest girl I’ve met.

Nobody talks to me like that. Not teachers, not classmates, not even my dad when he bothers to show his face. But Jenny? She sits there with her to orbit backpack, eyes blazing like she’s got nothing left to lose.

And maybe that’s what draws me in.

After lunch, I caught her in the stairwell. She was struggling with a stack of books, lips pressed together in stubborn silence. I could’ve walked past hell, I should’ve but my body moved before my brain. I took the books out of her arms with one hand.

“What the hell, Damon?!” she snapped, trying to snatch them back.

“You’re welcome,” I said, holding them above her reach. “Relax. You looked like you were about to break your neck

Her glare could’ve set me on fire. “I don’t need your help

“Everyone needs help sometimes,” I countered, softer than I meant to.

That stopped her. Just for a beat. Her eyes flickered maybe pain, anger, something heavy she carried like a secret. Then she grabbed the books back, hugging them to her chest like armor.

“Don’t play hero with me,” she said. “You’re not one

And just like that, she was gone.

I leaned against the railing, watching her disappear. My pulse wouldn’t slow. She didn’t understand -I’m not a hero. I’m the villain in everyone’s story. The bad boy. The f**k up. The one parents warn their kids about.

But with Jenny? For the first time, I wasn’t sure I wanted to play the villain.

Jenny

The rest of the day blurred. By the time I got home, Dad was in the kitchen, humming again. He always hummed when he was nervous, like it could cover the cracks in his voice.

“How was school?” he asked, placing a plate of pasta on the table.

“Fine,” I lied.

He nodded, relieved, and launched into stories about work I barely heard. My mind kept drifting to Damon, his laugh, his stare, the way he said everyone needs help sometimes.

I didn’t want to think about him. Didn’t want him anywhere near my head. But when I stepped onto the balcony later that night, hoping for quiet, Damon was already there on his. He leaned on the railing, smoke curling from his lips, eyes catching the city lights.

Our gazes met across the narrow space.

He smirked. “Evening, Seoul

I should’ve gone inside. Shut the door. Ignored him.

But instead, I whispered, “It’s Jenny

His smile widened, slow and dangerous. “Jenny, then

And just like that, I knew this war was only beginning.