Zaroon frowned.
“I mean, what are you doing to do with that?”
Zimal tapped her chin thoughtfully.
“Oh…
I think…”
”Think what?” Zaroon asked.
”That…”
”That what?”
Zimal suddenly smiled.
“Okay, bye!”
Before Zaroon could get an answer, she walked away.
Zaroon lowered his head and smiled to himself.
Later, both of them sat in class attending the lecture.
However, Zaroon’s attention wasn’t on the professor.
His thoughts kept drifting toward Zimal.
Maybe she still likes me…
”Hello?
The lecture is over, Mister.”
Zaroon blinked and looked up.
“Huh?
Yes.”
”Let’s go.”
The two walked out of the classroom together.
As they were heading down the hallway, the boy Zimal had saved earlier approached them.
”Thanks again, Zimal.”
”My pleasure.”
The boy smiled.
“I’d like to treat you to a meal sometime, if you’re interested.”
”Thanks, but I don’t think that’s necessary.”
”Please?
For me.”
Before Zimal could answer, Zaroon stepped forward.
”What if she said no?
That means no.”
Zimal glanced at him.
”It’s okay,” she said.
“Next weekend sounds fine.”
The boy brightened instantly.
”Really?
Great!
I’ll contact you.”
Zaroon’s eyes narrowed.
”You have her number?”
”Yeah,” Zimal replied casually.
“I gave it to him in the canteen.”
”Good.”
The word sounded calm, but something in his voice said otherwise.
”Okay, see you next weekend,” Zimal said.
”Sure.
Bye, take care.”
After the boy left, Zaroon looked at her.
”You didn’t need to do that.”
Zimal laughed.
”Let’s just go.”
Just then Afifa appeared.
”Guys, what happened?”
”I don’t know,” Zimal replied.
“This man is going crazy.”
Zaroon gasped dramatically.
”What?
You called me crazy?”
”Because you are.”
The moment she finished speaking, Zimal ran away laughing.
”Hey!
Come back here!”
Zaroon immediately chased after her.
Afifa watched them disappear down the corridor and shook her head.
”These two act like I don’t even exist.”
”Okay, bye!” Zimal said.
”I don’t want to.”
She turned back.
”What?”
”Nothing.”
Zaroon simply smiled.
After dropping her home, he returned to his own house.
That evening, he sat in his room and called Afifa.
”Hello?”
”Can we meet?” Zaroon asked.
Afifa immediately became concerned.
”Is everything okay?”
”Yeah.”
”Okay.
Where?”
”The balcony.”
”I’m coming.”
A few minutes later, Afifa arrived.
”Now tell me what’s going on.”
Zaroon hesitated.
”How is Zimal?”
Afifa raised an eyebrow.
”What do you mean?”
”I mean…
about her family.”
Afifa sighed.
”Her parents got divorced.”
”Really?”
”Yeah.
Her father wanted to marry another woman.”
Zaroon looked surprised.
”What about her mother?”
”She agreed to the divorce.”
”And Zimal?”
”She agreed too.”
”Then she must hate her father.”
Afifa shook her head.
”No.
Zimal loves her father more than anyone.
Maybe even more than her mother.”
”Then why…”
”I don’t know.”
Silence settled between them.
Finally Afifa crossed her arms.
”Okay, enough about Zimal.”
”What?”
”Now tell me about the girl you like.”
Zaroon almost choked.
”What girl?”
”The one you like.”
A slow smile appeared on his face.
”Did Zimal tell you that?”
”Hmm.”
For a moment, he remained quiet.
Then he asked the question that had been haunting him.
”Does Zimal still love me?”
Afifa stared at him.
”Why are you asking that?”
Zaroon didn’t answer.
Afifa sighed.
”Listen.
After what happened, she moved on.
She doesn’t like you anymore.”
”Oh.”
He forced a smile.
”That’s good.”
But inside, it felt as if something had exploded in his chest.
His heart sank.
”Okay.
Bye.”
After ending the chat, Zaroon leaned back in his home.
Maybe if I tell her the truth…
maybe after I confess and she knows how I feel…
she might fall for me again.
The next weekend arrived.
”Okay, Mom.
I’m leaving.”
Her mother smiled.
”Take care, dear.”
Zimal stepped outside.
The moment she reached the gate, she froze.
Across the street stood Zaroon.
Waiting for her.
His hands were tucked into his pockets, and his eyes were fixed on her.
A strange feeling settled in Zimal’s chest.
