"Hey, bro," Yuni grinned as she walked beside her best friend. "How's your love story going? Have you confessed to Sam yet?"
Loir groaned, dragging his feet. "That's the problem. I don't have the courage. What if Sam isn't gay? What if he doesn't like guys at all? If he rejects me, I'll be shattered into a million pieces."
Yuni rolled her eyes, flipping her bangs. "Hmmm… Just confess already! Who knows? Maybe he'll actually say yes. And if he breaks your heart, don't worry—I'll stick the pieces back together for you."
Loir shoved her shoulder. "Idiot. Go away. You're supposed to motivate me, not make me feel even worse first thing in the morning."
Yuni smirked. "Fine, fine. But listen. If you don't talk to him yourself, how will you ever know if he likes you or not?"
Loir's expression darkened. "Do you even realize who Sam is? He's tall, handsome, athletic… girls chase after him every single day. Even some guys are crazy about him. Have you seen him play basketball? Or swimming? He's perfect. And me? He doesn't even notice I exist. He probably doesn't even know my name."
Yuni sighed dramatically. "Bro, at least start with friendship. Don't aim for the grand romance yet. Okay, tell you what—I'll help you today."
By then, the two had reached the school gates. Suddenly, Loir panicked. "Wait—Sam's coming! Hide me!"
Before Yuni could stop him, Loir ducked behind her back.
"You're hopeless," Yuni muttered. "How do you expect your love life to progress if you act like this?"
"I'm not ready to face him yet!" Loir whispered frantically. "When the time is right, I'll do it myself."
"Too late," Yuni said flatly. "He's coming right this way."
Sure enough, Sam strode up to them, smiling as usual.
"Yuni," he said politely, "thanks for sending me that energy drink yesterday. It really helped."
Yuni glanced over her shoulder at Loir, who was blushing red and trying to bury himself behind her. She rolled her eyes, then turned back to Sam with a bright smile.
"Oh, that? No need to thank me. You're one of our school's brightest stars—it's my duty to keep you running at full power!"
Sam chuckled, but as he listened, his gaze flickered toward the figure hiding behind Yuni. Every time he tried to catch Loir's eyes, Loir ducked further out of sight.
After a short exchange, Sam waved goodbye and left.
The moment he was gone, Yuni spun around. "He's gone, bro. Seriously, are you a girl or something? Why are you blushing so hard? He's not going to eat you. Chill! Sam's a good guy. Just talk to him normally once."
Loir mumbled, "The drink was from me, you know. I only used your name as an excuse. Otherwise, how would I have managed to give it to him?"
Yuni pinched the bridge of her nose. "Unbelievable. So you used me as your cover story? Fine, forget it. Let's just get to class before I lose my patience."
They managed to sit through the lessons, and soon enough, lunchtime arrived. The two friends sat at the playground stairs, munching and gossiping.
"Hey, Yuni," Loir said suddenly, "can you write a love letter for me? I want to give it to Sam."
Yuni nearly choked. "No way! I'm not doing that. If the principal catches me, you'll be in trouble—and I'll be dead. Why don't you just talk to him directly?"
Loir pouted. "Please? You know I can't."
Yuni stood, brushing the dust off her skirt. "Fine. I'll help you, but you're not running away. Stick with me."
Dragging him along, she marched straight toward Sam, who was laughing with his friends.
"Excuse me," Yuni interrupted, smiling politely. "Can I get your number?"
Sam blinked in surprise. He turned to his group. "I'll catch up with you guys later." His friends dispersed, leaving the three of them awkwardly facing each other.
Sam scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "Yeah, sure." He pulled out his phone and began exchanging contacts with Yuni.
Behind her, Loir was pinching her arm, desperately signaling something.
Yuni understood instantly. "By the way, Sam," she asked casually, "do you have a girlfriend?"
Sam paused, still scratching the back of his head. "Nope. Not yet."
Yuni leaned closer. "Well, someone really likes you."
Sam raised his brows. "Oh? Interesting. And what about you, Yuni? Are you single? Is that boy behind you your boyfriend?"
The two of them—Yuni and Loir—shouted in perfect unison, voices echoing across the playground:
"No way! Impossible!"
Sam blinked, startled. "Impossible? Why impossible?"
Continue....