CHAPTER 4 - “Who’s That Boy?”
537 Words
Hana nearly stopped breathing.
Across from her, Danish was still holding half her books while her mother’s voice echoed loudly through the phone speaker.
“Who’s that boy?”
Ya Allah.
Hana immediately grabbed her phone properly.
“No one, Mak.”
Danish raised one eyebrow slightly.
Rude.
“Don’t simply say no one,” her mother continued suspiciously. “I heard a male voice.”
“He’s my lab partner only.”
Only.
The word slipped out naturally.
For some reason, Danish’s expression changed slightly after hearing it.
Very slightly.
Almost impossible to notice.
Almost.
“Oh,” her mother replied. “Okay then. Don’t forget to eat.”
“I know.”
“And don’t sleep too late.”
“Yes, Mak.”
After ending the call, silence settled awkwardly between them for a few seconds.
Then—
“Lab partner only?”
Hana looked up immediately.
“What?”
“You emphasized only.”
“You were listening?”
“You put your phone on speaker.”
Fair point.
Hana sighed before reaching for her books.
“I can carry them myself.”
Danish moved them slightly farther away.
“No.”
“Why are you acting like I’m weak?”
“You almost dropped three books and your calculator earlier.”
“That calculator already survived foundation year. It’s stronger than both of us.”
A soft laugh escaped him unexpectedly.
Hana froze briefly.
There it is again.
That dangerous smile.
Ya Allah.
The problem with Danish smiling was that he suddenly looked much younger. Less intimidating. Less like engineering faculty’s emotionally unavailable top student.
Which was honestly more dangerous.
They walked toward the hostel area together quietly afterward.
Campus became calmer after Isyak prayer, with only a few students still moving between buildings carrying laptops and files.
The night breeze felt cool.
Comfortable.
Surprisingly… peaceful.
“You really changed courses because of campus location?” Danish asked suddenly.
Hana looked ahead while adjusting her bag strap.
“Partly.”
“What’s the other reason?”
She stayed quiet for a moment.
Then shrugged lightly.
“I got tired.”
Danish glanced toward her.
“Tired of what?”
“Trying too hard.”
The answer came out softer than expected.
Hana immediately regretted it.
She was not the type to talk about personal things easily.
Especially not with someone she spent most of her time arguing with.
But strangely—
Danish didn’t joke about it.
Didn’t push further either.
He simply nodded slowly like he understood something she didn’t explain fully.
When they reached the female hostel building, Hana finally reached for her books again.
This time he let go.
“Thank you,” she muttered.
“You should organize your files properly.”
Hana narrowed her eyes immediately.
“And there’s the annoying part again.”
“You’re welcome.”
She almost laughed.
Almost.
Before entering the hostel building, Hana turned around once more.
Danish was already walking away toward the male hostel with one hand inside his pocket.
Calm.
Quiet.
Tall.
For some reason…
he looked lonely from behind.
Hana frowned slightly at the strange thought.
Then quickly shook it away.
Impossible.
That man probably enjoyed suffering voluntarily.
- Writer