”What are you doing here?” Zimal asked, stopping in her tracks.
Zaroon leaned casually against his car and smiled as if he had been expecting that question.
”I came to stop you from going on that date.”
Zimal crossed her arms and frowned.
”And why exactly would you do that?”
”Because I want to talk to you.”
”Not now,” she said impatiently.
“I have somewhere to be.”
Zaroon straightened and looked at her suspiciously.
”Let me guess.
You’re going to meet that boy?”
”Yes.”
His expression darkened slightly.
”Okay.
Then tell me his name.”
Zimal opened her mouth, then paused.
”I…
don’t know.”
For a moment, Zaroon simply stared at her.
”You don’t know his name?”
”No.”
”And you’re still going to meet him?”
”Yes.”
Zaroon let out a disbelieving laugh.
”That’s unbelievable.”
Zimal rolled her eyes.
”What’s unbelievable about it?”
”You’re meeting a complete stranger, Zimal.”
”So?”
”So?” Zaroon repeated.
“Do you even hear yourself?”
She shrugged carelessly.
”It’s none of your business.”
”It becomes my business when you’re making questionable decisions.”
Zimal narrowed her eyes.
”Since when did you become my guardian?”
”I’m not your guardian.”
”Then stop acting like one.”
Zaroon shook his head.
”I seriously don’t understand you.”
”Good.
Then don’t try.”
For a few seconds, silence settled between them.
Then Zaroon suddenly asked,
”What’s my name?”
Zimal blinked.
”What kind of question is that?”
”Just answer it.”
”Zaroon.”
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
”See?
You know my name.”
”Obviously.”
”You know where I live.”
”Unfortunately.”
”You know my phone number.”
”Sadly.”
”You know my family.”
”Regrettably.”
”Then why don’t you spend time with me instead of meeting some random guy whose name you don’t even know?”
Zimal stared at him before bursting into laughter.
”That is the dumbest argument I’ve ever heard.”
”It makes perfect sense.”
”It really doesn’t.”
”It does.”
”It doesn’t.”
”It does.”
”You’re impossible.”
”And yet you’re still standing here talking to me.”
Zimal groaned dramatically.
”Idiot.”
Zaroon placed a hand over his chest.
”That hurt my feelings.”
”You have feelings?”
”Wow.
That was rude.”
A reluctant smile appeared on Zimal’s lips, but she quickly hid it.
”I’m already late.”
”So don’t go.”
”I am going.”
”Don’t.”
”I am.”
”Don’t.”
”Bye, Zaroon.”
Before he could stop her again, she turned and walked away.
Zaroon watched her disappear into the crowd.
The smile on his face slowly faded.
”I hope you know what you’re doing,” he muttered.
Twenty minutes later, Zimal arrived at the meeting place.
She looked around.
Nothing.
No sign of the mysterious boy.
She checked her phone.
No messages.
No calls.
No explanation.
Ten minutes passed.
Then fifteen.
Then twenty.
The boy never showed up.
Zimal sighed heavily.
”Maybe something happened.”
Although she sounded calm, disappointment flickered across her face.
She had wasted her time for nothing.
Finally, she turned around and headed home.
An hour and a half later, she arrived outside her house.
As soon as she looked up, she froze.
Zaroon was still there.
Leaning against the same car.
Standing in almost the exact same position.
As if he had never left.
Her eyes widened.
”You are still here?”
Zaroon looked at his watch.
”Oh.
You’re back early.”
”Early?” Zimal repeated.
“It’s been over an hour.”
”Really?
Didn’t notice.”
She stared at him.
”You waited here the entire time?”
”Maybe.”
”Why?”
”Maybe I was bored.”
”You’re lying.”
”Maybe.”
Zimal shook her head in disbelief.
”I seriously don’t understand you.”
”Join the club.”
She sighed.
”I asked you what you’re doing here.”
Zaroon studied her face carefully.
The disappointment in her eyes hadn’t completely disappeared.
His teasing expression softened.
Zimal immediately looked away.
”Get lost.”
”What?”
”I said, get lost.”
For the first time, Zaroon noticed the irritation in her voice.
The boy hadn’t shown up.
That much was obvious.
Still, he decided not to mention it.
”Okay,” he said quietly.
He pushed himself away from the car.
”I’m going.”
”Good.”
”But…”
Zimal looked at him suspiciously.
”But what?”
A grin slowly spread across his face.
”We can meet again tonight.”
Zimal picked up a small stone from the ground.
