"Sam, what are you saying?" Azaan asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"Why are you asking me something like that?"

Sam stared at him for a second before laughing.

"Relax, Azaan. I'm just kidding," he said with a grin. "You never pay attention to me these days. You're always worried about Viki. So I thought I'd tease you a little."

Azaan let out a relieved sigh.
"You're impossible."

"Come on," Sam replied. "Everyone is waiting."

The two of them walked toward the camping area where the students had already gathered around a large bonfire.

Meanwhile, Viki sat a little away from the group, quietly watching everyone.

The warm light from the fire danced across his face as laughter filled the night air.

One of the students stood up.

"Let's play a game!"

Everyone cheered.

Sam immediately became excited.

"What game?"

The student pulled out a deck of cards and handed it to Sam.

Sam smiled mischievously.

"Alright, listen everyone. Here's how the game works."

All the students gathered closer.

"Each person will pick one card. Don't show it to anyone. After everyone gets a card, people who have matching cards must complete a challenge together."

"What kind of challenge?" someone asked.

Sam smirked.

"Anything. A handshake, a dance, a funny introduction... or even a hug."

The students immediately burst into laughter.

"That's easy!"

"This is going to be fun!"

As everyone excitedly prepared to play, Viki remained seated a few meters away, silently watching.

He wasn't interested in joining.

For him, observing others felt easier than becoming part of the crowd.

Azaan noticed him sitting alone.

His eyes unconsciously drifted toward Viki again and again.

Sam noticed that too.

A small smile appeared on his face.

"Azaan," he called suddenly.

"Huh?"

"Stop looking over there and focus here."

The students laughed.

Azaan immediately looked away, embarrassed.

Viki, however, seemed completely unaware.

He continued staring at the fire, lost in his own thoughts.

The game had already begun, and the students were having fun teasing each other and completing silly challenges.

Meanwhile, Viki continued sitting alone on the wooden bench, quietly watching everyone from a distance.

Sam suddenly looked toward him.

A mischievous smile appeared on his face.

"Hey, why is Viki sir sitting there alone?"

The students immediately turned toward Viki.

"Sir! Come join us!"

"Yeah, sir!"

"It'll be boring without you!"

Viki shook his head with a small smile.

"No, no. You all continue."

But the students refused to give up.

After several minutes of begging, Viki finally sighed.

The students cheered loudly.

Smiling helplessly, Viki stood up and walked toward the circle.

For some reason, Azaan's heart immediately felt lighter.

Without realizing it, he smiled.

Sam noticed.

Again.

Everyone picked another card.

"Okay!" Sam shouted. "Time to reveal them!"

One by one, students showed their cards.

Laughter erupted everywhere as matching pairs were found.

Then suddenly—

"Looks like Azaan and Sam matched."

The group immediately started cheering.

"Hug! Hug! Hug!"

"Oh, come on."

Sam dramatically opened his arms.

"Come here."

Everyone laughed.

Unable to escape, Azaan gave Sam a quick hug.

The students clapped and whistled.

But at that exact moment—

Azaan's eyes unknowingly moved toward Viki.

And he froze.

Viki was smiling.

But something felt different.

The smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

For just a second, Viki looked away.

A strange feeling settled inside Azaan's chest.

He couldn't explain it.

The game continued.

After a few more rounds, Sam suddenly stood up.

"One last round!"

Everyone cheered.

This time, all the cards were shuffled again.

The students eagerly picked one card each.

Azaan glanced at his card.

Then he looked up.

"Reveal!"

Everyone showed their cards.

For a moment, nobody noticed.

Then one of the students suddenly shouted.

"Wait!"

All eyes turned toward him.

"Azaan and Viki sir have the same card!"

The entire circle exploded.

"No way!"

"Seriously?!"

"This is perfect!"

Azaan's heart nearly stopped.

His eyes immediately found Viki.

Viki looked equally surprised.

Sam's jaw dropped before a huge grin appeared on his face.

"Oh, this is fate."

"Sam!" Azaan protested.

The students immediately started chanting.

"Hug! Hug! Hug!"

Azaan felt his face heating up.

Viki rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"This game was your idea, wasn't it?" he asked Sam.

Sam simply laughed.

"Rules are rules, sir."

The chanting became louder.

