The stories as it's written are in Indonesian, translated to English here. Dialogues covered with "<>" is the character speaking English in story
PARK – EVENING
It was a calm night at the park, the distant hum of traffic muffled by trees and warm streetlights. A young man with short hair and light stubble sat holding hands with his girlfriend, Tiara. She was dressed conservatively, her expression laced with anxiety.
"I'm just... overwhelmed," Tiara said, concern threading her voice. "Please pray for me, okay?"
Ryan gave her a flirtatious grin. "Of course I'll pray for you, babe. My last one worked—I asked for Tiara to like me, and look what happened."
Tiara rolled her eyes but smiled. "You always joke around. You're always flirting with other girls."
Ryan chuckled. "That's not true! Every time I talk to those girls, I'm basically yelling, 'Back off, Tiara's guy here!'"
She laughed. "You're so dramatic, babe."
"Not my fault you like it," he teased.
"Thanks for listening, babe," she said, her voice softening. "I feel a bit better now."
Ryan smiled but didn't respond immediately. His thoughts had wandered somewhere else entirely.
"Of course you do, babe," he said eventually. "If you're stressed, I'm stressed too."
She looked concerned again. "But seriously, babe, it's just that—"
—-------—-------—-------
Flashback fades to present.
—-------—-------—-------
HANGOUT – AFTERNOON
The hangout spot buzzed faintly with the sounds of other students, but Ryan was focused on his story. He raised his hands as if waiting for a high-five.
""
This is Ryan, Tiara's boyfriend, and one of the popular guys on campus. He is currently with Stephanie, in their groups' usual hangout spot after class.
Across the table, a girl with her brunette hair tied in a casual ponytail was barely paying attention. Stephanie sighed repeatedly as Ryan spoke, her eyes glued to her phone screen.
"
"
"" she replied, still not making eye contact.
"
"
And this is Stephanie. A cheerleader and one of the students on the executive board. She's one of Ryan's best friends and also his ex-girlfriend. They have known each other since the start of college and people often misunderstand that they are together, because they tend to bicker like an old married couple
Ryan's voice grew louder, his frustration mounting. "
Steph matched his tone, just as irritated. "
"
"
"
"<—and fun,>" he added quickly.
"
He hesitated. "
"
He said nothing.
"
Steph opened her mouth to continue, but Ryan cut her off. "
She looked at him in disbelief. "
Ryan gave a sheepish shrug. "
Then he grinned slyly. "
"
"
"
"
"
The door suddenly swung open. A tall, athletic guy with tan skin and long hair burst in, eyes wide with panic.
"Adit!" Ryan exclaimed.
"Ryan, Steph! This is super important!"
This is Adit, one of their best friends. The best basketball player around. If only his grades were as good as his scores on the court
Adit looked directly at Steph. "Teach me that History Quiz 2 stuff, Steph. You got a good score last time, right?"
Steph smiled awkwardly. "Uh... I kinda cheated off Norman's answers that time."
Ryan let out a triumphant chuckle, elbowing her playfully.
In the background, she muttered, "
Adit turned to Ryan, desperate. "Shit, Ryan, what did you get?"
"I cheated off Norman too."
"Daaamn, what am I gonna do? The exam's today!"
Steph scoffed. "What the hell is your problem? It's just a quiz."
"I've already failed two retakes," Adit groaned, his hands flying up in panic. "And if I fail again, they said my grade can't be fixed anymore!"
Ryan winced. "That's messed up."
Then, in a mocking tone, he added, "
From the side, Steph's voice rang out, dry and sharp. "
Adit pointed at Ryan accusingly. "I wanted to study for it, damn it! But you started that stupid eraser-throwing war in class three weeks ago!"
—-------—-------—-------
Jump cut — FLASHBACK
—-------—-------—-------
Inside a messy classroom, Ryan and Adit were tossing erasers around like kids in a snowball fight. The erasers bounced off the whiteboard, pinged off desks, and even smacked the door.
Ryan laughed. "See? This is way more fun!"
They both cackled, completely ignoring the lesson and the chaos they were leaving behind.
—-------—-------—-------
Back to the present.
—-------—-------—-------
Steph's eyes widened in disbelief. "You did what?!"
Ryan's face twitched in sudden guilt. "Uhh... pretty sure that wasn't me, Adit."
