CHAPTER 2 — Five Companions & Five Knights

Days began to flow smoothly for the five of them.

Since Ivon joined Class 1A, their small circle felt complete in a way none of them had expected. There was no formal agreement, no dramatic bonding moment—just a quiet, natural rhythm that formed on its own. Dani, Yogi, Ira, Dewi, and Ivon were almost always seen together now. They went to the cafeteria as a group, walked home in the same direction, and laughed at small, meaningless things that only made sense to them.

For Ivon, the ease of it all was still surprising.

She wasn’t someone who blended in quickly. Usually, she stayed on the edges, listening more than speaking. But with them, she didn’t feel the need to pretend or perform. She could simply exist—and somehow, that was enough.

She grew especially close to Dewi. They waited for public transportation at the same stop every afternoon. Their majors were different, but their routes home overlapped. Dewi was always the talker—sharing class gossip, complaining about teachers, or recounting dramatic stories from other grades—while Ivon listened with a shy smile, responding with soft laughter or small nods.

On slower days, they bought ice cream from a street vendor and sat together on a long bench, watching the road while waiting for their rides.

That morning, as usual, Dani arrived early.

He sat at his desk with a book open in front of him, though he had clearly been turning the same page over and over without reading a single word. When Ivon walked into the classroom, Dani looked up immediately.

“Hey, Ivon. I knew you’d come early,” he said casually.

Ivon nodded as she sat down. “I usually do.”

“Oh, right,” Dani tilted his head slightly. “Did you finish yesterday’s chemistry homework?”

“Yes.”

“Let me borrow it,” Dani said, his voice slipping into the familiar, shamelessly pleading tone he always used when homework was involved.

Without hesitation, Ivon took out her notebook and handed it to him. Dani accepted it with a wide grin, like a child who had just been given candy.

Ivon opened her biology book afterward. There was a short quiz scheduled that day, and she quickly focused on reviewing her notes. The classroom was calm in the early morning—chairs scraping softly, pages turning, voices low and scattered.

Then Yogi arrived.

He dragged his chair loudly across the floor, announcing his presence before he even spoke.

“Well, well,” he said dramatically. “The Couple of 2025 arrived early together. So in sync!”

Ivon startled for a moment before laughing. “It’s not being in sync. Someone here is just lazy.”

Dani frowned but continued copying at lightning speed.

“Lazy? That’s slander.”

Yogi patted Dani’s shoulder. “Dan, you’re the national definition of lazy.”

Dani snorted, and Ivon returned to her book, a faint smile still lingering.

When the bell rang, the school day officially began—somehow feeling a little brighter than before, simply because Ivon was sitting there.

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Lunch Break

As soon as the lunch bell rang, the five of them stood up and headed for the cafeteria, as if bound by an unspoken agreement.

Yogi ordered his usual fried tofu. Ira went for crispy chicken. Dewi chose siomay. Ivon followed Dani, picking the same menu without much thought. Somewhere along the way, following Dani had started to feel… safe.

They sat at their regular table in the corner of the cafeteria. The table wasn’t special—its paint was chipped and uneven—but it always felt like the most comfortable place for them.

“I’m telling you,” Yogi muttered while chewing enthusiastically, “the woman who sells siomay here is definitely a future angel.”

Ira shook her head. “Yogi, were you born this dramatic?”

“No,” Yogi replied confidently. “This is a hidden talent.”

They all laughed. Ivon laughed too, realizing how natural it felt now—how she no longer had to hesitate before joining in.

Then, suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.

The cafeteria didn’t fall silent, but the noise dulled noticeably. Several girls instinctively fixed their hair. Others straightened their posture or stopped eating altogether.

Dewi glanced up. “Oh…”

Ira followed her gaze. “The Five Knights are here.”

Five senior students walked in together. They weren’t just handsome—they were athletic, confident, and carried an effortless coolness that pulled attention toward them the moment they entered. They moved casually, as if fully aware that the room would make space for them.

Ivon looked too—only briefly.

But among the five, there was one figure who made her chest feel strangely tight.

Kenneth.

He walked as if nothing around him mattered, yet Ivon felt as though time slowed slightly wherever he passed. Tall, fair-skinned, strikingly handsome, with sharp brows that framed calm, unreadable eyes. He looked perfect—without ever trying to look perfect.

Dani noticed Ivon’s gaze and playfully blocked her view with his book.

“Hey!” Ivon protested, pushing it aside with a shy laugh.

“These girls are making me jealous,” Yogi grumbled while continuing to eat.

“Jealous?” Dewi teased. “Seriously?”

“No!” Yogi denied quickly. “I’m just saying—save some admiration for the handsome men of Class 1A.”

Dani nearly choked on his drink trying not to laugh.

Kenneth briefly turned his head in their direction. It lasted only a few seconds, but Ivon felt his gaze land directly on her before he turned back to his friends and joined the food line.

She looked down immediately, her cheeks warm.

Dewi whispered, “You know… they don’t have girlfriends.”

Ira elbowed her. “Then go offer yourself.”

“Nonsense!” Dewi protested.

“Yes, nonsense,” Yogi added solemnly. “That could reduce the population of Class 1A.”

Laughter returned to their table.

After a moment, Dewi asked casually, “Does anyone know their Instagram?”

Dani looked at her and laughed. “Wow. You’re really curious.”

“I’m not interested! Just curious,” Dewi defended herself.

Yogi suddenly pulled out his notebook. “I only know one. Kenneth. Kenneth Cahyadi. He does karate with me.”

Ira narrowed her eyes. “How do you remember that so clearly?”

“Because he’s every girl’s idol,” Yogi replied proudly. “I need to study him so I can become your idol too.”

Ira and Dewi immediately started writing, treating it like a serious lecture.

Ivon hesitated, then opened her own notebook and wrote something as well—though she wasn’t entirely sure what she was writing. Her hand moved automatically, while her thoughts lingered on the boy who had just passed by.

Dani glanced at Ivon, then smiled softly—without knowing why.

That day ended with laughter, with familiar routines, with warmth that felt effortless.

None of them realized it yet—but Kenneth, one of the Five Knights, had begun to add a new color to the world of the Five Companions.

And Ivon, without knowing it, had taken one step closer to something that would quietly change her life.

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