Two weeks passed, and Harwan and Jennifer grew closer, thanks to a group project in biology. Along with Salman, they spent a lot of time together since the three of them were in the same group. Their teamwork always landed them top grades on group assignments.
"Look at them. They just don't give up, do they?" Salman muttered, subtly pointing to a crowd of boys holding flowers, approaching the table where they were sitting in the cafeteria.
Harwan sighed and stood up, switching seats with Jennifer to block the flashy guy from getting closer to her—almost as if it were an instinct.
"What do you guys want now? Confess your love? Trying to flirt? Aren't you embarrassed pulling off a cheesy stunt like this?" he snapped, just before they could place their gifts on the table.
Jennifer, sitting next to Harwan, smiled widely. Without warning, she wrapped her arm around his and rested her head on his shoulder, like someone on a date.
Her action left everyone in shock, especially the boys who had brought those various 'offerings.' Some of them even glared at Harwan, as if silently threatening him.
Meanwhile, Salman smiled and shook his head, witnessing Jennifer's move and Harwan's reaction—who seemed to enjoy the moment. Salman let out a sigh.
"You get what this means, right?" Jennifer said, smiling at the boy holding flowers. "So, sorry," she added. The apology sounded polite, but to those who heard it, it felt like a sharp and final rejection.
After the boys left, Jennifer sat back down as usual.
But Harwan looked at her, clearly wanting an explanation for what she had just done.
"Why? It's no different from what you've been doing all this time. I know you've been chasing off guys like them behind my back," Jennifer said casually.
Harwan immediately turned to Salman with a suspicious look. Only Salman knew about that—well, him and the guys he had dealt with.
"What? It wasn't me, idiot," Salman defended himself quickly.
Still, Harwan kept suspecting Salman. His friend was known for having a loose tongue. Harwan had lost count of how many secrets had slipped from Salman's mouth back in elementary school.
For days after the cafeteria incident, Harwan was plagued by curiosity. But he didn't dare ask Jennifer directly. A bit of embarrassment lingered in his heart for meddling too much in her love life.
Besides, he wasn't her boyfriend or anyone special—just a friend. Yet, Jennifer's calm reaction had lifted his confidence slightly, and his curiosity only grew stronger.
On the way home, riding in Salman's car—who happened to be heading in the same direction—Harwan, feeling mentally exhausted, decided to share his thoughts with Salman.
"What do you think, man? Do I even stand a chance with Jennifer?" he asked.
"Fifty-fifty. That's how chances work. But, if you ask me—someone with expertise in love—I think she's into you. Think about it. She wrapped her arm around yours like that. You know how savage the gossipers in our school are. People will totally assume you're dating. But she did it anyway, didn't she?"
"Exactly. That's what's been bothering me. But if I go straight to the point, I'm afraid it might ruin our friendship," Harwan sighed again.
Imagining Jennifer's possible reactions to a confession made Harwan's confidence shrink even more. On top of that, Salman's silence didn't help. The quiet allowed his imagination to spiral.
"Well then, you just need to find the right moment to clarify your feelings," Salman finally said.
"Wow, that's surprisingly wise of you. What got into you?" Harwan joked.
He curled his lips in disbelief—never expecting Salman to be capable of handling serious topics. He had always thought of him as someone who avoided emotional burdens.
Still unsatisfied with Salman's answer, Harwan closed his eyes, trying to dive into his own thoughts and emotions—weighing everything before making a decision. His doubt kept piling up, day by day, making him increasingly restless. This was, after all, the first time he liked someone more than just as a friend.
"Maybe I should just secretly ask her directly?" he pondered. But the thought of ruining their friendship hit him like a hammer. It felt as if his shoes had been nailed to the step he was standing on—unable to move up, unable to step down.
Once home, after cleaning himself up, the first thing he did was turn on his computer and search the internet about love—hoping to find some clarity and build the confidence to pull the metaphorical nail out of his shoes.
He stared at the screen so intensely that he didn't realize his older sister, Anastasia, had been watching from behind.
"How to tell if your love is one-sided?" Anastasia read the article title aloud.
"What the—"
Startled, Harwan quickly hit a shortcut key to close the browser window—but it was already too late. She had seen everything.
"Aww, someone's lovesick," Anastasia teased. Her wide smile made it clear this would be a story she'd hold over him for a long time.
Harwan's face turned bright red, like a ripe peach. But after a moment's thought, he realized there was no harm in asking her for advice. Especially considering how many exes his sister had.
"Sis, how do you know if a girl's really into a guy?" he pushed himself to ask, though his voice trembled slightly with nerves.
"Why? You're torn up over someone, huh?" Anastasia squinted at him.
He shyly nodded. But before starting his story, he got up, shut the door to his room, and only then began telling her about Jennifer.
Anastasia listened quietly as Harwan spoke, like a therapist focused on her patient—attentive and silent.
"...So, what do you think?" Harwan finished his story with a hopeful look. His eyes were serious, like a student awaiting an important instruction.
Anastasia was quiet for a moment. She didn't answer right away but rubbed her chin thoughtfully. After about a minute, she finally gave two words that only confused Harwan more.
"Friend zone," she said, her face as serious as his.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Harwan looked puzzled.
"For now, hide behind the comfort of friendship if you're still unsure about her feelings. Learn everything you can—her hobbies, likes, dislikes. Maybe take her out casually. And once you're sure, find the right moment to have a deep talk and confess."