Steph raised a hand. "So you're the one who made the class super dusty when it was my turn to clean?!"
She smacked his shoulder again.
"
"Can you two save your married couple fight for later?" Adit complained. "Help me out first!"
Steph paused, thinking. "Hmm... what if I just ask Norman to tutor you?"
From the side, Ryan piped up sarcastically, "
Without missing a beat, Steph smacked him again.
"Uhh, I don't think that'll work..." Adit said, scratching the back of his neck.
"Why not?" she asked. "I can talk to him for you."
"Because—"
—-------—-------—-------
Jump cut — FLASHBACK
—-------—-------—-------
Back in the classroom, the eraser war was still in full swing.
The door creaked open and Norman walked in.
Before anyone could warn him, an eraser flew straight into his face—thrown directly by Adit.
—-------—-------—-------
Cut back to the present.
—-------—-------—-------
Ryan burst out laughing. "Hahaha, that was seriously hilarious!"
Steph sighed and, unsurprisingly, smacked him again.
"
Steph turned back to Adit. "Anyway... so, how can we help?"
"Just help me study," Adit pleaded. "Even if I don't cheat, maybe I can still scrape a decent score."
"I can help you later tonight, is that okay?" Steph said. "I need to tidy up the cheerleaders' room today."
She grabbed Ryan's shirt and tugged.
"And this idiot already promised to help me."
From the corner, Ryan groaned, "Damnit."
"Aww man," Adit moaned. "The exam is today. There's no time!"
"Ask Vina to help you," Steph suggested. "She definitely knows the material."
"Oh right! Where is she? She didn't answer my call earlier."
"She said she was getting lunch at Citywalk after class."
"Okay, I'll go look for her. Thank you—thank you!"
With that, Adit dashed out of the room.
Ryan turned to Steph, trying to negotiate. "You know, I could help him study too..."
She eyed him skeptically. "Uh huh."
She folded her arms.
"
"
Without waiting, Steph grabbed his arm and started dragging him toward the door.
—-------—-------—-------
CITY WALK FOOD AREA – AFTERNOON
On a quiet bench by the outdoor food stalls, a girl sat talking on the phone. Her voice was warm, but her eyes were tired.
"Yeah, Mom, I'm eating enough, don't worry," Vina said with a gentle smile.
And this is Vina, the last of the group and The total opposite of Adit. Always studying, top grades, and her parents' golden child.
"No, Mom, I have enough money," she continued. "Don't send more. It's better to save it for home—you need it more."
Her voice lowered with concern. "How about you, Mom? Are you still feeling sick?"
Vina paused, listening intently. "I mean it—if you're still sick, I'll just come home and take care of you."
She sighed. "Ugh, you always say that..."
She tried to hide her worries as she glanced around and noticed Adit approaching from a distance.
Adit motioned with his fingers, mimicking a phone call. "On the phone?"
Vina raised her hand, signaling him to wait.
"Alright, Mom, just get some rest, okay? I'll call again later."
She ended the call and turned to Adit with a bright but clearly forced smile, pulling out a chair for him.
"Sorry, Adit—I was on the phone just now."
"No worries, sorry to interrupt." He took the seat.
"I was just about to pay for my food anyway. Sorry I missed your call earlier—what's up?"
"I need your help, Vina," he said quickly. "I'm in trouble with my History Quiz 2 score—it might not be eligible for a retake anymore. It's a whole mess."
Vina's eyebrows rose. "Wait, how did that happen?"
"I've already retaken it a couple of times. And if I fail again, my score drops below 70. They said I can't fix it anymore."
"Oh wow..." she said. "Okay, let me help you review everything from the start."
Adit beamed. "Ahh thank you so much, Vin! I asked Ryan and Steph earlier, but they said they'd only be free later tonight after fixing the cheerleaders' room."
Vina chuckled. "Hahaha yeah, Steph's been ranting about that all morning. I'm surprised Ryan agreed to help."
"He got dragged into it, as usual," Adit laughed.
"Obviously. Like he had a choice," Vina added with a grin. "Don't worry, once they're done, they'll help out too."
She stood and gathered her things. "Alright then—but you're paying for my food, okay? Haha."
"Alright, alright—thank youuu, Vin! Let me go pay now."
