Everyone that heard it was as amazed as Alvish, herself. Yet, they all still clapped and hearing all that added even more enthusiasm into her behaviour. She hadn't thought she would ever get to share her spot like this with someone like Rem someday, the class topper. For her, it was the biggest surprise since that day with Flame.
"Especially you, Alvish!" Suddenly Mr Targil said and turned to her, and started petting on her shoulder which adorned more into her admiration. "I really had not thought that someone except Remember would score the full marks. But you did it. You have got talent!"
And she started looking down to hide her blush which had brightened.
"READAREX!!" All of a sudden he shouted as he noticed Reada sleeping on his desk again, at the back of the class.
The whole class got startled after hearing that. Alvish also looked up in surprise and saw Reada then stand up carelessly.
"Why weren't you paying attention to my class? I was talking about something important here." Mr Targil continued.
"Aa- about that, I was actually listening but then got bored when you changed the topic."
"Changed the topic? When did I?"
"I was expecting you to tell us whether you passed that exam or failed." This time Mr Targil was startled after hearing him. It seemed as if he didn't want to talk about that topic. "By the way, that exam… was LAREY, right? I'm pretty sure you might have failed then. Still, just want confirmation, I'm curious!"
The whole class started gossiping and laughing about the way he had ended it. Although some of the students like: Rem, acted mature enough and didn't take part in making fun of him, Mr Targil had gotten pretty angry.
"So, What? If I Had Failed! Have You Even Passed It Yourself?!" He shouted.
Alvish, on the other hand, was rather surprised to be knowing that her class teacher had also participated in that certain exam. LAREY, which stands for: Lord(Law'rd) Admittance Rigorous Exam Yearly, is one of the two steps for being qualified for becoming a lord. It was surely something of her interest.
"No!" Reada again replied without caring about his tone of voice.
"And you still have the guts to say that, such shamelessly? But do you know what's the difference between us? It's that I had at least tried—"
"Come on, not saying failing's wrong!" Suddenly Reada intervened, "Also there's another point that you're missing. I haven't failed it either!"
Everyone bursted out again and Mr Targil's outrage increased. Nobody actually wanted to laugh at him like that but the way he was reacting to it was making it harder and harder to stop. But unlike the previous week, today his words weren't just talking about facts but straight up insulting him, so from Mr Targil's side, his anger was legit.
"SHUT UP!! I WON'T TOLERATE WITH IT ANYMORE! Just Who Do You Think You Are?? First Of All You Do Not Participate In Any Of The Class Activities And Now This Behaviour!! Do You Think Your Parents Send You School To Do This?! Do You Think Your Parents Will Be Proud Of It?!!" He started scolding him at the top of his rage. But for some reason, this time Reada stayed silent. Everyone was expecting him to cut in and say something unexpected again but he just kept looking at him and listened to it all. Alvish felt a strange kind of Deja Vu, witnessing his silence. "Look at Alvish, she did not know how much she would score but everyone knows how well she did. It's all about trying. If you have that attitude then even if you fail, you will give it another try, and then surely you will win one day. While a person like you would not even dare to take a part in the first place. You always sit at the back of the class, thinking you can freely slack out, right? Today, I'm punishing you, you will be sitting in the front from the next period on. And now, get out of my class!!"
"Fine, I guess. I don't mind taking that as a punishment." He said and accepted the punishment.
The whole classroom was shocked. Alvish too. Her facial expressions were clearly implying how surprised she was after hearing that. She hadn't thought he was the type of person who would just let himself be insulted that easily. But today things had taken an unexpected turn.
Mr Targil was still mad at him but he still picked a student for him to change his seat with, after looking around a bit. Surprisingly, it was in the second row for some reason, not first.
Alvish was still confused and she looked at him. This time, his face looked a bit dim along with his usual uninterestedness. It was as if any of his words had actually managed to have affected him. She also felt a bit guilty because it was her name that Mr Targil had used for scolding him. She wanted to say something in his defence but she remained silent because she knew it wasn't something Reada really cared about. In the end, she couldn't do anything but keep looking at him as he walked by while having questions regarding his such behaviour in her head.
.
.
.
During lunch break,
The first half of the school didn't really go any different for Reada. The seat he was sitting on wasn't a window seat but Rem who was sitting in front of him was sitting on one, so he was still able to look outside. He also slacked out during the other classes and was now eating a rolled up roti that he was holding in his hand, while relaxingly sitting with his back supported on the wall and staring at the entrance of the classroom.
"Really, you shouldn't have said that." Suddenly Rem popped up in front of him and said. He had gone out in the time before.
Reada wasn't expecting him to start a conversation all of a sudden. He slowed down his chewing and asked while looking at him, "Really? Why do you think that?"
"Because he's our teacher!" Rem said as he took back his seat.
"Rem, you think I'm the one at fault?"
