As the heavy silence stretched on, the curiosity among the group grew unbearable. It was no longer just Roslin who wanted answers—everyone could feel the weight of an untold story hanging in the air.
Finally, Flower took a deep breath and dared to ask the question lingering in everyone's mind.
"Did something happen to Sam three years ago? Something you're not telling us?"
Roslin crossed her arms, her usual teasing tone absent. "Yeah, if you guys know something, then tell us. He might be an idiot, but he's our idiot."
Tsunami glanced at Jangla and Chingla. "We need to know, right?"
Jangla and Chingla exchanged uneasy glances. Unlike the others, they already knew the truth, and the weight of it made them hesitate.
"Maybe we shouldn't dig into someone's past if it's too painful to share," Jangla said cautiously.
Flower narrowed her eyes. "How do you know it's painful? Do you guys know something we don't?"
Jangla hesitated before sighing. "Just look at them. They don't want to talk about it."
The group turned their gaze toward Toping, Shon, and Hori, who had been eerily quiet since the subject was brought up. The guilt in their eyes was undeniable.
Finally, Toping broke the silence. "It's not that we don't want to talk about it… It's just… so much happened back then. And we're afraid… afraid that he hasn't forgotten about it.
Roslin scoffed. "Judging by his dumb behavior, I'd say he has forgotten. So spill it. What the hell happened?"
"Alright" Said Toping. Shon tried to stop him but he said "No. They have the right to know... They said he might be stupid but still he is one of them. It shows their unity.
He took a deep breath, his voice heavy with guilt. "Because unlike them, we were the ones who left him… in his most critical moment."
The words sent a ripple of shock through the group. Roslin, Tsunami, Flower—everyone—felt a pang of unease.
And then, slowly, Toping began to tell the story.
He started with how they met in class, the beginning was almost fun and hilariously for everyone to listen.
Then he talked about how they got an assignment and through with Sam met with Hina leading to the lie about him and Hina being siblings.
Slowly he started talking about the incident where the 5 of them had to face a group of delinquent and how Sam helped them in that dire situation.
Then how Sam confessed his love to Hina after that incident which they also only found out later.
Then how Sam sacrificed everything for Hina and set up to the court to fix and help her case.
And how on our reunion she dumped Sam by already being in a relationship with soccer.
"…And then, after everything, she chose Soccer," Toping finished, his voice barely above a whisper.
A stunned silence followed.
The group processed the revelation in silence, their faces a mixture of disbelief, anger, and sadness. Even Roslin was at a loss for words.
Liabilities was the first to react, his voice tight with disbelief. "How could she do that?"
Roslin clenched her fists. "If someone did all that for me, I'd never—never—betray them."
Toping sighed. "After that incident… Sam shut everyone out, and we also didn't tried to reach out to him we were caught up in our exams. By the time we tried to reach out… he was already gone."
Shon added in a hollow voice, "He changed his number. Disappeared without a word. And after our exams ended, we found out he had already left town."
Tsunami frowned. "What about Hina? Soccer? Did you ever try to ask them why they did what they did?"
Shon nodded. "We did. But… Hina's number was being used by her sister. Her sister told us that Hina didn't want to use a phone for the time being."
"The same thing happened with Soccer," Toping added bitterly. "And their hostel had strict rules against phones, so there was no way to contact them."