Jiko watched her retreat down the hallway, her words lingering in the quiet room. He leaned bato the chair, staring up at the ceiling, his mind rag. Was his mht? Should he be more cautious? Or was this just another way of overthinking things?

  He ched his fists slightly, frustration bubbling to the surface. Julie was important to him, but now, it felt like the whole world was trying to tell him what to do—and he didn’t know who to trust anymore.

  For the first time, Jiko felt like he was walking a tightrope between his heart and the expectations of everyone around him. And it was starting to scare him.

  One m, Jiko arrives at school and makes his way to his locker, still half-asleep. He’s barely paid attention to anyone else when something catches his eye—a folded piece of paper tucked into the er of his locker, hidden under his textbooks. He frowns, pulling it out slowly, unsure what it could be.

  Curiously, he opens it and his breath catches. It’s a letter—handwritten, the handwriting familiar yet tender.

  Dear Jiko,

  I’m not sure how to say this without sounding foolish, but I’ve been thinking about you so much tely. Every moment we’ve shared—every gnce, every versation—it feels like you’ve touched something inside me I didn’t even know was there.

  You make me feel seen, and that means more to me than I ever thought possible. I’ve never felt this way before—like I’m finally beginning to uand what it means to feel something truly real.

  I admire who you are, the person you’ve bee to me. How kind, how patient—you’ve showhat love isn’t always easy, but it’s worth every sed if you’re with the right person.

  I don’t want to pretend that I’m not affected by your iurmoil, Jiko, about how you feel about me. I just ’t. I’m scared of losing you, scared of things giween us. But more than anything, I hope you feel the same way I do. I’m hoping that one day, you’ll be able to tell me the things you ’t tell me now. Thank you for loving me; I’ll always love you back.

  -Julie

  Jiko’s firembled slightly as he reread the words, his heart thundering in his chest. He felt a rush of emotions—overwhelming warmth, a sense of longing, and yes, a little fear. She had id her heart bare, pletely open, and it mirrored everything he had been feeling but hadn’t been able to express.

  The letter was so simple yet so powerful—it made him see things in a new light. His thoughts spun, and for the first time in weeks, he realized just how plicated everything had bee.

  Tug the letter carefully into his bag, Jiko took a deep breath. He knew ohing—he couldn’t keep avoiding what this meant. Things between him and Julie had grown far beyond mere friendship. It was time to be ho, not just with himself, but with everyone else, too.

  His family, his love life—he had to find a way to keep both in check. To not let either slip away. But it wasn’t just about proteg his retionships—it was about making sure he could hold everything together without losing himself in the process.

  And as he walked through the halls toward css, Jiko felt a new determination growing inside him. It was time to stop dang around the truth and start fag it head-on.

  One bright, sunny m, the school buzzed with excitement as the teachers made a special annou. The eudent body was going on an ht trip—an annual event where they would spend the weekend expl new pces, engaging in team-building activities, and creating memories to st a lifetime. The news spread quickly, and soon students were rushing to make pns.

  Jiko sat at his usual spot during breakfast, quietly sipping his coffee. Julie, oher hand, couldn’t tain her excitement. Her eyes sparkled as she turo Jiko. “Hey, Jiko, did you hear? We’re going on a school trip!”

  Jiko nodded, her a small smile, though his mind was elsewhere. “Yeah, I heard. Seems fun.”

  “Fun? This is going to be awesome! Just imagiwo days away from school, new sights, new experiences. And we’ll be together the whole time!” Julie grinned, her enthusiasm tagious.

  Jiko chuckled softly, shaking his head. “You sure are looking forward to this.”

  “Of course! It’s going to be perfect. We’ll have time to just... be ourselves.” Julie leaned in slightly, l her voice to a spiratorial whisper. “And maybe even make some memories.”

  Jiko g her a a tug in his chest. For the first time, he allowed himself to believe that maybe this trip could be just what they needed—something to escape from the prying eyes at school and from the stant tension.

  As the days passed, students prepared for the uping adventure. Bags were packed, pns were made, aement buzzed through the air. It wasn’t just any ordinary trip; it was a ce to break free from the regur routine of csses abooks.

  The m of departure came, and the bus pulled up to the school gates, ready to take everyone on the journey. Laughter and chatter filled the air as students climbed aboard, chattiedly about what awaited them. Jiko and Julie found their seats together at the back of the bus, led among friends.

  “So, what do you have pnned for this trip?” Julie asked, leaning toward Jiko.

  Jiked slightly. “Just hoping to rex. Take things as they e.”

  “Rex? e on, Jiko. You’ve gotta loosen up. Let go of everything for once. We’re going to make this trip unfettable!” Julie’s voice was bright and full of life, pulling Jiko out of his usual quiet demeanor.

  He chuckled, shaking his head. “Alright, if you say so.”

  The bus ride was filled with ughter, pyful teasing, and non-stop chatter. By te afternoon, they arrived at their destination: a beautiful tryside getaway, all rolling green hills and winding paths. Everyone piled off the bus, cameras instantly appearing, and the air was filled with the clicks and fshes of photos as they all tried to capture the moment.

  After cheg into their s, the students were divided into teams for the various activities phroughout the weekend—hiking, campfires, games, and even a talent show. The atmosphere was electrid Jiko found himself easing into the flow.