When I read his message that night, I honestly didn't know how to reply.
"Can I ask you something about your senior?"
I stared at the screen for almost a minute.
What did he want to know?
Why was he asking about my senior?
Did he notice something during dinner?
Was it because of the way my senior was taking care of me?
Or had someone said something to him?
I typed a reply twice and deleted it both times.
Finally, I decided that replying immediately would only make me overthink more.
So I locked my phone and told myself,
"I'll answer him tomorrow."
But obviously...
my brain didn't agree with that plan.
I kept thinking about his question until I eventually fell asleep.
The next morning, as soon as I woke up, the first thing I remembered was his message.
I picked up my phone and finally replied.
"Yes... what did you want to know about my senior?"
I waited.
Nothing.
He wasn't online.
I put my phone aside and looked at the time.
Then I suddenly remembered...
"Oh no! I have class!"
My roommate was already dressed and standing near the door.
"Are you coming or not?"
"Yes! Give me two minutes!"
I quickly got ready.
For once, I didn't even check my phone again.
We rushed toward college and somehow reached before the class started.
As soon as the professor entered, I forced myself to concentrate.
But honestly...
my mind was somewhere else.
I kept wondering what he wanted to ask.
Maybe it was something simple.
Maybe he was just curious.
Maybe I was making it bigger than it actually was.
During the lecture, I tried taking notes.
But every few minutes...
my mind would return to that message.
What does he want to know?
Why did he specifically ask about my senior?
Did he misunderstand something?
When the break finally came, I immediately checked my phone.
Nothing.
No message.
I sighed and put it back in my bag.
"Okay..."
"Maybe he's busy."
I tried to convince myself.
The remaining classes passed slowly.
When they finally ended, I walked toward the hostel with my roommate.
The weather was pleasant, and students were leaving campus in groups.
I was talking to my roommate about our practical when suddenly...
my phone vibrated.
I stopped walking.
My heart immediately started beating faster.
I already knew who it was.
I pulled my phone out and opened the notification.
His message was there.
I read it once.
Then again.
And for a few seconds...
I genuinely forgot how to react.
"Can I ask you something? Are you and your senior dating?"
I literally stopped walking.
"What?!"
My roommate looked at me.
"What happened?"
"Nothing..."
I quickly locked my phone.
But inside...
my brain had completely stopped working.
Why would he think that?
I unlocked the phone again and typed.
"No... no, there's nothing like that. Why did you think that?"
This time, his reply came quickly.
"I don't know. The way he looks after you..."
"The way he cares about you..."
"And how he's always there whenever you need help..."
"I thought maybe there was something between you two."
I read those lines slowly.
So...
he had noticed all of that?
For some reason, that thought made me strangely happy.
But I didn't want him to misunderstand.
So I decided to tell him the truth.
"Actually... he did have a crush on me."
I paused before sending the next message.
"He told me about his feelings before."
"But I said no because there was someone else I liked."
I stared at the screen.
Then added,
"Now we're really good friends. He supports me a lot, and I really respect him."
I sent it.
His reply came after a few minutes.
"Okay."
Just that.
Okay.
Nothing else.
I waited.
Maybe another message would come.
Maybe he'd ask who the person was.
Maybe he'd ask why I rejected my senior.
Maybe he'd say something about the dinner.
But...
nothing came.
The conversation ended there.
I put my phone away and continued walking.
But my mind wouldn't let it go.
Why had he asked?
Was it simply curiosity?
Had he really thought my senior and I were together?
Or...
was there something else behind that question?
I didn't know.
And the worst part was...
I didn't know what he was thinking about me either.
---
When I reached my room, I changed into comfortable clothes and sat on my bed.
My roommate was busy doing something on her phone.
I quietly opened our conversation again.
I read his question.
Then my answer.
Then his final "Okay."
I sighed.
"Why am I thinking so much about one conversation?"
My roommate looked at me.
"Again?"
I laughed.
"Nothing."
She immediately understood.
"You're overthinking."
I smiled.
"Maybe."
But honestly...
I couldn't stop.
I started remembering everything from the dinner.
The way he looked at my senior.
The questions he asked.
The way he noticed how my senior cared for me.
And then...
that sudden question.
Are you two dating?
I placed my phone beside me and looked at the ceiling.
Maybe he was simply curious.
Maybe he genuinely thought we were together.
Maybe it meant absolutely nothing.
I tried to convince myself of that.
But somewhere inside...
a tiny thought kept returning.
If it meant nothing...
then why did he notice so much
I didn't have an answer.
And perhaps...
I wasn't supposed to have one yet.
That evening, I decided to stop thinking about it.
I opened my notes and started studying.
For almost an hour, everything was normal.
Until my phone suddenly vibrated again.
I looked at the screen.
My heart skipped.
It wasn't a message.
It was a notification from social media.
Someone had viewed my story.
I opened the viewer list without thinking.
And then...
I froze.
Because among all the names...
his name was there.
I stared at it for a few seconds.
He had viewed the story I had posted only a few minutes earlier.
I smiled faintly.
Then suddenly...
another notification appeared.
This time...
it was a message.
From him.
And after seeing the first few words...
I knew that our conversation from earlier wasn't actually over.
Not even close.
Because the question he asked next...
was something I had absolutely no idea how to answer.