Rindou gave you an amused chuckle. Not having the intention to answer your curiosity at all because he says "That's none of your concern."

You narrowed your eyes at him. Wondering what is roaming in his mind. What if he does have bad intentions and wants to utilize you for something. Because he sounded so sneaky and trying to keep things mysterious.

You're being suspicious of him now.

Why would it be so hard for him to answer the question?

It's not like it involves mathematical integration or some shit. It's a simple question that even an infant can answer.

"The deal is about you agree on it or not. No need to ask anything further that is about me." Rindou stated. He does sound like a professional.

Do delinquents have these skills because they make agreements with drug dealers?

You don't want to know further.

You let out a defeated sigh. Not giving in to your curiosity anymore.

"Okay, then..." you tried to swap away every suspicious thought you have for him. You want to trust him but not fully, just a little will be enough.

"So can I suggest a duration for this agreement?"

Rindou didn't answer straight away. He was contemplating about what his next answer. As always, he's one selfish dingus and thinks that this deal you both are having is under his control only since he's the one that started it first.

But he just gave in in the end and responded with a nod.

"3 months only. Then, we call it quits." You were determined that after all of those days, the both of you will part ways. Maybe you'll be busy with more STEM competitions or writing competitions and maybe he will widen his territory or break more people's bones.

But people always say overconfidence is not a good trait to have.

Rindou doesn't show much of his emotions and only agrees with what you want."Whatever floats your boat."

"And also...what do I have to do in order to be 'your friend'?" You said while simultaneously making air quotation marks.

"Easy."

"You just have to follow everywhere I go."

You stay silent for a while.

Everywhere.

That word.

Where would he lead you to?

Is he going to ask you to watch him break people's bones? Is he going to make you his escort girl or something? What in the world is he thinking?

This is where mind-reading powers should be useful.

"Can you specify?"

Rindou adjusted his sitting position and leaned a little bit closer to you, but his actions made you back away subconsciously.

"You have to eat with me during lunch. That's first. Then, you have to go to dinner with me, most probably my brother is joining in but I'm not sure yet. Also, after that, you have to follow anywhere I take you to, without any questions."

You were in awe of his words. There ain't no way he just thought all of that in a glimpse. It's like he had all of this predetermined and he already expected that you were going to say 'yes' to this agreement.

So, obviously, maybe he had planned all of this since yesterday night. That's kind of weird.

It's like he had nothing else to do in this world and decided to plan out to bother a 17-year-old girl that insulted him. (three times in a row to be frank)

Aside from that, the last sentence....oh how it gives you goosebumps because it sounds like he is going to kidnap you. And also who in the actual hell will not question when someone they barely know is taking them somewhere god knows where. Literally, you already asked him to specify but still, his explanation sounds so vague and still has lots of holes in it like there's more that needs to be filled in.

But questioning further might sound annoying? But it's your safety that we're talking about. The more this glasses dude runs his mouth, the creepier he becomes.

Unknowingly, Rindou saw your uncomfortable expression and he thought of one thing.

He doesn't blame you though, for doubting him. But he does want to make it clear. That it's not his intention to take advantage of you as a girl.

What is there to say, anyway?

It was too common for delinquents (even underage ones) to do this shit.

"Don't worry, I don't do clubbing."

Of course, you don't! You're literally a minor! You thought, not knowing the fact that there were even 15-year-old delinquents drinking alcohol in those nightclubs and getting lap dances. Forcing themselves to grow up so fast to the point their youth was non-existent.

"Congratulations?" Too confused about what to say next because somehow this conversation is getting far away from the real topic.

How the hell did a minor question like 'what will you get from me being your friend?' leads to clubbing out of a sudden.

You wanted to continue your words but suddenly a sound of high heels clicking can be heard not far from your classroom.

You turn your back to face the clock that was above the blackboard.

It strikes 9.47 a.m.

So the Mathematics period and the 10- minute gap between subjects is over.

Now it's Science.

Everyone else (especially the girls) rushed back to their respective seats since they had arranged their chairs in a circle in the back of the class, you know, the 'gossip circle'.

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Just as we all know, Japanese schools seats are segregated. Everyone is far away from each other, probably to help students focus more and avoid talking to their friends beside them.

