Chapter 3: Getting Closer

One Saturday afternoon, as their tutoring session came to an end, Ginah hesitated before packing up her books. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, but she forced herself to act normal.

"Hey, Miya," she said, trying to sound casual. "Since you're graduating soon, do you have any plans for after?"

Miya stretched her arms, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "I got accepted into a university out of town," she admitted. "I'll be moving after graduation."

Ginah felt her stomach drop. She had known this moment would come, but hearing it out loud made it feel real.

"Oh," she said softly, trying to mask her disappointment. "That's… amazing. You must be excited."

Miya smiled. "Yeah, I am. But I'll miss this place too. And… I guess I'll miss you."

Ginah's breath hitched. Did Miya really just say that? She looked up, meeting Miya's gaze, and for a moment, everything else faded away. The café noise, the open textbooks, the passing time—none of it mattered.

Miya seemed to realize what she had just said and quickly cleared her throat. "I mean, you're a good student. It's been fun tutoring you."

Ginah forced a small laugh, nodding. "Yeah… of course."

The tension between them was almost unbearable. Ginah wanted to tell Miya how she felt, but she was afraid. Afraid that Miya would reject her. Afraid that things would never be the same.

Instead, she smiled and said, "Since you're leaving soon, we should make the most of our Saturdays."

Miya held her gaze for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. We should."

Neither of them said what they were truly thinking. But deep down, they both knew—something between them had already begun to shift. And sooner or later, one of them would have to take the first step.