「Mark, will you come with me this time? This Saturday?」

「I heard from Mae-chan she invited you to go on a date with her. But you rejected her. Is this the reason why?」

「What? She invited me?」

Eh?

「Yes. Are you lying to me?」

「No! I don't remember her inviting me or anything」

Did Mae-chan lie to me? Hmm.

「She said she invited you to go somewhere though. But you rejected her」

「Ah. So she want to date. I was wondering what she was trying to get at but it looks she  just want me to invite her on a date myself. But I am busy」

「Busy? Yet you have the time to hang out with me」

「Well, I was busy for that」

「..............」

「I've met some people Mark. They're good people. And they could help us to join into Shadenfreude by joining their gang」

「Is that so?」

「The person I met is a bronze rank— a core member Mark! And you know what's great?」

「I don't know」

「His eldest brother is an Iron rank! His the leader of their gang!」

「Ohh.. very nice」

「So it means being a core member will now be easy for us」

You're very optimistic...

「Yay. That calls for the celebration then?」

「Yes. So you should come with me」

「Very well. I'll come with you tomorrow」

「Oh really?! No taking back your back okay?」

「I wasn't joking at least. But I have a request in return」

「Okay? What is it?」

「I'll tell you on person. Let's meet by lunch」

「Wait no..」

「Why」

「I'm not at school today..」

「You weren't at school yesterday as well. You're skipping class? Does Lyn know?」

「Don't tell her Mark!」

I press the volume button down and power button of my phone simultaneously.

「Screenshot saved to /My Device/DCIM/Screenshots」

「◉‿◉ I won't」

「I don't trust you for some reason」

「Then that's on you. Well goodbye」

「Ah okay! See you tomorrow」

After closing my conversation with Al, I tap Lyn's avatar.

Hmm..

Our last chat is her greetings for my birthday. And I just heart reacted on it.

「Hello Lyn ◉‿◉」

It took a few minutes before she read my message.

「Hi Mark!!! What's with the emoji?😕😕😕 It's scary for some reason🙀」

「Oh hello there. Good morning. Don't mind that」

「Alright. But, how strange, you're online. Is it the end of the world?」

「End of the world? Fufufu. The world will not be affected whether I'm online or not」

「Hahaha! 🤣🤣🤣 Unfortunately for you, our teacher mentioned something about the universal law of cause and effect. What you do no matter how insignificant it is influences the grand scheme of things」

「Well we're all part of the universe」

「Anyhow, why'd you chat me after so long? My last chat to you is a birthday greeting few months ago. And before that, it's more greetings. But you didn't even reply at least a  simple ‘Thank you’. What are you? 😾 A‘gold’?」

「You sound bitter (─.─||）I'm only online because I'm bored and got nothing to do. Watching memes is fun. Back then, I was busy to be able to do this. Let me off please」

「Replying at least with few words will not be that time consuming! 😡😡😡 How dare you leave me on read. And you're just a high-school student! What do you mean by busy?!」

「You say that but you didn't chat me other than greetings as well ಥ‿ಥ」

「Why am I gonna chat a person who is offline?!」

「Don't shout. I can heat your voice inside my head. Nevermind that. Let's not talk about this. It's not important」

「How dare you!!」

「Fufufufu XD. I apologize for that then. Anyway, did Al go to school today?」

「Of course he did! Otherwise, dad will beat him to death」

「But he said he isn't at school today」

「Oh, because girls and boys go to separate classes in the morning. We'll meet again by the afternoon」

「Are their classroom out of the school campus?」

「Of course not!」

「But he said he isn't in school. Did you even read my message properly?」

「Ahh.. but oh. Wait. Why would he be out of school?」

「That's what I'm asking you! Wait I'll send you a screenshot」

「Sending photo...」

「Sent✓」

「Seen 07:15 A.M」

「What the...? He's skipping school? He wasn't at school yesterday morning as well?」

「You read the screenshot right?」

「That bastard! I'll beat him up myself!」

「Don't be harsh on him okay?」

「Bye Mark. Don't leave me on read this time」

「Bye~~」

Fufufufufu.

