Tufi's first day of elementary school, that day was an important day. In the kitchen, his mother had already prepared a simple breakfast: rice with fried eggs. The faint smell of burning could be sensed, but for Tufi, it was more than enough. He knew his mother was tired, but she still tried to prepare food for him."Hurry and eat, Tuf," his mother said flatly, her eyes still looking weary. "Don't be late on your first day."
Tufi nodded slightly. "Yes, Mom." He sat on the worn wooden chair, staring at his egg before he started eating. There weren't many words at that table only the sound of spoons and plates clinking. His father sat in the corner of the room, busy with his cigarette, occasionally glancing at the nearly-dead wall clock. "Don't cause trouble at school, okay? Don't be like yesterday at the children's park, fighting with someone's kid," he said without looking at Tufi.
Tufi swallowed hard, then nodded again. "Yes, Dad." After eating, he put on his blue and white uniform that still looked a little too big. His mother had sewn the hem of his pants a bit so they wouldn't be too long. His old backpack looked worn out, but he fixed it neatly as if it were new. In his heart, he made a promise: today, he wanted to have friends. He wanted to try to be a kid that others liked.
The road to school wasn't far, only about a ten minute walk. Along the way, there were stretches of rice fields, the sound of crickets chirping occasionally from the grass, and the cool morning breeze.
When Tufi arrived at school, the yard was already crowded. Other children were running around—some carrying lunch boxes, some accompanied by their parents. Tufi stood by the fence, watching everything with a mix of nervousness and hope.
In front of the classroom, a female teacher with shoulder-length black hair stood smiling. "Children, come into the class, okay? Today we'll start with introductions." That was Ms. Siska, their homeroom teacher. Class 1A looked small and simple. The walls were filled with pictures of animals, letters, and colorful paper flowers. Tufi sat at the middle desk, put his bag beside him, and looked around.
One by one, the children introduced themselves. The first was a boy with straight hair and slightly dark skin, standing confidently. "My name is Rocky! I like playing soccer!" he said with a wide smile. All the children laughed a little, and the atmosphere became cheerful. Then, a chubby boy who looked shy stood up. "My name is Jack, my mother works in the school canteen," he said quietly. Ms. Siska smiled warmly. "That's nice, Jack. Later your friends can buy snacks from the canteen, okay?"
After a few more children introduced themselves, it was Lily's turn — a little girl with two pigtails and bright eyes. "My name is Lily, my house is near the rice fields. I know Tufi!" she said, waving at him. Tufi was surprised and happy at the same time. Some children turned to look at him, making his face warm. He smiled shyly and waved his small hand back. Ms. Siska also smiled. "Oh, so you already know each other, huh? Alright then, next, Tufi, please introduce yourself."
Tufi stood up slowly. His hands trembled a little, but he took a deep breath. "My name is Tufi… I live at the edge of the village. I like drawing and flying kites," he said in a small voice. Some children clapped, and one shouted, "I like kites too!" Tufi smiled for the first time that day a genuine, warm, hopeful smile.
After everyone had finished introducing themselves, Ms. Siska stood in front of the blackboard."Children, starting today, we will study together for the next six years. So, let's get to know each other better." She wrote something on the board, FIRST ASSIGNMENT: GROUPS OF 3 PEOPLE.
"Now, I want you to form groups of three. Choose friends you want to work with. You can pick anyone," she said softly. The class instantly became lively. The children moved around, calling each other, looking for group mates. Tufi sat still for a while, confused about where to go. He didn't know who would invite him. But suddenly, a soft voice called out.
"Tufi! Come with me and Rocky!"Lily waved from the front row, her face bright with excitement. Rocky beside her nodded in agreement."Come on, the three of us," he said.
Tufi smiled in relief. "Okay! Thank you, Lily! Thank you, Rocky!"
The three of them sat together. They giggled as Ms. Siska handed out drawing sheets. The assignment was simple: draw your family and your house. But for Tufi, it felt like a big task — he rarely drew anything about his home.
While drawing, Lily asked, "Is your house far, Tuf?""Yes… a bit far, but I like walking," he answered while moving his colored pencil."My house is near the school. My mom often buys me candy when I go home," Lily said happily.
Rocky joined in, "Mine's close too! My house is behind the shop. My mom sweeps the yard every afternoon." Tufi smiled a little. He knew that house — the house of Aunt Hani, Rocky's mother, whom he often saw when passing by. But he quickly shifted his thoughts and went back to drawing.He drew a small house, a tree beside it, and two people standing in front his father and mother. But their faces weren't clearly drawn. He hesitated to draw smiles there.
Ms. Siska walked around the class, watching her students' work. When she reached Tufi's desk, she looked at his drawing."Wow, your drawing is really good, Tufi," she said gently.Tufi looked down, shy. "Thank you, Ma'am."
Ms. Siska smiled. "You're talented in drawing, huh? If there's a competition later, I'll recommend you." Hearing that, Tufi's heart beat warmly. Something new bloomed inside him that day, he felt appreciated.
When break time came, the children left the class some went to the canteen, some played in the yard. Jack called out to them, "Come buy snacks! My mom sells sponge cakes!" Rocky and Lily ran first, followed by Tufi. In that simple canteen, the smell of cakes, fried snacks, and sweet drinks mixed together. Tufi looked at the coins in his hand, he bought a small piece of sponge cake. Jack smiled and said, "I'll add one more. For a new friend!"Tufi was surprised. "Really?""Yes!" said Jack, laughing. "We're friends now, right?"
Tufi smiled widely maybe the most genuine smile that had ever appeared on his face. In the backyard, they sat together under a tree. Rocky talked about his father who worked in the city, Lily told stories about her pet cat, and Tufi listened eagerly. He felt accepted something he rarely felt at home.
When the bell rang, the children ran out of the classroom, shouting happily. Tufi packed his bag slowly. He looked once more at the blackboard the names of new friends, the drawings, and the small smiles that filled the room.
As he walked home, the sky turned orange. The evening wind blew softly across the dirt road. In the distance, he saw Rocky's simple wooden house, and Aunt Hani sweeping the yard as usual.He waved a little, and Aunt Hani returned it with a warm smile."Tufi! How was your first day of school?" she shouted from afar."Fun, Auntie!" Tufi replied. "I made lots of friends!"
That smile simple but warm, accompanied Tufi's small steps all the way home.When he arrived, the house was calmer than yesterday. His mother glanced at him from the kitchen. "How was school?" she asked softly. Tufi smiled, hugging his bag tightly. "Good, Mom. I'm happy."
For the first time, Tufi's mother saw such a pure smile on her son's face. She stayed silent for a moment, then spoke in a gentle tone rarely heard in that house, "That's good, son."
That night, Tufi sat near the window, staring at the starry sky. He thought about his friends, about Ms. Siska, and about that day. In his heart, there was a small, warm whisper: Maybe… fate isn't completely evil. Maybe it just wants me to learn to find goodness, little by little.