Elian knew the feeling. That was what unsettled him most. The exam ended quietly. No dramatic mistakes. No obvious disasters.
And yet, as Elian walked out of the hall, something felt wrong—like a note played just slightly off-key.
He replayed questions in his head automatically. Why did I choose that method? I should've checked that last step. The certainty he usually carried wasn't there.
Students clustered outside, voices overlapping.
"That was easy."
"I think I nailed it."
"Did you get the same answer for question five?"
Elian stayed silent. For the first time, he didn't want to compare. He wanted distance.
They met near the bike racks, away from the crowd. Juni studied his face carefully.
"…You don't look relieved," Juni said.
Elian exhaled slowly. "I don't think I did as well as I should have." The words felt heavy—but honest.
Juni blinked. "You?" he said, then softened. "What makes you think that?"
Elian shrugged. "I second-guessed myself," he admitted. "And I never do that."
They sat on the low wall near the gate. Juni swung his legs lightly. "…You know," he said after a moment, "you once told me surviving an exam still counted."
Elian smiled faintly. "I did."
Juni met his eyes. "So does this."
Elian let that settle. "…I'm scared of disappointing people," he admitted. "Not failing—just… falling short of what they expect."
Juni nodded. "That makes sense," he said. "But expectations don't get to decide your worth."
Elian laughed quietly. "You sound like my mom."
Juni smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."
They walked home slowly, neither in a rush. Elian resisted the urge to replay every answer again. He tried something unfamiliar instead. He let the doubt exist. Not as a verdict. Just as a feeling.
At the bus stop the next morning, Elian arrived first. He sat alone for a moment, watching the sky lighten. When Juni arrived, he leaned against Elian's shoulder lightly.
"…No matter how it turns out," Juni said softly, "I'm proud of you."
Elian closed his eyes. "Thank you."
For the first time, that felt like enough.