“!”

Oh, a message notification. It hasn't been a minute yet.

「MARK! YOU BETRAYED ME!」

Al sent an angry message for me.

I press the power button of my phone and put it into my pocket.

Few meters away, ma'am Iris is walking towards our classroom carrying a projector and a laptop with her.

This is an opportunity for me.

I start walking towards her.

“Good morning po ma'am Iris.”

“Where are you going Mr. Reverren? Class is about to begin.”

“I came to help you po ma'am. Those must be heavy.”

"Don't mind me. Kindly go back to your seat."

She walked around me but I block her way instantly.

“Kindly step aside Mr. Reverren.”

“Let me help you po ma'am.”

“Is this your another ‘show of appreciation’ Mr. Reverren?”

“Ehh? I don't think so. I just saw you carrying this heavy things. I felt like I should help you.”

“.............”

She's suspicious...

“I see. Take this then.”

She hands me the bag holding her projector.

Oh. This doesn't seem to be one of the school's projector. This is most likely hers.

But that make sense.

The number of teachers wanting to use PowerPoint outnumbers the total number of the projectors available.

So not everyone will be able to use one. Having her own projector would be the best choice.

Ma'am Iris rarely uses any visual guide, let alone a PowerPoint presentation. Usually, she only brings answer sheets and a pen with her.

She will just write on the blackboard using a white chalk to show us formulas and such. She is mostly teaching us orally after all.

So if she'll use a projector, it would mean she has things to show us which she can't draw nor write herself.

Ma'am enters the room, and my classmates stands up to greet her.

““““Gooooood mooooorning ma'am Iris!””””

“Please take your seat.”

I put the projector on the table.

“Let me set this up for you ma'am.”

“You don't have to do that Mr. Reverren.”

“But I wanted to do so po ma'am.”

“Alright thank you.”

She just agreed this time. It looks like she can't be bothered to argue. Probably she doesn't want to waste any time any further.

“You're welcome po ma'am.”

I start setting up the projector while ma'am is criticizing my classmates about the cleanliness of the room.

—10 minutes or so later.

“Before you start having your 30-item summative test, can somebody solve this equation?”

I raise my hand.

“Alright Mr. Reverren. Kindly solve this.”

I took the chalk from her hand and start solving the problem.

“Good. You answered correctly.”

“Ohh praise me more fufufu.”

She ignores me.

“.............”

“Somebody solve problem number three.”

“I'll do it again ma'am!”

“No Mr. Reverren. Please go back to your seat.”

Some of my classmates are chuckling but immediately composes themselves.

“I'll try po ma'am!”

Rose stands up from her seat.

“Why are you enthusiastic today?”

She said in whisper.

“What? Is it wrong for me to be active?”

“Hmmp.”

Rose humphed away taking the chalk holder from me.

—A moment later.

*RIIIIIIIIIIING~!!*

The school bell is ringing loudly.

“Was the test so hard you can't even finish it within thirty minutes?”

“Ma'am! I was long finished!”

“Please behave properly Mr. Reverren.”

“Alright.”

I sit down.

“Who's the prayer leader for today? Kindly collect your class' worksheets and give it to me before lunch ends. I'll mark you all with zero points if you're even a minute late.”

“Okay po ma—”

“I'll do it po ma'am!”

I interrupted my classmate.

“You're not the prayer leader Mr. Reverren.”

“I am not indeed. But let me do it!”

She is looking at me unblinkingly again.

“Alright. But if you're late, you're the only one who will get zero points.”

“Why?”

“Because you're acting unusually Reverren.”

A classmate pointed out.

“He's right. Did you eat something that upset your brain?”

What's wrong with all of you?

“Goodbye class.”

““““!!””””

My classmates stands up immediately to see ma'am off.

“Gooooooood bye ma'am Iris~”

“What's with you today Reverren?”

“Are you perhaps showing off?”

They then questioned me.

“Mark-kun, did you anger ma'am Iris?”

Why'd you think that Mary?

“I didn't do anything to anger her.”