EPISODE :1 - First meet

“Really, you’ll fall in love with one of them! This Christmas, you’re going to celebrate with him!” Debby chuckled with excitement.

Eva smirked. “Let me see!”

It was around 8 p.m. when Debby and Eva arrived at a restaurant to meet some of Debby’s online friends. All of them were the same age. Debby had bragged to them about her beautiful best friend and brought Eva along to prove it.

Debby and Eva were classmates, close friends since middle school. Though Debby was childish at times, her affection for Eva was genuine and unwavering.

Still dressed in their school uniforms, they stepped into the restaurant and spotted three boys already seated in theirs. The boys froze the moment they saw Eva.

Eva and Debby took their seats opposite the boys.

“Hi!” one of the boys greeted with a wide smile.

Eva returned a polite “Hi.”

“Debby! Is this the friend you told us about?” another boy asked eagerly.

“Yes! Now do you believe me?” Debby said proudly, striking a playful pose.

“Yes, yes! She’s very pretty!”

“And cute too!”

Eva smiled shyly, feeling a little awkward under their gaze.

When she reached for the water jug, one of the boys quickly poured it for her. It was a clear attempt to impress her, but she found it more irritating than charming.

The boys kept flirting and trying to capture her attention. Debby, however, seemed to enjoy the interaction and chatted freely with them. Eva, meanwhile, felt bored and disconnected, though she maintained her politeness.

Soon, another group of three boys entered the restaurant and took a table to the left. Unlike the awkward conversation Eva was stuck in, the other group looked lively and fun—they were playing truth or dare and laughing.

One of the boys from her table noticed her silence. “Hey, Eva! Why are you so quiet? Are you bored?”

“Uh… no! I need to go to the restroom,” she said and got up.

As she passed the other table, she noticed their playful energy. They were clearly enjoying themselves, and Eva found herself more interested in them than her current company.

When she returned to her seat, one of the boys asked, “Are you on Instagram?”

“No! I’m not on any social media,” Eva replied casually.

“Oh! That’s sad for us,” he said, letting out a forced laugh.

A few minutes later, a chubby boy from the other group walked confidently toward their table.

“Hey! Which school are you from?” he asked Eva, his voice bold and direct. She was caught off guard.

“I’m asking you,” he said again, locking eyes with her.

“St. Nickers Higher Secondary School,” she answered.

“Which grade?”

“Tenth.”

“Oh! I know someone from that school. Maybe I’ll visit and meet them!”

“O… okay,” she said awkwardly.

The boy returned to his table and said something to his friends that made them all burst out laughing. That’s when Eva realized it must’ve been part of their truth or dare game.

“Eva, do you know him?” one of the boys from her table asked.

“No.”

“He looks older than us,” Debby commented.

“Yes! He’s so big—like a barrel!” another boy laughed.

“And did you hear his voice?” someone added, and all three laughed together.

Eva’s expression hardened. “Hey! Don’t tease anyone about their looks,” she said firmly before falling silent.

“Hey, take it easy, Eva,” one of them said and reached to touch her hand gently.

She glared at him. He quickly pulled back.

Suddenly, the tall boy from the other group—fair-skinned, sharp-eyed, and brown-haired—stood up and walked over to Eva’s side.

“Hey,” he said, a bit nervous but confident.

The moment felt still—almost like the whole restaurant paused to notice him. There was something striking about him.

He held out his phone. “Could… you please give me your Instagram ID?”

Eva was stunned, but she nodded slightly. “Uh… sure.” She took the phone and typed in her username. Just then, he received a call and stepped aside to answer it. After a few seconds, he returned, thanked her, and went back to his table.

Back at Eva’s table, the boys looked shocked and clearly upset.

“Hey! You said you’re not on social media! Now you’re giving your Instagram ID to him?” one of them asked angrily.

Eva sighed.

“Hey! Answer me!”

“Guys, calm down!” Debby tried to ease the situation.

“You shut up, Debby! Are we a joke to you?” another snapped.

“I didn’t give you my account because I didn’t want to,” Eva said boldly.

“Then why did you even come here?”

“I came with my friend—not to meet you or have fun,” she replied, her voice steady.

“Yes! I forced her to come with me, guys,” Debby added nervously.

“Girls like you are so arrogant! Do you even know what would happen if I poured this hot soup on your face?” one of the boys snarled, gripping a bowl of steaming soup.

Eva’s heart began to race. The steam curled into the air, and a chill ran down her spine.

Suddenly—slam!

A loud thud echoed through the restaurant as a hand hit the table hard. It was the tall boy again, standing firm and furious.

“What did you just say to her?” he demanded, his voice sharp and cold. “Do you even realize what you just threatened?”

