Things shifted after the lunch. Nio tried to keep his cool, but he could tell Tee was starting to notice him more, too. It started with the way Tee glanced over at him during group study sessions, the subtle teasing that made Nio blush. Tee was different now - he wasn't ignoring him. But at the same time, Tee wasn't exactly friendly, either. It was something else, something that Nio couldn't quite put his finger on.
One afternoon, they had a group project meeting in the library. Nio was sitting at the table, trying to focus on the work in front of him, when he felt it - a gaze fixed on him. He looked up, and there was Tee, staring at him. For a moment, the world seemed to freeze.
Nio's breath hitched, and he quickly looked down at his papers, his face turning bright red. He wasn't sure what to do, but he couldn't help the way his heart raced. Tee continued to watch him, though, as if something about Nio caught his attention. There was a slight curve to Tee's lips, a small smirk that Nio couldn't interpret.
That evening, Nio replayed the moment in his head, over and over. What had that look meant? Did Tee see something in him? Was it possible that Tee was finally noticing him - not just as the awkward, invisible kid he had been, but as someone… worth looking at?