Small Treat

The small sushi restaurant sat quietly at the street corner, just a few steps away from the campus gate. Its structure had a clean, modern minimalist style, with large glass windows that revealed a warm and tidy interior.

Golden-yellow pendant lamps hung overhead, casting a soft glow on the low tables and cushioned chairs in light beige. The subtle aroma of warm rice, seaweed, and soy sauce greeted them as soon as they pushed open the door.

Alaric walked in first, followed by his small, lively group of friends. Though they didn't have much time before their next class, the mood felt as cheerful as if they were out on a spontaneous picnic.

"Ric, seriously? You're the one treating us today?" Mike asked again, half in disbelief as he pulled out a chair.

Alaric just let out a soft laugh. "Yeah, relax. Just a little gratitude since the project went well."

"Hope you get new projects every week, then. So we get treated every week too," teased Rayhan from across the table, and the rest of them laughed.

The waiter arrived with menus, and they started making their choices. Alaric wasn't too picky, he ordered his favorite salmon sushi and a bowl of miso soup.

The others went for all sorts of dishes. Tuna rolls, tamago, takoyaki, steaming hot udon. The table soon filled with casual chatter, the kind that felt light and familiar sometimes silly, sometimes loud, but always warm.

Not long after, the food came, served on neat wooden trays. The bright colors of fresh fish, seaweed, white rice, and pink ginger slices created an appetizing sight. Alaric pushed up his sweater sleeves and started eating.

"This is amazing," Evelyn commented as she picked up a piece of sushi with her chopsticks.

"Thanks a lot, Ric," she added after swallowing, turning to him with a smile.

"Yeah. Thanks so much, Alaric," Celine echoed, raising her water glass as if to make a little toast.

Alaric smiled calmly. "No problem. You guys were there for me from the beginning. So just think of this as my way of saying thanks."

The mood at the table was easy and warm. Jokes were tossed back and forth. At one point, Mike even blurted out that he might end up getting married first—maybe to someone sitting at the next table. That got everyone laughing again.

Alaric looked down to grab another piece of sushi, dipped it slowly into soy sauce mixed with wasabi, and brought it to his mouth. Just as he looked up—

Someone passed by.

A young woman with shoulder-length straight hair, wearing a crisp white blouse and a soft pastel skirt. Her steps were graceful, and her face looked… familiar. Their eyes met for a second.

"Alaric?"

The voice sliced through the warm hum of conversation around him.

Alaric froze for a moment, the piece of sushi still in his mouth.

He slowly turned toward the voice.

Clarissa.

"Alaric?" she said again, clearly, even amid the chatter. As he turned and saw who was standing by their table, he furrowed his brow slightly, then gave a small nod. Clarissa.

She seemed calm, with a faint smile. But it wasn't quite friendly, nor was it cold. More like a blend of something he couldn't quite name.

Clarissa stepped closer, lightly tucking her hair behind one ear.

"You guys having a little get-together?" she asked, glancing around at the table full of sushi and the group still mid meal. Her sudden presence seemed to shift the air.

Alaric glanced at his friends, then back at her. He nodded slightly and answered in a neutral but light tone, "Yeah, just a small celebration. My project just got started."

"Oh," Clarissa nodded, her eyes narrowing a little. "Mind if I join? I already ordered something—it should be coming soon."

Alaric paused. He glanced at his plate, then at Mike, then at the empty seat at the end of the table.

He took a quiet breath and said, "Sure, go ahead."

Clarissa gave a small smile and pulled out the empty chair at the end of the table, right across from Alaric and beside Mike, who instinctively shifted over to make space.

She sat down without saying much, sneaking a quick glance at Alaric before pretending to adjust her chopsticks and water glass.

The table fell quiet.

Rayhan, who had been laughing the hardest earlier, now stared at his wasabi like it was a deep hole. Damar took a sip from his glass, though it was clearly empty. Dyna tried to smile, but it didn't quite work.

The silence stretched for what felt like forever.

But Mike, sitting closest to Clarissa, quickly broke it. "Hey, you guys seen the art exhibit at the campus gallery? I heard the theme's pretty cool."

