After that chaotic-but-somehow-successful study session, I went home with my head full of mixed things:
chemistry formulas, the sound of Anto's friends laughing, and… a small, annoying thought about Adrian.
But somewhere else…
Anto's gang was busy celebrating something that even Anto himself didn't understand.
🏠 Anto's House — An Impromptu "Love" Meeting
Anto was sprawled on his bed, scrolling on his phone.
His face looked a little gloomy.
Just a little.
Like someone who lost a fight over fried chicken.
Suddenly, Tey burst in without knocking.
"ANTO!! YOU WERE AMAZING TODAY!!"
Anto jumped in shock.
"WHY ARE YOU COMING IN WITHOUT KNOCKING?! This isn't a Korean drama!"
Tey didn't care.
He, Kane, Tian, and Juke immediately sat around Anto like they were about to summon a spirit.
Kane flipped through his notebook.
"Major progress! The Jealousy Moment has occurred!!"
Anto stared at them blankly.
"Huh? Who was jealous?"
Tey leaned in close.
"YOU, IDIOT."
Anto gaped.
"ME?? Jealous?? WHEN?? OF WHO??"
Tian reenacted Anto's behavior in class earlier.
He sat between two stuffed toys, pushing them apart with a pout.
Juke joined in:
"I'M OOOOKAYYY!!"
while hugging a book upside down.
They all burst out laughing.
Anto covered his face.
"Oh my god… I swear that was NOT jealousy! It was just… cramped! The desk was small! I just… I just… yeah!"
Tey patted Anto's shoulder triumphantly.
"That.
That right there.
Early symptoms."
"SYMPTOMS OF WHAT?!" Anto panicked.
"SYMPTOMS OF ACTUALLY LIKING SOMEONE."
Anto froze.
Then immediately freaked out.
"Huh?! NO! I don't like her! Are you crazy?! I just… I mean… she's Rina, you know… I just… anyway, I don't like her!"
Kane leaned against the wall with a crooked smile.
"The louder someone denies it, the deeper they're in."
Tian raised his hand.
"AGREEEEE!"
Tey wrote in big letters in his notebook:
"Anto has started showing emotional reactions toward Rina.
Love Mission: 10% progress."
Anto panicked.
"What is this Love Mission?! This isn't an RPG game!"
They all ignored him.
🎉 The Gang Treats It Like an Achievement
Kane spoke while raising a finger.
"Alright everyone, let's review today's facts:
1️⃣ Anto got restless when Adrian got close to Rina.
2️⃣ Anto sat in the middle like a human shield.
3️⃣ Anto held his book upside down while yelling that he was good at chemistry.
4️⃣ Anto said, 'If you study with me, you HAVE to understand!'
5️⃣ Anto sulked a little when Rina focused on Adrian.
Conclusion?"
They all shouted together:
"ANTO IS JEALOUS!!"
Anto buried his face into the pillow.
"NOOO!! It was just… the atmosphere! It was crowded! I was nervous! I just… I…"
Tey gently patted Anto's head, like an adult patting a kindergarten kid.
"Relax, To.
Jealousy is a GOOD thing."
Anto immediately sat up.
"GOOD in what way??!"
Juke explained while munching on chips.
"Good for content."
Anto wanted to throw Juke out the window.
Kane added,
"Jealousy makes the relationship more believable. Especially in front of the class."
Tian chimed in,
"And it confuses Rina. That's funny!"
Anto looked at them one by one.
"So all of you think what I did today was GOOD?!"
They nodded in perfect sync like robots.
Anto flopped back onto the bed.
"I seriously don't get it.
Why do you guys think chaos is good content?"
Tey said wisely (in his own version):
"To… love is chaos."
"This isn't love!" Anto protested.
Tey raised an eyebrow.
"If it's not love… then why did you look like you were about to explode when Adrian came over to Rina?"
Anto went silent.
His mouth opened…
But no sound came out.
Juke nudged Tian.
"Uh… error."
Tian nodded.
"Needs a restart."
Anto covered his face with a pillow.
"I WANT TO GO HOME…"
"TO, YOU'RE ALREADY AT YOUR HOUSE."
"I WANT TO GO HOME FROM LIIIIIIFEEE!!"
The gang burst out laughing.
And in the middle of all that chaos…
Anto realized one tiny, very tiny thing:
When Adrian sat close to Rina…
his chest really did feel strange.
But of course,
he would never admit it.