Chapter 38: Chapter 38

"Treat?"

"Yes, you will, just count it as my apology."

"No." Ghea replied, gently refusing while shaking her head. It was a big lie, but in her heart, she really wanted to accept the offer. When else would she try to get satisfied and eat alone with Rian?

something that girls rarely get. Ghea shouldn't have wasted this opportunity.

"Rian didn't do it on purpose, I can understand. Take it easy."

"You can't do that, Ghe." Rian refused. "I feel bad for you. You have to be willing, okay?"

"But—"

"No refusal at all, okay?"

"But I already ate at the cafeteria," said Ghea. "I'm still full."

Ghea prayed silently that Rian had another offer.

"Let's go to the cafe after school. Do you agree?" asked Rian.

The universe seemed to be on Ghea's side this time. The girl cheered in her heart, but she had to maintain her image in order to behave well and politely in front of her seniors, whom Ghea thought were very good-looking.

Ghea nodded. "That's it, then."

"Want some?"

"Yes."

Rian smiled widely. "Okay, but I don't think I can go home from school today. I have some business that I can't leave behind. Maybe the day after tomorrow or the day after that. How about it, Ghe? You don't mind, right?"

"Why would I mind? It's up to you, I'll follow you."

"Okay, I'll call you later. Uh, what's your phone number?"

Ghea was surprised. With an impatient gesture, she reached for her cell phone. After that, she and Rian exchanged cell phone numbers.

What in the world? Ghea felt like she was in a dream, she knew Rian's cell phone number. Ghea felt very lucky today.

"There you go." Rian put his cell phone in his pocket. "Then I'll continue cleaning first."

"Can I help you?" Ghea volunteered.

"No, you're a girl, you'll get tired. Let me do it, after all, this is also a punishment for me, not you. Go back to class."

Is it okay if Ghea considers Rian's words a sign of concern for her?

***

Cakra is very determined about the decision he made to join extracurricular basketball. At work yesterday, before he went home, he took the time to meet his boss in the office. With confidence, Cakra asked for permission, although he was not too confident that his boss would agree. But beyond his expectations, Cakra was allowed on the condition that he would not forget his work.

After all, Cakra only asked for permission every Thursday afternoon, maybe his boss thought that it didn't take too much time.

With confidence, Cakra stepped closer to the group of students who were getting ready. Even from a distance, Rian looked the most striking among the others. Maybe it was because Cakra only knew his half-brother.

Taking a strong breath, Cakra immediately stepped into the middle of the field as soon as he put his bag on the sidelines. He was currently wearing a sports jersey, because he didn't have a special basketball jersey yet.

"Yan..." A lanky boy poked Rian's waist when he saw Cakra walking towards him.

Rian hadn't noticed Cakra's presence yet. He was still busy giving directions as usual to his teammates. However, when he received a poke coming from his right side, Rian immediately turned his head.

"Why?" asked Rian while raising his eyebrows.

Without saying a word, Adi pointed at Cakra with a gesture using his chin. Reluctantly, Rian followed the direction of his extracurricular friend's gaze.

And something was out of Rian's mind. The boy was transfixed when he saw his half-brother walking towards him. Rian narrowed his eyes, watching Cakra, who was getting closer.

"What do you need here?" Rian asked to the point, his tone sounded heavy and cynical, as if Cakra's presence was not wanted here at all.

Rian walked forward towards Cakra while holding an orange ball in his hand. His face was flat, even more dominantly disgusted with Cakra's existence.

"What are you doing here?" asked Rian once again. Unprompted, the group of boys who participated in extracurricular basketball stood behind Rian, watching Cakra.

Cakra drew himself closer. Staring at the boys in front of him one by one. Indeed, there are no girls participating in basketball extracurricular activities here. He pressed his lips together, then nodded.

"Is it true that this is a basketball extracurricular?" asked Cakra, looking straight at Rian's face. No, more precisely, he was staring at Rian's eyeballs, which were staring at him.

"Yeah, so what do you want?" he asked Rian. Fast and clear.

Cakra smiled slightly, he then extended his hand in front of Rian. "Allow me to join you here."

"Join?"

"Yes," he replied quickly, nodding firmly.

Rian let out a long sigh. He then threw the ball back, which was immediately caught expertly by his friend. Rian stepped forward, approaching Cakra. Their distance was so close that their gazes clashed.

Rian smiled. "We're short on members, but I'm not going to recruit you. I'm the leader here, so I'm going to reject you from joining."

