Bab 5 The New Boy

School days dragged on, slow and boring. For Ratna, life only revolved around tests and homework. Everything felt flat, until that day—the day the school suddenly erupted in chaos.

In the corridor, a tall, handsome boy was seen walking with an elegant middle-aged woman. All the girls were whispering, some even stifling nervous giggles.

The boy walked casually. Suddenly, his eyes landed on a girl who, in his opinion, looked strange. Her build was tall, pale, with thick, large glasses in a mix of black and brown. Her top was too loose, her skirt long below the knee, her socks reaching above her knees, and her shoes black, large, and old-fashioned.

​"Weird," the new boy hissed, staring intently at the girl, who was none other than... Ratna, Ratna Ardiansah.

The innocent bookworm who was always the subject of gossip at school.

Ratna was startled. Standing before her was a young man who was very tall, pale, handsome, and stared straight into her eyes. Both were genuinely shocked and captivated, until the older woman pulled the young man's arm.

​"Hurry up," whispered the older woman, with elegant short hair and a face that suggested wealth. Although old, her face still has a radiated charm.

The young man gave an awkward smile before walking away. Ratna felt embarrassed, realizing she was mesmerized by the young man's handsomeness and unconsciously smiled back. For Ratna, the young man's smile was so sweet, making her feel an outpouring of emotion from her heart. Somehow, his smile felt warm and gentle, a truly captivating smile.

It didn't take long before the new boy's name spread throughout the school.

​"His name is Rey, Reynaldi Saputra. He transferred from Jakarta!" one of the girls whispered, her eyes sparkling.

Since then, Rey became the center of attention. His tall posture and handsome face made almost every girl curious. Ratna could only hear their stories from afar, secretly smiling every time Rey's name was mentioned.

Ratna, a naive and shy person. Although Ratna really wanted to get to know Rey, she was too embarrassed to go to the next-door classroom to introduce herself.

As soon as the break or dismissal bell rang, many girls quickly packed their bags, intentionally standing around Rey's classroom, just to see him come out. Sometimes they gathered in groups to steal a glance. Often, Rey was surrounded by girls who deliberately tried to find a way to chat with him.

Every time Rey saw Ratna, he seemed to look briefly, then smile. Rey was a good kid; he was friendly and well-liked, and he smiled easily. Although he smiled at everyone and his smile at Ratna didn't mean anything, Ratna felt incredibly happy. Ratna's mind was always drifting, a feeling of love slowly growing. She wished she could have Rey.

However, on the other hand, Ratna also started paying attention to Harold—the naughty boy who, for some reason, looked cool in her eyes. Even though Harold always seemed indifferent and looked away every time Ratna stole a glance at him.

Sometimes Ratna was confused about herself: why did her heart seem divided?

That afternoon, Ratna attended karate practice as usual with her older siblings, Ratmi and Romi. The sports hall was full of karate students, mostly boys. Most of the children were still wearing white belts, the sign of a beginner.

When the lines were formed, Ratna was surprised: Rey was standing among the children. The new boy who had been making her heart pound without reason since he arrived. And now she knows something new: Rey also did karate—and already had a black belt.

Ratna could hardly believe it. Rey, the friendly new kid, was actually the highest rank in karate.

Ratna stared in awe when she first saw him. Seriously, he had a black belt? Rey looked so cool in that clean white uniform. His movements were fast, sharp, yet calm. Every time the instructor asked him to show an example, all eyes immediately turned to Rey—including Ratna's.

When their eyes met, Rey gave a small smile. That smile made Ratna's heart pound again—like a faint electric current running through her chest.

That day, Ratna practiced with a cheerful heart. Every movement felt light because her eyes were secretly searching for Rey among the lines.

​And unknowingly, that was the beginning of something that would change her boring days.

​"Pay attention to the movement!" shouted Pak Anton, the karate instructor.

Rey stepped forward, then demonstrated a move.

​"If it's like this, your hand position must be straight, not tilted," he explained softly, turning to the student in the nearest line.

Coincidentally, Ratna was there.

She tried to imitate the movement Rey had just shown, but her movements were still stiff. Rey briefly looked over, then gave a small smile. "Almost. Your hand is a bit tense," he said softly.

Ratna was startled but quickly corrected her movement. "Like this?"

Rey nodded. "Yes. That's right."

Ratna almost forgot to breathe. Rey's voice sounded calm, but there was something that made her heart race.

Practice continued until it finished. During the cool-down, Ratna stole a glance at Rey again. This time, Rey managed to catch her gaze, then smiled—that smile, which had made Ratna's days feel different from the beginning.

​When practice ended and everyone scattered out of the hall, Ratna saw Rey at the door, packing his uniform into his bag.

​"The practice was tiring, huh?" Rey greeted her first.

Ratna smiled awkwardly. "Yes... Yes,"

​"Good. Keep up the spirit. If you need help, just ask."

Ratna blushed, quickly looking down. "Thank you..."

Rey chuckled softly. "You're welcome, Ratna."

​Ratna was stunned. "You know my name?"

​"Pak Anton mentioned your name during practice. Besides, your name is easy to remember," he said casually.

Ratna was confused whether to smile or not, but finally she smiled anyway.

​"Okay, I'll go first, bye," Rey said again, waving and walking down the stairs.

Ratna gazed at Rey's receding back.

Somehow, that afternoon felt so beautiful. Her world, which had been boring, suddenly had new colors.

As she walked home with her two siblings, Ratna felt her steps were lighter. Rey's voice, smile, and the way he said her name felt lovely in her mind. Somehow, that afternoon the world felt more beautiful than usual.

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