The room, which had been filled with whispers, now erupted into chatter. Several students began to voice their opinions.
"From what she said, it sounds like she's blaming someone else, right?" remarked a student in the corner.
"But who would deliberately trip her? It's probably just a misunderstanding," another responded, trying to calm things down.
"If she really got tripped, why didn't she say so from the start? Why did she cry first?" added a female student, casting a cynical look at Julia.
Julia, hearing this, lowered her head even further. Her tears began to fall again, and she bit her lip, as if trying to stop herself from sobbing uncontrollably.
Aiden, becoming more agitated, stepped forward toward Julia. "Do you think this is a joke? Do you realize the consequences of saying something like that? People might start believing Navarro intentionally tripped you. But I clearly saw you fall on your own!"
"Enough, Aiden." Navarro finally spoke up again, his voice firm but calm. He stood between Aiden and Julia, looking at his friend seriously. "Whatever she meant, let it go. If she says to let it pass, then let it pass. We don't need to discuss this any further."
"But, Nero—" Aiden tried to argue.
A student, a boy from the middle row, suddenly raised his hand and called out, "Hey, now that I think about it, I'm kind of curious too. After hearing Aiden and what Julia said, why don't we just check the CCTV? That way, we'll know who's right."
The class erupted into discussion. Some students immediately agreed, while others whispered about the suggestion.
"Yeah, that sounds right!" shouted a girl from the back. "So there's no more confusion."
Bintang, the class president, who had been silently observing, finally sighed deeply. He stood up from his seat and raised his hand to quiet the commotion. "Alright, listen up. If you really want to check the CCTV, I can pull up the footage. But..." He looked around the class seriously. "There are conditions. No one can record or take pictures on their phones. And I will only show the footage before Julia fell. That's all. Agreed?"
The whole class nodded in unison. Some students immediately put their phones away into their bags.
"Alright." Bintang walked up to the teacher's desk at the front of the class, grabbed the tablet he always carried, and opened the app connected to the school's surveillance system. His fingers quickly tapped on the screen, and then he walked toward the large LCD monitor hanging in front of the classroom and connected his tablet.
"I'll start from here," he said, pointing to the time on the screen. He rewound the video a few seconds before Julia started walking toward her seat. "Remember, no phone recordings, or I'll turn this off right now."
The whole class gathered around the screen, watching intently. Aiden even walked to the front, standing beside Navarro and putting his arm around his shoulder as if offering support.
The screen displayed a clear view of the corner of the room. Julia was seen walking slowly toward the empty seat near Navarro, carrying a substantial amount of art supplies. Her movements appeared awkward, clearly burdened by the heavy load.
Then, Ms. Lusi's loud voice was heard in the background, scolding Julia about her art supplies. The footage showed Julia looking startled at the reprimand, her body swaying slightly.
A few seconds later, Julia suddenly seemed to lose her balance and—THUD!—fell, her art supplies scattering across the floor.
The class immediately erupted in laughter. Some students stifled their giggles, while others laughed without shame.
"Oh my God, so that's what happened!" shouted one student from the back, bursting into laughter.
"She fell by herself! It's so obvious!" another added, pointing at the screen.
Bintang paused the video right after Julia fell and turned off the monitor. "That's enough," he said firmly, staring at the class with a neutral expression. "It's clear now, isn't it? Navarro didn't even see Julia when she fell. So please, no more strange speculation."
Aiden, who had been standing firmly with his hand on Navarro's shoulder, smiled with satisfaction. "See? What did I tell you? Nero didn't do anything." He patted Navarro's shoulder proudly. "It's clear now."
Navarro just nodded quietly, his gaze calm as always. "This shouldn't have been blown out of proportion in the first place," he murmured softly.
Julia, who had been sitting quietly in her seat, looked even more embarrassed. Her face turned red, and her eyes welled up with tears again. "I'm sorry..." she whispered, almost inaudible, but the entire class heard her.
From the front row, a female student suddenly spoke up, her voice filled with disbelief. "So she really fell on her own? Then why did she imply someone tripped her? That's outrageous!"
The words acted like a spark, igniting the emotions of several other students.
"Exactly! If she really fell on her own, why say someone made her fall?" another student added from the back, their tone equally frustrated.
Julia, her face growing redder, looked up in panic. "That's not it!" she said quickly. "I... I didn't know for sure. I didn't see anything in front of me, so I thought... maybe someone did it on purpose..."
Her words were cut off by Aiden's sharp voice, interrupting her. "So, you immediately assumed it was Nero who tripped you?!" His eyes were blazing. "Why not me? I was closer to your position at that time!"
Julia froze. Her eyes widened, her mouth opened as though she wanted to reply, but all that came out was a stammer. "I... I didn't mean it like that... I just..."
But Aiden wouldn't let her finish. "If you didn't mean it that way, then why did you stare at Nero when you fell? What does that mean, huh?"
The noise in the room escalated as other students began whispering or nodding in agreement with Aiden. Julia appeared more and more pressured, her eyes welling up again.
Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Bintang stepped forward to the center of the room. He raised his hand, trying to get everyone's attention. "Enough, that's enough!" he said firmly. "Everyone, quiet down."
The room gradually quieted, and all eyes were now on Bintang. In a calmer tone, he said, "Julia, I think you should apologize to Navarro. After all, this situation makes others think you're accusing him, even if that wasn't your intention."
