My brother's fiancée loves me after I time travel to the past

It appeared they were the first to arrive. Jiko and Julie sat on the plush sofa, exchanging a slightly awkward glance. Julie crossed her legs, her notebook balanced on her lap, and fiddled with the corner of the page. "So," she began, breaking the silence, "you think this is actually going to help us prepare?"

Jiko shrugged, leaning back with his arms crossed. "It can't hurt, right? Besides, Nila seems pretty serious about it." He paused, then added with a wry smile, "Though I didn't expect it to turn into a social gathering."

Julie laughed softly, shaking her head. "Well, if nothing else, it'll be interesting to see how this group handles studying. They're not exactly known for staying on task."

Before Jiko could respond, Nila appeared in the doorway, carrying a small stack of notebooks and a neatly labeled folder. "I heard that," she said, mock-indignant, narrowing her eyes at Jiko and Julie. "I'll have you know I've put a lot of effort into organizing this session, so you two better not mess it up."

Julie smirked as if she was poking her intentionally. "Don't worry, Nila. We're just warming up. You've got the most disciplined group of students in school."

Nila rolled her eyes, setting the materials down on the coffee table. "Right. Because nothing says discipline like Fahim cracking jokes every five minutes." She glanced at Jiko, her tone light but firm. "And don't think I didn't catch the 'social gathering' comment, either. If you're here, you're studying."

Jiko held up his hands in surrender, a grin spreading across his face. "Message received, Captain."

Nila shook her head, though her expression softened. "Good. Now, I'm going to grab a few more things from my room. Behave until the others arrive."

As she left, Jiko leaned closer to Julie and whispered, "See? I told you she was serious about this."

Julie smirked. "She's not messing around. Maybe this study group will actually keep us on track."

Before Jiko could respond, the doorbell rang. Mrs. Shima's cheerful voice floated in from the hallway as she greeted the arriving students. Moments later, a small group of their classmates entered the room, chattering excitedly. 

There were three girls: Riya, a bubbly and energetic girl who always seemed to have a joke up her sleeve; Anika, quiet and studious, with a demeanor that suggested she'd already read the entire syllabus twice; and Sumaiya, effortlessly stylish, her sharp wit always ready to turn heads. The two boys were Fahim, tall and lanky, with a perpetual grin that hinted at mischief, and Rafsan, reserved and serious, who carried an air of quiet confidence. 

The atmosphere shifted the moment they walked in. Their eyes widened slightly as they took in the sight of Jiko and Julie sitting together on the sofa. The girls, especially Riya and Sumaiya, exchanged quick, knowing glances, while the boys, particularly Rafsan, seemed a little flustered. Fahim, however, wasted no time breaking the ice. 

"Well, well," he said, grinning as he dropped his bag on the floor. "Looks like we're not the only ones eager to ace these exams." He nudged Rafsan with his elbow, clearly enjoying his reaction. 

Rafsan mumbled something under his breath, avoiding eye contact, while Riya and Sumaiya burst into laughter. "Honestly," Riya said, dropping onto the armchair beside the sofa, "I'm not even surprised. Jiko and Julie, the power duo. You guys have been the talk of the school lately." 

Julie raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing. "Oh? Should we be flattered or worried?" 

Sumaiya leaned forward, her smirk playful. "Definitely flattered. I mean, look at the room right now—half of us are here because of you two." She winked, and a ripple of laughter spread through the group. 

Jiko, trying to deflect the attention, grabbed a textbook and flipped it open. "Yeah, well, let's just focus on why we're actually here, okay? Finals are coming, remember?" 

But Riya wasn't ready to let him off the hook. "Oh, come on, Jiko," she teased. "Don't pretend like you don't know how much everyone's shipping you and Julie." 

"Shipping?" Jiko sputtered, his head snapping up. "What does that even mean?" 

Fahim threw his hands up dramatically. "It means they think you two should be dating, man. Keep up." 

Riya, ever the bold one, suddenly turned to Jiko and Julie, a mischievous glint in her eye. "So," she began, teasing, "are you two… like, dating?"

Jiko's head snapped up, and he blurted out, a little too quickly, "No! We're not! We're just… good friends!" He felt his cheeks heat up. He glanced at Julie, who looked at him with a slightly amused expression, a small smile playing on her lips.

Riya's eyes widened in mock surprise. "Really? Everyone thought you guys were together!" she exclaimed, glancing at the other girls. Anika, usually quiet, even offered a small smile.

Sumaiya, with a playful smirk, leaned forward. "What?" she said teasingly. "So you're saying we have a chance then, huh?" She winked, and a ripple of laughter went through the group. Fahim chuckled, nudging Rafsan again. "See? Opportunities everywhere, man." Rafsan just rolled his eyes, but a faint smile played on his lips as well.

Jiko turned even redder, while Julie simply rolled her eyes, though a small smile played on her lips. "Don't listen to them, Jiko," she said, nudging him playfully. "They're just messing with you." The air was thick with playful tension, and Jiko felt very aware of the attention on him and Julie. He hoped they would move on to the actual studying soon.

"Are we, though?" Sumaiya added, tilting her head with mock innocence. 

Julie set her glass of juice down, her tone suddenly cooler, cutting through the lighthearted banter like a sharp breeze. "Even if you're not messing around, Sumaiya, you can't have him," she said, her words carrying an unmistakable edge.

The room went utterly still.

Every pair of eyes turned toward Julie, the playful atmosphere evaporating in an instant. The girls, especially Riya and Sumaiya, stared at her with wide eyes, their expressions morphing into ones of incredulity and challenge.

"What did you just say?" Sumaiya asked, her smile now gone, replaced by a raised eyebrow and a flicker of defiance.

Riya, sitting next to her, exchanged a glance with Anika, who looked just as stunned. It was as if a silent alarm had gone off, signaling the possibility of an impending conflict.

Julie leaned back on the sofa, her composure unshaken, her eyes calm yet firm. She shrugged slightly, as if her statement had been the most natural thing in the world.