A few days after what happened in the kitchen, life at the boarding house returned to normal.
At least, that was what Nadine thought.
That morning, she had just opened her door when the door across from hers opened almost at the same time.
Nadine stopped.
So did Rafka.
For a moment, they simply looked at each other.
“Morning,” Rafka said first.
“Morning.”
Nadine closed her door, then walked toward the stairs. She had only gone down a few steps when she heard footsteps behind her.
Rafka.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
Nadine glanced back. “To campus.”
“At this hour?”
“Yeah.”
“I thought you’d just woken up.”
Nadine stopped walking.
“Do I look like I just woke up?”
“A little.”
Nadine stared at him flatly.
“Thank you.”
Rafka chuckled.
They continued on toward the boarding-house yard. There was no conversation after that. Yet for some reason, Nadine no longer felt that the atmosphere between them was as awkward as it had been before.
Back then, they could pass each other without saying a word.
Maybe without even looking at each other.
Now, Rafka would at least ask where Nadine was going or comment on something that really didn’t need commenting on.
Nadine only realized how much things had changed when they reached the yard.
Rafka walked toward his motorcycle, while Nadine headed for hers.
“Is your motorcycle okay?” Rafka asked.
Nadine turned around.
“It’s fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Don’t start screaming for help again later.”
Nadine furrowed her brow.
“I was not screaming.”
“Mas.”
Nadine fell silent.
“Right?”
Rafka smiled faintly.
Nadine let out a soft snort before putting on her helmet.
“You’re so annoying.”
Rafka only laughed.
That afternoon, Nadine returned to the boarding house earlier than usual.
She took off her shoes by the door, then went into the room. Dita was sitting on her bed, staring at her laptop screen.
“You’re back already?” Dita asked.
“Yeah.”
“Early.”
“My class ended.”
Nadine set down her bag, then sat on the mattress.
“Dit.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you think someone can suddenly become more talkative?”
Dita turned toward her.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing.”
“If it were nothing, you wouldn’t be asking.”
Nadine sighed.
“Rafka.”
Dita immediately closed her laptop.
“What is it this time?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Then?”
Nadine lay down and stared at the ceiling.
“I just feel weird.”
“Why?”
“Back then, whenever we ran into each other, we’d just pass by.”
“And now?”
“Now he’s always talking.”
Dita looked thoughtful.
“About what?”
“Unimportant stuff.”
“Like what?”
Nadine remembered what had happened that morning.
“He said I looked like I’d just woken up.”
Dita laughed.
“And that offended you?”
“No.”
“You looked offended.”
“I just said thank you.”
Dita laughed again.
Nadine grabbed a pillow and threw it at her friend.
“Shut up.”
“Yeah, so? Is that what’s making you feel weird?”
Nadine gave a small nod.
“I don’t know. I just feel like... when did we start being like this?”
Dita studied her for a few moments.
“Isn’t it because you two have been spending a lot of time together?”
“Have we really been spending that much time together?”
Dita raised both eyebrows.
Nadine fell silent.
Come to think of it, maybe that was true.
Over the past few days, they had gone out together more than once. Rafka had gone to the market with her. They had cooked in the kitchen. Even when they had no plans at all, they still somehow managed to run into each other and talk.
None of those little things had felt special while they were happening.
But when she put them all together in her memory, Nadine realized there had actually been quite a lot of them.
“Whatever,” Dita said. “Just enjoy it.”
“Enjoy what?”
“Having a new friend.”
Nadine looked at her.
“A new friend?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s been living here forever.”
“Sure, but you two only just became real friends.”
Nadine didn’t answer right away.
Maybe Dita was right.
Rafka wasn’t new to the boarding house.
He wasn’t a stranger, either.
But only now was Nadine truly getting to know him.
As evening approached, Nadine left her room again to get something to drink.
When she opened the door, another door opened at almost exactly the same time.
Nadine turned.
Rafka.
Again.
“What a coincidence,” Nadine said.
Rafka smiled.
“Why?”
“Nothing.”
Nadine walked toward the kitchen, while Rafka followed a few steps behind her.
“Going to get a drink?” Rafka asked.
“Yeah.”
“Me too.”
“So?”
“Nothing.”
Nadine shook her head slightly.
After getting some water, she headed back toward her room. But before she could go inside, Rafka called out to her.
“Nadine.”
She turned around.
“Hmm?”
Rafka stood in front of his bedroom door.
“Do you have plans tomorrow?”
Nadine furrowed her brow.
“Why?”
Rafka didn’t answer right away.
He simply looked at Nadine for a few seconds before smiling faintly.
“I’ll tell you later.”
Nadine stared at him in confusion.
“What do you mean?”
But Rafka had already gone into his room.
The door closed.
Nadine was still standing where she was.
“Tell me later about what?”