Calmly, Cakra replied. "If I may know, can I give you a clear reason?"

"No need to use a reason, you already know."

"No one explained it to me, so I don't know." Cakra shook his head slowly, watching Rian's face as he raised his eyebrows. "What do you think?"

Rian's hands were clenched on both sides of his body. His gaze sharpened. The basketball extracurriculars were currently lacking members, but Rian didn't think that Cakra would join at all.

"Want to hear the reason?"

"With pleasure."

"I hate you, I don't want to accept you here, and I already consider you my enemy to get Inez."

Cakra laughed, then chuckled softly. He looked at Rian while shaking his head. "Is that the only problem? This has nothing to do with it, you can't bring Inez here."

"I'm the chairman here." Rian insisted, he didn't want to lose. His eyes glared at Cakra even more. "I can't accept you for any reason. Your presence is not needed here."

"Didn't you say you were short of members?"

"I did say that, but that doesn't mean you're the one. I can find another student, as long as it's not you."

Cakra smiled. "You're just the leader, right? His job is to handle and give direction to all members. Okay, if you can't do it, there's still a coach I can go to."

"You—"

Rian pointed at Cakra's face, his breath already rushing, his chest rising and falling, and his teeth chattering with annoyance. He almost punched Cakra in the face if he didn't remember his current position. If the coach found out, it could be a big problem for Rian.

The boy closed his eyes while regulating his breathing. His jaw was still hard, and Cakra always made him angry.

"Yan, we're really short of members, just accept Cakra. Didn't Mr. Handoko tell you to recruit new members yesterday?" Adi interjected.

"That's right, Yan, and now you don't have to bother looking for new members, now someone has turned themselves in. You're not tired, are you?"

Rian let out a long breath, his eyes focused on Cakra again. "You can join," he decided, even though it was hard for him to say.

Cakra carried a big smile. "Thanks."

"You have to remember, I'm the leader here. You must obey what I say." Rian showed his fist. "Watch out if you mess up."

Cakra just nodded, without replying to Rian's words. The boy joined the others. They welcomed him, but not Rian. He snorted rudely and gave Cakra an annoyed look. For some reason, Rian felt that Cakra's purpose here was not purely because he wanted to enter extracurricular basketball, but because there was something that the boy was looking for. He doesn't know what it was. And Rian didn't know.

"Adi!" Rian called out. As soon as Adi answered his call, Rian said again. "Give the remaining shirts to the new members."

"Ready Yan." Adi walked away, after a while, he returned and handed it to Cakra.

Rian approached. "Use it quickly, I'll give you five minutes."

Cakra responded with a mumble, before finally moving away towards the toilet. Right on time, he was back in five minutes because he was running.

"Before we start, let's warm up lightly, as usual." Rian's gaze again had to be centered on Cakra. He wasn't ready for that boy to be here yet. "Okay, we'll run ten laps around the field. And make you a new member." Rian pointed at Chakra. "Double for you."

Rian smiled wryly. He thought it was a very good idea. A lamp in the back of his head suddenly lit up. An idea came to him, toying with Cakra on the first day the boy joined here seemed quite fun.

Plus, this time Mr. Handoko couldn't directly monitor basketball activities because he had business that couldn't be left behind. Rian suddenly felt very excited.

"Okay, we start now. Run!" Rian exclaimed, then began to step his feet wide. Cakra didn't protest when Rian told him to run twice as much as the other members. It's not like he's capable, right?

A few minutes after that, Rian and the others stopped running after ten laps. Meanwhile, Cakra still had half of it left. Rian smiled wryly. Just watch, he was going to torture the new member.

"Yan, don't you feel sorry for the kid?" Rian turned his face when Adi said.

Rian just smiled wryly. "I need proof that he really intended to come here."

"But aren't you overreacting?"

"No, if he doesn't argue, it means he doesn't mind my order." Rian shrugged his shoulders, returning his attention to Cakra, who was still focused on his every move.

"Whatever you say, Yan."

"You just watch."

Not long after that, Cakra returned with labored breathing. Of course he was tired, running non-stop was not easy. Especially for twenty laps.

"Already?" Rian chuckled in front of Cakra, who could clearly see that the boy was catching his breath. Cakra didn't answer, he just looked at Rian with sweat pouring down his forehead and neck.

"This is nothing, you have to prove that you deserve to be here," Rian said, looking at Cakra. He cleared his throat, then continued. "Now do thirty push-ups."

"Yan..."