The boy holding the soup froze.

“Who are you? Why are you interfering?” the boy snapped.

But the tall boy didn’t flinch. He stepped closer. “You think it’s okay to threaten a girl because she didn’t flirt with you? That makes you a man?”

The boy mumbled something, looking down.

The restaurant manager, having noticed the scene, rushed over. “What’s going on here?”

“He just threatened to pour hot soup on her,” the tall boy said calmly, still glaring at the boy.

The manager’s expression shifted instantly. “Is that true?”

The three boys fell silent.

“I think you all should leave,” the manager said sternly.

“But sir—”

“Leave. Now.”

Muttering under their breath, the boys stood and shuffled out of the restaurant.

One of them whispered near Eva, “This isn’t over.”

But the tall boy stood firm until they were gone. Only then did the tension begin to fade.

Eva looked at him, stunned—not just by what had happened, but by the fact that someone had stood up for her without hesitation.

The Next Few Days

After that night at the restaurant, Eva couldn’t stop thinking about the tall boy—Brutus. His sharp eyes, calm voice, and the way he stood up for her kept playing in her mind. She didn’t even know him well, but something about him made her heart beat faster.

At school, she found it hard to focus in class. She kept remembering how he looked at her, how he said, “Don’t waste your time with these losers.”

Debby, on the other hand, had started her little investigation.

Every break, she would ask friends, search online, and even try to remember the faces of the boys from that night.

“Did you find anything?” Eva asked one day during lunch.

Debby looked around, then whispered, “Yes… I think I found him.”

Eva’s eyes widened. “Really?”

Debby nodded. “His name is Brutus. He goes to St. Elric’s School, not far from here. He’s in Grade 12.

Eva felt her heart skip a beat. “You’re sure?”

“Yes! I asked one of my friends who knows the boy who dared him to ask for your Instagram. She told me his name.”

Eva smiled to herself. She didn’t know why… but just hearing his name made her feel warm inside.

“Thanks, Debby,” she said.

“Don’t fall too hard!” Debby teased.

“I already did,” Eva replied, blushing a little.

That night, Eva returned home and took a shower. As the warm water ran over her, she couldn’t stop thinking about the boy from the restaurant—Brutus. She had heard his friends call him by name, and now, it was stuck in her mind.

She was curious. Who was he really? What kind of person was he? Did he already have a girlfriend? These questions kept spinning in her head. Still, she told herself she wouldn’t give up until she found out the truth.

Later, Eva sat at her study table, pulled out her books, and began preparing for the next day’s class test. She usually studied late at night. Unlike her cousin Ryan, who always carried a book, Eva only studied when needed—but she was still always first in class. She worked harder than usual because of her study rival, Mark Rim. He was smart and competitive, just like her.

While she was getting ready to focus, there was a knock on the door. It was her little brother, Mike.

“I need your headphones,” he said shyly.

“I need them too,” Eva replied, quickly hiding them in her drawer.

Mike stared at her for a few seconds. She turned to him.

“What?” she asked.

“You’re blushing. Are you dating someone?” he asked, his eyes wide.

“Hey! No! Shut the door and go away!”

As he closed the door, he shouted, “Mom! Eva’s seeing someone!”

Eva sighed and tried to concentrate on her books.

The next morning, Eva got ready for school. Everyone sat together for breakfast.

“Don’t eat so fast,” their dad told Mike, who had stuffed his mouth with toast.

“Dad, can you drop me today?” Eva asked politely.

“Of course! I’ll drop both of you,” he replied.

Eva looked at Mike, who was in his school uniform. That’s when something clicked. Mike and Brutus went to the same school! She had never thought about it before.

While they waited outside for their dad to bring the car, Eva turned to her brother.

“Mike, my dear brother,” she said sweetly.

Mike looked at her suspiciously. “What?”

“Your loving sister needs your help,” she said, pretending to beg.

“Why are you acting so weird? Did a ghost possess you?” Mike asked, stepping away.

“Hey!” Eva yelled but quickly calmed down. Stay cool, Eva. You need his help, she thought.

She smiled sweetly. “My cutest baby brother,” she said, pinching his cheek. “I just need to ask about someone from your school.”

Mike pushed her hand away. “Who is it?”

“Do you know a guy named Brutus?” she asked.

Mike gave her a sharp look. “You didn’t give me your headphones yesterday, remember?”

Eva ran behind him. “I’ll buy you new ones—today!”

Mike smirked. “Deal.”

“Now tell me about Brutus,” Eva said, her eyes bright.

“He’s in 12th grade,” Mike said. “He’s the basketball team captain, good at studies, and popular in school. Even the teachers like him. He’s kind of like a role model to me.”

