The next morning, the sound of a Chopper engine could once again be heard in front of the school gate at Arunika High School.
Vroom... vroom...
Several students walking by immediately turned around.
It didn't take long for them to recognize the motorcycle.
"Alvian's here!"
"The new kid."
"That motorcycle again."
Alvian turned off the engine, then took off his helmet.
Day two.
And apparently, the attention he was getting hadn't decreased in the slightest.
"Looks like you're famous now."
Raka appeared from the side, barely holding back his laughter.
Alvian stared at him impassively.
"It's only been two days."
"Exactly."
Dimas, standing behind Raka, chimed in.
"In another week, you might already have a fan club."
"You're loud."
Alvian picked up his bag.
But before they could go inside, a girl's voice came from behind them.
"Alvian."
Alvian turned around.
A girl stood a few steps away.
Long hair, a neat uniform, and a smile familiar to many of the students.
Salsa Maharani.
Salsa walked closer.
"Still the same."
Alvian raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"The motorcycle."
Salsa smiled.
"You're still riding that Chopper."
Alvian nodded.
"Still am."
Raka glanced at Dimas.
The two exchanged looks.
They knew Salsa wasn't a stranger to Alvian.
Salsa had once been fairly close to Alvian before he transferred.
"You haven't changed," Salsa said.
Alvian only gave her a faint smile.
"Neither have you."
Salsa let out a small laugh.
"It's nice seeing you here."
"Thanks."
The school bell rang.
Raka immediately grabbed Alvian's arm.
"Come on, we'll be late."
Alvian nodded.
Before leaving, Salsa called out to him again.
"Alvian."
Alvian turned around.
"Want to grab lunch together during break?"
Alvian thought for a moment.
"I'll let you know."
Salsa nodded.
"Okay."
As Alvian walked away, Salsa's smile slowly faded.
Her eyes followed him until he disappeared behind the building's doors.
XI IPS 2
The classroom was already fairly noisy when Alvian walked in.
Raka immediately took his seat.
Dimas sat behind them.
Alvian had just opened his bag when someone walked past his desk.
Grace.
The girl was carrying several books.
This time, Alvian hadn't meant to look at her.
Or at least...
that was what he wanted to believe.
Grace walked toward her seat.
Keisha was already waiting for her.
"Morning."
"Morning."
Keisha looked toward Alvian.
Then at Grace.
Then back at Alvian.
A smile spread across her face.
Grace immediately knew what it meant.
"Don't."
"I haven't said anything."
"Your face already has."
Keisha laughed.
"Someone was thinking about a certain someone last night, huh?"
Grace opened her book.
"No, I wasn't."
"Alvian?"
"Keisha."
"Okay, okay."
Keisha raised both hands.
But her smile didn't disappear.
Across the room, Raka did the same thing.
He nudged Alvian's arm.
"Grace."
Alvian turned toward him.
"What?"
"You looked at her."
"No, I didn't."
"I only just said her name."
Alvian fell silent.
Raka immediately laughed.
"Gotcha."
Alvian shook his head.
"You watch too many romance dramas."
"Then why are you smiling?"
Alvian touched the corner of his mouth.
Only then did he realize that he had indeed been smiling this whole time.
"Reflex."
"A reflex from where?"
"Drop it."
Raka chuckled.
The first class began.
Mr. Arman walked in carrying several sheets of paper.
"All right, everyone. Next week, we'll be doing a group presentation assignment."
Several students immediately groaned.
"Sir, no groups."
Mr. Arman laughed.
"Precisely because you complain too often, I'm choosing the groups myself this time."
The classroom instantly erupted.
Mr. Arman began reading out the names.
"Group one..."
Several names were called.
"Group two..."
Until finally—
"Group five. Alvian Agarta, Grace Chintia, Dimas Pratama, and Maya Anindita."
Alvian looked up.
Grace did the same.
Their eyes met.
Only for a few seconds.
But Keisha, sitting beside Grace, immediately held back a smile.
Dimas, on the other hand, called out,
"Sir, I don't mind!"
