---
(Viki is lost in thought, standing alone near the school gates, the early morning still cloaked in mist. His mind replays fragments of the past-memories that hurt more than he can say. Suddenly, a hand touches his shoulder.)
---
Viki (startled, turning around quickly):
"Who-who is it?!"
---
Oliver (standing behind him with a soft smile):
"Hey... it's me, Viki. Why are you so startled? It's just me."
(pauses, eyes narrowing in concern)
"Are you okay?"
---
Viki (forcing a small smile, avoiding eye contact):
"Y-Yeah... I'm fine. Nothing important."
---
Oliver (raising an eyebrow):
"It's too early. Why are you even here at this hour?"
---
Viki (half-chuckling):
"Shouldn't I be asking you that? What are you doing here this early?"
---
Oliver (shrugging casually):
"Ah... well, the principal gave me some work, so I had to come early. But now that I'm here, tell me... really. What happened?"
---
Viki (hesitating, lowering his gaze):
"It's... it's nothing, really. I was just... just..."
---
Oliver (gently interrupting):
"Hey, it's alright. You don't have to say it if you don't want to."
(extends his hand)
"Come on. Let's go."
---
Viki (sighing):
"Go where? Can't you see the gate is locked?"
---
Oliver (grinning and pulling out a key):
"Tadaa~ This key... gifted by our oh-so-generous principal. He gave it to me yesterday."
(winks)
"Let's go, before the day starts judging us."
---
(They walk together. Time passes. Classes go by like usual, yet something feels different. At lunch break, Viki is sitting under a tree, eyes lowered, lost in thought again. Then he hears a familiar voice.)
---
Sara (cheerfully approaching):
"Hey Viki! What are you doing here alone? Did you eat?"
---
Viki (shifting uncomfortably):
"Yeah... I was just about to go back to class."
---
Sara (folding her arms):
"Liar. You didn't bring your lunch box today-I saw it still on the kitchen shelf. You did this because Mom was upset, didn't you?"
---
Viki (bitterly):
"It's not just that... You say she's kind, but that's because she's your mom. You don't know how she treats me when you're not around..."
---
Sara (softly, placing the lunch box in his lap):
"I know she can be hard sometimes... But she's not all bad, Viki. Someday... you'll see that."
(smiles gently)
"Here. Eat this. You need it."
---
Viki (quietly):
"What about you? Did you eat?"
---
Sara (laughs lightly):
"Of course! I never miss lunch."
(someone calls her from a distance)
"Ah-I have to go. See you at home, okay?"
---
(She leaves. Viki stares after her, a small smile forming on his face.)
---
Viki (to himself):
"She's always been like this... since we were kids."
---
(He eats quietly, returns to class. The room buzzes with students. The teacher is lecturing. But Viki senses eyes on him. He glances up-and sees Oliver staring at him intensely from across the room.)
---
Viki (thinking to himself):
"Why... why is he looking at me like that?"
---
(Oliver suddenly changes seats and sits beside him. His expression is unreadable-as if he's just seen something impossible.)
---
Viki (whispering, nervous):
"Hey... why are you looking at me like that? What's going on?"
---
Oliver (startled, blinking):
"Huh? I... uh... I didn't mean to-sorry, I wasn't trying to make you uncomfortable."
---
Viki (awkwardly):
"It's okay. I just didn't expect that..."
---
(Suddenly, the teacher's voice cuts sharply through the room.)
---
Teacher (sternly):
"Hey! You two-focus on the class! No whispering!"
---
*(Both of them go quiet, but the air between them still buzzes with unspoken questions. Viki stares ahead, but part of him stays stuck in that moment, wondering...)
---
👀What did Oliver see in Viki's eyes that left him so stunned?
🤔Is Oliver hiding something? Or does he know more than he lets on?
💫And are these quiet stares... more than just curiosity?
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