That night, I couldn't stop thinking about what happened at the school gate.
Especially the part where Anto suddenly wrapped an arm around my shoulders—like a soap opera actor who'd read the wrong script.
Embarrassed?
Obviously.
Angry?
A little.
But there was something else…
Something that kept me from falling asleep.
I tried not to think about it.
---
🏠 Anto's House — Emergency Meeting Evaluation
Meanwhile, at Anto's house…
Anto was sprawled face-down on his bed like a dried fish left under the sun.
"DEAR GOD, why was I that ridiculous—"
He punched his pillow.
Tey sat on a chair, calmly sipping tea.
Kane and Tian were on the floor.
Juke was on top of the wardrobe (for some reason, he always chose the weirdest spots).
Tey cleared his throat.
"Alright, everyone. Let's evaluate."
Anto shot up, shouting,
"EVALUATE WHAT?! THAT WAS A TOTAL FAILURE!!"
Kane opened his notebook and said calmly,
"Fake Intimate Moment: executed.
Result: embarrassing, but effective."
"EFFECTIVE IN WHAT WAY?!" Anto nearly threw a pillow at Kane.
Tian chimed in while eating chips,
"Pretty effective, actually. You got Rina to notice you. Even if it was for… yeah… the wrong reasons."
Anto covered his face.
"I looked like a clown…"
Juke raised his hand.
"A cute clown. Not a scary one."
Anto sank even deeper into despair.
"Why is my life like this…"
Suddenly, Tey clapped his hands.
"Guys, listen to me!"
They all went quiet.
Tey pointed at Anto.
"TO. You should be proud."
Anto lifted his head, confused.
"Proud of what?"
Tey emphasized every word,
"BECAUSE YOU—
for the first time—
did something for Rina
without us telling you to."
Anto froze.
"Huh?"
Kane closed his notebook.
"What happened at the gate wasn't part of our plan. That was you, acting on your own."
Tian smiled softly.
"It was awkward as hell, yeah.
But honestly… it was kind of sweet."
Anto fell silent.
Completely speechless.
Tey crossed his arms.
"So don't be too hard on yourself.
You're just… falling for someone."
Anto immediately jumped up.
"I'M NOT FALLING FOR HER!!"
His face was bright red.
But the group only exchanged looks—
all with the same expression:
Yeah. Sure. Of course you are.
---
🧃 The Next Morning — Rina Feels Different
The next morning, I arrived at school slower than usual.
I didn't know why… I just felt a little nervous.
As I walked through the gate, I saw Anto standing in front of the classroom.
Usually, whenever he saw me, he'd get loud or shout something that made me want to disappear.
But today…
He just stood there.
When he noticed me, he simply—
raised his hand slightly. No theatrics.
A small smile.
"Morning."
I blinked.
"Morning."
That was it.
But somehow…
it felt different.
Kane walked past, raising an eyebrow at Anto.
Tey gave a small thumbs-up.
Tian barely held back from cheering.
And Anto—
who was usually just as dramatic—
only shook his head at them, shyly.
I held back a smile.
Just a little.
---
🧠 The Hallway — Adrian Starts Getting Seriously Suspicious
As I was heading to class, Adrian appeared beside me.
"Rina," he called.
I turned around.
"Yeah?"
He looked at me seriously.
Not like he usually did.
"I want to ask you something.
But… don't get offended."
"So far, that sentence has always led to someone getting offended," I muttered.
Adrian smiled faintly, then asked,
"Your relationship with Anto…
are you guys actually… together?"
I froze.
"Why are you asking that?" my voice was quiet.
Adrian sighed.
"Because… you don't look comfortable.
And Anto sometimes tries a little too hard."
My heart stopped for a moment.
Tries.
Yes… yesterday, he tried.
Clumsily.
Wrongly.
Embarrassingly.
But it was still trying.
I didn't know how to answer.
"Rina," Adrian continued,
"if you want to talk, I'll listen."
His tone was gentle.
Too gentle.
Before I could say anything,
someone shouted from afar—
"RIN!! THERE'S AN EMPTY SEAT AT THE CAFETERIA! HURRY!"
Anto.
With his usual careless style, waving wildly—
but he stopped short when he saw Adrian standing close to me.
His gaze dropped, uneasy.
Still, he tried to smile.
I looked at both of them.
Adrian.
Anto.
And that's when I realized—
I was standing right in the middle of something
I wasn't ready for.
Something bigger than a stupid bet.
And far more confusing than chemical reactions.