The whole class burst out laughing.
Mr. Arman shook his head.
"Did I ask you?"
Dimas laughed.
Alvian leaned back in his chair.
Raka whispered,
"The universe is on your side."
Alvian shot him a look.
"Be quiet."
During break, their group gathered around a table.
Maya placed her book on the table.
"So, what topic should we choose?"
Grace opened her notes.
"Based on this week's material, maybe something about technological development."
Dimas yawned.
"Let's just pick something easy."
Maya looked at him.
"Everything is easy to you."
"Because I'm a laid-back guy."
Alvian chuckled.
Grace then looked at him.
"What do you think?"
Alvian was slightly surprised.
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because we're in the same group."
"Oh."
Alvian thought for a moment.
"Technology, then."
Grace nodded.
"Okay."
They began dividing up the tasks.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Until Maya suddenly said,
"Grace, you and Alvian can handle the presentation."
Grace immediately looked at her.
"Why me?"
"Because you two understand the material best."
Dimas nodded along.
"I agree."
Alvian smiled.
"Why do I feel like you two planned this?"
Maya laughed.
"That's just your imagination."
Grace lowered her head, looking slightly flustered.
Keisha, who happened to be walking past their table, stopped immediately.
"Grace?"
Grace turned around.
Keisha looked at Alvian.
Then at Grace.
Then at their group table.
"Oh."
Grace immediately understood her expression.
"Don't."
Keisha laughed.
"I haven't said anything."
After school, Alvian walked toward the student parking area.
But he stopped when he saw Grace standing near the school gate.
The girl seemed to be searching for something inside her bag.
Alvian approached her.
"You're not heading home yet?"
Grace turned around.
"Oh."
She gave him a small smile.
"Not yet."
"Why not?"
"I can't find my bike key."
Alvian looked at Grace's bag.
"Have you searched it already?"
"Yeah."
"In the classroom?"
"I think so."
Alvian helped her look.
A few minutes later, he found something beneath a bench near the gate.
"This?"
Grace looked over immediately.
Her eyes widened.
"Yes!"
Alvian picked up the key and handed it to her.
"It fell."
Grace accepted it.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Grace smiled.
Then she walked toward the bike parking area.
Alvian watched her.
Something felt different.
Usually, people approached him because they wanted something.
But Grace had never asked him for anything.
Even when Alvian helped her, all she did was say thank you.
Nothing excessive.
Nothing forced.
Just simple.
"Alvian."
Raka's voice made him turn around.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
Raka looked toward Grace, who was already walking away.
Then he looked back at Alvian.
"Have you noticed?"
"Noticed what?"
"You smile more often when you're with her now."
Alvian fell silent.
Raka slipped his hands into his pockets.
"Looks like you're starting to like her."
Alvian didn't answer right away.
His eyes followed Grace again until she disappeared behind the gate.
"Strange."
Raka raised an eyebrow.
"What is?"
"I usually don't care about people."
Raka smiled.
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
Alvian chuckled.
"Doesn't necessarily mean I like her."
"If it's not that, then what is it?"
Alvian didn't answer.
For the first time, he didn't know the answer himself.
Across the school courtyard, a boy stood putting his books into his bag.
He had just seen Alvian and Raka.
His gaze then shifted to Grace as she mounted her bicycle.
His name was Nathaniel Arvian.
One of the more well-known students at Arunika High School.
Calm.
Not much of a talker.
And unlike most of the other students, Nathaniel wasn't particularly interested in Alvian's arrival.
Yet that day, his attention was focused on someone he had rarely paid attention to before.
Grace.
Nathaniel watched her for a while.
Then he gave a faint smile.
Meanwhile, Alvian had already put on his helmet.
He started the Chopper's engine.
Vroom...
Before leaving, he looked toward the gate again.
For some reason, he hoped to see Grace one more time.
And when he realized he had that hope...
Alvian smiled to himself.
Maybe Raka was right.
Maybe something really was starting to change.
He just wasn't brave enough to admit it yet.
Not to Raka.
Not even to himself.