01 - Liana Satisya

My name is Ares Aditya. There’s nothing special about me. I was born into an ordinary family, grew up in an ordinary environment, and lived days that were... well, just ordinary.
I don’t like crowds. I’m not very good at talking. And as much as I can, I avoid things that would make my life more complicated than it needs to be.
“Res, not eating?” asked Geta, my classmate. Though ‘friend’ might be too grand for our relationship. He was too flashy. Blonde hair, bright blue eyes, a smile like a prince from children’s stories. Complete with his status as the school’s basketball star.
While me? Sitting in the corner, almost like a background character, or maybe... I really was?
“Forgot my lunch,” I answered shortly. Seriously, I wasn’t lying.
He smiled, as usual. Too bright for a gloomy morning. “Then eat mine. I brought a lot.”
“No. Today... I’m not in the mood to eat.” My voice was soft, almost a whisper.
Geta finally shrugged, giving up. “Okay then. But don’t fast in silence for too long, alright?”
I nodded faintly, then got up from my seat. Sometimes, Geta was too kind. And that made me feel guilty instead.
I walked toward the cafeteria. No matter what, I still needed to eat, just to refill energy that I wasn’t even sure where it went. The hallway felt empty, only the lazy footsteps of a few students echoed. Sunlight streamed through the long windows, casting slow-moving shadows on the floor. I walked without real direction, following routine more than real intent.
But just a few meters in, a voice called me.
“You.”
I stopped. That voice... I recognized it.
Turning back, I saw Liana standing there. Her face was bright, holding her usual pastel-colored lunchbox. A small smile hung on her lips.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“To the cafeteria,” I answered plainly.
“For what?” she asked again, tilting her head slightly.
I looked at her, confused. “...To eat, of course.”
Liana smiled. Not a wide smile, but one that felt warm. “Then,” she said, walking closer, “come eat with me.”
I... fell silent. That sentence sounded simple. But somehow, my heart felt like it was about to jump out.
And before I could respond with my usual awkward reply—
“Uh, wait—”
Her hand had already grabbed my sleeve. Warm. Soft. And suddenly, I felt like a character in a cheesy novel.
She gently pulled me, giving no room to refuse.
We walked side by side through the now quiet hallway. Our footsteps echoed softly between the sunlit walls. I didn’t know what to say. Honestly, I’d never walked like this with a girl before, especially not one who grabbed first.
Her hand still rested on my sleeve. The grip was light, but enough to make me feel... stupid. I mean, why couldn’t I think straight?
“Besides, eating alone is boring, right?” she suddenly said, breaking the silence.
I nodded quickly. “Yeah. I mean, sometimes... but not always. But yeah, I guess.”
What was that? Even I didn’t understand my answer.
Liana glanced at me, her smile seemed to hold back laughter. But she didn’t mock me. She just... seemed to enjoy my nervousness, I guess.
The cafeteria wasn’t too crowded. Break time was nearly over, and some students were already heading back to class. We grabbed our food, the standard lunchbox, fried tofu, and iced tea in plastic, then sat in the corner near the window.
The afternoon breeze came through a slightly opened glass pane, carrying the sweet scent of frangipani trees outside.
“I still don’t remember everyone’s name in class,” she said while opening her lunch. “But you’re easy to remember.”
I turned. “Easy to remember?”
“Yeah. Because you’re always quiet.”
...That wasn’t a compliment, but somehow, I felt slightly flattered.
“I’m not quiet,” I softly protested. “I just... don’t like talking unless it’s important.”
She nodded casually. “Me too. But sometimes, talking about unimportant things turns out to be the most important.”
I didn’t reply, just stared at my food. But on the other side, I smiled a little.
We ate in silence. But not an awkward one, more like a comfortable silence. Occasionally, we glanced at each other, then chuckled softly, unsure what to say.
At other tables, my classmates were probably laughing loudly, talking about games or assignments or school drama. But here... just me and her. Two strangers sitting at a small table, sharing lunch and a warm silence.
As we neared the end of our meal, Liana pointed at the window. “Look, the sky’s so pretty.”
I followed her gaze. The sky was bright blue, and the sunlight lit the gently swaying tree branches.
“If I could sit in a place like this every day, I think... transferring schools wouldn’t be so bad,” she said softly.
I looked at her. Her face was lit by sunlight bouncing off the window, and for a moment, time stood still—but I didn’t mind.
“Then,” I said, trying to sound casual, “let’s eat together again tomorrow, okay?”
She turned, looking surprised. But only for a moment. Then she nodded lightly.
“Okay,” she answered softly. “But tomorrow I choose the seat.”