”Leave before I throw this at you.”
Zaroon laughed.
”Goodnight, Zimal.”
”Get lost.”
”See you tonight.”
”Zaroon!”
Still laughing, he got into his car and drove away.
Zimal watched the car disappear down the street before finally entering her house.
Yet despite how annoyed she acted, a small smile appeared on her lips.
And for some reason, that irritated her even more.
Zimal returned to her room and dropped her bag on the chair.
The meeting had been a complete waste of time.
The boy never showed up.
She sat at her desk and tried to focus on her college work.
For the next few hours, she buried herself in assignments, notes, and unfinished projects.
Every now and then, however, her thoughts drifted back to the mysterious boy.
As evening approached, she finally put her pen down and stretched.
Her gaze fell on her phone.
”Maybe I should call him,” she murmured.
She picked up her phone and searched for the number.
When she tried to call, an automated voice informed her that the phone was switched off.
Zimal frowned.
”His phone is off?”
She tried again.
The same result.
A strange feeling settled in her chest.
”Is everything okay with that boy?” she wondered aloud.
“I don’t even know his name.”
The thought sounded ridiculous the moment she said it.
A small laugh escaped her lips.
”Meeting strangers is definitely not one of my smartest decisions.”
Shaking her head, she placed the phone beside her and lay down on her bed.
Her thoughts slowly wandered elsewhere.
Unfortunately, they wandered toward a certain annoying person.
”That idiot…” she muttered.
Yet instead of sounding angry, she found herself smiling.
Realizing it, she immediately covered her face with a pillow.
”Why am I smiling?”
The night was quiet.
A cool breeze slipped through the slightly open curtains.
Zimal had almost fallen asleep when she suddenly heard someone calling her name.
”Zimaaaal!”
Her eyes flew open.
She sat upright.
For a moment, she thought she was dreaming.
Then the voice came again.
”Zimal!”
She quickly got out of bed and walked toward the window.
The moment she opened it, her eyes widened.
”What the—”
There was Zaroon.
Hanging outside her window.
Holding onto a rope.
And looking entirely too comfortable for someone suspended several feet above the ground.
”Are you stupid?” she whispered loudly.
Zaroon grinned.
”Maybe.”
”Maybe?” Zimal repeated in disbelief.
“Normal people use doors!”
”Doors are boring.”
”You are insane.”
”I’ve heard that before.”
Zimal looked around nervously.
”If someone sees you, they’ll think you’re a thief.”
”A very handsome thief.”
She groaned.
”What are you doing here?”
Zaroon pointed toward the pocket of his jacket.
”Pick that.”
”What?”
”The thing in my pocket.”
Zimal narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
”No.”
”Why not?”
”Because I don’t trust you.”
”You wound me.”
”Good.”
Zaroon sighed dramatically.
”Just take it.”
Rolling her eyes, Zimal carefully reached into his jacket pocket.
Her fingers touched a small box.
She pulled it out.
The box was wrapped neatly with a ribbon.
Before she could ask anything, Zaroon smiled.
”Okay, bye.”
”What?”
”Bye.”
”Wait—”
But Zaroon had already started climbing down.
”Zaroon!”
He waved without looking back.
”Goodnight, birthday girl!”
Then he disappeared into the darkness.
Zimal stood frozen by the window.
”Birthday girl?”
Confused, she looked down at the small box in her hands.
Slowly, she returned to her bed and opened it.
Inside was a beautiful silver necklace.
Beneath it was a folded letter.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Carefully, she unfolded the paper.
A familiar handwriting greeted her.
Happy Birthday, Zimal.
I wish you a very happy birthday.
I wish that every moment of your life is filled with happiness.
And if possible, I wish I could be by your side for every one of those moments.
For a second, the room became completely silent.
Zimal stared at the words.
Then realization suddenly struck her.
Her eyes widened.
She looked at the calendar hanging on the wall.
”Oh my God…”
A smile slowly spread across her face.
”So today is my birthday.”
She had been so busy with college, assignments, and everyday life that she had completely forgotten.
Yet somehow…
Zaroon hadn’t.
Looking down at the necklace and the letter, she couldn’t stop smiling.
”That idiot…”
Her voice was soft this time.
Almost affectionate.
For the first time that day, the disappointment from the failed meeting completely disappeared.
As she held the letter close to her chest, a warm feeling settled in her heart.
And although she would never admit it out loud, Zaroon’s surprise had made this birthday unforgettable.