Navarro, who had remained silent up until then, finally spoke. He shook his head slightly. "No need," he said, his voice low but clear. "Julia didn't accuse me directly, and I don't think an apology is necessary."
However, Navarro's words were immediately countered by a student from the right corner of the class. "But, Navarro, even though she didn't say your name, her eyes clearly pointed at you when she fell. I saw it too. Everyone saw it!"
Whispers filled the room again, and some students began nodding in agreement. Navarro stared at the student for a moment, then let out a long sigh. He turned to Aiden, who was still standing in front of him with his fists clenched. "Enough, Aiden," he said softly. "This doesn't need to go any further."
But Aiden, still looking angry, shot a sharp glance at Julia before muttering, "Next time you fall, make sure you don't immediately blame someone else. Especially Nero."
Julia nodded quietly, her voice barely audible as she said, "Sorry... Sorry, Navarro."
Navarro gave a brief nod. "It's okay," he said calmly. "It's over."
Bintang looked around the class to ensure no one would protest again before adding, "Alright, everything's clear. Now, let's return to our seats and get ready for the next lesson. No more talking about this."
As the class slowly settled down thanks to Bintang's intervention, the students began leaving the room one by one. Navarro stood up and walked towards his desk, intending to grab his tablet and notebook. However, before his hand could reach his belongings, Aiden had already taken them.
Without a word, Aiden shoved Navarro's tablet and notebook into his own bag, his movements quick but filled with suppressed frustration. Navarro raised an eyebrow in surprise, but before he could ask, Aiden had grabbed his wrist.
"Let's go," Aiden muttered tersely, his voice almost flat but full of urgency. He pulled Navarro along without giving him a chance to protest, his strides long and determined as he led the way out of the economics classroom.
Navarro allowed himself to be pulled along, though Aiden's hasty pace was somewhat annoying. Aiden's face was still tight with anger, his brows furrowed, and his lips pressed into a firm line—quite unlike his usual cheerful and playful self. This time, his demeanor was cold and full of pressure.
As they walked down the increasingly empty corridor, Navarro finally couldn't stand Aiden's silence any longer. He gently tapped Aiden's arm and spoke in a flat but sharp tone, "You're gripping too hard. It hurts."
Aiden immediately froze, his body stiffening. He quickly turned around and released his hold on Navarro's hand. His eyes widened slightly, as if just realizing what he had done.
"Sorry," he said quickly. He immediately reached for Navarro's slim hand, holding it gently as if afraid to cause further harm. His fingers began to lightly massage the arm that had been pulled. "I didn't realize... I'm really sorry, Nero. Does it still hurt? Is it sore?"
Navarro shook his head softly, looking at Aiden with a calm yet slightly tired expression. "It's not bad. Just a little uncomfortable earlier."
Aiden let out a heavy sigh, his gaze focused on Navarro's hand as if it were something incredibly fragile. He continued to massage it slowly, even though there were no signs of pain left. "I didn't mean to, Nero. I was just... so pissed off at them earlier. At Julia, at those kids in class who just talk without thinking."
Navarro stayed silent, letting Aiden vent his frustration.
Aiden kept massaging Navarro's wrist, his face focused while his lips continued to murmur in frustration. "Seriously, Nero, I can't even think straight. It's their first day, and they're already causing trouble like that. Julia's actions really pissed me off. And the kids in class, they just follow along, not thinking before they open their mouths."
Navarro listened patiently, his eyes steady on Aiden. Even though Aiden sounded angry, Navarro felt relieved. This was the Aiden he knew—talkative, blunt, but loyal.
"Then," Aiden continued, his voice speeding up with his rising frustration, "if it was really just a fall, why blame someone else? Especially you! I just don't get it. Thank god for the CCTV. If not, you'd still be accused without any proof. I won't just sit back if anyone says anything about you again, Nero. Seriously, it's outrageous."
Navarro sighed and gently patted Aiden's arm, trying to stop the endless flow of words. "Enough. I'm fine."
Aiden looked up, confusion in his eyes. "But, Nero—"
"I just want to say thank you," Navarro cut in, his voice soft but sincere. "You really stood up for me earlier, Dan. I don't know what would've happened if you weren't there."
Aiden blinked and then shook his head firmly. "What are you talking about, Nero? That's just what friends do. I don't want you to be the victim of any stupid gossip. Besides, if I don't stand up for you, who will? I'm always on your side, no matter what."
Navarro heard this and smiled faintly, a smile he rarely showed except to those closest to him. He slung his arm around Aiden's shoulders in a light gesture, warmth radiating from him despite his usual cool demeanor. "You're really the best friend, Dan."
Aiden went quiet for a moment, perhaps surprised by Navarro showing emotion. But as always, he quickly returned to his usual chatter. "Well, of course! Who else, if not me? So, what do you want to do now? Head to the cafeteria first or go straight to the next class?"
Navarro released his arm and raised an eyebrow with a calm but meaningful expression. "If you keep complaining, we won't get anywhere. Let's go before we're late."
Aiden chuckled, though there were still remnants of irritation in his eyes. He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Okay, okay. But seriously, Nero, if anything else happens, just let me know. I'm ready to be your bodyguard."
Navarro shook his head lightly, his steps light as he headed toward the next class. "A bodyguard, huh? If I really need one, you'll be the first person I call, Dan."
And together, they walked side by side, leaving the now quiet corridor with their spirits much higher.
***