FESTIVAL DAY

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The morning of the spring festival arrived with a kind of excitement that even Kai could feel.

Rosewood Academy had always been beautiful, but that day it looked completely different.

The quiet hallways that usually carried the sound of footsteps and classroom bells were now filled with laughter, music, and the voices of students preparing for the biggest event of the semester.

Colorful decorations hung from the buildings.

Paper flowers decorated the entrance gates.

Student clubs displayed their projects, food booths filled the courtyard with delicious smells, and the entire school seemed to be covered in a layer of happiness.

Kai stood at the entrance of the garden area and looked around.

A few months ago, he would have watched everything from a distance.

He would have stood near a corner, observing other people enjoying themselves.

But today was different.

Today, he had something to be part of.

“Are you checking the flowers again?”

Kai turned.

Eli stood behind him, holding a small box of decorations.

Kai looked back at the roses.

“Maybe.”

Eli smiled.

“That’s the third time this morning.”

“I want everything to be perfect.”

Eli walked closer and looked at the garden display.

The roses were arranged beautifully. A wooden board stood in the center with a message:

Leave your dreams. Watch them grow.

Beside it were small cards where students could write their hopes, wishes, and dreams.

“It is perfect,” Eli said.

Kai looked at him.

“You haven’t even checked everything.”

“I don’t need to.”

“Why?”

Eli smiled.

“Because you made it.”

Kai looked away.

He still did not know how to respond when Eli said things like that.

Eli made simple words feel important.

The festival began at ten o’clock.

Almost immediately, students started visiting the garden.

Some came because they were curious.

Some came because they had heard about the project.

Others came because Eli had explained the idea to them.

Kai watched as students wrote messages and placed them beside the roses.

One student wrote about wanting to become a doctor.

Another wrote about traveling the world.

Someone else simply wrote:

I hope I find a place where I belong.

Kai stared at that message for a long time.

Because he understood it.

“You like that one?”

Eli appeared beside him.

Kai nodded.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Kai looked at the card.

“Because everyone wants the same thing.”

“What?”

“To feel like they belong somewhere.”

Eli looked at him quietly.

Then he smiled.

“I think you already found yours.”

Kai turned.

“What?”

Eli pointed toward the garden.

“Here.”

A pause.

“With me.”

Kai’s heart moved strangely.

Before he could answer, a group of students approached them.

“Are you two the ones who made this?”

Eli smiled.

“Yes.”

“It’s amazing.”

Kai felt uncomfortable receiving praise.

But this time, it was different.

Because Eli was standing beside him.

The afternoon passed quickly.

They answered questions.

They helped students write messages.

They laughed more than Kai expected.

At one point, Eli accidentally got paint on his sleeve while fixing a decoration.

Kai noticed.

“You ruined your uniform.”

Eli looked down.

“Oh.”

“You’re not worried?”

“No.”

“Why?”

Eli shrugged.

“It’s only a uniform.”

Kai smiled.

“You’re strange.”

“You already said that.”

“And I still mean it.”

For a while, everything felt perfect.

Until someone called Eli’s name.

“Eli!”

Both of them turned.

A tall boy walked toward them.

He had a confident smile and carried himself like someone who was comfortable wherever he went.

Eli’s expression changed.

Not badly.

Just with surprise.

“Leo?”

The boy smiled.

“It’s been a while.”

Kai noticed immediately.

The way Eli looked at Leo.

The way his smile became different.

Not the same smile he gave classmates.

Not the same smile he gave strangers.

It was familiar.

“I didn’t know you were coming,” Eli said.

“I wanted to see the project you worked on.”

Leo looked around.

“This is impressive.”

“Thanks.”

Leo’s eyes moved toward Kai.

“And you must be Kai.”

Kai blinked.

“You know me?”

Leo smiled.

“Eli talks about you.”

Kai looked at Eli.

“He does?”

Eli immediately looked embarrassed.

“Leo.”

“What?”

“You don’t need to say everything.”

Leo laughed.

“I’m just being honest.”

Kai tried not to react.

But he felt something uncomfortable.

A strange feeling.

He did not like hearing that Eli talked about someone else.

Especially someone who seemed to know Eli so well.

Later, when Leo left to explore the festival, Kai became quieter.

Eli noticed.

Of course, he noticed.

“You’re quiet.”

Kai looked at him.

“I’m always quiet.”

“Not like this.”

Kai looked away.

“Who is Leo?”

Eli smiled slightly.

“A friend.”

“Just a friend?”

The question escaped before Kai could stop it.

Eli looked surprised.

Then a small smile appeared.

“Are you jealous?”

Kai froze.

“No.”

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

“Kai.”

“What?”

“You’re terrible at lying.”

Kai looked away.

He hated that Eli could read him so easily.

“Leo is just an old friend,” Eli explained.

Kai nodded.

“Okay.”

“But…”

Kai looked back.

“But?”

Eli smiled.

“You’re cute when you’re jealous.”

Kai’s face immediately changed.

“I am not.”

Eli laughed.

“You are.”

“You’re annoying.”

“I know.”

That evening, after the festival ended, the school became quiet again.

The decorations remained, but the voices slowly disappeared.

Kai and Eli stood beside the rose garden.

The flowers moved gently in the evening wind.

“We did well,” Eli said.

Kai nodded.

“Yes.”

“Do you think people will remember this?”

Kai looked at the messages surrounding the roses.

“Yes.”

“How do you know?”

“Because people remember things that make them feel something.”

Eli looked at him.

“You know, Kai…”

“What?”

“I’m glad I met you.”

For once, Kai had no clever response.

No joke.

No excuse.

Just a quiet feeling in his chest.

That night:

[Chatroom]

Eli:Did you enjoy today?

Kai:Yes.

Eli:Even though Leo came?

Kai:…

Eli:Kai?

Kai:Maybe.

Eli:You’re funny when you’re jealous.

Kai:Stop saying that.

Eli:Never.

Kai:Annoying.

Eli:But you’re smiling.

Kai looked at his phone.

And he was.

The festival was over.

The roses remained.

And somewhere between friendship and something more…

a new feeling had started to bloom.

To be continued…

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