The classroom was noisy like usual.

People were talking, some were laughing, a few were still copying homework before class started.

Nothing special.

Alex Kim sat at his desk, writing.

“Hey, Alex, can you show me number 3?”

“Alex, did you finish the assignment?”

“Alex, wanna go to karaoke later?”

He looked up and gave a small smile.

“Yeah, here.”

“I finished it.”

“Maybe. I’ll see.”

Simple answers.

Easy.

That was enough.

Everyone knew Alex, a perfect and gentle guy who is so good towards everyone.

He had good grades, didn’t cause trouble, and got along with pretty much everyone. He is good at sport and smart.

Teachers liked him. Classmates depended on him.

If someone asked about him, the answer was always the same:“He’s perfect nad every girl's dream"

Alex looked back at his notebook and opened it.

Everything was neat. Clean handwriting. No mistakes.

He stared at it for a second, then turned the page.

“Oi, Kim.”

A voice came from the side out of nowhere.

A boy dropped into the seat next to him without asking.

And sighed.

Glasses. Messy hair. Shirt half untucked. The infamous otaku Toby.

“Doing your perfect student routine again?”

Alex didn’t stop writing.

“I’m just doing my work.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Toby said, leaning back.

“You always say that.”

He looked at Alex for a moment.

“You ever liked someone?"

Alex paused.

While looking at the book.

“…What do you mean?”

“Like, anyone for example our class beauty Lily and Daisy"

"Hmm. Erica is cute but her temper is scary unlike my Mimi-Chan who outbeauty everyone”

Alex shook his head lightly.

“Not really.”

“That’s crazy,” Toby laughed.

“Mr. Perfect is suck at romance, what a disappointment”

He leaned forward a bit.

“Honestly, you don’t feel real sometimes.”

Alex glanced at him.

“…I’m right here. ”

“Physically, yeah,” Toby grinned.

“But mentally?"

I’m not convinced bro! You feel like cold CEO”

Alex didn’t reply.

“Hmm Anyway, what I'm about to ask you is”

Toby continued,

suddenly serious for no reason,

“important question.”

Alex sighed quietly.

“What is it?”

“2D or 3D?”

“…What?”

“Which is better?”

“No.”

“Wrong answer bro”

The bell hadn’t rung yet, but the classroom was starting to settle down.

Alex closed his notebook.

Everything felt normal.

“Hey.”

Toby nudged him.

“You spaced out again.”

“I didn’t.”Alex said.

“You did,” he said.

“You always do that sometimes. Or perhaps you thinking finding girl behind my back? ”

Alex didn’t argue.

A few rows ahead, a girl with pink hair was talking to her friend.

For a moment, she turned slightly and looked at Alex.

Alex noticed—

then looked away.

“Alright, sit down everyone.”

The teacher walked in, and the noise slowly stopped.

Books opened. Chairs stopped moving.

Class started.

Alex sat up straight.

Same as always.

On the outside, nothing was wrong.

Everything was in place.

Everything was fine.

But for some reason—

he felt tired.

The classroom was very loud as usual with many students talking.

"Did you finish your homework? Let me Copy it?"

"Wanna chill out together?"

"It's your cleaning duty today"

Someone laughed near the window. A group of boys was talking to about math.

"Basketball later?"

"Don't be late this time or else my mom will scold me"

Alex sat quietly at his desk, flipping through every note. Still as usual, he smiles every time people talk to him.

"Oi, Kim"

A causal yet familiar voice.

Toby pulled some nearby chair to move next to Alex's seat like he didn't care anything.

"What's up today?"

"Ya been down, perhaps heartbroken?" Toby teased.

"I am just reviewing" Alex said.

"Nah, you are as cold as ever not even greeting me, How sad."

Alex didn't respond.

For a moment the teacher came in.

"Alright everyone went back to your seats. Today we will be doing group project"

All the students frowned.

"Group project again?"

"Can we choose other thing else, teacher?

"Yeah, yeah" agreed the students.

"No, I will arrange the students which go to their selected group."

Toby leaned towards Alex and whispered.

"Yo bro!, if I get stucked with boring people, I am blaming you"

"That doesn't make sense" Alex said.

"It doesn't have to"

As minutes passed, the teacher calls out names.

Some whispered "That is the end of the game!"

"I wanna be with Alex cuz he is handsome"

"Yeah I hope I get a reliable partner like Alex in the group."

"Toby Kang....Alex Kim.....Daisy Hanna....Erica Han." teacher called out.

