"You saw it, right?"
"That Dina girl…"
Those fragments of whispers were the first things Dina heard as she and Icha entered the cafeteria. The sounds of spoons, glasses, and other students' laughter filled the room, but there were other voices—soft tones that stung—that felt different.
Strangely, Icha felt more uncomfortable than Dina, who appeared calm. She held Icha's arm. "Just ignore it."
Clara stirred her drink with a straw. Her movements were sweet and slow. Her eyes were calm and cold, staring straight at Dina.
As Dina walked past, Clara suddenly spoke loudly enough for half the cafeteria to hear.
"Just broke up and already has someone new."
The whispers grew louder. Ando and Clara's breakup was not big news, but with Clara's comment, those who did not know began to find out. Like a vicious epidemic, the news spread quickly.
Icha glared. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Dina stopped. She did not look at Clara, but she could feel that stare right on her face. The atmosphere around them seemed to slow down as well. Several students began pretending to look at the menu even though they were clearly eavesdropping.
Clara tilted her head, her lips curved into a smile as if there were not the slightest trace of hatred.
"Relax," Clara continued. "Moving on quickly is a good thing, right, Din?"
There was a pause.
Small. Thin.
But it was scattered like grains of salt over a wound.
Icha stepped forward half a step. "What are you trying to say, Clar?"
Clara's friends laughed softly—a quiet snort, just enough to invite more whispers.
Dina finally turned around slowly.
Her face was blank. Expressionless.
"If you want to say something, just say it, Clar. Don't beat around the bush."
Clara raised an eyebrow, pretending to be innocent. "Huh? I was just making a normal comment. I didn't know you were that sensitive."
Icha held herself back. "Clar—"
But Dina patted Icha's arm, signaling her to be quiet.
She looked at Clara—briefly, but clearly enough.
"You've got the wrong person if you're trying to blame me, Clar."
Clara stopped smiling. Only for a second, but it was noticeable.
The whispers around them erupted again, flowing into the corners of the cafeteria.
This time, Icha pulled Dina away. "Come on. Let's eat in the classroom instead."
Once they left, Clara stirred her drink hard, turning her face away as if she did not care. But her friends exchanged glances—they knew what was really going on.
This was only the beginning.
Angry Clara had begun looking for a target.
---
Behind the school gate, the atmosphere was lively—motorcycles passed by, small honks could be heard, and the air was filled with the dust and heat of Bogor's streets. But right beneath a large tree near the fence, the little group sat around a table with two large boxes of takoyaki that were still steaming.
Dina stabbed a piece of takoyaki with a wooden skewer.
Icha had already raised her phone. "Smile, Din!"
Dina glanced at her. "Don't take a close-up of my face."
Nia laughed and patted Icha's shoulder. "Come on, take the picture! Let's go!"
Arvin immediately interrupted. "Use my camera instead. I still have it with me."
Icha and Nia immediately got excited.
Arvin quickly arranged everyone into position.
"Move farther away, Di!" Arvin said while pulling at his jacket collar. "You're ruining the frame."
Ando stood behind Dina, both hands in his jacket pockets. "Are you done yet? I'm hungry."
"Wait!" Arvin forced everyone to stay still. "One… two… three!"
Click!
The photo was probably filled with ridiculous faces, but that was exactly what made it fun.
They ate takoyaki by the roadside. The atmosphere was much warmer than the afternoon breeze.
"I usually hate group projects," Bram said while blowing on a hot takoyaki before eating it.
"But this time, I'm grateful."
Dina turned toward him. "Why?"
Bram raised an eyebrow, then answered casually, "Because of you."
Dina almost choked on her takoyaki. "Huh?!"
Her friends burst into laughter.
Before Bram could add anything, Ando immediately flicked him on the head. Bram raised both hands. "Just kidding, bro! But I really mean the grateful part."
Everyone looked at him.
Bram smiled faintly—a smile that rarely appeared. "Working on a group project with you guys is fun. I rarely do assignments seriously, but this time is different."
Aldi patted Bram's shoulder dramatically. "Ah, my sleepy friend is becoming hardworking. I'm touched."
Arvin clapped his hands. "Rare moment, rare moment."
Icha bit into a takoyaki. "Damn, best group of the year."
Dina looked at each of her friends one by one—Ando pretending to be indifferent, Bram sitting casually, Arvin and Aldi enjoying their food, and her two best friends who were always there.
For a moment, she forgot all the whispers in the cafeteria earlier. All the uncomfortable stares. All the little commotion.
All that existed was a warm afternoon.
Hot takoyaki and seven people who felt comfortable around one another.
Ando pushed the box of takoyaki toward Dina. "Have another one, Din. You barely ate."
Dina said nothing, only stabbed another takoyaki.
Icha squealed, "Uhuuuuu—"
Dina immediately threw a tissue at her face. "Shut up!"
Laughter broke out again.
That afternoon, beneath the shade of the tree, at the takoyaki stall, they seemed to have found a little space of their own—without realizing that there were eyes watching them from afar.