a seat saved for who

The next morning, Mina arrived earlier than usual.

Not because she had an assignment.

Not because she couldn't sleep.

But because a tiny, embarrassing part of her hoped she'd see Ari before classes.

She sighed at herself.

"Get a grip, Mina..."

As she stepped into the classroom, she noticed something unusual.

A backpack rested on the empty seat beside the window.

Ari waved the moment their eyes met.

"Over here!"

Mina blinked.

"You... saved me a seat?"

"Obviously."

"There are dozens of empty seats."

"I wanted this one to stay empty."

"...For me?"

"For my favorite person to sit beside."

Mina nearly dropped the books in her hands.

"W-We're not even that close..."

Ari tilted her head with a playful smile.

"I'd like to be."

Mina's heart skipped so hard she was sure the whole class could hear it.

She quietly sat beside Ari, trying to hide the smile threatening to appear.

During the lecture, the professor handed out a difficult worksheet.

The room filled with frustrated groans.

Mina finished hers in less than fifteen minutes.

She looked over and noticed Ari staring at her paper with the most dramatic expression imaginable.

"...You're stuck?"

"I've been betrayed."

"By who?"

"Math."

Mina let out a tiny laugh.

Ari immediately pointed at her.

"There! You laughed again!"

"Shh! The professor will hear."

"Worth it."

Rolling her eyes, Mina gently pulled Ari's notebook closer.

"Look... this formula goes here."

Ari leaned in, listening carefully.

She wasn't looking at the notebook.

She was looking at Mina.

"So that's how you solve it," Ari whispered.

Mina nodded.

"...Ari?"

"Hm?"

"You're staring."

"I know."

"...Why?"

"You look really pretty when you're explaining something."

Mina's pencil slipped from her fingers.

"A-Ari!"

"What?"

"You can't just say things like that in class!"

"Why not? They're true."

Mina covered her face with both hands.

"You'll be the end of me..."

Ari only chuckled softly before finally focusing on the worksheet.

After class, the campus garden was glowing with afternoon sunlight.

Flowers swayed gently in the breeze.

Ari stretched her arms.

"I'm starving."

"You said that an hour ago."

"I was starving then too."

Mina smiled.

"I packed extra sandwiches today."

Ari gasped dramatically.

"Are you... offering me food?"

"I mean... only if you want..."

"I would happily accept anything made by you."

Mina handed her the lunchbox.

Ari took one bite and her eyes widened.

"Mina."

"...What?"

"This is amazing."

"It's just a sandwich."

"It's a sandwich made by you."

Somehow, that made it sound special.

Mina looked away to hide her blush.

"You really like making everything embarrassing."

"I like making you smile."

"...You're impossible."

"And yet you keep feeding me."

"...Because you'd probably forget to eat otherwise."

Ari paused.

No one had ever noticed something that small about her.

Her playful smile softened into something gentler.

"You take care of me too."

The words were quiet.

Honest.

Mina met her eyes.

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.

They simply smiled.

It was comfortable.

Peaceful.

The kind of silence that didn't need to be filled.

As they packed up to leave, Ari suddenly held out her pinky.

"Pinky promise?"

Mina looked at it curiously.

"For what?"

"No matter how busy life gets..."

"...we'll always save a seat for each other."

A small smile bloomed across Mina's face.

She hooked her pinky around Ari's.

"I promise."

Neither of them realized that the promise wasn't really about a classroom seat.

It was about making room for each other in their hearts—a place they would never have to ask permission to belong.

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