The lunch bell rang, and Jemma and Andrew stepped out of the classroom side by side. Sunlight spilled across the corridor tiles, stretching their shadows long and thin.
They had barely walked a few steps when a familiar voice called from behind.
“Finally, class is over!”
Lia rushed up, looping an arm around Jemma’s and leaning against her with a bright grin.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtuobEYytd
“Come on, come on, I’m starving~”
Her voice trailed off as her eyes flicked toward the boy standing beside Jemma. Her smile faltered, dimming ever so slightly.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kl7DmDRI8
“And this is…?” she asked, her tone deceptively casual.
Andrew stepped forward with ease, hand extended politely.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhO1046cti
“Nice to meet you. I’m Andrew, same major as Jemma.”
For just a second, his gaze lingered on Jemma—like there was something he wanted to say but kept to himself.
Jemma quickly filled the silence.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKb3hdRKpYb
“Remember this morning? When I was looking for my charger? I also found a student ID—it turned out to be his.”
“I wanted to thank her with a meal,” Andrew added with a gentle nod.
An awkward silence began to creep in between the two of them. Jemma, sensing it, quickly clapped her hands together.
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“Then let’s all go eat together! None of us have had lunch yet, right?”
Before either could object, she tugged Andrew forward with one hand while still clinging to Lia with the other, shepherding them both toward the cafeteria.
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“Come on, the food here’s amazing!”
At the table, things were light at first. The three of them joked about eccentric teachers and silly classroom mishaps. Andrew occasionally slipped in playful remarks that sent Jemma into fits of laughter. Lia, on the other hand, quietly reached across to place food on Jemma’s plate, asking softly if the dishes suited her taste.
From then on, the three of them often ate together after class or went out to arcades and cafés.
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But over time, Jemma began to notice a strange imbalance.
Whenever she laughed with Lia, Andrew would fall silent, watching her with an unreadable expression—his body angled slightly toward her, his lips curved in the faintest of smiles, as if holding back unspoken words.
And whenever she turned her attention to Andrew, chatting with him, Lia grew quiet. She didn’t interrupt, didn’t tease, just sat there with her drink clutched tightly in hand. A smile still lingered on her face, but it looked fragile, strained. Her gaze would drift away from them—down to the tabletop, or out the window—as though she were forcing herself to endure something without letting it show.
That was when Jemma realized: since their first lunch together, Andrew and Lia had never once looked each other in the eye. Never exchanged a word alone.
The change came unexpectedly, as changes often do.
One warm afternoon, Lia suddenly linked her arm with Jemma’s, leaning close to whisper by her ear.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uQ5IoNCJV
“Let’s go check out the new dessert place today. Their strawberry mille-feuille is limited edition—I already looked it up.”
Her voice was light, like an afterthought, but before Jemma could respond she was already being tugged toward the school gate.
Their footsteps were light and close, laughter chiming like wind-bells in spring. Behind them, Andrew stood alone in the sun, a silent audience no one had invited.
At the café, Lia ordered an entire table of Jemma’s favorites, sliding the plates toward her with a mischievous grin.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOF2Ox0XItK
“This one—you said you wanted to try it last time, right? No holding back today.”
Jemma stared at the way Lia’s eyes sparkled, felt her heart ripple with sweetness. Lia clung to her arm, leaning close, their laughter mingling with the scent of cream and strawberries. It felt like an afternoon spun out of sugar and warmth—just for the two of them.
The very next day, Andrew struck back.
He was already waiting by the school gate when Jemma arrived, two crisp movie tickets in hand. His tone was easy, confident.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoA0Rsci3K
“That film you wanted to see? Premiered today. I got us tickets. Let’s go, we should line up early.”
Without hesitation, he reached for her hand and pulled her along, stride sure and unshaken, as though everything had been decided long ago.
Jemma followed, caught in his momentum—but something made her glance back.
Not far away, Lia stood frozen. Her gaze rested on their linked hands, her lips pressed tight. Words seemed to hover unsaid in her throat, only to dissolve into silence.
And in that silence, Jemma understood—
Neither of them wanted to share their place in her world.
When Jemma was with Lia, everything felt effortless. Lia would cling to her arm, tease her with playful whispers, laugh softly in her ear—yet her eyes always glimmered with something unspoken, a tenderness that hovered just out of reach.
And Andrew—he was steady, kind, never overbearing. His warmth slipped into conversations naturally, his presence like quiet light. He could make her laugh without trying, but he was also the first to notice when her mood soured, offering comfort without a word. His gentleness stirred her heart in ways she couldn’t ignore.
Jemma knew the truth, even if she didn’t want to face it.
She couldn’t give either of them up.
Not the closeness that made her heart race.74Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4ugh5wt0p
And not the warmth that felt like home.
To be continued...
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