Rian raised his hand when Adi spoke, and Adi immediately shut his mouth. Rian turned to Adi. "No one told you to make a sound, okay?"

Everyone immediately fell silent.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and push up!" Rian yelled at Cakra.

Cakra returned Rian's gaze flatly. He knew that Rian was playing with him. And Cakra did not want to lose, he had to survive whatever orders Rian gave him. Don't think that way, Cakra will give up and get out of here, he doesn't want to be considered weak and cowardly.

Pressing his lips together, Cakra immediately positioned himself to prepare for push ups. Thirty times, Cakra must immediately complete the order from the chairman.

It took him less than ten minutes to finish. He was tired, and his throat felt scratchy and dry. His face was a little pale, with sweat pouring down.

Instead of pitying him, Rian was getting excited. Meanwhile, Cakra sat on the field, straightening his legs while regulating his uncontrolled breathing.

"Get up, now I'm asking you to do thirty pull-ups." Rian smiled wryly, which Cakra returned with a flat face. Arguing was wrong, he didn't want to give Rian an opening like that.

"Get up!" Rian ordered it firmly. "Why are you staring at me like that? I just want to test your worthiness here. If you can survive, you can join us."

Cakra wiped the sweat from his temples before standing up, staring and smiling faintly at Rian. Cakra walked slowly towards the metal sign. No matter what, he would not give up. Cakra did not want to be considered a coward and had little energy.

"Yan, you're crazy!" Adi grabbed Rian's shoulder, glaring and hissing. "Don't be too hard, if he gets tired, then what happens? Who gets hit? It's not just you, it's us too."

Rian shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "I want to be honest with all of you. We're short on members, but I don't really agree with Cakra joining."

"But you already agreed." One of the boys said.

Nodding briefly, Rian explained with a serious expression on his face. "That's right, I've already agreed for Cakra to be in our group." For a moment, Rian watched Cakra, who was doing pull-ups at his request. "But it depends on how he is. If he persists and doesn't protest what I tell him to do, then he really means to join. We'll see."

"Don't be too hard, Yan, you poor thing."

"I don't care."

Rian refocused his gaze on Cakra, who seemed to have finished. Good, that boy was looking more and more tired and pale. Rian chuckled, he still had another surprise for Cakra.

"Do you intend to join? I don't need members who look lethargic like you. If you want to join the basketball club, you should know that you have to be physically strong. We don't need weaklings." Rian scrunched up his waist. "So, if you want to quit now—"

"What do I need to do next?" Cakra cut off Rian's unfinished speech. His back straightened, even though the tired look was already very clear on the boy's face. But his determination deserved two thumbs up.

Everyone looked at Cakra with a stifled squeal.

Rian narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure you're still strong?" Rian laughed blandly for a few seconds. "There's no need to force yourself if you're tired, there's no need to ask to continue if you're not physically up to it. I'm happy to let you out of here."

"I don't think there's a chairman who has a lot of gripes." Cakra interjected. "Instead of talking nonsense, just tell me what to do now."

Rian again formed a frivolous smile. He looked back, glaring at his partner. "Give me the ball!" he said loudly.

One of them, who happened to be holding a basketball, immediately threw it at Rian. Rian caught it with precision. The boy played the ball on his forefinger, as if he were showing that he was good at doing that. In fact, Cakra can do it too.

"All you need to do now is put this ball in the ring, I'll give you a minute, and you have to enter thirty times."

"That's too fast."

"You can't?" Rian looked at Cakra with a bumpy forehead.

"I'm not capable," he answered honestly. "I'll try if you, as the leader, have to try first. If not, the other members can too."

Rian narrowed his eyes at Chakra, after which he turned his body halfway around. "Anyone else want to try?"

"It's really hard, Yan, the time you give is too little."

"Okay, fifteen balls into the ring, I give five minutes." Rian immediately decided, and he threw the ball hard at Cakra. Fortunately, Cakra immediately caught it.

Cakra dribbled the ball first, then shot a jump shot until the ball entered the ring. It wasn't that difficult, he was used to it. Especially helped by his tall body. Fifteen ball entries should not be burdensome for Cakra.

"Cakra, cheer up! You're so cool, you're awesome!"

A sudden shout from the edge of the court momentarily distracted Cakra's focus. He turned his head for a moment, it was Inez who was shouting. Cakra didn't flinch, and then he put the ball back into the ring with not much time left.

Meanwhile, Rian immediately clenched his fists when he saw Inez on the sidelines.