The Pen That Changed My Life - Chapter 12 – The Unexpected Gift

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The days grew busier as exams approached.

Teachers handed out worksheets almost every lesson.

Homework piled up on our desks.

Even Narin, who usually joked through every class, had become a little more serious.

Well...

At least during lessons.

The moment the bell rang, he was still the same Narin everyone knew.

One Monday morning, I reached my desk and noticed something unusual.

A small chocolate bar lay on top of my notebook.

There wasn't a note.

There wasn't a name.

I looked around the classroom, confused.

"Whose is this?"

No one answered.

I picked it up and placed it inside my bag, thinking someone had left it there by mistake.

A few minutes later, Narin walked in.

"Morning."

He sat beside me for a moment before class.

I took the chocolate out of my bag.

"Did you see who left this on my desk?"

He looked at it.

Then he looked away a little too quickly.

"No."

"You didn't?"

He shook his head.

"Maybe someone likes you."

I frowned.

"Don't joke."

"I'm not."

"No one would do that."

He shrugged.

"How do you know?"

Before I could answer, the teacher entered the room.

The conversation ended there.

The next day...

There was another chocolate.

This time, it was a different flavor.

I asked almost everyone near my seat.

Nobody knew anything.

Or at least...

That's what they claimed.

By the third day, my curiosity had completely taken over.

I arrived at school earlier than usual.

I wanted to catch whoever was leaving the chocolates.

The classroom was nearly empty.

I quietly sat at my desk, pretending to read.

Five minutes passed.

Nothing happened.

Then...

The classroom door opened.

Narin walked in.

He looked around.

Thinking no one had arrived yet, he reached into his bag and carefully placed another chocolate on my desk.

Before he could turn away...

I spoke.

"Narin."

He froze.

Slowly, he turned around.

Our eyes met.

For the first time since I'd known him...

He looked genuinely embarrassed.

"I..."

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"I was going to tell you."

I looked at the chocolate.

"Why?"

He smiled awkwardly.

"You always study so hard."

"So?"

"My mother says people should eat something sweet when they're tired."

I didn't know whether to laugh or stay serious.

"So you've been bringing these every day?"

He nodded.

"I didn't want you to know."

"Why not?"

He looked out the window instead of at me.

"I thought..."

He paused.

"...you might refuse them."

I stared at him for a long moment.

Then I quietly picked up the chocolate.

"Thank you."

His face immediately brightened.

"So... you're keeping this one?"

I smiled.

"Yes."

He let out a relieved sigh.

"Good."

It was only a chocolate.

Something most people would forget by the end of the day.

But somehow...

The smallest things he did always stayed with me much longer than they should have.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4V5Xv2CCA

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