But what is difficult about it is that it's hard to ask a friend for help or wake them up if they start to fall asleep.

That's what Rindou is struggling with right now.

Science had started from the past 15 minutes. Sato-sensei (who is just a substitute teacher, since the original one got a pregnancy leave) was passionately describing and explaining the respiration system in fishes like it was the most fascinating discovery anyone has ever done. In the end, it doesn't matter because what we will do is just gobble up those creatures and not give the slightest damn of how they behave in this world.

But all the passion in her was cut off when she saw the sight of you, losing your focus from her words.

Not you didn't just lose your focus, but you're in another world.

Which was dreamland.

The way your head was rocking back and forth, side to side, from trying your best to not sleep but in the end, you did give in because everyone understands how pleasurable sleep can be.

But still, you didn't put your head on the table, you did try to fight it but you can't. Your exhaustion was unbearable.

Rindou on the other hand was kind of listening but he wasn't that much, because all of this is bullshit to him and boring. I mean, he is a dingus, what he wants to know is what type of fish are delicious instead because at least that's more entertaining to hear.

He then took a glance at you and he was snickering like a devil when he saw how ridiculous you look now. It's quite amusing to see someone as harsh as you is being in a 'weak state'.

But never did he expect something bad is going to happen to you later on.

"You!" The teacher snapped her fingers and pointed at Rindou.

He gave her that usual stoic face of his. But with no valid reason, it annoyed the teacher.

"Don't make that face and wake her up!"

The teacher instructed with such a high-pitched tone.

Heh? And what face does she want me to do?! Maybe I can make a creepy ass face, that'll scare the shit out of her.

But Rindou obediently follows her instructions because there's no point in being an asshole right now. It was too risky because if he did, she will run her mouth and attack him even worse than she already did.

Rindou extended those long legs of his to the foot of your chair and gave it a soft kick a few times, hoping that the sudden vibrations you feel will wake up your sleepy ass.

Luckily, it did.

You only clicked your tongue and thought that the delinquent was messing with you because he can't let people live in peace, that's like the purpose of his existence in the first place.

"What?" You groaned.

Rindou gives you an entertained smirk and points you at the furious teacher at the front of the close.

You followed where he points and that's where you knew.

You're doomed.

Your eyes widened slightly from the sudden stares of the teacher. But your vision was quite blurry and your eyes were heavier than an elephant.

It was barely opening.

So that might have lessened your fear, just a little though.

"Care for you to share to the class what you have been dreaming?" The teacher's tone was sarcastic, she even folded her arms and her shoes were tapping against the floor aggressively. (to show how angry she is)

Pancakes. You answered her question in your mind. Not brave to voice it out but seriously, who in the world wouldn't be annoyed when someone deadass asked sarcastic questions to them when they just woke up.

The whole class stayed quiet. Not even a single sound is heard. Everyone is scared as much as you (except for Rindou because he doesn't give a fuck and he can get out from this class if he wanted to).

"Stand up!" The teacher said furiously.

You tried to hold back yourself from giving her an eye roll because, for the love of God, her voice is so annoying, it's splitting your ears in half.

You slowly stood up from your seat but your legs were cramping and weak, so they wobbled like they were gelatin.

Holding on to your table tightly was the only way for you to keep your stability and you winced in pain subtly.

Not knowing what to do with your enfeebled legs and damn, they hurt like a bitch.

Fuck my life.

Rindou, seeing how you were struggling to stand up, moved his face to the left side slightly, not wanting to face you.

He's also struggling actually.

Struggling to suppress the loudest laugh that he will let out later on. This was fucking hilarious for him and for sure, he will be dead meat if he let out a laugh, even he knows that that's not suitable to do in a tense situation.

"Since you dare enough to sleep in my class. Acting like you know more than me."

Oh God, please shut up.

"I want you to explain, what is countercurrent exchange?"

You rubbed your palms on your face and let out a deep breath. You felt so fuzzy and thirsty as hell, you don't know if you can even talk properly, your throat is dry as the Sahara.

You tried to process the teacher's question to you and remember back the facts and points in it. Try your best to arrange your words properly so your explanation, later on, will be crystal clear.

