That encounter completely ruined my appetite.
The fried rice I had ordered only made it four spoonfuls into my mouth. After that, my right hand just kept stirring it around the plate, while my left hand replied to messages in our group chat.
Tara was going on and on about her first day at her new campus.
A different city from mine and Linda's. She was in Samarinda, while we were in Balikpapan.
The notifications wouldn't stop.
I read them one by one, trying to laugh along through the screen, even though my mind was nowhere near the conversation.
Those navy blue Converse shoes kept appearing in my head, uninvited.
And what bothered me even more…
was the way he said my name.
"Ra, why are you so quiet?" Tara texted in the group.
I was just about to reply when the chair in front of me suddenly shifted.
The scraping sound against the floor was unmistakable.
I slowly looked up... And for a split second, the world seemed to stop.
That same pair of slightly worn navy blue Converse was now right in front of me.
Then the owner casually sat down across from me, as if that seat had always belonged to him.
"Mind if I join?" he asked casually.
Even though he had already sat down without waiting for my answer.
My hand instinctively turned off my phone screen.
"Ka… Kak?" That was all I managed to say.
He leaned back in his chair, looking at me with an unreadable expression.
"What a coincidence," he said lightly.
"Or… have you been following me?" he teased.
"Me? No way," I replied quickly.. too quickly. Even to my own ears, it didn't sound convincing.
He chuckled softly, clearly enjoying my reaction.
The fried rice in front of me suddenly felt like the most unfamiliar thing in the world.
And for the first time that day, I completely forgot how to breathe normally.
"If you think about it," he said, lightly tapping his fingers on the table,
"this feels a little unfair."
"Unfair… how?" I asked quietly.
He tilted his head slightly, looking straight at me.
"I know your name," he said casually.
"But you haven't even tried to ask for mine."
I immediately grew flustered.
"That's not what I meant, Kak," I rushed, nearly stumbling over my own words.
"I just… didn't think about it." The worst excuse I could have possibly given.
He paused for a moment, then let out a soft laugh.
"So now you are thinking about it?"
I lowered my gaze to the now-cold plate in front of me.
"If… you want to tell me," I murmured softly, almost inaudible.
"No."
He refused instantly.
A playful smile spread clearly across his face.
"You have to find out my name yourself," he continued casually.
"I'll give you until tomorrow. We'll meet here again."
I didn't even get the chance to protest before he was already standing up.
"Bye, Keira."
And just like that he left.
I could only sit there, stunned, watching his back disappear once again.
What kind of request was that?
Find out his name?
How was I supposed to do that?
I didn't even know what major he was in.
The fried rice in front of me remained untouched.
****
And for the first time since starting college, I had a mission that felt more nerve-wracking than any assignment.
Slide after slide changed on the screen, but the lecturer's voice sounded like a distant echo.
My thoughts kept drifting back to the cafeteria table earlier, to those navy blue Converse, and to the one sentence that kept replaying in my head:
I'll give you until tomorrow.
"Ra, what's wrong with you?" Linda asked as soon as the lecturer left the room.
I flinched slightly.
"It's nothing," I said quickly. Too quickly.
"Let's go."
Without waiting for her response, I grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the classroom.
She looked at me suspiciously.
"You sure?"
I turned my face away, pretending to fix my bag.
"Just didn't get enough sleep."
But it wasn't sleep I was lacking.
It was peace of mind.
"Hey there, my love…"
The voice came out of nowhere—light, confident.
I didn't even need to look to know who it was.
Rendi.
Linda's boyfriend, who had apparently been waiting for us.
Linda instantly smiled.
"Have you been waiting long?"
"Not at all... when it's you, it doesn't feel like waiting," he replied smoothly, naturally wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
I let out a quiet sigh, shaking my head.
The universe really had a sense of humor.
While my thoughts were a complete mess, I was somehow forced to witness their romance.
"Alright, that's enough, you two. Let's go," I said, walking ahead of them.
Behind me, they just laughed softly and kept walking side by side.
I quickened my pace, not bothering to wait, until we reached Rendi's car.
And right then.
I saw him.
He was putting on his helmet, getting ready to leave on his Yamaha XSR.
Noticing that my gaze wouldn't move, Linda followed my line of sight.
"Hey… isn't that the guy? The one from the student committee during orientation?" she asked, trying to recall.
"Who?" Rendi turned to look in the same direction.
"That one," Linda pointed with her chin.
Rendi squinted for a moment, then nodded.
"Oh… you mean Keenan?"
Keenan.
His name seemed to linger in the air.
Linda and I immediately looked at each other, our eyes wide in disbelief.
"His name is Keenan?" Linda repeated.
Rendi nodded casually. "Yeah. Keenan."
Linda instantly elbowed me.
"Well, that's it. This is a sign from the universe," she whispered excitedly.
"Same name again. Good luck, Ra."
She gave my shoulder a dramatic pat.
And I could only swallow hard.