CHAPTER 58: JOIN BASKETBALL MATCHES WITH OTHER CAMPUSES

Alaric had already run far enough from the crowd that was still bustling around the siomay cart. The young man had just sprinted, racing against time so he wouldn’t be late.

He glanced toward the busway stop not far from there, the place that would take him toward campus, even if it only went as far as the main road in front of it.

His car, which he had parked on the side of the road earlier, was no longer reachable. The people had completely filled the area around where his car was parked, making the situation so cramped that it was impossible to open the car door because of the mass of people crowding around, hoping to get his autograph.

Alaric had then decided to just leave it there. There was a bit of frustration, yes. But he was also relieved. At least he could get away without being burdened and without having to respond to the overwhelming number of sudden fans asking for his attention.

With his backpack still slung over his shoulder, the teenager stood there waiting for the busway to arrive. The sound of vehicles roaring and the hustle of people passing by filled the morning air.

When the busway came, he got on swiftly and immediately searched for a seat that looked comfortable enough for him.

The ride on the bus took Alaric past the city’s streets, which were starting to fill with traffic and lined with towering buildings and rows of trees along the sidewalks. They looked like living paintings.

After a few minutes, the vehicle he was on stopped at the main road that served as the gateway leading to his campus. Alaric got off and took a moment to steady his breath, having walked quickly from the bus stop.

The path he still had to walk was quite a distance. He had to pass through a school alley and several narrow corridors before finally reaching the school hall.

Each step of his quickened, as if every single second counted in the race to make it before class began. The wind blew gently across his face, carrying with it the fresh feeling of the early morning.

But in a metropolitan city like his, even the morning air was already tainted by pollution and smoke from cars and motorcycles.

When he stepped into the school hall, his eyes were immediately drawn to the clock on the wall, which showed that he had arrived just in time.

Still slightly out of breath, Alaric quickly pulled out his phone. His fingers moved fast, dialing a number that he had already contacted many times before. It didn’t take long for the voice on the other end to respond, greeting him in a warm and caring tone.

"Hello, Mr. Robin," said Alaric, addressing the driver who had been working loyally for his family for quite some time. The name sounded ordinary, but it had a familiar ring that made it easy to remember.

"Sir, please pick up my car. I parked it at the intersection near the siomay vendor where I usually buy food. I’ve still got the keys with me, so please just have it towed," said Alaric firmly.

He had already decided on the most reasonable solution, one that wouldn’t take up too much of his time. At least, not for himself.

As for his driver, well, if no one from the household needed to go anywhere, Robin would usually just relax at home, waiting for instructions.

So in a way, Alaric was giving him a bit of a challenge. Something to do so he wouldn’t get too bored from doing the same routines over and over.

"I have to head to campus now, so I’m counting on you, Mr. Robin. Once you’ve picked it up, please let me know," he added.

"Understood, Master Alaric. I’ll take care of it right away. Take care at campus," replied Robin with a tone full of responsibility.

Alaric ended the call and slipped his phone into his backpack pocket. He took a deep breath, feeling a bit of weight lift from his shoulders. At least the car issue was already taken care of.

Now, his mind could focus more on the long day ahead of him at campus.

He then walked into the hall building. Even though challenges had appeared early on his journey that morning, it hadn’t shaken Alaric’s spirit to face the day. He allowed the outside chaos to slowly fade, giving room for himself and his life to flow like water.

As he stepped into the campus complex, the surroundings had already started to grow lively. Students were moving about, chatting, and getting ready for their classes. The warm morning sunlight peeked through the gaps between the trees, lighting up the pathway he was walking on.

As he passed through the corridor between the campus buildings, his eyes unintentionally met a figure that felt familiar: Clarissa. The girl was walking from the opposite direction, holding several books tightly in her arms.

Meanwhile, a large bag hung from her shoulder, slightly puffed with contents. Her eyes were looking straight ahead, but when she passed by Alaric, she accidentally gave a small smile. It was a reflexive greeting, laced with awkwardness and shyness.

Alaric caught the glance but only responded with a small smile that conveyed friendliness without being over the top. He didn’t want to read too much into that brief encounter.

For Alaric, it was just one ordinary meeting among many others who walked past each other on campus. He then quickly shifted his gaze forward and continued walking toward his class.

Clarissa, meanwhile, kept walking calmly. But there was a subtle flutter in her heart that caused her steps to slow down just as she was about to reach the end of the hallway. She paused for a moment, turned around, and looked back. Her eyes focusing on Alaric’s back as he walked farther away.

She observed how the person she was watching kept walking with focus, never once turning around, as if unaware that someone was watching him.

Clarissa’s face changed slightly, revealing a mix of hope and reluctance. A subtle sign that the encounter had meant more to her than just a coincidence.

Meanwhile, Alaric kept moving forward, completely unaware of that gaze. His mind was already full of lectures and the projects he was working on. Personal matters like that weren’t exactly something that caught his attention for now.

The campus hallway slowly grew quiet again as the two of them walked in opposite directions. Clarissa disappeared behind the building’s corner, while Alaric vanished into the door of his classroom.

And in silence, a seed of feeling quietly began to grow even if unspoken. That made that day feel just a little more meaningful for Clarissa.

–

Alaric was sitting on the campus terrace, leaning back casually against a metal pillar supporting the roof. The distinctive smell of the campus field, freshly soaked by the midday rain, filled his nose.

There was nothing in his hands, just his fingers tapping lightly on the thigh of his pants, following the rhythm of a song he wasn’t even aware of. His gaze was fixed on the leafy trees that lined the campus yard. Occasionally, he closed his eyes, enjoying the peaceful moment amidst the noise of students passing by.

That peace was suddenly broken by a voice beside him, accompanied by the scraping sound of a metal bench shifting.

"Ric, there’s a basketball match next month against the neighboring campus. Join us, yeah?"

Alaric turned to see Bara already sitting down, half-slouching on the bench. His face was lit up with excitement, like a kid who had just found something fun to do.

"Basketball match?" Alaric frowned, his eyes locking onto Bara’s face as if to make sure he hadn’t misheard.

The thought of someone like him being asked to play basketball was odd. His days were already filled with stacks of work. There was barely enough time to handle everything, let alone commit to a game that would obviously require extra practice sessions.

"Bar, you know I spend more of my time at the office. So yeah... you get it. I don’t really have time to join any matches except for creative tech competitions. That’s where my passion is."

Bara didn’t give up. He kept trying to convince Alaric. "Come on, Ric, I’m really counting on you. Most of the people in our class can’t join, and even if someone can, their performance isn’t as good as yours. You’re still our star player. You’re the best we’ve got on campus. You really don’t want to help?"

Alaric tilted his head slightly, giving his friend a blank stare. Bara leaned in even closer.

"Please? Let’s just say you’re in, alright? Cool?"

"..."

"Seriously Ric, you’ll join? Thanks a ton, bro!" Bara immediately patted Alaric’s back, not even waiting for verbal confirmation.

Alaric narrowed his eyes, watching Bara who now looked like someone who had just won a lottery. "Sigh... but I won’t be able to train for long hours. And I can’t guarantee I’ll show up for every single practice. You know how busy I am."

"No problem at all," Bara said with a satisfied grin. "I know you love basketball. I’ve seen your IG stories. You still play for fun on weekends, right? You’ve definitely still got the skills."

Alaric just raised one eyebrow. "Hmm," he muttered briefly, without making any promises.