Ketto returned to his seat, and Addy simply looked at him in silence. Then Sunny approached them, stopping a couple of steps away. She smiled warmly and held out two small boxes. "Here are two gifts for you."
Addy's eyes lit up with curiosity. "What is it?"
Sunny kept her smile mysterious. "Open it and see."
Ketto lifted the lid of his box and peered inside. He let out a quiet gasp. "A ring?"
Addy looked equally surprised. "What does it mean?"
Sunny explained, "It represents luck. My mother went to Malaysia last week, and I asked her to buy these at a local souvenir shop. They're meaningful."
Addy beamed. "Thank you, Sunny."
Ketto echoed the gratitude, genuinely touched. Just then, Lisa and Lily and Joe wandered over. Lisa proudly held up her hand, showing off the ring already on her finger. "See? We're already wearing ours!"
Addy pretended to shield her eyes dramatically. "Too shiny! I can't look directly at it."
Lily burst out laughing. Sunny joined in, then said warmly, "It's something that stands for us being a group."
Joe nodded appreciatively. "Thank you. This really means a lot."
Ketto felt a warmth spread through his chest. Then the group's attention turned to him, their expressions softening with concern. They asked how he was doing after the morning's incident. They reassured him it wasn't his fault. Lisa glanced over at the sleeping figure of Hanky and said thoughtfully, "You know, he's a bad person. He's harmful."
Sunny nodded in agreement. "Remember how he treated me before?" She didn't need to elaborate.
Lisa finished the thought. "Obscene, tasteless, low-class—yeah, we remember."
Ketto shrugged. "Let's not talk too much about him. Honestly, with my luck, of course I'd be the one to get caught up in his mess."
Addy patted his shoulder. "Anyway, just let it go. It's over."
Ketto took a breath and nodded. "You're right. I won't let this affect my mood."
They chatted a while longer, then gradually drifted back to their own seats.
After they left, Ketto slipped the ring onto his finger. It was cool to the touch and surprisingly pretty. He turned it around and noticed a small engraving on the inside: the word "friends." He stared at it for a long moment, and a warm feeling washed over him—like a gentle river flowing through his heart. It was reassuring.
But the ring was a little too big for him. It fit Addy perfectly, but on Ketto's finger, it was loose. If he wasn't careful, it would easily slip off. He made a mental note to be mindful.
He pulled out a notebook from his backpack, intending to write in his diary. The morning had been unhappy—something bad had happened. But now, there was a happy moment to balance it out. Life was strange, he thought. You never knew what would come next. It was full of surprises.
At the end of the last class, just before the bell rang, Ketto walked over to Hanky's seat. "Don't forget to clean the pool," he reminded him.
Hanky looked up with a lazy grin. "Without me, can you clean the pool by yourself?"
Ketto widened his eyes, speechless. "You think too highly of yourself. Don't be so arrogant."
Hanky studied him, half-believing, half-doubting. "Really? Then why did you come over here? Just to remind me?"
Ketto raised his voice slightly. "Yes. Only to remind you. No other reason."
Hanky shrugged casually. "Oh, I see." Then he fell silent.
Ketto felt a flicker of anxiety but turned and walked away.
After lunch, Ketto said goodbye to Addy. Addy had offered to help clean the pool, but Ketto refused. It wasn't Addy's problem, and he didn't want to bother him.
As Ketto walked toward the pool, he suddenly remembered something Joe had mentioned: Hanky liked to play basketball after lunch. Knowing Hanky's habits, Ketto was certain that's where he'd be right now—on the court, not heading to the pool. So he changed direction and made his way to the basketball court.
Sure enough, Hanky was there, playing with a group of students from other grades and classes. Ketto's stomach tightened with nervousness. There were so many unfamiliar people. He felt shy and cowardly, afraid to call out to Hanky in front of everyone. He hesitated, conflicted. For a moment, he even considered turning back and heading to the pool alone.
But just as he started to turn away, Hanky sank a three-pointer. He was thrilled, pumping his fist—and then he noticed Ketto standing at the edge of the court. He called out loudly, "Ketto!"
Ketto froze, then turned back. "Hi," he said quietly, not knowing where to look. He pretended to gaze at something in the distance.
Hanky stopped playing, walked closer, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Ketto flushed. "Clean... the pool?"
He felt ridiculous. Honestly, he was angry—but in front of all these strangers, he couldn't muster any of it. He just stood there, awkward and uneasy.
Hanky laughed. "Okay, okay. I'll come. Give me five minutes." He made an OK gesture.
Ketto nodded quickly and hurried away toward the pool.
When he arrived at the indoor pool building, he stepped inside and sat down at the entryway to take off his shoes. He lifted his foot, untied the laces, and prepared to slip the shoe off. But in that moment of carelessness, something happened: the ring slid off his finger.
He didn't notice. He had no idea where it went.