When did that line between them begin to blur?
Claire watched Aru from the doorway of the school gym. Amid the squeak of sneakers and the echoing thud of basketballs against the wooden floor, Aru stood out among the other members of the basketball team. Sweat dampened his temples, framing the carefree smile he always wore whenever he scored.
To everyone else, Aru was a charismatic, approachable captain. But to Claire, he had once been nothing more than a snot-nosed boy who sobbed his eyes out after falling from the mango tree behind their houses ten years ago.
Back then, everything had felt simple. There had been no awkwardness, no distance. But lately, something unfamiliar pressed against Claire’s chest whenever their eyes met.
“Claire! Why are you just standing there? Come on in!” Aru called, waving a hand and breaking into Claire’s thoughts.
Claire adjusted her thin-framed glasses, hiding the nervous tremor that had suddenly surfaced. She walked toward the edge of the court, carrying a clipboard with the extracurricular attendance sheet.
“I just need the team’s attendance signature for the Student Council’s weekly report,” Claire said, trying to keep her voice as matter-of-fact as usual—flat and measured.
Aru wiped the sweat from his forehead with the small towel hanging around his neck, then walked over to Claire.
“Always so formal. You could’ve just asked me when we walked home together later, couldn’t you, Secretary?”
“Student Council work has to be finished before five, Aru. Don’t mix it up with personal matters,” Claire replied, holding out a pen.
Aru chuckled softly. “Yeah, yeah. Always following the rules.”
As Aru took the pen, the distance between them shrank. Claire could smell the familiar scent of soap mingled with the freshness of sweat on Aru’s body. Without realizing it, her gaze fell to Aru’s sturdy fingers, then rose to his sharp jawline, finally stopping at the pair of dark brown eyes now looking back at her.
When did his shoulders get this broad? Claire thought. Her heart fluttered wildly.
“Claire? Why are you spacing out?” Aru waved a hand in front of her face, breaking the silence that had briefly settled between them.
“Huh? No. I was just thinking about tomorrow’s meeting schedule,” Claire said quickly, feeling her cheeks suddenly grow warm. She hurriedly took the clipboard back after Aru signed it.
“You’re lying. Your face is so red. Are you sick?” Aru leaned toward her, closing the distance until Claire could feel the warm rush of his breath.
Without warning, Aru pressed the back of his hand to Claire’s forehead. The touch felt like an electric shock against Claire’s skin. Her heart pounded erratically, slamming against her chest so hard that she was afraid Aru might hear it.
“Nope, your temperature’s normal,” Aru murmured in confusion before pulling his hand away.
“I’m fine, Aru! I’m just a little hot,” Claire cut in quickly, taking one step back.
She cursed her body for being so transparent. Before Aru could respond, a clear, high-pitched voice rang out from the entrance to the court.
“Aru! I brought you something cold to drink!”
A girl with long, wavy hair approached with graceful steps. Her school uniform was perfectly neat, and her smile could charm anyone who saw it. Claudia. The most popular girl at Nusantara High School, a student who always became the center of attention wherever she went. Aru turned and broke into a wide smile.
“Oh, Claudia. Thanks. You really didn’t have to go to the trouble.”
“Not at all. I stopped by on purpose after cheerleading practice,” Claudia replied sweetly.
She handed the bottle of isotonic drink straight to Aru, then casually tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Her eyes shifted toward Claire.
“Oh, Claire’s here too. Taking care of Student Council paperwork?”
“Yeah,” Claire answered briefly. A sudden, uncomfortable pinch twisted her upper stomach when she saw how close Claudia was standing beside Aru.
“Aru, do you have anything going on this afternoon? The others want to hang out at the new café near the intersection. Come with us, okay?” Claudia invited him, her voice sweet and full of hope.
Without hesitation, her hand brushed against the sleeve of Aru’s uniform. Claire noticed the small gesture. She had never cared before when girls approached Aru. She had even teased him whenever he found an anonymous love letter in his locker.
But this time, seeing Claudia touch Aru’s arm made her chest tighten. A sharp, unfamiliar, frightening jealousy slipped in without permission. Aru seemed to consider it for a moment, then glanced at Claire.
“Actually, I promised to take Claire to the bookstore this afternoon, Claud.”
“Oh, is that right?” Claudia’s face showed a hint of forced disappointment. “But everyone else is getting together. Besides, you can go to the bookstore anytime, Aru, right?”
Claire could sense the hesitation in Aru’s eyes. She knew Aru was the kind of person who had trouble turning down other people’s invitations, especially one from a girl like Claudia. Claire didn’t want to get in the way, but at the same time, she hated the fact that Claudia’s presence had disturbed her special place beside Aru.
Why do I have to feel like I’m competing with Claudia? I’m only his childhood friend... Claire thought, trying to deny the bitter feeling gnawing at her heart.
“Just go, Aru,” Claire cut in at last. Her voice sounded colder than she had intended.
Aru stared at Claire in surprise. “Wait, don’t you need a study guide for next week’s exam?”
“I can buy it myself later. The bookstore isn’t going to close,” Claire replied casually, making a desperate effort to keep her expression neutral. She straightened the paper clips on her clipboard to avoid looking at the two of them.
“Besides, it’d be a shame to turn Claudia down.”
Claudia smiled in satisfaction. “See? Claire doesn’t mind. Come on, Aru. Everyone’s already waiting.”
Aru scratched the back of his head even though it didn’t itch, looking uncomfortable on Claire’s behalf. “Are you really okay with this, Claire? I’ll come by your house tonight, okay? I’ll make it up to you for breaking our plans.”
“Don’t bother. I’m going straight home to rest,” Claire refused quickly. She turned her back on both of them.
“I’m leaving. The paperwork needs to be submitted to the Student Council advisor right away.”
Without waiting for Aru’s reply, Claire walked away from the basketball court. Her footsteps rang firmly through the corridor, which was beginning to empty, but inside her chest, a storm of emotions raged. She held a hand to her chest, feeling her heartbeat still hadn’t returned to normal.
The jealousy that had struck her wasn’t the jealousy of a friend afraid of losing her playmate. It was the jealousy of a woman beginning to want a man’s heart all to herself.
Claire leaned her back against the wall of the outdoor corridor and let out a long breath as she gazed at the evening sky turning red. I like him, I’m Claire, she admitted silently—a frank confession she had finally dared to whisper to herself. Not as a friend, but as a man.
Yet when she imagined Claudia’s smile and the girl’s popularity beside Aru, fear enveloped Claire’s thoughts. How could an ordinary girl like her, always behind the scenes, compete with someone as dazzling as Claudia? Claire squeezed her eyes shut. Her feelings had changed, and she knew that from this day forward, their friendship would never feel the same again.
To be continued...