Kim woke up before his alarm, which was unusual.
Very unusual.
Normally, waking Kim before eight in the morning required three things: an alarm, a phone call from Brian, and a miracle.
But that morning, he opened his eyes at exactly 6:17 a.m.
He reached for his phone.
No message.
He refreshed WhatsApp.
Still nothing.
He checked again.
Nothing.
Kim frowned.
"What am I doing?" he whispered.
From the other bed, Brian opened one eye.
"You're waiting for her."
Kim froze.
"Waiting for who?"
Brian sat up slowly.
"Don't worry. Continue checking your phone. Maybe the president will text you."
Kim threw a pillow at him.
"Shut up."
Brian caught it and laughed.
"Since when do you wake up at six?"
"I wanted to study."
Brian looked around the messy room.
"Study? With your phone in your hand?"
Kim glanced at his phone.
"I was checking the time."
"You've checked the time twelve times."
Kim smiled.
"Maybe my phone has a very interesting clock."
Brian shook his head.
"Love has already started affecting your brain."
"There's no love."
"Okay."
Brian lay back down.
"Tell that to your smile."
Kim tried to look serious, but the smile betrayed him.
He had met Linet only yesterday, yet she had somehow managed to occupy more space in his mind than his entire academic timetable.
At eight, the two friends finally left for class.
The college was already alive.
Students rushed between buildings, some carrying books, others carrying cups of tea. A group near the cafeteria was arguing loudly about football. Somewhere nearby, someone was playing music from a speaker that sounded like it had survived three generations.
As Kim walked toward the lecture hall, Brian suddenly grabbed his shoulder.
"There."
Kim looked.
Linet was standing beneath a tree with two of her friends.
She looked beautiful.
Kim adjusted his shirt.
Brian noticed.
"Why are you fixing your shirt?"
"It was folded."
"You've been wearing that shirt for two hours."
Kim ignored him.
"I'm going to say hi."
Brian smiled.
"Good. Be confident."
Kim took three steps.
Then stopped.
"What if she doesn't want to talk?"
Brian stared at him.
"Yesterday you were giving me relationship advice. Today you're scared to say hello."
"Things are different when it's you."
Brian nodded.
"True. When it's me, I have no shame."
Before Kim could respond, Brian shouted across the compound.
"LINET!"
Kim's eyes widened.
"Brian!"
Linet turned.
Brian waved.
Kim wanted the ground to open and swallow him.
Instead, Linet smiled and walked toward them.
"Good morning," she said.
"Morning," Kim replied.
Brian grinned.
"I'm Brian."
"I know."
Brian looked surprised.
"You know me?"
Linet laughed.
"You're always with Kim."
Brian nodded proudly.
"Exactly. I'm the important one."
Kim shook his head.
"Don't mind him."
Linet laughed.
"Don't worry. I won't."
Brian placed his hand on his chest.
"That's painful."
The three laughed.
When Brian eventually walked away, Linet looked at Kim.
"Your friend is funny."
"Funny? He's a problem."
"I heard that!" Brian shouted from several metres away.
Kim sighed.
"He has very good ears when he wants to hear things."
Linet smiled.
They walked into class together.
During the lecture, Kim tried his best to concentrate.
Unfortunately, Linet was sitting two seats in front of him.
Every time she turned around, they smiled at each other.
After the third time, Brian leaned toward Kim.
"Bro."
"What?"
"Are you studying her or the course?"
Kim whispered, "Both."
Brian nearly laughed out loud.
The lecturer stopped speaking.
"Something funny at the back?"
Everyone became silent.
Brian pointed at Kim.
"Sir, Kim has just remembered something important."
The lecturer frowned.
"What?"
Brian smiled.
"He remembered that he has not understood anything."
The entire class burst into laughter.
Even Linet turned around, laughing.
Kim covered his face.
"You're finished," he whispered.
Brian smiled.
"Worth it."
