Zorvath cleared his throat, collecting his thoughts.
"Um… you know KHSS is going to start a café — for our own , for the school," he said. "And for that, you're going to give us some remarkable help."
Farhan's face lit up. "That's my pleasure, Leader! What should I do?" he asked eagerly.
Zorvath turned his eyes toward one corner of the room.
There, half-buried under layers of dust, were several clay pots — beautifully shaped, one after another.
Farhan followed his gaze, and his smile faded. He already knew what Zorvath meant.
"Leader…" he began, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "If it's about that stuff, I—I stopped making them years ago. I'm not that talented anymore. Maybe I can find you a professional instead—"
Zorvath didn't respond immediately, lost in thought.
Before he could speak, Aria stood up from the stool, her voice cutting through the hesitation.
"No need for a professional," she said firmly. "You're going to do it."
She stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on Farhan's shoulder.
"Remember what I said that day? Every talent in KHSS will have its place. It's your time now, Farhan."
Zorvath quickly rose and gently moved her hand away from his shoulder.
"Think about it," he said curtly, and without another word, he stepped out of the house.
Aria lingered for a moment. Before leaving, she turned to Farhan and said softly,
"Remember what I said in my speech? Of course you can do it."
Farhan looked down, his voice low. "Your speech was inspiring, Miss Aria… but I'm talentless."
Aria's eyes shifted to the dusty clay pots — the forgotten art that still carried life in its curves.
"I don't think so," she said with a faint smile. "I believe you're the only one who can create the furniture for our café. And we believe in you."
She took a few steps toward the door, then added,
"If you need funds for clay or anything else, don't worry. You know my address, right? Meet me if you have any doubts… or just text or call me."
With that, Aria turned and followed Zorvath out into the narrow street.
Aria lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
Her phone kept lighting up with notifications — probably the KHSS group chat, full of messages asking about yesterday's plan.
She didn't even bother checking. Her thoughts were somewhere else.
Will he agree? she wondered. Did Farhan even think about it?
The longer she waited, the more restless she became. Finally, she grabbed her phone and opened the chat to text him first.
Before she could type, a message popped up.
Farhan: I'm outside your house.
Aria blinked, sitting up straight. Outside?
She jumped off the bed, ran a quick hand through her hair, glanced once in the mirror, and hurried downstairs.
When she opened the door, Farhan was there — standing shyly at the gate, his hands behind his back. When he saw her, he gave a small, awkward wave.
Aria smiled faintly. "You could've just called me in," she said. "Come inside."
Farhan shook his head quickly. "No, no… I don't know how to behave in a house like this," he said honestly, his eyes darting around.
Aria frowned slightly, curious but not wanting to pressure him.
Instead, she folded her arms and asked softly, "So… what's your answer?"
Farhan hesitated, his eyes dropping to the ground.
"Ms. Aria," he began softly, "I really don't want to disappoint you… but this deal — the one you offered — it's a big one. Something that could really help my friends… and maybe give me a chance to prove myself in front of everyone later."
He paused, taking a slow breath. "But what if I fail?"
As he spoke, he started walking slowly down the narrow lane, his voice low and uncertain.
Aria fell into step beside him, listening intently — curious, patient, her eyes never leaving his face.
Farhan continued, his voice trembling a little.
"A few years ago… I had everything. My mother, my father, and a little sister."
He swallowed hard. "But when my sister passed away… my mother couldn't handle it. The shock broke her. She lost her mind — and then her life."
He looked away, blinking fast.
"My father… he tried to stay strong. He worked hard for two years straight, saved every coin he could. He almost bought a piece of land — his dream. But his best friend cheated him. Took everything. After that… he lost all hope."
Farhan's voice cracked. "And one night, just like that, he ended his life too. Leaving me alone."
He kicked at a small stone on the road as they walked.
"The only happiness I have now comes from school. When you talked about starting the café and studying seriously, at first, I wasn't happy. I thought… if I give all my time to this, even that small happiness will be gone."
He looked up at Aria, his eyes glassy.
"But then I realized — if I really want to make something of my life, you're right. I have to try. Still…" He paused, his voice lowering to a whisper. "I'm afraid. If I fail… I'll lose everything again. If I fail, the Leader will see me as useless — and I'll have no one left."
Farhan went on, his voice soft but filled with emotion.
"Everyone says the Leader is cruel… heartless… commanding. But only a few of us know who he really is."
He looked ahead, remembering.
"When I was starving — almost ready to give up — he found out. He came to me himself and shared his rice with me. Not just me — so many students. He treats us all equally. He built Room Zero, gave us a way to earn, to survive."
Farhan's voice wavered. "But now… he's come to me for something. And I'm scared. What if I fail him? How stupid am I to even think I can do this?"
Aria stopped walking and turned toward him.
"If you fall," she said softly, "then show them you can rise again."
Farhan blinked and looked at her.
"This is life, Farhan," Aria continued, her tone calm but strong. "Everything unexpected will happen. You think success is easy? Every person who ever achieved something great has stood where you are now — doubting themselves, afraid to take the next step."
She smiled — the kind of smile that carried both comfort and strength.
"But I'll tell you one thing. Believe in yourself. Don't waste your life being afraid of failure. Because one day, you'll regret the chances you didn't take far more than the ones that didn't work out."
Aria took a deep breath and gently held Farhan's hands.
"Listen," she said softly. "Today, after seeing your situation — and still seeing the artwork, the smile on your face — I realized something. You're the strongest among us. We're all strong in our own ways, but most of us are just too afraid to show it."
She gave his hands a small squeeze. "Don't be afraid anymore, Farhan."
Then she smiled faintly, her tone turning light but determined.
"Tomorrow, we'll meet again. I'll come to your house — and I'm bringing some of our friends too. So be ready, okay?"
Farhan looked at her, speechless. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, so many doubts spinning in his mind. But before he could say a word, Aria turned and started walking away.
After a few steps, she stopped and looked over her shoulder.
"No more answers to your questions," she said. "Find them yourself. And if you fail — accept it. Because sometimes, you have no other choice."
Then she gave him a small, playful smile and ran off toward her house.
Farhan watched her go, his heart strangely heavy yet light at the same time. Under his breath, he whispered,
"Luna"