Chapter-2 The Bench Partner

The next morning, May sat beside Siri in their classroom, quietly talking about the previous day's incident.

Siri glanced at her.

"You really fought with the new student on her first day."

May rolled her eyes.

"She started it."

"You two both started it," Siri corrected.

May was about to answer when the teacher walked into the classroom.

"Everyone, settle down."

The students quickly returned to their seats.

The teacher placed her books on the desk before looking around the classroom.

"Today, we're going to change your bench partners."

The classroom immediately filled with murmurs.

May looked confused.

"Why?"

The teacher smiled.

"It's a school rule. Whenever a new student joins the class, we change the bench partners so that the new student doesn't feel awkward and gets a chance to make friends."

The students began whispering excitedly.

The teacher continued explaining the system.

"Everyone will receive a number. Students with matching numbers will become bench partners."

The number slips were passed around the classroom.

Everyone checked their numbers.

Siri looked at hers.

"Looks like I'll be sitting with someone else."

May sighed.

"So I'm losing my bench partner."

Siri laughed.

"Don't worry. You'll survive."

May looked down at her own number.

Five.

She glanced around the classroom.

"Who has number five?"

No one answered.

May looked around again.

"Seriously? Who has number five?"

Still nothing.

She became increasingly frustrated.

"Where is number five?!"

Some students began laughing.

May stood up and started looking around the classroom.

Then she noticed someone sitting at the back.

June.

She was completely asleep.

May walked toward her.

"Hey."

No response.

May looked at June's desk.

There was a small number slip sitting there.

5.

May's eyes widened.

"You've got to be kidding me."

June was her bench partner.

May didn't even bother arguing with fate.

She picked up her belongings and walked toward June's seat. She tried to move her things closer to June and shift into another position on the bench.

Just then, June slowly opened her eyes.

She looked at May.

Then she looked at May's belongings.

Her sleepy expression immediately disappeared.

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

May looked at her.

"I'm sitting here."

"Why?"

"Because we're bench partners."

June stared at her.

"No. Get out of here."

May crossed her arms.

"I will not."

June frowned.

"I don't want to sit with you."

"Do you think I want to sit with you?"

Their voices quickly became louder.

The entire class turned toward them.

Some students started laughing.

Others whispered excitedly.

It seemed that the rivalry from yesterday had already returned.

Siri covered her face with her hand.

"Here we go again..."

May and June continued arguing while the whole class watched them like they were enjoying a free show.

Neither of them realized that this ridiculous bench arrangement would bring them much closer than either of them wanted.

---

The Dorm

That evening, May and Siri returned to their dorm.

The dormitory was only a short distance from the school, and students often returned there after their classes and activities.

May and Siri lived on the third floor.

As they were walking toward their room, they discovered something they hadn't expected.

June was going to live in the same dorm.

On the fifth floor.

May stared upward.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Siri laughed.

"Looks like you can't escape her."

May shook her head.

"This is getting ridiculous."

Over the next few days, May began noticing something.

June often returned to the dorm late.

She was usually busy with photography sessions and practice, which meant she sometimes came back long after the other students had already returned.

One evening, May suddenly had an idea.

A mischievous smile appeared on her face.

She looked at the extra room key she had.

Then she looked at June's key.

An idea came into her mind.

A prank.

May quietly swapped her extra key with June's key.

She couldn't help smiling.

---

2:00 A.M.

Later that night, June finally returned to the dorm.

She walked toward her room, exhausted after her photography practice.

She inserted the key into the lock.

It didn't work.

She tried again.

Nothing.

June frowned.

"What?"

She tried several more times, but the door wouldn't open.

It was already very late.

She couldn't wake the dorm manager at that hour.

So, with no other choice, June sat down outside her room and waited.

Eventually, exhaustion took over.

She fell asleep sitting there.

---

Meanwhile, on the third floor, May woke up in the middle of the night.

She was thirsty.

Still half-asleep, she got out of bed and went to get some water.

Then she suddenly remembered something.

The keys.

May's eyes widened.

"Oh no..."

She had forgotten that she had swapped June's key.

She hurried upstairs.

When she reached the fifth floor, she looked down the corridor.

There was June.

Still sitting outside her room.

And she was asleep.

May froze.

She stared at her.

For a moment, the mischievous feeling disappeared.

She felt guilty.

"Oops..."

May quietly walked toward June.

She carefully took the key and returned it to June's hand.

Then she unlocked the door as quietly as possible.

She made sure not to wake her.

After opening the door, May stepped back.

A few moments later, June slowly woke up.

She looked around sleepily.

Then she noticed that her door was open.

Her eyes widened.

"Oh, thank goodness."

She quickly stood up and went inside.

May watched from a short distance away.

A small giggle escaped her.

She quietly returned to her own room.

As she climbed into bed, she couldn't help smiling at the thought of her prank.

And soon, she fell asleep.

Neither May nor June knew that their little rivalry was slowly becoming something much more complicated.

By Midnight_Bloom

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***