—-------—-------—-------
CHEERLEADERS' ROOM – AFTERNOON
Dust motes floated in the slanted sunlight streaming into the cluttered storage room. Pom-poms, mats, boxes, and stacks of DVDs sat scattered across shelves and floors. Ryan looked around, visibly annoyed.
"
"
Ryan rummaged through the box and pulled out a handful of USBs and DVDs, frowning. "
"
Steph, still bent over a pile of gear, didn't look up. "
Ryan's eyes widened as his mind drifted off into a ridiculous daydream.
—-------—-------—-------
Jump cut – IMAGINATION SEQUENCE
—-------—-------—-------
Two cheerleaders lounged casually in the room, bathed in overly dramatic lighting. A softcore film played in the background.
"This film is so hot," said one, suggestively licking her lips.
"Yeah," the other whispered. "Wanna make out?"
—-------—-------—-------
Jump cut – BACK TO REALITY
—-------—-------—-------
Steph threw a balled-up rag at Ryan's head. "
Ryan blinked and snapped back to reality. "Oh."
He picked up a worn romantic DVD. ""
"
"
Ryan smirked. "Nah, still think it's unrealistic. I mean, who has a big romantic moment at the airport in real life?"
Steph leaned back against a locker, arms crossed. "
She pointed to a box stacked beside the door. "
"
"
"
—-------—-------—-------
EMPTY CLASSROOM – AFTERNOON
Vina and Adit sat at a desk with a spread of notes between them. Vina looked at the clock.
"I can help you study, Adit. But wait—when's your exam?"
"It's at 5."
Vina's jaw dropped. "What?! And you're just starting now?!"
"I mean, I did start yesterday... sort of..." he said, wincing.
Vina narrowed her eyes. "What happened?"
"I ended up watching a World War II documentary on the History Channel."
He shrugged, sheepish.
"And then late at night, I realized Quiz 2 is actually from the Prehistoric Era."
(Facepalm) Ughhh... Vina groaned, resting her forehead on the desk.
"Do we even have enough time to go over this?"
"What do I doooo?" Adit said in panic. "Should I just prepare a cheat sheet?"
Vina sighed. "Ugh... if you can avoid cheating, that's better. But fine—have one ready just in case."
"Yeah, who knows... it's Ms. Mince we're talking about."
"Alright, come on—let me help you make one."
"Okay, okay!"
—-------—-------—-------
TEACHER'S ROOM – EARLY EVENING
Ms. Diah smiled as Ryan and Steph placed the cheerleaders' box on the desk.
"Thanks so much, Stephanie, Ryan."
"You're welcome, Ms. Diah," Steph said politely.
"Here, I brought some cookies to thank you both for helping out."
Steph raised her hands. "Oh, no need to go through the troubl—"
"Wooow, thank you, Miss!" Ryan interrupted, grinning as he immediately grabbed a handful.
Ms. Diah chuckled. "Alright then, I'll be heading out now."
As she left, Ryan and Steph made their way toward the exit. Ryan's eyes landed on one of the empty desks.
"
"
Ryan leaned in, scanning a paper left on the table.
"
Steph paled slightly. "
"
—-------—-------—-------
CLASSROOM – EARLY EVENING
Adit sat at his desk, looking extremely nervous. His hands stayed tucked suspiciously inside his pockets. He could feel the small cheat sheet against his palm.
Ms. Rose strode in with a commanding presence.
"Alright, Ms. Mince is absent today due to illness. So I'll be supervising the exam in her place."
She narrowed her eyes at the class. "There will be no cheating or talking to your classmates."
She began writing essay questions on the board with fierce precision. "You may begin."
Adit's internal voice echoed in panic. (Ughhh why does it have to be Ms. Rose?!)
—-------—-------—-------
TEACHER'S ROOM – EARLY EVENING
Ryan, still holding the paper, raised his brow. "
Steph giggled. "
"
"
—-------—-------—-------
Jump cut – FLASHBACK
—-------—-------—-------
CLASSROOM – A FEW WEEKS AGO
Ms. Mince stood at the front, mid-lecture. "—so starting from the Neolithic period..."
The camera zoomed in on Adit, clearly not paying attention.
"—fossils of Homo Gigantus and Homo Erectus were discovered..."
Ryan and Steph exchanged a look and burst into suppressed giggles.
