2 - First Glance

Twelve Years Ago…

For Hastan, high school was never a place to seek attention. He preferred to linger at the basketball court or sit quietly at the back of the class, scribbling lyrics in a notebook he rarely showed anyone. At eighteen, in his second year, life was steady and uneventful—until that day, when the name of a new student echoed through the school auditorium.

Ravensworth High School was holding its weekly assembly. The principal’s voice rang out clearly:

•“Meira Adistya Pramudita. First Place in the National Mathematics Olympiad and Provincial English Speech Contest.”•

Light footsteps crossed the stage. From the senior students’ row, a girl stepped forward, her uniform immaculate—knee-length skirt, crisp white blouse neatly folded at the wrists, a maroon tie tucked perfectly beneath her blazer. Her long, black hair cascaded down her back, the tips slightly wavy.

The hall lights caught the details of her face—eyes calm yet piercing, holding a depth not everyone could understand. Her skin was naturally pale, not from illness but the kind that seemed to reflect light. Her faint smile was modest, yet enough to make a few boys beside Hastan nudge one another.

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” one of his friends whispered.

Hastan didn’t answer. He simply watched. Not because of her beauty—but because her presence was different. There was distance in her aura, a sense that she didn’t belong to the usual rhythm of high school. As if… she was too intelligent to be swept along by ordinary currents.

Later, he would learn she was actually three years younger. Just sixteen. But her superior IQ, combined with accelerated programs since elementary school, had placed her in the final year of high school. Freshly transferred from an all-girls boarding school, she had already brought home two major trophies in just a few months.

Hastan remembered it clearly—at that moment, for the first time, he wanted to know more about someone. Not just a name, but what made this girl so composed, so captivating… as if time slowed around her whenever she passed by.

---

Ravensworth High School often made local headlines. Its three-story building was surrounded by gardens where flamboyant trees bloomed fiery red in the dry season. The cafeteria’s long windows opened toward the sports field, filling the air with chatter and laughter.

Meira had only been here two months, yet her name was already familiar from the loudspeakers—always announced alongside victories in competitions. Having just left her sheltered all-girls boarding school, she was still adjusting to the buzz of a co-ed environment.

That day, the bell rang for lunch. The cafeteria swelled with noise, the smell of fried chicken and creamy soup thick in the air. Meira walked slowly with a tray—rice, chicken, soup—and chose a quiet seat by the window. She had barely sat down when she realized—

Oh no… she had forgotten her spoon and fork.

Her eyes darted left and right, searching for a classmate to ask for help. But everyone was busy chatting and eating. With a quiet sigh, she braced herself to stand and get them herself.

Just then, someone passed her table.

Hastan.

His black hair was slightly messy, a glass of orange juice in his left hand, his stride relaxed. But his eyes caught the hesitation in hers—the way she sat with her hands folded on her lap, food untouched.

He stopped.

“You forgot your spoon and fork, didn’t you, Senior?” he asked, his tone light yet certain.

Meira blinked, startled at being called Senior by a student who looked older than her. She hesitated, then smiled faintly.

“Yes… I forgot to take them.”

Without another word, Hastan turned, walked to the counter, and returned with a clean set wrapped in tissue. He placed it gently beside her tray.

“Here. Eat before it gets cold,” he said simply.

Meira accepted it with both hands, bowing her head slightly.

“Thank you…” she whispered, her lips curving into a small, genuine smile. A faint blush warmed her cheeks.

Hastan only gave a curt nod before walking away. He didn’t look back. Yet as he left the cafeteria, one thought brushed his mind—

That smile… made the whole room feel warmer.

Meira’s eyes lingered on his retreating back. Without realizing it, she gripped the spoon a little tighter before taking her first bite.