It was supposed to be just another one of their usual hangouts. Mizi and Ivan, arms already burdened with shopping bags, strolled through the mall like they owned the place. Their laughter echoed through the crowded corridors as they teased each other over their latest finds.
“I’m just saying,” Ivan said with an exaggerated sigh, “you have the absolute worst taste in shoes.”
Mizi gasped, clutching the bag with her new sneakers. “Excuse you, these are iconic.”
“They look like a rainbow threw up on them.”
“Exactly! Fashion.”
They dissolved into giggles, and it wasn’t until they passed a cozy little cafe near the end of the corridor that the laughter died on Mizi’s lips. Through the large window, she spotted two familiar figures sitting across from each other.
Sua and Till.
Mizi’s heart did a weird little flip. She stopped in her tracks, pulling Ivan’s sleeve. “Is that…?”
Ivan squinted through the glass, his face slowly morphing from curiosity to shock. “Oh, no way.”
Inside the café, Sua leaned forward, her usually unreadable face softened by the faintest of smiles. Till’s cheeks were tinted pink, his eyes wide and attentive as he listened to her. They looked… close. Comfortable.
Mizi felt her chest tighten. “I… I didn’t know they were–”
“Me neither,” Ivan said, his voice quieter now.
They watched as Sua reached across the table, her fingers brushing against Till’s hand. Till’s face turned even redder, and Mizi felt like she couldn’t breathe.
“I need some air,” she mumbled, turning away.
Ivan followed without a word, his usual teasing gone. Neither of them noticed the worried glance Till cast toward the window, or the brief flicker of guilt on Sua’s face.
—
The days after that were… strange. Mizi found herself making excuses not to hang out when she knew Sua would be there. It wasn’t that she wanted to avoid her, but the ache in her chest made it hard to smile like nothing was wrong.
Ivan wasn’t much better. His usual energy seemed dimmed, and he stopped teasing Till as much. When they were all together, the atmosphere felt heavier and Mizi couldn’t bring herself to ask why.
What she didn’t know was that Till was hurting too.
And what neither of them knew was that Sua and Till’s meeting hadn’t been a date at all.
Little did they know, behind closed doors, Sua and Till we're having very different conversations.
“I just don’t think Ivan’s good for her,” Sua said, her tone calm but firm. “He’s… reckless. And she’s too soft-hearted. She gets dragged into his messes.”
Till fidgeted with the edge of his sleeve. “But they’ve been friends forever…”
“That doesn’t mean he’s good for her,” Sua said quietly.
They didn’t realize their conversation was going to cost them so much more than they expected. The next day at school felt different. Mizi walked through the hallways with her usual bounce noticeably missing, her smile a little more forced than usual. Ivan trailed beside her, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. They passed by groups of students chatting animatedly, but neither of them joined in. The usual spark between them had dulled.
As they approached their lockers, Mizi’s eyes flickered down the hallway and there was Sua. Standing by her own locker, calm and composed as always, flipping through a book. For a second, Mizi’s heart jumped, but then she remembered the cafe… the smile… the hand-holding.
She quickly looked away.
“Are you going to talk to her?” Ivan asked quietly.
Mizi shook her head. “I… I don’t think I can right now.”
Before Ivan could respond, Till appeared from around the corner. His eyes lit up when he saw them, but when Mizi didn’t meet his gaze and Ivan barely nodded in his direction, his face fell.
“Hey,” Till said softly, his voice hopeful. “You guys okay?”
“Yeah,” Mizi replied quickly, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Just… tired.”
“Right,” Till said, his shoulders slumping. He glanced toward Ivan, but Ivan was busy fiddling with his locker combination.
Before the silence could get any more awkward, Sua approached. Mizi’s breath caught when their eyes met, and for a second, it felt like everything else around them faded.
“Mizi,” Sua started, her voice soft.
But Mizi couldn’t do it, she couldn’t pretend everything was fine when her heart still ached. “I– I gotta get to class,” she mumbled, brushing past them without waiting for a response.
Ivan followed right behind her.
Behind them, Sua and Till exchanged worried glances.
“What did we do wrong?” Till asked quietly.
“I don’t know,” Sua murmured, watching Mizi’s retreating figure. But the tiny flicker of hurt in her eyes betrayed the calm mask she usually wore.
The dorm was quiet when Mizi got back that evening.. too quiet. It used to be comforting, the easy silence she shared with Sua. But now it felt heavy, suffocating. She could feel Sua’s presence even without looking, sitting at her desk like always, the soft rustle of pages turning as she read.
Mizi wanted to speak, to crack a joke or ask how her day had been. But the words stuck in her throat, the memory of the cafe flashing through her mind. The way Sua had smiled soft, the kind of smile Mizi had always wish was reserved..
“I’m going to shower,” Mizi mumbled instead, grabbing her things without waiting for a response.
