The seat by the window is your favorite?

The bustling chatter of students from Fairview High School filled the air as they entered the noodle shop one by one. The gentle tinkle of the bell above the glass door announced the arrival of each student.

As the last pair of friends stepped inside, the boy gallantly held the door open for the hazel-eyed girl, allowing her to enter first. Once inside, they observed as their classmates deftly rearranged tables, joining them end to end to form a long, communal table that would accommodate everyone.

Nia and Ryan settled into their seats at one end of the elongated table, finding space for only the two of them. Just as one of Ryan's classmates was about to take the seats opposite them, Nia's warm smile and a subtle glare kept the two chairs unoccupied.

The action didn't go unnoticed by Cynthia who looked at Nia with a questioning gaze but shook her head when the latter returned her gesture with a wink. Her smile turned to a slight nervousness when she realized that only the two chairs adjacent to each other were left and only she and her newly made friend slash crush were left to sit.

No, it was not like she wasn't happy to sit beside him, rather it was quite the opposite but the thought of sitting side by side with him was a big thing for her, especially after the unexpected scenario outside. She hated how nervous she was around him but at the same time, she relished the feeling of being beside him.

The pair were the last ones to take their seats, and they exchanged a small smile as they did. Cynthia kept her hands on the table and joined the conversation that was taking place among the other students, while Tian rested his hand under his chin and listened to everyone with a small smile on his lips.

"I was pleasantly surprised when Cynthia didn't cause a ruckus like last time when Tian sat on her 'reserved throne' on his first day," a classmate suddenly spoke. Cynthia felt herself stiffening beside Tian, her eyes widening in disbelief as she anticipated the impending embarrassment.

"Yeah, I remember how she almost made me cry because I sat there once. Her scary face still gives me the chills," this statement erupted a series of boisterous laughs across the table, causing a ripple of amusement to spread through the group.

Cynthia crumpled a tissue placed in front of her into a ball and threw it at the nuisance's face. "I made you cry because you sat there just to spite me, dummy," she said, trying her best not to make herself look like an immature brat who cries over a seat.

Scratch that, she used to cry over that seat, but there was a reason. The last time she got her full body checkup, the doctor had warned her about her deteriorating levels of vitamins. Since then, she has insisted on sitting beside the window seat as it gives her the perfect amount of sunlight, which assures her that she was putting in much effort to keep her body healthy.

The view outside was fairly pleasant too. Of course, the reason to sit there is to keep her healthy only. The view had nothing to do with it.

"Seriously Tian, you should feel special that Cyn didn't raise any flags as soon as she saw you sitting in her favorite seat," Nia added with a mischievous smile playing on her lips. She took the glass of water from Ryan, mouthing him a silent 'thank you', who in turn ruffled her hair lovingly.

"Guys, can we please talk about something more interesting than a damn classroom seat?" Cynthia suggested as she rolled her eyes dramatically, shaking her head in the process, hoping the conversation would steer clear away from her.

Her comment earned another series of chuckles, and just in time, three attendants from the shop came to serve them their respective bowls of noodles.

The table was set in a matter of two minutes, with the tempting aroma of hot piping noodles prompting smiles on everyone's faces. Cynthia looked at the delicious spread in front of her, her eyes landing on the bowl of kimchi.

One thing she specifically liked about most of the noodle shops in her area was that they had started to serve kimchi as a side dish, which deeply enhanced the taste of the noodles.

She picked up her chopsticks, intending to take a few pieces for herself before the boy next to her chose to break the silence. "The seat by the window is your favorite?" Tian asked, leaning his head lower so that only Cynthia would be able to hear him.

Cynthia withdrew her chopsticks, feeling her face grow hot as she realized that Tian's voice seemed to have deepened as he spoke slowly.

She found herself scratching her cheek, hoping that no one would notice the change in her skin. "Not a favorite, to be precise. I enjoyed sitting there because the view is nice, yes. But it's no big deal now; that was when I was younger. Nothing special now."

'Oh god, Cynthia, stop blabbering for god's sake,' Cynthia thought, her lips stretching to hide her nervousness. Chocolate eyes met her hazel ones as the boy nodded, leaving the topic aside. Cynthia breathed a sigh of relief, taking a moment to gather her thoughts, her hands instinctively holding the chopsticks to resume her previous action.

It was gone.

The bowl of kimchi was gone, and her chopsticks hung awkwardly in the air as she hesitated before bringing them down, her eyes filling with instant disappointment. She felt too lazy and hesitant to ask for more, resigning herself to her bad luck.

She turned her head to the side, ready to ask Tian to start eating, but was surprised when she didn't find him there. She looked to the side of the counter to see if he had gone there to buy something, but instead found a small dish filled with kimchi.

She looked up, and her sparkling eyes met Tian's as he smiled at her and handed her the bowl before taking his seat back. Cynthia felt a giddy feeling rush up to her heart as she gratefully looked at the boy next to her.

"Thank you so much," Cynthia said as she placed the kimchi in her bowl. "You know, kimchi and noodles have become my favorite snack in the last few months. I just love the flavor." She spoke with a smile before noticing him looking at her. She tilted her head and lifted the bowl of kimchi. "Do you want some?"

The sunlight peeked out from behind the tall buildings, casting a soft glow on her face. Her hazel eyes looked a bit lighter as they sparkled. The boy found himself shaking his head in disagreement, which caused her smile to widen. "Eat well," the boy said, shifting to look at his bowl of noodles.

Kimchi and noodles were his favorites too but Tian found that maybe he liked the hazel-eyed girl's smile a bit more than anything else.