The film "Rocket," starring a handsome foreign actor, is currently a huge sensation in Indonesia. The actor's face graces the covers of various teen magazines. Even the girls at Harapan Muda High School are completely infatuated—from their water bottles, bags, to their pencil cases, everything is decorated with the main character's face.
"We have to watch the 'Rocket' movie!" Ratmi chirped excitedly one afternoon.
"When?" Ratna asked eagerly.
"How about this weekend?" Romi suggested.
"Sounds great! We'll watch the three of us while eating popcorn!" Ratna responded with enthusiasm.
Throughout the movie, Ratna was mesmerized. The lead actor's face… it looked exactly like the Indonesian version of Harold! The shape of his lips, his eyes, his sharp nose—everything was similar! Not to mention his tall posture, nearly 190 cm, and his pale skin.
The next day, Ratna found herself constantly stealing glances at Harold, wanting to confirm if their faces were really that identical.
Harold, noticing this, started to get annoyed.
"What's up with this girl, always staring at me," he thought, irritated.
He was already frustrated because the girl he considered "holier-than-thou" never supported him, and now she was secretly looking at him all the time.
Yet, in Ratna's eyes, Harold was truly… perfect.
The shape of his eyes, nose, and lips—everything looked sculpted. His fair, reddish skin and subtle smile were captivating. A perfect 100 out of 100!
"Why are you looking at me like that!" Harold snapped suddenly.
He was now standing in front of Ratna's desk, knocking on it hard, as if demanding an explanation.
Ratna looked back, but her mind immediately went blank. She tried to calm herself, but her eyes remained fixed on Harold's face—she figured she might as well, since he was so close.
Harold grew even more annoyed because Ratna only remained silent.
"You know, it's rude to stare at people like that!" he lectured.
"Ugh, you're so full of yourself, Harold!" Helen quickly interjected, defending Ratna. As a desk-mate, Helen was Ratna's number one protector.
"Ratna has a crush on you, Harold!" Hengki shouted from the back. Immediately, the class erupted in laughter, including Helen and Dani.
Actually, they all just wanted to tease Harold—because how could a guy as handsome as Harold be a match for a girl like Ratna?
Harold took a deep breath, trying to suppress his emotions. But his irritation made him want to retaliate and hurt Ratna's feelings.
"Ratna, uh… John has a crush on you!" he said sharply, glaring and searching for John in the classroom.
John—a boy also considered "weird" like Ratna—turned around innocently when his name was mentioned. He gave a small smile, confused as to why his name was called. He didn't dare ask because he was afraid of Harold.
"Ugh, why drag other people into this. What the heck!" Helen grumbled with an amused smile.
Ratna was still silent. She knew Harold was angry, but she didn't know what to say. What was clear was that her eyes remained fixed on Harold's face in silence—recording every detail as if she wanted to store it in her memory.
Harold returned to his seat as Mr. Subrata entered the class.
For Harold, he was annoyed because the stuck-up girl was still constantly glancing at him.
But for Ratna, she didn't feel scolded at all. Instead, her mind cheered—that day, she was able to look at Harold's face from such a close distance. And Harold's image continued to dance in front of her eyes every time she closed them.