Evelyn jumped in right away. "You mean the one with the broken glass installation? I thought someone trashed the room. Modern art's really getting intense."

A few laughs followed. The mood started to lift again.

"Oh yeah," said Celine. "I heard Kayla Evette submitted something too. Some illustration using window shadows that changes shape depending on where you stand."

Alaric turned his head slightly. For some reason, hearing that name took him back to a conversation days earlier at the hotel garden, when Kayla had looked down and giggled, remembering how he used to hide her Barbie dolls.

"I really wanna see it," said Mike again, enthusiastic. "But I'm scared I'll knock something over and have to pay for it. I'm super clumsy."

"Just bring some spare glass with you, Mike," joked Dyna.

Laughter broke out again—this time, easier and lighter.

Clarissa smiled and finally spoke. "The gallery's still on the second floor, right?"

"Yeah," Mila replied, warm and casual.

Clarissa gave a slight nod. Just then, her order arrived—a plate of salmon rolls and a glass of green tea.

The conversation flowed on. The topics stayed light: mountains of assignments, professors giving too much reading, and a new game that had Mike skipping showers for two days straight.

Alaric occasionally glanced at Clarissa. She looked composed. She wasn't trying to control the mood or make herself overly familiar. She was just… there. A quiet guest at a small celebration.

But something about her eyes when their gazes met stayed with him. It wasn't regret. It wasn't longing. He wasn't sure what it was.

Still, Alaric stayed silent. The air had settled, and he didn't want to stir it up again. He lifted his water glass, raised it slightly, and said in a light, easy tone,

"Well, that's it. The treat's official. Everyone happy?"

"Yeaaaah, bro!" they all shouted in unison.

Alaric let out a small laugh.

But behind it, his mind remained alert. A smile could come easily, but his eyes never stopped reading the room.

The sushi on the plates was starting to look a little tired. The wasabi had dried in the corner, and the green tea was nearly gone.

The loud laughter faded, replaced by small movements—people finishing their drinks, wiping their hands, shifting their posture after sitting too long.

Alaric adjusted his seat and reached into the jacket draped over his chair for his wallet. He glanced around. "Alright, I'll go settle the bill."

Clarissa, holding her phone and starting to stand, turned quickly. "Oh—Alaric, I'll come with you. I'll pay for mine."

He stopped, turned back, his gaze steady.

"No need, Clar," he said, voice quiet but clear. "It's all covered. Just a small celebration. One more person doesn't make a difference."

Clarissa hesitated, her expression unsure. "But… it feels a bit awkward."

"Don't worry," Alaric replied, offering a small, calm smile. "It's really fine."

Clarissa slowly sat back down, smoothed out a fold in her skirt, and turned her gaze to the window. She didn't push the matter.

Alaric walked to the cashier. The staff greeted him politely, with a professional smile.

"Table seven, right?" the staff asked.

"Yeah, how much is the total?" Alaric asked, pulling out his wallet.

The staff tapped on the screen, then turned the display toward him.

Rp7.055.000.

"How many people?" the staff asked, a bit surprised.

"Eight. Everyone was pretty hungry," Alaric replied casually, though his wallet suddenly felt heavier.

He swiped his debit card without hesitation. His fingers were quick and practiced—this wasn't his first time covering a big group. The machine beeped, and the receipt printed out.

"Here you go. Thank you, have a great day," said the cashier politely.

Alaric nodded, slipped the receipt into his jacket pocket, and walked back to the table.

His friends were still there. Some had started standing up, waiting for the last few bites to finish.

"All set," he said, sitting back down for a moment.

"Thanks so much, Ric!" Rayhan said, playfully trying to raise Alaric's hand like he'd just won a boxing match.

"No worries, we'll return the favor someday. Just don't count on me to cover seven million," Mike added, making everyone laugh again. He always knew how to lighten the mood.

Celine, chewing her last tempura sushi, checked her watch. Still calm. "Relax, that teacher's always late by fifteen minutes anyway."

Alaric straightened up and rolled his sleeves. "Which is exactly why we should hurry. What if today's the day he shows up early, and we all walk in from the back gate? He might make us stand in front of the class."