CHAPTER 12 - Not Jealous
720 Words
“Can you stop staring at me like that?”
Hana looked up from her laptop.
“Like what?”
“Like you’re planning violence.”
“That depends.”
Danish sighed tiredly.
“What now?”
“You stole my highlighter.”
“I borrowed it.”
“You’ve had it for three days.”
“That’s still borrowing.”
Hana narrowed her eyes while holding the yellow highlighter protectively.
“No wonder engineering students have trust issues.”
Across from them, Mira watched the interaction with deep interest while pretending to study.
“You two behave like an old married couple.”
Both of them immediately looked up.
“No.”
The synchronized answer made Mira almost choke from laughter.
Suspicious.
Very suspicious.
Before Hana could continue defending her dignity, several students suddenly entered the discussion room noisily.
Including Faiz.
“Hana!”
She looked up automatically.
“We’re ordering food. Want anything?”
“Oh, maybe iced tea—”
“I already bought one.”
Hana blinked.
Beside her, Danish calmly pushed an unopened bottled tea across the table without even looking away from his laptop.
The room became silent again.
Mira slowly lowered her pen.
Faiz stared.
Hana stared harder.
“What is this?” she asked suspiciously.
“You said yesterday the cafeteria tea tastes terrible.”
“You remembered that?”
“You complain about it every day.”
“That’s not the point.”
Faiz suddenly laughed awkwardly.
“Okay… I’m sensing engineering tension here.”
“There is no tension,” Hana replied immediately.
“Exactly,” Danish added at the same time.
Faiz looked unconvinced before eventually leaving with the others.
The moment the room became quiet again, Hana slowly turned toward Danish.
“You’re becoming strange lately.”
“You say that often.”
“You keep buying me food.”
“You keep forgetting to eat.”
“That doesn’t make this normal.”
Danish finally looked up from his laptop.
“You’re dramatic.”
“And you’re suspiciously attentive.”
For one second—
neither of them spoke.
Then Mira suddenly stood up dramatically.
“Okay I’m leaving before I accidentally witness emotional development.”
“Mira,” Hana warned immediately.
“What? I support women.”
Then she escaped before either of them could throw something at her.
Coward.
Several minutes passed quietly afterward.
Rain poured softly outside while the discussion room slowly emptied again.
Then unexpectedly—
“Hana.”
“Hm?”
“You’re going futsal tonight?”
She blinked slightly.
“Maybe. Why?”
“Nothing.”
“That sounded suspicious.”
“I just asked.”
Hana narrowed her eyes immediately.
“Are you jealous?”
Danish nearly looked offended.
“No.”
“That answer came out too fast.”
“Because the question is ridiculous.”
Hana grinned proudly.
“Aha.”
“There is no aha.”
“There’s definitely aha.”
Danish returned to his laptop with visible irritation while Hana continued smiling to herself.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Later that night, Hana actually ended up joining the futsal game after being dragged there by Mira and several engineering students.
The sports hall buzzed loudly with laughter and shouting while students crowded around the court.
Hana sat cross-legged near the benches drinking cold water when someone suddenly sat beside her.
Sara.
“You don’t play?” Sara asked warmly.
“I value my physical safety.”
That made Sara laugh softly.
“You’re funny.”
“Oh no. Danish says I talk too much.”
Sara looked toward the court where Danish was currently playing with several other engineering students.
“He talks more around you.”
Hana blinked.
“…No he doesn’t.”
“He does.”
“No seriously. Most of our conversations are arguments.”
“That still counts.”
Hana frowned slightly.
Before she could respond—
a loud cheer suddenly erupted across the hall after Danish scored.
Several students shouted dramatically while Faiz yelled something incomprehensible from across the court.
Then unexpectedly—
Danish glanced toward the benches.
Toward them.
More specifically—
toward Hana and Sara sitting together.
For some reason, his expression immediately changed slightly.
Not angry.
Just…
colder.
Again.
Hana frowned.
What now?
Beside her, Sara quietly smiled to herself.
Interesting.
- Writer