At lunchtime, Kim and Linet sat together under a tree.
Kim had bought chips and chicken.
Linet looked at his plate.
"You're eating all that?"
"Yes."
"You'll finish?"
"Of course."
Ten minutes later, Kim was struggling.
Linet laughed.
"I thought you said you could finish."
Kim looked at the remaining chicken.
"This chicken is fighting back."
She burst out laughing.
"You're the one who chose it!"
"I didn't know it had a personal problem with me."
Linet handed him some water.
"Drink."
"Thank you."
They continued talking.
Linet asked about his family, his ambitions, and his previous relationships.
When she asked about his ex, Kim became quiet.
"It didn't work out," he said.
"Why?"
"Things changed."
Linet nodded.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. It taught me something."
"What?"
Kim looked at her.
"Never give someone your heart before checking whether they know what to do with it."
Linet smiled softly.
"That sounds like something an old man would say."
Kim laughed.
"I'm wise."
"You're twenty-something."
"Wisdom has no age."
She shook her head.
"You're funny."
Kim smiled.
"And you're beautiful."
Linet looked away.
For once, she didn't have a joke.
That night, Kim returned to the hostel.
He opened his books.
He looked at them.
The books looked back.
He opened his phone.
No message.
He checked the time.
10:43 p.m.
Still nothing.
He sighed and returned to his books.
At exactly 11:56 p.m., his phone vibrated.
Linet: Are you awake?
Kim sat upright so quickly that he nearly fell off his bed.
Brian looked over.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Why are you smiling?"
"I'm not."
Brian walked closer.
"Let me see."
Kim turned the phone away.
"Go sleep."
Brian narrowed his eyes.
"Linet?"
Kim said nothing.
Brian smiled.
"Goodnight, Romeo."
"Goodnight, idiot."
Kim opened the chat.
Kim: Yeah, I'm awake.
Linet: I can't sleep.
Kim: Why?
Linet: I don't know. I just wanted someone to talk to.
Kim smiled.
Kim: I'm here.
They started talking.
First about classes.
Then lecturers.
Then friends.
Then dreams.
Linet told him she wanted to build a successful career and support her family.
Kim told her he wanted to become someone his family could be proud of.
Their conversation became deeper.
Linet: Do you believe in love?
Kim stared at the question.
He thought for a moment.
Kim: I do. I just don't think it's easy.
Linet: Why?
Kim: Because loving someone means giving them the power to hurt you.
Linet didn't reply immediately.
Then:
Linet: Maybe the right person won't use that power against you.
Kim smiled.
Kim: Maybe.
A few seconds later:
Linet: You're different from what I expected.
Kim: What did you expect?
Linet: Honestly? A quiet, serious guy.
Kim: And what did you find?
Linet: A guy who nearly lost a fight with a piece of chicken. 😂
Kim laughed so loudly that Brian woke up.
"What happened?"
Kim shook his head.
"Nothing."
Brian stared at him.
"You're laughing at your phone at midnight."
Kim smiled.
"Go back to sleep."
Brian pulled his blanket over his head.
"You're gone."
Kim continued chatting with Linet.
Eventually, Linet sent:
Linet: Goodnight, Kim. ❤️
He stared at the heart.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard.
Kim: Goodnight, Linet. ❤️
He put the phone down.
Five seconds later, he picked it up again.
He read the message.
Then smiled.
Across the room, Brian's voice came from beneath the blanket.
"Bro."
"What?"
"Stop smiling. I can hear it."
Kim laughed.
"Go to sleep."
Brian chuckled.
"Just remember us when you're famous."
Kim shook his head.
But deep inside, he knew something had changed.
It wasn't just a friendship anymore.
Something was growing between him and Linet.
Something exciting.
Something frightening.
Something neither of them was ready to name.
And as Kim finally closed his eyes, his last thought before falling asleep was simple.
Tomorrow, he wanted to see her again.
And perhaps, without realizing it, that was how love had started.