"
"
"
They both broke into quiet laughter.
—-------—-------—-------
Back to present.
—-------—-------—-------
Ryan chuckled. "
Steph leaned over to take another look at the letter. "
Ryan blinked. "
"
"
—-------—-------—-------
CITYWALK FOOD AREA – EVENING
The sun dipped low as Adit walked dejectedly through the plaza, his face cast with the shadow of failure. He spotted Vina still seated with a drink in hand.
"So... how'd it go, Adit?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Adit slumped onto the bench beside her. "I have to retake it again, Vina..."
He let out a tired breath. "Turns out the reason Homo Erectus went extinct isn't 'because they couldn't reproduce due to being same-gendered.'"
Vina shakes her head, mortified. "Oh my God, you idiot."
"But," Adit added, "they said I can buy a book on prehistory instead of taking a fourth retake."
He scratched his head. "It's due tomorrow, but I've got basketball today. You busy?"
Vina looked apologetic. "Yeah, I can't today either. Can't you skip practice?"
"Not this one... Maybe I'll try to find it tonight."
From across the food court, Ryan and Stephanie approached, both holding drinks and looking pleased.
Ryan called out, "Hey Adit—got something for you."
He held out a book, brand-new and still wrapped in plastic. The title: The Prehistoric World: A Beginner's Guide.
Adit's jaw dropped. "Wait, what? How did you know I needed this?"
Ryan chuckled. "Haha, long story. I found out, so I picked it up while we were out shopping for the cheerleader stuff. Just pay Steph for it."
"Dude, you're the best—thank you so much!" Adit said, pulling Ryan into a dramatic hug, then hugging Steph too.
They all laughed, a picture of warm friendship under the evening light.
"Hahaha yeah, yeah, okay!" Steph said, chuckling as she returned the hug.
"You got lucky, man," Vina added, smiling at Adit.
The four of them sat down together, but Ryan remained standing, waving to someone in the distance.
"I've gotta head out too," he said.
Tiara arrived, walking up beside the group. Her arms folded, voice cool but casual. "Oh, so this is where you've been?"
"Uhh... yeah," Ryan replied hesitantly.
Tiara smiled, latching onto his arm. "Alright, shall we go?"
"Yeah, let's go. See you guys later."
As they turned, Tiara looked over her shoulder. "Borrowing him for a bit, Steph."
Vina and Adit glanced awkwardly at Steph, waiting for a reaction. But Steph simply returned the smile, cool and unbothered.
"Have fun, guys," she said, waving them off.
As Ryan disappeared into the crowd with Tiara, the rest stayed seated, chatting and laughing among themselves—just another day winding down.
—-------—-------—-------
POST-CREDITS SCENE
STUDENT RESIDENCE – NIGHT
Under dim street lamps, Ryan walked Tiara home, her hand comfortably looped through his arm.
"—Yeah, and turns out Ms. Rose was the one proctoring," he said with a chuckle. "Poor guy had no chance."
"Haha, poor thing," Tiara giggled. "Lucky you got him that book."
She stopped and turned to him, gazing at his face.
"I mean... I was starting to wonder where you were all day..."
Ryan hesitated.
"I'm not trying to control you or anything," Tiara added gently. "But it just looks off when you're always around Steph."
Ryan reached out, brushing her cheek softly. "There's nothing going on, I swear. They're just old friends, that's all. Don't be mad, okay?"
Tiara leaned into his touch. "It's okay... I trust you."
She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Thanks for walking me all the way home. Be safe, alright?"
"Yeah, I'll get going now."
Ryan walked away, his expression thoughtful as the camera lingered on his face.
—-------—-------—-------
UNKNOWN HOUSE – NIGHT
The sound of a key turning in the lock echoed as Ryan stepped through the door.
His voice came in, quiet and conflicted:
"It's not that I don't want to be honest with Tiara. There's really nothing going on, and I do care about her."
The camera followed his steps through the dim hallway.
"But if she finds out I've been living here all these years... She'd probably lose it."
He opened a door.
Inside, a girl sat comfortably on a chair, laptop open, headphones around her neck. She looked up with tired, bored eyes.
"Oh, you're back. Welcome home," Steph said casually.
Ryan said nothing, just sighed.
— END EPISODE —