Beautiful encounter

CHAPTER 6

It's hard to believe that a whole month has passed since classes started. Time feels like it's both speeding by and crawling at the same time. But within that month, something incredible has happened—our circle of friends has grown in ways I never expected. What started as just me and Soren quickly expanded, and now there are six of us. It’s amazing to think that a simple friendship between the two of us has blossomed into this tight-knit group.

First, we met Ate Cath and Katharina, and then came Ate Yang. Even though we're all the same age, I somehow ended up calling them "Ate" for no real reason—it just stuck, and it feels right. Over the past month, we've all gotten to know each other on a deeper level, and our bond has become so strong. It's like we've built a little family within this short time.

Ate Yang is the quiet, innocent, and shy one of the group, but there's something so comforting about her presence. She has this calm energy that balances out the rest of us. On the other hand, Katharina is the complete opposite—outgoing, cheerful, and full of life. No matter how stressful the day is, she has a way of turning it around with her infectious enthusiasm. A day spent with her, even if it's filled with schoolwork or challenges, becomes a day filled with laughter and fun.

Despite having only been friends for a month, it honestly feels like we've known each other for years, maybe even a lifetime. There’s this openness between us, a level of trust that makes it easy to share our thoughts, our worries, and even our deepest secrets. It's rare to find people like this, and I feel incredibly lucky to have met them. These beautiful friendships have brought so much joy and light into my life, and I can’t wait to see how much closer we’ll become as the days go on.

Soren and I are currently sitting on a bench, just the two of us. The others? They’re back in the classroom, minding their own business. Even though we’re close, we each have our own hobbies and interests that sometimes pull us in different directions. Tricia and Ate Cath are usually preoccupied with their boyfriends, Ate Yang is often buried in a book, and Katharina? Well, she's probably having a blast with the boys, like she always does. But here we are—Soren and I—without much to do, just sitting quietly together, enjoying the calm.

Suddenly, Soren breaks the silence by whispering, “Let’s go cute hunting?” He has this mischievous grin on his face, and I can’t help but laugh. It’s such a random suggestion, but it’s one of those spontaneous ideas that makes hanging out with him so fun. “Sure,” I say, playing along. What else are we going to do with all this time?

We both start scanning the area, looking for potential "targets." It’s a silly game we’ve played before, but it never fails to entertain us. “Look, that guy over there—he’s cute, right?” Soren says, pointing to a guy standing in the distance.

I squint, taking a closer look. “Yeah, he’s cute. He looks pretty muscular, but he’s kind of short,” I say, half-joking.

Soren nods in agreement, “Yeah, definitely.”

Then I spot another guy. “How about that one?” I ask, pointing to a man walking nearby. “He looks strong, but also gentle. And let’s be honest—he’s pretty hot.”

Soren chuckles. “He does look hot, but I think he’s straight.”

I laugh, nodding in agreement. This is how we pass our boring moments—picking out random guys, describing them, and debating over who’s cute or not. It’s harmless fun, and it’s one of those little things that makes our friendship special.

Suddenly, Soren nudges me. “Dwyne, look at that,” he says, gesturing toward a guy walking our way.

I glance over and nod, “Yeah, I think he’s cute.” But before I can say anything else, I notice Soren isn’t responding. When I turn to look at him, I see his face frozen in a mixture of surprise and awe, his eyes locked on the guy walking towards us. He’s completely stunned, like he’s just seen something out of a dream.

The guy flashes Soren a smile as he walks past, and I can tell that smile hit Soren hard. There’s a spark in his eyes that I hadn’t seen before. It’s like, in that brief moment, he found something—or someone—he didn’t even know he was looking for.

As the guy continues on his way, I nudge Soren, breaking his trance. “Hey, you okay?” I ask, smirking because I know exactly what just happened.

Soren blinks, finally snapping out of it, but there’s a dazed look on his face. “I think… I think he’s the one,” he murmurs softly, more to himself than to me.

And just like that, the game we were playing turned into something real. I couldn’t help but laugh as I realized that this moment, right here, might just be the beginning of Soren’s love story.