She missed the way Sua’s eyes flicked up, watching her go with the smallest frown.
Mizi woke up in the middle of the night, the room bathed in shadows. She rolled over, eyes drawn to the faint glow of Sua’s desk lamp. Sua was still up, flipping through the pages of a notebook, her face calm and focused.
It hurt. How easily she could act like nothing was wrong.
Before she could stop herself, Mizi spoke. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Sua stilled, the page frozen between her fingers. “Tell you what?”
“About you and Till.”
The words hung heavy in the air. Sua’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes.. surprise? Confusion? It was gone too quickly for Mizi to catch.
“There’s nothing to tell,” Sua said evenly.
Mizi laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Right. Sure.” She turned over, pulling the blanket up over her head. “Forget I said anything.”
Sua didn’t respond. But long after Mizi had closed her eyes, she kept watching her, the frown on her face deepening.
The days passed slowly. Mizi kept her distance, making excuses whenever Sua suggested they hang out. She spent more time with other friends, throwing herself into her usual cheerful act, but it felt hollow. Every time she laughed, she could feel Sua’s eyes on her quiet, steady, and impossible to ignore.
It was during lunch when things finally started to crack. Mizi was sitting with a group of friends, unusual because she usually sits with Ivan, Till, and Sua together, then she spotted Sua across the cafeteria. Their eyes met for a split second before Mizi looked away, pretending to be absorbed in conversation.
But the damage was already done. Sua stood up without a word and walked out.
Sua couldn’t get it out of her head. The words played over and over, and the distance Mizi kept putting between them was unbearable. By the next day, the quiet frustration simmering under Sua’s calm exterior finally snapped.
She found Mizi in a quiet corner of the school, away from the bustling crowds. Without a word, Sua grabbed Mizi’s wrist and backed her up against the wall, her eyes sharp and searching.
“What did you mean last night?” Sua’s voice was low but urgent, her usual composure cracking.
Mizi’s heart pounded, caught between the closeness and the intensity in Sua’s gaze. “I… it’s nothing,” she tried, but her voice wavered.
“It’s not nothing.” Sua’s grip softened, but she didn’t step back. “Why are you avoiding me? What did I do?”
Mizi looked away, but Sua tilted her chin back up, forcing their eyes to meet. “Mizi,” Sua whispered, and there was something vulnerable in her voice that made Mizi’s breath catch.
“You didn’t tell me,” Mizi said finally, her voice cracking. “About you and Till. I saw you two at the cafe.”
For a moment, Sua just stared. Then her eyes widened, and to Mizi’s shock, she actually laughed soft and disbelieving.
“Oh, Mizi… you’ve got it all wrong.”
For a moment, Sua just stared. Then her eyes widened, and to Mizi’s shock, she actually laughed, soft and disbelieving.
“Oh, Mizi… you’ve got it all wrong.”
Mizi’s brows furrowed, her heart still pounding. “What do you mean I got it wrong? I saw you… the way you smiled at him, the way you held his hand–”
“I wasn’t–” Sua cut herself off, exhaling slowly, clearly trying to gather her thoughts. “It wasn’t like that.”
“Then what was it?” Mizi demanded, her voice rising. “Because it sure looked like a date from where I was standing!”
Sua’s eyes softened, and for the first time since this whole mess started, she looked… uncertain. “We were talking about you,” she admitted quietly.
Mizi blinked. “What?”
“About you and Ivan,” Sua said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I… I was worried.”
“Worried?” Mizi echoed, her confusion only deepening. “Why would you–”
“Because I see the way he pulls you into things,” Sua interrupted, her eyes flashing. “You’re too kind, Mizi. Too quick to forgive. And sometimes… sometimes I think he takes advantage of that.”
Mizi stared at her, speechless.
“I didn’t want to push you away,” Sua went on, her voice quieter now. “But I… I didn’t know how to say it without sounding jealous.”
“Jealous?” Mizi’s heart skipped a beat.
Sua’s eyes met hers, and for once, there was no mask, no calm detachment, just raw, unguarded emotion. “Yes,” she whispered.
The air between them felt heavy, charged. Mizi’s mind spun, trying to make sense of everything, but all she could focus on was the way Sua was looking at her.
“Why didn’t you just tell me?” Mizi asked softly.
“I was scared,” Sua admitted. “Scared that if I said the wrong thing, you’d pull away. And then… you did anyway.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Mizi whispered. “I just– I thought you liked him.”
“I don’t,” Sua said firmly. “I… I like you.”
The words hung in the air, and for a moment, neither of them moved. Then Mizi’s breath hitched, and without thinking, she surged forward, wrapping her arms around Sua.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured into Sua’s shoulder. “I should’ve just talked to you.”
Sua’s arms came up slowly, holding her just as tightly. “We’re talking now.”
And finally they both leaned in and kissed