When you were confident enough to speak, that's when you know, sleeping deprivation brings lots of misfortunes...

And one of them is embarrassment...

"Pancakes."

That's not what you're supposed to say you fucking idiot!

You could imagine your classmates' faces, trying their best to hold in their laugh but you didn't bother to look at them. You don't have time for that. You are in a tough situation here, feeling embarrassed will be pointless also.

But Rindou wasn't even trying at all.

That guy snorted.

He was the only one too and it was so obvious.

God, you want to kill him.

But you have to be patient.

It's not the right time yet.

The teacher waited for your answer. Up until now, you didn't know if she acted like she didn't hear you or her silence is just her showing that she's concerned.

Because who in the actual hell will answer a breakfast meal on a goddamn science question?

Oh right, you did.

"Sorry...I mean," you let out a breath again, trying to think the proper words to answer.

"Countercurrent exchange is when the blood flow is in the opposite direction to the water flow. Most likely this happens in fishes since it increases their efficiency of oxygen absorption because we know that oxygen is quite insufficient when it's in water, so by this mechanism we can maximize the amount of oxygen that will be absorbed in the fish's blood. Because if they are in the same direction, there will be a point where the oxygen will diffuse back into the water, making the oxygen absorption inefficient."

Rindou who was busy laughing at how humiliating you are before that but now...

He couldn't believe what was going on.

Isn't she supposed to be sleepy?

Rindou slowly faced your direction and still, you look like a zombie and it sounds like you will be the last person that will give out that complex explanation before. It was unbelievable, even Rindou himself can't answer such basic questions when he just woke up from his slumber.

There was also this one time that he misunderstood Ran's instructions. The lanky guy asked him to clean the bathroom but he ended up cleaning Ran's bedroom because he misheard the word 'bathroom' as 'bedroom'.

Yeah, it proves that people's brains don't work properly and malfunctions when they were woken up to perform such heavy tasks.

But damn.

How in the world can you answer that question so smoothly?

You didn't even stutter at all. It sounded so easy for you because literally if Sato-sensei asked the other students about 'countercurrent exchange', even they can't answer it.

Why?

Simple.

Because Sato-sensei didn't teach that subtopic.....yet.

Of course in this timeline, TikTok doesn't exist yet but Sato-sensei sure was too stunned to speak.

Because she purposefully ask a question from a topic that she didn't teach yet since she expected that you can't answer it and quickly apologize to her for sleeping in her class. To make it simple, she wants to humiliate you.

But it didn't work.

"You know I didn't teach that subtopic yet, right?" she asked. Her tone shows how weirded out she is.

You responded with a slow nod not knowing why she is bringing that up all of a sudden.

The teacher tilted her head to the side a little and she stared at you so deeply, it could be possible that she can see through your organs.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"(Last name)(First Name)."

The realisation hits the teacher like a truck. You don't know why she's asking such a random question but you go on with it anyway, too tired with all of this.

She then asked you to sit down and said...

" I see. So, you're her." She nodded a few times, to show how everything makes sense now.

Of course, I am myself, duh?

You settled back into your seat. Not knowing if she's still being sarcastic or she's being genuine and complimenting you.

To be honest, everyone else in the class wasn't shocked that you can answer that question. Most of them have been classmates with you since first-years.

The only ones that are in disbelieve is Sato-sensei and of course, the dingus himself.

What does the teacher mean by 'you're her'?

Rindou somehow was curious. ( For once he's not being nonchalant ).

"That's (Last name)-chan for you!"

"She doesn't even need to go to class, she's just that gifted."

"Are we supposed to act surprised? She's been winning many STEM competitions for 3 years already."

Rindou listened carefully to everyone else's remarks towards you. All of them were positive and it was convincing enough to show that you have high intelligence.

But still.

Rindou can't believe this. There ain't no way you're the smartest person in this class. There must be someone cleverer than you. Maybe it's just a coincidence that you can answer the question.

Because somehow you accidentally knew?

Don't get him wrong though, he's not looking down on you. You may be a smart girl, but not the smartest one, just one of them.

But the remarks he heard before might have proven that you are.

Oh well, guess he had to find out for himself.

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