I silently let out a deep exhale, sinking into my chair. Technically, I had no reason to be disappointed; I was first, and I aced the test to boot. But I'd be lying if I said the tie didn't nip at my pride a little bit.
Well, whatever. That's just how it goes.
The teacher stepped away from the front of the classroom and began to hand out the tests to the five students individually. When she gave Mei her test, she congratulated her with a warm smile. But when she handed my test, she gave me a mechanical nod—something you would give to a stranger rather than a student—before proceeding back to the front.
I easily shrugged it off. Some might see it as unfair treatment, but to her, I was nothing more than a problem student who just happened to be talented—something that probably irritated her even more. We had no connection, and that was okay.
Once she finished, the teacher returned to the front of the class and began going over the test answers for the remainder of the period. Since it didn't apply to me, I brazenly pulled out my phone and started mindlessly consuming short-form videos.
Suddenly, a notification popped up: a message from Mei. I found it surprising how—even though I made her cry in kindergarten—we managed to form some kind of relationship. Not close enough to hang out, but enough that I'd greet her if I saw her.
I opened the message: "Good job on your score! I was really hoping that I'd beat you again this time, though."
Talk about subtle shade…
Without turning my head, I shifted my gaze toward where she sat. One column in front of me and about four seats to the left. Not too close, but not too far.
She was facing forward, seemingly paying close attention to the teacher. Still, I could tell that she was glancing my way from the corner of her eye.
I chuckled under my breath as I softly shook my head. This smug bastard is trying to get a reaction out of me! Luckily for me, I lived with a little sister, so this type of bait was nothing for me. Who would've thought living with Lily would come in handy at a time like this?
I intentionally waited a few moments before replying: "Thanks to you, I have to tutor Yu and Luna for the next test. Thanks a lot."
Mei glanced at her phone and read the message as soon as it was sent. She didn't respond right away—just stared at her screen. She was doing the same thing I was.
Other people may find this annoying, but honestly, this is texting etiquette. If you respond too fast, you look desperate. Too slow, and you seem dismissive. It's all about balance—especially with people you aren't close to.
Still, it feels a lot different seeing it happen in front of me…
After a calculated delay, her hand glided across the screen. My phone buzzed.
"Good luck to you then! I'll be looking forward to our next game!"
This was the type of message that signals the end of the conversation. I quickly gave her a simple thumbs-up and exited the app. She didn't say anything else after that.
Eventually, the bell rang.
*ding* *dong* *ding* *dong*
"Okay, everyone, class is dismissed. I'll see you all tomorrow!"
Everyone in class rose and bowed simultaneously. "Thank you for your hard work!"
Once the routines ended, everyone began packing up. I calmly put my things into my bag, zipped it shut, and slung it over my shoulder.
By the time I finished, Mei was already heading out with her friends. Just before she left, our eyes met. I gave her a small nod. She returned it with a brief, polite smile.
"Yo, what are you waiting for, man? We have a ramen date to get to!" a loud, manly voice boomed from behind me.
I turned around to see Yu and Luna waiting by the door. Please, if you're gonna say something like that, at least get the girl to say it. I sighed and walked up to them.
"Well—no time to lose, let's go!" Luna exclaimed as she and Yu dashed into the hallway—practically skipping. You guys are so embarrassing… is what I thought, yet I followed right behind them the whole way.
We reached the shoe lockers. Yu and Luna slipped off their indoor shoes and swapped into their outdoor shoes in seconds. By the time they finished, I had just managed to open my locker.
"Dude, what the hell is taking you so long?" Yu said flatly.
"Yeah! I'm hungry, AND I want to celebrate. Hurry up!" Luna added, her foot tapping impatiently.
"Listen," I said. "I'm not as fast as you two are. Let a man breathe."
The two exchanged a look, then a synchronized knowing nod. A cold sweat ran down my back. Please don't–
Before I could even finish the thought, Yu shoved me aside and grabbed my outdoor shoes. At the same time, Luna bent down and manhandled my legs—ripped the shoes off my feet. Yu tossed her the right shoe while he crouched down with the other one. They finished putting my shoes on my feet in less than two seconds.
"Phew, that was hard," Yu said, wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead. "Well, you're done now. So let's go!"
They grabbed both my arms and dragged me out of school. My mind was still stuck at the moment Yu had pushed me away from the locker. I blinked. Suddenly, the world was a blur of motion until I found myself standing in front of the school gate.
Wh–what the hell just happened?!
I planted my feet and tore my arms free.
"Oh, look who's awake," Luna stated casually with a wide grin.
"No need to thank us for putting your shoes on, by the way," Yu added. "A friend in need is a friend indeed—isn't that what you say?"
I took a quick breath, ready to argue back, but the words left my body with the next exhale. It was a losing battle—two against one. So there was no point in even trying. I let out a resigned sigh and caught up with them.
"Thank you for your generosity," I muttered sarcastically. "It really means a lot to me."
They both laughed as we walked past the school gates. I guess what goes around comes around. We'd made fun of Yu, and I made fun of Luna, so now they get to make fun of me. Logically, it should have been annoying. Yet, I found myself laughing along anyway.