CH 3 PRINCESS AND THE SLEEPYHEAD

Princess and the Sleepyhead

After School

Bayu couldn't take Tesa home today. Not only because they were still at odds, but also because his body was still sore after the incident behind the canteen. Right now, he and his friends were skipping school.

Tesa let out a long sigh. She didn't like walking home alone. Not because she was scared, but more because of her image. A princess like herself always had to be accompanied by a guard—whether it was her boyfriend or someone worthy enough to be seen beside her.

Because of that, she decided to wait in class until all the students had gone home.

What bothered her a little was the fact that she wasn't truly alone. In the corner of the class, a guy was still sleeping soundly.

Tesa glanced at Gin, who was sitting back in his chair, his head bent forward. His breathing was steady, his face seemed so peaceful, as if the world around him didn't exist.

"Zzzzzzzzzzz..."

Tesa snorted softly. "What a lazy sleeper."

For the entire day, she could count on one hand how many minutes Gin had actually opened his eyes. Even in other classes, he somehow found time to nap, which had caused many of the teachers to get frustrated. But strangely, every time he was asked to repeat an explanation, Gin could deliver it more simply and clearly—even better than the teacher themselves.

Tesa slowly walked toward Gin's desk, her eyes studying his face. There was something intriguing about him. With his eyes closed and his calm expression, Gin looked different—almost as if he wasn't the troublemaker who could take down five people in seconds.

Without realizing it, a small smile tugged at the corners of Tesa's lips.

"Am I handsome?"

Tesa jumped in shock. Gin still had his eyes closed, but his lips casually spoke.

"Why are you smiling like that, staring at me?"

Tesa's face immediately turned red. She took a step back, grabbing onto nearby desks to keep her balance. How did he know I was staring at him?!

She quickly turned toward the window to check the schoolyard. There were still some students walking around, but there were far fewer than before.

"Ah, it's already quiet enough," she muttered.

Without looking at Gin again, she grabbed her bag and left the class.

---

Under the Scorching Sun

The Jakarta sky in the afternoon was scorching hot. The heat was intense, plus the air pollution made every breath feel heavy. The stifling air made sweat pour down, soaking Tesa's temples and neck as she walked without stopping.

Sweating, Tesa continued to step forward, trying to ignore the fatigue that began to spread through her legs. Even though she came from a wealthy family, she had strict financial principles. If she could avoid spending money, she would.

With every step, Tesa realized that walking home was a huge mistake. Her shoes began to feel uncomfortable, the street dust stuck to her feet, and her hair, which was being blown by the wind, started to feel flat. However, despite her body protesting, her pride wouldn't allow her to give up and take public transportation.

As she passed a small shop on the side of the street, the smell of fried food fresh from the pan tickled her nose. Her stomach, which had only been filled with air since earlier, began to growl. She glanced briefly at the food cart selling fried bananas, fritters, and stuffed tofu that was still steaming hot.

"Ugh, it smells so good," she muttered quietly.

Her hand almost reached into her pocket for money, but she quickly stopped herself. No! This is a test of patience. If I can hold off until I get home, that means I've won.

With a firm resolve, Tesa quickened her pace, trying to distract herself from the tempting food. Just a few more blocks, and she'd be home. But still, walking under the scorching sun like this was really a tough challenge.

But that principle only applied to her own money. If Bayu were paying for something, Tesa could be ridiculously generous.

Since Bayu wasn't taking her home today, she decided to walk. But of course, her pride remained high. She didn't want any other students seeing her walk alone in the sun. That's why she deliberately chose a quieter route.

After a while, she found a bus stop. Out of breath, she sat down to rest for a moment.

Nearby, there was a cold drink vendor. Her dry throat almost made her reach for her wallet, but she quickly changed her mind. Her house wasn't too far now. She could hold out.

Her eyes gazed at the busy road. In her heart, she wished a handsome guy would suddenly appear and offer her a ride—like in the romantic movies.

And as if fate had heard her wish, the sound of a motorcycle approaching made her look up.

A man in a black jacket and blue goggles on his head stopped his bike right in front of the bus stop. What was strange was... the guy was riding with his eyes closed.

When he finally opened his eyes, Tesa immediately recognized his face.

"Gin?"

Gin casually got off his bike, pointed at her, and said, "Testarossa."

Tesa frowned. "Just call me Tesa."

Gin looked around. "Aren't you going home yet?"

"Not yet, just resting," Tesa replied.

Gin walked over to the drink vendor and bought a bottle of cold water. Tesa swallowed her saliva. Come on... buy me one too...

"You walking on foot?" Gin asked after taking a sip of his drink.

Tesa nodded with a pitiful expression. She hoped Gin's sympathy would make him buy her a drink or—better yet—offer her a ride.

Gin instead smiled a little. "A strong woman. I salute you."

Tesa smiled faintly, hoping that praise would lead to an offer of a ride.

"Well, this is my life," she said, then intentionally cut off her sentence, hoping Gin would catch the hint.

At this point, a normal guy would have said, "Come on, I'll take you home."

But not Gin.

"Life in this world doesn't care if you're a man or a woman; you have to be strong. Because life is cruel, my friend," Gin said casually. He then placed the empty bottle next to Tesa and put his goggles back on.

"I'm heading out. Hope you become a great woman someday."

With that, he revved up his motorcycle and sped off without a second thought.

Tesa could only stand there, stunned. Gin always left her speechless. And this time, it was even more puzzling: "How could a guy like this just leave?" He didn't offer a drink, even though he saw how tired she was. He didn't offer her a ride either, despite knowing what she had been through.

"What kind of guy has no feelings, leaving a princess—the most popular girl in school—to suffer under the sun?" Tesa cursed in her mind, still angry at Gin's behavior.

With heavy steps, Tesa continued her journey, furious at her boyfriend for making her suffer like this. And even angrier at the guy she had just met, who had cruelly left her behind.