"Yes, who else is? Also you should have participated in the test, why didn't you?"
"Again, why?"
"Because you are capable of it? I know you are."
Hearing all this, that Rem was lecturing him, got him very annoyed. But he didn't show it on his face. He packed his lunch box back after finishing eating it and leaned forward a bit, "So, you mean we should be doing everything we are capable of?"
"Yes."
"Then be ready to be manipulated." Suddenly he said and backed off, while a little laugh escaped his lips.
"Wa-a- what?" Rem asked in surprise. He couldn't hear him properly.
"Oh, nothing. But let me ask you, do you have a girlfriend?"
"No."
"Why? You're not capable?" Reada asked with a cunning smile appearing on his face.
Rem's eyes widened and he realised how much fucked up he was, "No No No No!! I never said that!"
"Then, do you prefer it the other way?"
"No, neither that! Also why don't you have one then?"
"Come on, Rem. Don't try to change the topic. It was your theory after all, right? And about me, then you know it too, why would a girl with the right mind like me?"
"Liar, I've seen you always chatting with Shin and Alvish."
"Oh, trust me, there's nothing like that. Alvish's just my neighbour and Shin's mother is a friend of my mom. That's all there is. But I think I know the reason for your not having a girlfriend."
"What?" Rem asked curiously.
"Because none of them is worthy of you!"
Whatever the reason was, he was happy that he didn't have to answer anymore, and that the chances of him messing up again were now zero. He just went along with it. "Yes, yes it's exactly that! But how did you find out?"
"Well, honestly, it was somewhat easy. Every student wishes for a highschool romance. Especially when it's a successful one like you, why wouldn't you?"
"Yeah, but do you think I'm being a little too greedy?"
"Definitely not," Reada immediately said in a serious tone. "That just means you're serious about it. And that you won't just date anyone to kill time, respecting other's feelings. Trust me, girls like that."
"They do??" He asked, in surprise.
"Some do, some don't. But don't worry, I definitely know someone who does. And I'm sure, is the only one worthy of you in this whole class."
"Really, Who?"
Reada pulled up his right arm and pointed his thumb to the back of the class. Rem, who was sitting on his seat while looking towards him, looked up and saw the girl he was talking about.
Today, her friend, Shin, was absent and since Reada wasn't beside her too, she didn't have any other choice but to stay stick to her books to kill time.
"Alvish??" Rem asked.
"Yes, who else but her, Rem, who else but her. She had even scored equal to you. In my eyes, she's the only one who deserves you. I can only imagine you two being called, 'The Genius Duo' of the class."
Rem fell into his thoughts after hearing him. Some of his words had definitely caught his interest. "Also, not to forget, she's beautiful!" Suddenly he said after thinking for a moment. He immediately turned to him and said in exhilaration, "You are right, she's perfect. I love her. Brother, what should I do? Should I go n' confess?"
Reada's face brightened.
"Wait- wait, buddy! You've got the guts,'' He was about to get up but Reada grabbed his wrist and stopped him. "But love's complex-er than quantum physics! Don't take blind steps. You can see what she's doing in her free time, right?"
Rem looked back at her again.
"She's studying. Unlike others, she's not chatting around. People like her are mostly serious about their future goals. Not gonna lie, you're also like that! If you'll ask her out now, she'll definitely reject you after realising that it won't benefit her." He kept listening with interest as he found his words to be somewhat legit, "Try reading the atmosphere, if it ain't like you want then rewrite it and then make your move. Something like a confession should only happen under, like a blossomed cherry tree with a gift for her in your hands."
"But brother, there are no cherry trees around here. What should I do? Also I don't know what she likes, will I be able to pick the perfect gift for her?"
"Tsk!" Reada clicked his tongue looking at his dumbassness, "Bro, you really didn't understand. Though yeah, just letting you know, she is really into lords!"
"Lords! Then what, an overcoat?"
Rem looked really committed when he said that and after seeing that his smirk returned. "You have called me brother, right? Don't worry. Just do as I'll say! Count on me, I won't let you down!"
…
The same day in the evening,
"Yoo, Buddy!!"
At school, today Alvish had felt quite bored. So, she had gone and invited Reada to go with her to Flame's together, thinking he would probably bring some joy into her life. She was also thinking that he was a little depressed at school, so she thought that it would also cheer him up a bit. As anyone had expected, he first refused. But after his mother told him, he thought for a bit and made a call and then finally agreed.
And when Alvish finally reached Flame's home, she was surprised to see Rem waiting for them in front of the gate. Not only that but he was also greeting and high-fiving Reada like they were friends meeting after decades. She couldn't believe her eyes, because she had never thought they had a bond like that. Mainly Rem, because at school he always seemed mad at him for some reason.
Has something happened at school? Just what was going on between them??
When she asked Reada, he said it was none of her business