The moment I sent the message...
I kept staring at my phone.
For some reason, I was more nervous than I should have been.
Maybe because this was the first time I had texted him first after the trip.
Only a few minutes later...
my phone vibrated.
I immediately unlocked it.
Him: "Yes, I reached safely. Thank you for asking... and thanks for your concern."
A smile instantly appeared on my face.
I didn't know why...
but those simple words made me unexpectedly happy.
Instead of replying with another message...
I simply reacted to it with a ❤️.
I thought the conversation had ended.
So I locked my phone and placed it beside me.
Barely two minutes passed...
before it vibrated again.
I quickly picked it up.
Him: "By the way... what are you doing?"
I laughed softly.
"Nothing much. Just relaxing after the trip."
His reply came almost immediately.
"And when are you going to send all the camera pictures?"
I looked toward my camera lying on the table.
"Oh..."
"I completely forgot."
I smiled while typing.
"I'll send them once I get free. There are so many photos. I need to sort them first."
"Deal."
Then another message popped up.
"Do you have classes tomorrow?"
I sighed dramatically.
"Unfortunately... yes."
"What about you?"
"Same."
Then he added,
"Honestly... I already miss our trip."
I stopped typing.
My eyes stayed on that message for a few seconds.
Our trip.
Not...
the college trip.
Not...
your trip.
He called it...
our trip.
It was such a small sentence.
But somehow...
it stayed in my mind much longer than it should have.
I couldn't stop smiling.
"Me too," I finally replied.
After talking for a few more minutes about college, studies, and how tired we both were...
we wished each other good night.
Just then my roommate looked at me suspiciously.
"You've been smiling at your phone for the last twenty minutes."
I immediately locked my phone.
"No... I wasn't."
She raised one eyebrow.
"You're a terrible liar."
I threw my pillow at her.
She laughed loudly.
"Fine, fine."
"But sleep now."
"We have to wake up early tomorrow."
I nodded.
"You're right."
I placed my phone on the side table.
Turned off the lights.
Closed my eyes.
But sleep didn't come immediately.
Instead...
my mind kept replaying one sentence.
"I already miss our trip."
Without realizing it...
I smiled again.
And sometime later...
I finally fell asleep.
---
For the first time in hostel history...
I woke up before my roommate.
When she opened her eyes...
she looked at me in complete shock.
"Wait..."
"Who are you?"
"And where is my lazy roommate?"
I laughed.
"I'm trying to become a responsible medical student."
She dramatically placed her hand on my forehead.
"No fever."
"Interesting."
Both of us burst into laughter.
After getting ready...
we went to the mess for breakfast.
The moment I saw the menu...
my smile disappeared.
"Oh no..."
She looked at me.
"What happened?"
I pointed toward the counter.
"It's this breakfast again."
"It should honestly be banned."
She started laughing.
"It isn't that bad."
"It is."
"It tastes like disappointment."
She still took a plate.
I, however, only drank a little water.
"I'm not eating this."
She shook her head.
"You're going to regret it."
"I won't."
"Oh, you definitely will."
---
Soon we reached college.
The practical lab was already full of students.
As usual...
my practical partner—my senior—was already there.
He smiled after seeing me.
"Good morning."
"Morning."
We started preparing for our anatomy practical.
The class was surprisingly interesting.
Our professor was explaining everything patiently.
Even then...
I couldn't focus properly.
Every fifteen minutes...
I quietly whispered,
"I'm hungry."
My senior looked at me.
Again.
"You seriously didn't eat anything?"
I shook my head.
"No."
"Why?"
"The breakfast was terrible."
He sighed helplessly.
"You can't skip meals because you don't like the menu."
I made a small face.
"I know..."
"But I couldn't eat it."
He didn't say anything after that.
He simply continued with the practical.
I thought the conversation was over.
---
Finally...
our break started.
My friends and I sat inside the classroom.
Everyone was discussing today's practical.
Someone was revising notes.
Someone was scrolling through Instagram.
Meanwhile...
I was resting my head on the desk.
"I'm still hungry."
One of my classmates laughed.
"At this point your stomach deserves attendance."
Just then...
Someone knocked lightly on the classroom door.
I looked up.
It was my senior.
He was holding a small paper bag.
Every single person in the classroom looked toward him.
He walked directly to my desk.
"Here."
I blinked.
"What is this?"
"Breakfast."
I looked inside.
A fresh sandwich.
And a juice box.
For a few seconds...
I didn't know what to say.
"You skipped breakfast."
"So... eat."
My roommate immediately gasped dramatically.
"Oho..."
Someone behind me whispered,
"That's so sweet."
I could actually feel my face getting warm.
"You really didn't have to..."
He smiled.
"I know."
"But I wanted to."
I quietly accepted it.
"Thank you..."
He nodded.
"Finish everything."
I offered him the sandwich.
"You can have some."
He laughed.
"I already ate."
"You need it more."
Then he waved goodbye and left.
The whole classroom suddenly became unusually quiet.
Exactly three seconds later...
everyone started teasing me at once.
"Ooooo..."
"Someone cares."
"That's adorable."
Even my roommate refused to stop smiling.
I hid my face behind the juice box.
"Can all of you please relax?"
They laughed even harder.
---
While eating the sandwich..
I quietly made a promise to myself.
One day...
I'll return this kindness.
Not because I had to.
But because some people deserve to know that their efforts never go unnoticed.
--
The rest of the classes ended peacefully.
After returning to the hostel...
I took a shower.
Changed into comfortable clothes.
Then suddenly...
an idea came into my mind.
I opened my phone.
Scrolled to his chat.
Then opened my senior's chat.
After thinking for almost ten minutes...
I finally typed,
"Are you free this weekend?"
His reply came after a few minutes.
"Yes. Why?"
"Dinner?"
There was a short pause.
Then...
"Sounds good. It's been a while since we talked properly. Let's go."
I smiled.
"Done."
I locked my phone.
Feeling strangely satisfied.
Maybe...
this was my chance to thank him.
Just as I placed my phone on the bed...
it vibrated again.
A new notification appeared.
But...
it wasn't from my senior.
It wasn't from my best friend either.
It was...
him.
I smiled and opened the chat.
Then...
the smile slowly disappeared from my face.
Because the message he had sent...
was something I had never expected to read.
And somehow...
I already knew...
that one message was about to change everything...