"But what if we get stuck in that comfort zone?" Harwan asked hesitantly.
"You know what a common weakness in women is?"
"What?"
"Sincerity. More than all the sweet talk, women often value sincerity. That's why you'll sometimes see average-looking guys with stunning wives. In the end, mature women look for genuine hearts. That's how you build a lasting marriage," Anastasia said with a soft smile, trying to encourage Harwan, who seemed overwhelmed by overthinking.
Next Morning...
Anastasia's words from the night before left Harwan feeling a little lighter and more confident about expressing his feelings to Jennifer.
His steps felt lighter that morning, and his heart was brighter than the day before. So much so, that he even did something he rarely did: greet everyone with a cheerful "Morning."
Salman, who was among the recipients of that morning greeting, flinched in surprise. He immediately moved to sit beside Harwan, noticing Jennifer hadn't arrived yet.
"What did you eat this morning?" Salman asked.
"What?" Harwan replied, placing his bag on the hook beside his seat. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, are you okay? Stress from the pe—"
Before Salman could finish, Harwan widened his eyes and quickly clamped his hand over Salman's mouth. As usual, Salman's mouth had no filter—and his voice was louder than necessary.
"Better shut your mouth," Harwan said with a smile, glaring at Salman to signal him to tone it down.
Luckily, the classroom wasn't crowded yet and no one nearby had heard them. Otherwise, Harwan might've knocked Salman out just to silence him.
After Salman signaled 'okay' with his hand, Harwan finally let go. But just as he was about to sit down, Salman gave him a suspicious grin.
"What?" Harwan snapped after a few minutes of enduring Salman's annoying smirk.
"Nothing. Just curious about your progress with... you know who," Salman said, his trademark mischievous smile returning.
Harwan closed his eyes, trying to contain his growing annoyance. He sighed and finally replied, "Nothing happened, happy? And could you please stop bringing her up for a while? I need time to think about what to do, okay?"
"Well," Salman said with a knowing smile. He glanced behind Harwan, spotting something—or someone—interesting. "Looks like you'd better act fast if you don't want to miss your chance."
Puzzled, Harwan turned around—and the sight triggered an immediate wave of disgust and anger. Without saying a word, he stood up and stormed toward the classroom door, stepping in front of a group of boys trailing Jennifer.
"Enough," Jennifer said, tugging on Harwan's sleeve to stop him from doing anything reckless.
Obeying her, Harwan shifted his gaze to Jennifer.
He looked at her, gestured for her to hand over her bag, then passed it to another student. Out of nowhere—almost as if possessed by a second personality—he took Jennifer's hand and began leading her away. Surprisingly, she didn't resist.
"Move," Harwan said firmly, his expression unreadable and his tone carrying an aura that dared anyone to challenge him.
The tense silence hung in the air. The boys in front of him exchanged nervous glances, clearly hoping someone else would throw the first punch. But no one made a move. One by one, with awkward smiles, they stepped aside, letting Harwan and Jennifer through.
From his seat, Salman shook his head, smirking as he watched Harwan boldly holding Jennifer's hand—as if declaring her his girlfriend.
Meanwhile, other students, especially the girls, began whispering excitedly. Many were shocked to see Harwan holding hands with one of the school's most popular girls and confronting her suitors head-on.
Jennifer, her hand still in Harwan's, stayed silent as he led her to the place where they had first spoken alone.
"You can let go now, you know," she said once they arrived.
Realizing he was still holding her hand, Harwan quickly let go and looked away.
"Ah, sorry," he said.
"For what?"
"For pulling you away like that so suddenly."
"Well, it wasn't all bad," Jennifer replied, surprising Harwan. His heart pounded even harder.
"What you did just now actually helps reinforce the rumor that we're dating. It might finally get those annoying guys off my back."
"And your boyfriend? Won't he get jealous?" Harwan asked, mustering his courage.
The moment the question left his mouth, anxiety kicked in. His eyes darted nervously, his breath quickened, and he clenched his fists.
"Boyfriend? What boyfriend?" Jennifer laughed lightly. "Actually, I'm more worried that your girlfriend might get jealous from all this pretend dating," she said, glancing sideways at him without turning her head.
"Relax. I'm single too," Harwan replied quickly.
"So, do you like anyone?"
Harwan smiled for a moment. "Actually... I do. But I'm not sure if that person likes me back."
"Well then, just go for it."
"What if I get rejected?"
"Then keep trying. If you really love her, don't give up. Prove you're serious. If she's even a little observant, she'll realize there's a diamond in front of her."
"Fine. I'll consider it. A bit reckless, but not a bad idea," Harwan replied.
He smiled to himself. Jennifer's words brought a wave of relief. At the very least, he knew the door was still open.
A few minutes later, the bell rang for the first class of the day.
With a much better mood, Harwan stood up and extended his hand to Jennifer, whose face no longer blushed like before.
"So, I guess we're officially partners in crime now," Harwan joked as she took his hand.
"Partners in what?"
"Lying's against the Ten Commandments, you know," he teased.
Jennifer smiled and let out a soft laugh.
"White lies should be allowed," she said, glancing at her watch and standing up. "But who knows? Maybe the lie... could become real."
Her words left Harwan speechless. He stood frozen for a moment, trying to process what she'd just said—then quickly caught up with her as she walked away.