The whole room went silent.

Toby slowly turned his head to Alex.

"....We're popular."

"Must be the charm of Mimi-Chan"

"Same thing" said Alex.

"Bro, you just agree with my statement?" uttered Toby.

A chair slid across the floor.

Daisy walked over calmly, placing her books on the desk.

"Looks like we are working together" she said.

"Yeah"

Another chair dragged loudly.

"Move."

A small blonde girl dropped her bag onto the table and sat down.

Erica Han.

She crossed her arms immediately.

"Let's get this done quickly" (I don't mind if it takes a bit longer..)

Toby stared at her while positioning his glasses.

".......You're intense."

"I don't like wasting time" she said

"Scary."

"I heard that."

"Good"

The worksheet was places in the center of the table.

Daisy picked it up first.

"It's not to complicated"

"We can divide the questions."

"I will write Alex said"

"Of course you will." Toby muttered.

They starte.

Daisy read through the questions carefully.

Alex wrote neatly and cleanly without hesitation as if he is a pro.

Erica answered everything quickly without stopping.

Toby leaned back.

"I will observe."

"You're not doing anything," Erica said.

"That's not true and I am supervising."

"You are useless" said Erica.

Daisy paused for a sec.

"....That doesn't mean anything."

"It means I am important without working."

Alex continued writing as if he forgot everything around him.

"This question is a bit tricky"

"Can you help me with it"? Daisy said.

"Hmm... let me check." Alex slightly leaned closer.

"...We can solve it right this and this."

He explained it briefly and easily.

Erica glanced at it with slightly annoyed.

("Why he is so close to that girl?")

Toby blinked.

"You solved that too fast."

"Are you even a human?" Toby shocked.

"It's simple."

Someone ran over and picked it up.

"After school, don't forget the match!" another student shouted.

"Yeah, bring water as well this time."

"Shut up!" another student shouted.

The classroom was chaotic.

Half students were working and halfs were pretending to waste th time.

"You playing later?" Toby asked.

"No" said Alex.

"Of course, Mr. Perfect will only steal the spot with many girls in today's match."

They finished earlier than most groups.

Daisy checked the answers again.

"This should be fine now I guess?"

Erica nodded.

"Obviously."

Toby stretched.

"Great teamwork. Especially me."

"You did nothing." Erica said.

"I contribute morally."

"You made it worse."

The teacher while doing paperwork with waiting the groups.

"Which group wants to present first?" the teacher asked.

Silence.

No one moved.

Toby leaned toward Alex.

"Bro, go on! This is your time."

Alex stood up without hesitation.

"I will do it."

Many students were amazed by his courageous personality.

"Of course you will." Toby whispered.

At the front of the class, Alex began explaining his presentation.

Confident voice. Never stopped. No mistake.

Some students listened.

Some don't.

Some even slept.

But the result was the same.

Whisper went across the room.

"He is so reliable...if only I had a boyfriend like that."

"Yeah, he never messes up."

Alex heard it. Though he always did.

Back at the desk, Toby crossed his arms while leaning back.

"There he goes again."

"Mr. Perfect."

Erica rested her chin on her hand, watching.

Daisy didn't look away.

When Alex finished. The teacher nodded.

"You all should be like Alex. Be bold."

"Thank you for compliment." said Alex.

He walked back.

Same expression.

Same calmness.

"Not bad." Erica said and clapping

"Thanks"

"That's high praise." Toby added while positioning his glasses with fingers in the middle.

The bell rang.

Class ended.

Chairs are moved again.

People started talking and back as usual.

"Maybe later?"

"Yeah don't be late,"

"Let's grab some drinks first."

Toby stood up and streched.

"So, what's the plan after school?"

"No plan" Erica said.

"Boring."

Daisy picked her book neatly.

"I have practice."

"Basketball?" Toby asked.

She nodded.

"Hehhh" Toby sighed.

"I have part time. I need to save money. And then buy the latest Bag chain of my dear Mimi-Chan."

"Weirdo otaku" said Erica.

Alex packed up his book inside the bag.

Everything was done.

Perfect.

"You really don't mess up, do you?"

Alex paused.

He turned slightly.

Erica was looking at him.

Not teasing.

Not joking.

Just watching.

"...Not really" he said.

She frowned slightly.

("..That's weird, am I imagining thing?")

For some reason--

that simple comment stayed longer than it should.

For the first time--

Alex didn't know how to respond.

But silence.