In the corner of the school field, a string of small decorative lights blinked softly—their gentle orange glow seeming to try to catch the attention of anyone who passed by. Dina stood watching them, making sure the lights were actually staying on steadily.
"Finally done," she murmured in relief.
The school had completely transformed today. Sixty booths stood across the basketball court, soccer field, and assembly field like a miniature city. Folding tables, plywood boards, backdrops, and little decorations made the place feel like a local festival. Students were busy putting up posters, carrying props, or shouting as they searched for scissors that had somehow disappeared.
Dina's booth was located somewhat in the corner, near the edge of the soccer field, but its decorative lights made it stand out from the surrounding booths. A mountain-shaped decoration with two peaks was firmly attached to the wall. No one would have guessed that the decoration was made primarily from cement paper. Her friends had transformed the paper into something highly artistic, like a three-dimensional painting.
On the left side of the booth, the completed diorama was placed on a table. A miniature hiking trail, tiny trees, synthetic grass, a miniature river… everything was securely in place. On the other side was a table that would later serve as the station for Dina's laptop. The laptop would display educational videos and their documentation about the conservation of Mount Gede Pangrango National Park (GPNP).
Photos were also attached along the walls, showing the natural beauty of Mount Gede Pangrango and documenting their work throughout the project. The floor of the booth was covered with synthetic grass, adding a natural atmosphere to their booth.
Ando was checking the extension socket. "Don't plug too many things in at once, or it'll trip."
Aldi grinned. "If it trips, at least we'll have special effects."
"God forbid." Dina lightly smacked his arm.
Across from their booth, Clara's booth stood neatly arranged with a botanical forest concept. Her booth looked very elegant. Clara had placed pictures of edelweiss flowers and orchids at just the right distances, making everything look graceful—just like Clara's image.
From a distance, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard. Icha and Nia arrived carrying iced orange drinks. The moment they saw Dina's booth, both of them stared in amazement.
"Damn… this is so cool," Icha said, her eyes widening.
Nia nodded quickly. "The diorama is seriously well done. So freaking cool, I swear."
Dina smiled shyly. "It's not finished yet. It's still messy."
Ando—who was still attaching photos to the wall—walked closer and casually said, "It's not messy. It's just a work in progress."
Icha looked at Dina with a mixture of admiration and envy. "It already looks amazing even though it's not finished."
Aldi chimed in, "Of course. Our boss is a genius."
Dina laughed shyly. "Here, your reward for the compliments," she said, passing her iced orange drink to Aldi, who looked exhausted.
Before Aldi could even take the plastic cup, Ando had already snatched it and taken a sip, leaving behind only a few small ice cubes.
Grumbling, Aldi could only chew on the ice cubes to ease his thirst.
Dina, Icha, and Nia laughed, while Ando grinned without a trace of guilt.
The field grew busier. The sound of small hammers rang out from various corners. The smell of paint and glue mixed with the scent of dust. Decorative fabrics fluttered gently in the wind. And as dusk began to fall, Dina prayed that tomorrow would be a sunny day.
The interior of Ando's car was filled with the glow of streetlights filtering through the windows—yellow streaks that appeared and disappeared like the long breaths of dusk. Clara sat in the passenger seat with her arms crossed, her face looking straight ahead. The radio played softly throughout the journey but could not ease the tension.
Ando was driving Clara home. He intended to make everything clear. It had been a long time since he had asked Clara for a break. Their relationship had been left in an awkward state. Ando felt that it was unfair to Clara. She still often texted him, giving him little bits of attention that no longer made Ando feel comfortable. Ando wanted to end this. At the very least, he hoped they could still be good friends.
Before Ando could open his mouth, Clara spoke first.
"I saw you with Dina earlier. You were practically glued to her like a couple."
Ando let out a long sigh. Here we go again.
He tried to stay focused on the road. "We were decorating the booth. I was also close to Bram, Aldi, and Arvin."
"It was different with her," Clara pressed. "You were smiling. You kept helping her. You even drank from the same cup as Dina."
Ando took a slow, deep breath but did not react.
Clara stared at him for a long time, as if waiting for a defense, a denial, or anything she could use as ammunition. But Ando remained silent.
"Why are you staying quiet?!" Clara finally exploded in anger. "I'm tired, you know, Do. I'm tired of seeing you close to her while you ignore me!"
Ando tightened his grip on the steering wheel but still did not react.
Clara looked like she was about to cry. "I feel like I don't even know you anymore."
The car finally stopped in front of Clara's house. The porch light glowed softly, in stark contrast to the tension inside the car.
Clara waited.
And Ando finally turned toward her.
His face was calm. But his eyes were clearly tired.
"Clar," he said softly. "Our relationship isn't healthy anymore."
Clara immediately shook her head. "Don't start—"
"Listen first." Ando's voice remained gentle, but firm. "I've tried. I really have. But… I don't feel anything for you anymore except exhaustion."
Clara fell silent, as if she had just been dragged to the bottom of the ocean.
"We're done," Ando continued. "I don't want to force a relationship that makes both of us hurt ourselves."
Tears appeared at the corners of Clara's eyes. "You're cruel."
Clara opened the door and got out without looking at Ando again. She slammed the car door hard. She walked quickly toward the gate, her shoulders rising and falling, her breath hitching as she tried to hold back something that refused to stay contained.
Ando did not chase after her.
He simply stared at the steering wheel, letting the silence fill the car again, then closed his eyes for a moment—as if he had just released something that had been hanging over him for a long time.
He felt relieved.