Rizvan scoffed, shaking his head. “e on, man. You’re a terrible liar. Seriously, what’s going on?”

  Jiko sighed, frustration mounting. “It’s nothing, alright? Just leave it.”

  Rizvan’s expression turned amused. “Alright, alright. I won’t push. But you might want to watch out—rumors are flying around. People are talking.”

  Later, during a school assembly, the rumors reached a boiling point. One of Jiko’s cssmates, clearly emboldened by the gossip, couldn’t resist taking a jab.

  “Hey, Jiko,” she called out loudly from the back of the auditorium, smirking as she leaned forward. “How’s Julie? Still hanging around you all the time, huh?”

  The sudden attention made Julie stiffeo him. Her face flushed a deep shade of red, and she avoided making eye tact with anyone. Jiko could feel the heat rising to his face, anger bubblih his skin.

  Without thinking, he snapped. “Mind your own business,” he shot back, his voice firm and sharp enough to cut through the growing chatter in the room.

  The assembly hall fell silent for a moment. Everyouro look at Jiko, some surprised, others amused by his outburst.

  Julie’s eyes widened, and she g him with a mix of shod gratitude. “You didn’t have to do that,” she whispered quietly ohe otion died down.

  Jiko turo her, his expression serious. “Yes, I did. No oo make you feel like that.”

  Julie’s eyes softened, and a small smile tugged at her lips. “Thanks... I appreciate it.”

  The main reason they were keeping their retionship a secret—things like love just weren't accepted easily by their unity. It was seen as something taboo, something to be hidden. That's why they were trying so hard to keep it under s. But now, keeping it a secret was starting to cause more problems than it solved. It even seemed like some of the teachers were starting to suspeething. The main reason they just couldn't hide their feelings for each other at school. They both sighed, wishing there weren't any nasty rumoing around.

  Another reason they were keeping their retionship a secret was that they were both underage. Even though Jiko was an adult mentally, legally he was still a kid. That would definitely make their retionship look bad in other people's eyes.

  The few days were filled with cautious gnces, whispered words, and the unmistakable weight of suspi. Julie started pulling back slightly, nervous whenever anyone gheir way. Jiko could tell she was unfortable, and it g him.

  The annual school cultural event was fast approag, and the campus buzzed with excitement. The event showcased students’ talents in singing, dang, and theatrical performances, and it was one of the most anticipated highlights of the year.

  Julie, who had once been a star dancer in middle school, had stayed away from the stage i years. The spotlight didn’t feel the same anymore. She had loved dang, but as she got older, she began notig the eople—men of all ages—would stare at her during performaheir gazes made her skin crawl, and over time, her enthusiasm for dang waned. It wasn’t a passion so much as a hobby, and giving it up didn’t feel like a great loss.

  This time, though, she decided to make an exception. It was her st year at school, and part of her loo say goodbye to dang oerms. Still, she didn’t want to do it alone.

  That’s where Jiko came in.

  Jiko, who had no rhythm and no i in public performances, was the furthest thing from a dancer. Yet when Julie asked him to partner with her, his refusal got stuewhere between his brain and his mouth. She’d asked him with such siy—her voice soft and almost vulnerable—that he couldn’t bring himself to say no.

  “Why me?” Jiko had asked the day she first brought it up.

  Julie had shrugged with a small smile. “Because I trust you. And of course, you are my boyfriend, so I will danly with you.”

  Those words had haunted him ever sirust? How could she trust someone who couldn’t even figure out the differeween a waltz and whatever it was he’d been doing in his living room st night? But now, here he was, standing in Julie’s backyard, struggling to keep his bance as she tried to teach him a basic step.

  “Jiko, you’re overthinking it,” Julie said, her tone ced with both patiend exasperation. She stood across from him, barefoot on the grass, her hair tied bato a loose ponytail. She wore fortable workout clothes, but somehow she still mao look elegant, like she was born to dance.

  “I’m not overthinking it,” Jiko replied, his arms filing slightly as he tried to mimic her movements. “I just don’t think my legs bend that way.”

  Julie stifled a ugh. “Ys don’t o ‘bend that way.’ You’re not a fmingo.” She stepped closer and pced her hands lightly on his shoulders, guiding him into the correct position. “Rex. It’s just owo-three, owo-three. Like this.” She moved in time to her own ting, her steps fluid and effortless.

  Jiko tried to follow her lead, but his feet felt like they were glued to the ground. “Why are there so many numbers?” he muttered under his breath.

  Julie couldn’t hold back her ughter this time. “It’s literally just three, Jiko. Three. You know, like ohan four?”

  “Yeah, yeah, math genius,” Jiko grumbled, though he couldn’t help but smile at her teasing.

  They tried again, and this time, Jiko mao stumble through the steps without tripping over his ow. He gnced up at Julie, atg him with an encing smile. For a moment, he fot about hoard he felt.

  “Yetting it,” she said softly.

  Jiko raised an eyebrow. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

  “No, I mean it,” Julie insisted. “See? You’re not hopeless.”

  “That’s the highest pliment I’ve ever received,” Jiko deadpanned.

  Julie rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. “Okay, let’s try it with the music this time.”

  She pulled out her phone and queued up a song—a slow, melodic track that she’d picked specifically because it was easy to dao. The music filled the air, and Julie took her position again, holding out her hand for Jiko to take.