Eva smiled. “Wow… Thanks!”

She ruffled his hair.

“This is why you were acting strange,” Mike muttered as he got into the car.

Eva laughed nervously. “No! I was asking for Debby!”

But she knew he didn’t believe her.

At school, Eva sat in class when Debby walked in and sat next to her.

“Guess what I found out about the tall guy!” Debby whispered excitedly.

“Shhh! Don’t be loud!” Eva said, looking around.

“I talked to his friend!” Debby said in a serious tone.

“His friend? One of the guys from last night?” Eva asked.

“Yes! The one with the tattoo on his neck and the mullet hairstyle.”

“Oh… I didn’t even notice him properly.”

“Well, I did. He had a name badge on his shirt, so I searched him on Instagram last night and followed him.”

Eva raised her eyebrows.

Debby continued, “They’ve been best friends since middle school. He told me everything!”

Eva leaned in, excited to hear more.

“Brutus is a top student. His parents lived abroad during his childhood, but now they’re here. He loves Harry Potter, plays basketball, and visits a dumpling shop near school with his friends.”

Eva smiled. She liked learning all these small things about him.

“But from what I understood, they’re still a bit immature,” Debby added.

“Oh…”

“Still, Jin—his friend—seems nice. And the rest of them too,” Debby said, smiling.

Eva nodded, her heart feeling a little lighter.

At lunch, Eva met her cousin Ryan, who asked if she had finished reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. They both loved that book.

“I’ll give it to you once I’m done,” she promised.

That evening, after school, Eva and Debby made a little plan—to go near the boys’ school just to catch a glimpse of Brutus. They waited a little distance away, pretending to just hang out. Twenty minutes later, Brutus finally walked out with his friends.

Eva wasn’t the only one waiting. A few girls stood around in little groups, clearly admiring Brutus too.

“No doubt, he looks good,” Eva thought, feeling a pinch of jealousy.

The boys walked down the road, and Eva and Debby quietly followed. They soon entered a familiar shop.

“So this is the dumpling shop his friend talked about?” Eva whispered.

“Yes! Let’s go inside!” Debby grinned and took a step forward.

“Hey, wait! Stop, Debby!” Eva pulled her bag, stopping her.

“Let’s not go in. Let’s follow from outside,” Eva said.

“Oh, fine!” Debby agreed.

That evening, they secretly followed Brutus and his friends. Eva watched him from afar, feeling butterflies every time he smiled or spoke. After a while, she went home—her heart full and happy. Just seeing him had made her day.

Over the next two weeks, Eva kept doing the same thing. She followed Brutus often—sometimes with Debby, sometimes alone. She knew it wasn’t exactly right, but it made her happy. Slowly, very slowly… she was falling in love.

One Sunday, Eva went to church with her family for a special prayer. While waiting outside, her brother Mike ran into one of his school friends.

Eva stood nearby, watching.

“Hey Mike! Is this your sister?” the boy asked.

Mike smirked. “No! I don’t know who she is.”

Eva rolled her eyes and looked at him. “Don’t be silly,” she said, tapping his shoulder.

“She’s my sister,” he told the boy with a small smile.

“Oh, hello!” he greeted, and she greeted him back politely.

The two boys then started talking about school and some basketball event. Eva listened carefully.

After the boy left, Eva asked Mike, “Hey! What basketball match were you talking about?”

Mike gave her a suspicious look. “Were you eavesdropping?”

“I was listening,” Eva corrected. “You two were talking loudly.”

He sighed. “There’s a tournament this Saturday. I’m playing.”

Eva’s eyes lit up. “Really? Is Brutus playing too?”

Mike narrowed his eyes. “I knew it! I know your plans!”

“Mike, please take me with you! I know family is allowed to watch!”

“Nope,” he replied, walking away proudly.

“Last time you begged Mom and Dad to come!” Eva reminded him.

“But not this time. Even if they say yes, I’m not taking you,” he smirked.

Eva clenched her fists in frustration. “Why are brothers like this?” she thought. “Why was I born with a sibling?”

Still, she reminded herself she was in church and kept calm.

Later in the week, after another quiet trip to see Brutus from afar, Eva returned home, took a shower, and sat down to study. But her mind kept drifting back to the tournament.

She decided to try persuading Mike again.

She knocked on his door. No answer.

After waiting for two minutes, she peeked inside. The room was empty.

“He must still be at basketball practice,” she thought.

Her eyes scanned his bookshelf. She spotted a stack of Harry Potter movie CDs. Should I borrow—or maybe steal—one? her sneaky side whispered.

As she reached for them, something else on his study table caught her eye.