"Hug! Hug! Hug!"

Azaan and Viki looked at each other.

Neither of them moved.

For some reason, both of their hearts were beating unusually fast.

Finally, Viki let out a helpless sigh.

The students were never going to stop.

Slowly, he stepped forward.

Azaan swallowed nervously.

The distance between them became smaller.

And smaller.

Until they stood directly in front of each other.

The entire campsite seemed to become silent.

Even the sound of the fire faded away.

For a moment, it felt like only the two of them existed.

Then Viki gently wrapped one arm around Azaan's shoulder.
Azaan froze.

His heartbeat thundered inside his chest.

The hug lasted only a few seconds.

Yet for Azaan, it felt like an eternity.

When they finally stepped apart, neither of them could properly meet the other's eyes.

Meanwhile, the students were cheering loudly.

Sam looked far too pleased with himself.

And somewhere deep inside his heart...

Azaan knew this was becoming harder and harder to hide.

Because every day...

He was falling even more in love with Viki.

The students continued cheering long after the hug ended.

"Azaan is blushing!"

"Look at his face!"

The entire group burst into laughter.

Azaan immediately covered his face in embarrassment while Sam laughed the loudest.

Viki simply shook his head helplessly, though a small smile remained on his lips.

"Alright, alright," Viki said. "It's getting late. Everyone should go back to their tents and get some rest."

The students reluctantly agreed and slowly returned to their tents.

One by one, the lights went out.

Soon, the campsite became quiet.

Inside his tent, Azaan lay on his sleeping bag staring at the ceiling.

His eyes refused to close.

Every time he tried to sleep, the events of the evening replayed in his mind.

The game.

The laughter.

The way Viki had looked at him.

And most importantly...

The hug.

Azaan slowly covered his face with his hands.

His heart started racing again.

"Why am I thinking about this so much?" he whispered to himself.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop remembering the warmth of Viki's arms around him.

The memory made his chest feel strangely warm.

Azaan turned to one side.

Then the other.

Still, sleep refused to come.

His thoughts kept returning to the same person.

Viki.

Meanwhile, outside the tent, Viki sat alone on a wooden bench.

The campfire had already died down, leaving only a few glowing embers behind.

Above him, thousands of stars filled the night sky.

The cool breeze gently brushed against his face as he looked upward.

Normally, nights like this made him feel peaceful.

But tonight was different.

For some reason, his mind kept wandering back to Azaan.

The way Azaan smiled.

The way he worried whenever something happened to him.

The way his eyes always seemed to search for him.

A small sigh escaped Viki's lips.

"What's happening to me?" he murmured softly.

He continued staring at the stars, lost in thought.

Neither of them realized that they were thinking about each other at that very same moment.

Under the same night sky.

Morning arrived quickly.

Golden sunlight slowly spread across the campsite.

Students began waking up one after another.

Some looked sleepy while others were already excited about returning home.

After everyone packed their belongings, Viki gathered the students together.

"Alright everyone," he announced. "Let's get on the bus."

The students cheered and started loading their bags.

Soon, everyone boarded the bus.

This time the journey felt shorter than before.

Most students spent the trip talking about their favorite memories from the camp.

Some slept.

Others listened to music.

And Azaan...

Spent most of the journey secretly looking at Viki whenever he got the chance.

Before he knew it, the bus finally entered Singapore.

The trip was over.

The students slowly got off the bus and began heading home.

Excited goodbyes filled the air.

"See you tomorrow!"

"Message me when you get home!"

"That trip was amazing!"

One by one, the students left.

Soon, only a few people remained.

Among them were Azaan and Viki.

Since both of their houses were along the same route, they naturally started walking together.

The afternoon breeze felt pleasant as they made their way down the familiar streets.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Yet the silence wasn't uncomfortable.

It felt natural.

Comfortable.

Like they had already become an important part of each other's daily lives.

After a few minutes, Azaan looked toward Viki.

"Did you enjoy the trip, sir?"

A small smile appeared on Viki's face.

"Yes."

Then he looked at Azaan.

"It was more enjoyable than I expected."

For some reason, hearing that made Azaan smile too.

Neither of them knew it yet.

But the trip had changed something between them.

And as they continued walking side by side beneath the afternoon sun...

A new chapter of their story was only beginning.