I smiled. “Deal.”
That day became the start of a new habit. Without realizing it, lunch together in the cafeteria became something I looked forward to. And just like that, two days passed.
***
Two days later...
“Something’s different about you,” said Geta, his tone sounding annoyed since earlier. He leaned back in his chair, squinting at me like judging a weird painting. A few seconds passed in silence.
I turned slowly, raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
He narrowed his eyes, observing me more seriously than usual. His gaze was awkward, like he was reading something off my face.
“You...” Geta whispered softly, barely audible. “Seem... more alive now.”
“Huh?” I frowned, not quite getting it.
Geta just smiled. He took a deep breath and nodded slightly, like he’d just said something important. “You used to have empty eyes, like there was nothing in them. Of course I was worried. We’re friends, right?”
“You’re the only one who thinks so,” I replied flatly.
“That’s so mean.”
We only became friends in high school, and it was fair for me to conclude we weren’t close enough to be called that.
This annoying mood finally passed, just as I hoped—as someone I somehow always waited for entered the class.
“Good morning... Ares,” Liana greeted while placing her bag on the table.
I, still staring at her without realizing, quickly looked away. “Ah... yeah. Morning.”
From the side, Geta had already put on that annoying face with a grinning smile. “Oooh... so that’s how it is,” he whispered.
I glared sharply, brow furrowed. “If you do anything weird, I won’t forgive you.”
Geta just chuckled shortly, as if he already knew how I’d react. “Hey, relax. You think I’d mess with you... now that you’re in love?”
Class started as usual. The Math teacher entered with a serious face and a pile of worksheets. Some students straightened up. Those chatting earlier pretended to open their books.
“Ugh... her again,” one of the students nearby whispered.
The classroom fell silent, only the sound of paper being passed out remained.
I sighed, trying to focus. But from the corner of my eye, I saw Liana sitting upright, calmly opening her book.
“Alright, let’s begin with the first question. Who can solve this?” asked Miss Rani while writing a formula on the board.
No one answered. Some students bowed their heads, hoping not to be picked.
Liana raised her hand.
“Go ahead, Liana.”
With a calm voice, Liana explained each step. Her answer was correct. Miss Rani nodded in approval.
“Good. Who can answer the second question?”
Liana raised her hand again. And again, her answer was right.
I could only watch her from the side. Her way of speaking was clear, not rushed, and didn’t try to make anyone feel dumb. But maybe because of that, the whole class went silent... everyone started paying attention to her.
“Excellent, you’ve mastered this material well,” Miss Rani praised.
Liana just gave a small smile, then calmly sat back down.
I lowered my head, pretending to write in my notebook, though my mind wasn’t fully on the lesson.
‘She really is different…’ I thought, unsure if I was impressed or just in awe.
Time moved slowly, but finally, the break bell rang. Some students immediately rushed out, others stayed chatting or opened their lunches.
I looked at Liana, and as usual, she had neatly packed her books, putting everything into her bag.
“Shall we go to the garden?” I asked while standing.
Liana nodded lightly. “As always, right?”
We left the class together. The school hallway was quite busy, but I was already used to this route. We walked alongside the building toward the small garden behind the school—a somewhat hidden place rarely passed by other students.
A large tree in the center gave enough shade, and the grass around it always looked green. A breeze rustled the leaves slowly, and the chirping of small birds occasionally echoed from high branches. The smell of damp earth from yesterday’s rain still faintly rose from beneath the wooden bench we sat on.
Once there, we sat on the long wooden bench, just like we did almost every day.
Liana opened her lunch, the contents always looked balanced and neat. While I took out the sandwich I bought from the cafeteria that morning.
“You brought your own lunch again,” I commented while chewing.
She smiled slightly. “Yeah. I like cooking for myself. Besides, it’s more economical.”
I just nodded, unsure how to respond. But a moment like this... felt comfortable. Not much talking, but not awkward either.
“Oh right,” Liana started while cutting some fruit. “You didn’t raise your hand at all earlier. Was today’s Math lesson tough?”
I chuckled softly. “Not tough... my brain just wasn’t awake this morning.”
Liana glanced at me and laughed. “If you were serious, I’m sure you could do it.”
I looked at her. Her gaze was sincere, no mocking tone at all. And somehow, such a simple sentence made my chest feel warm.
“Thanks,” I replied softly. “Maybe tomorrow I’ll raise my hand first, so you don’t keep being the center of attention.”
“If you raise your hand first, I’ll be the one impressed,” she replied with a smile.
We laughed together softly, and for the first time that day... I felt like I was living a perfect day.