Ever since that conversation on the motorcycle that night, I’d been thinking about one sentence more and more.
I thought I was the only one who—
The only one who what?
Liked him?
Cared?
Was jealous?
Or maybe I was just getting my hopes up too much?
The problem was, Arga had never finished that sentence.
And the harder I tried to forget it, the more curious I became.
On Saturday, the campus held a small event in the back courtyard.
I came with a few friends.
Arga was there too.
But he looked busy from that morning on.
A few times, I saw him talking to the event committee, carrying things, and then disappearing who knew where.
I actually wanted to go over to him.
But I changed my mind.
Besides, I was trying not to make it too obvious that I was chasing after him.
At least, that was the plan.
Until someone came and stood beside me.
“Alone?”
I turned around.
It was a guy who’d been in one of my classes last semester.
“Oh, hey.”
“Still remember me?”
“I do.”
He smiled.
“Good. I thought you’d forgotten.”
We talked for quite a while.
At first, it was nothing special.
Until he offered me a drink.
“Want one? I’ll grab you something.”
“No, it’s fine, I—”
“It’s okay. I’m going anyway.”
He left before I could refuse.
I didn’t think much of it.
Until he came back and I saw Arga standing a few yards away from us.
His eyes were on the guy.
Then on me.
I gave him a small smile.
Arga didn’t smile back.
Instead, he turned around and walked away.
I frowned.
Why?
A few minutes later, I went behind the building to get my bag.
As I passed through the hallway, I heard Arga’s voice.
“You know him?”
I stopped.
He was talking to one of his friends.
“Who?”
“The guy who was with her earlier.”
“Oh. I think they used to be classmates.”
Arga fell silent.
His friend laughed.
“Why?”
“Nothing.”
“Jealous?”
Arga gave him a flat look.
“You’re annoying.”
I almost laughed.
So he could get jealous too.
I decided to leave before they caught me eavesdropping.
But after only a few steps, someone grabbed my arm.
I turned around.
Arga.
“Eavesdropping?”
“No.”
“Liar.”
“I was just passing by.”
“Perfect timing.”
I smiled.
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“You looked like you didn’t like it earlier.”
“It was nothing.”
“Jealous?”
Arga went quiet.
I held back a smile.
“Not allowed?”
He looked at me.
“It is.”
I was a little surprised.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Arga stepped closer.
“Because I’m jealous too.”
I immediately lost my words.
He looked at me for a few seconds.
“Then don’t make me mad.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“I know.”
“Then?”
“That’s exactly the problem.”
I became even more confused.
Arga sighed.
“I don’t like seeing you close to other guys.”
My heart immediately started pounding.
“Why?”
This time, he didn’t answer.
I waited.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three.
Finally, he said,
“Because I like you.”
I froze.
It felt like every sound around us had disappeared.
All I could do was stare at him.
Arga, on the other hand, looked calm.
As if he hadn’t just said the very thing that had been making me curious for days.
“You…”
I couldn’t even finish the sentence.
“Yeah.”
“Since when?”
“I don’t know.”
He gave me a faint smile.
“Maybe since I started having a reason to wait for you to head home.”
I looked down.
The heat began spreading across my face.
“Then why didn’t you say so from the beginning?”
“Because I didn’t know how you’d answer.”
I let out a quiet laugh.
“Do you know now?”
“Not yet.”
I lifted my face.
“Why not?”
“Because you haven’t answered.”
I fell silent.
He had a point.
Arga had already confessed his feelings.
Now it was my turn.
I drew a slow breath.
“What if I said…”
I stopped.
Arga waited.
“What if I liked you too?”
For the first time, I saw Arga truly lose his laid-back expression.
He smiled.
Just a little.
But unmistakably.
“Then I wouldn’t have to wait too long.”
“Who said that?”
“You did.”
“I haven’t said I want to date you.”
Arga laughed softly.
“I know.”
“So don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“Okay.”
He took a step back.
“But from now on, can I think of you as more than a friend?”
I looked at him.
Then gave a small nod.
“You can.”
Arga smiled again.
“Okay.”
I frowned.
“Another okay?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s it?”
“If I keep smiling, you’ll say I’m getting ahead of myself.”
I laughed.
“You are.”
“Whatever.”
We both fell silent.
But this time, the silence was different.
It wasn’t awkward.
It wasn’t confusing.
I knew how he felt.
He knew how I felt.
But it turned out that after knowing everything, there was one thing that made me even more nervous.
Because starting today—
Arga was no longer just the person who gave me a ride home.
And maybe, before long, he would become someone much harder for me to let go of.