The first bell hadn't even rung yet.
But Class XI IPS 2 already sounded like a market that had forgotten it was inside a school building.
Chairs scraped back and forth. Someone was yelling for answers to the homework. Others were frantically copying assignments five minutes before they were due. From outside came the voices of the kids in the neighboring class, who were either fighting or naturally spoke at a volume above that of normal human beings.
In the back corner, Jeno was standing on a chair.
“HEY, DOES ANYONE HAVE WHITE-OUT?”
“Get off the chair!” someone shouted from the front.
“I’m just asking!”
“If you’re just asking, why do you have to stand on a chair, Jen?”
Jeno turned around casually.
“So my voice can reach the people.”
An eraser went flying.
Jeno ducked on reflex.
“HEY!”
The eraser slammed into the blackboard.
“Who threw that?!”
No one answered.
Jeno suspiciously scanned the entire class.
“Okay. I’m taking note of this.”
From the desk near the window, Raka didn't even lift his head from his book.
“Where are you taking note of it?”
“In my heart.”
“Then you'll forget by tomorrow.”
“Damn.”
Raka turned the page.
“Facts.”
Jeno climbed down from the chair with a huff.
“I don't get how you have so many friends.”
“Me neither.”
“Don’t answer seriously.”
“You’re the one who asked.”
Jeno opened his mouth, then closed it again.
“Annoying.”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn't a compliment.”
“I know.”
At the desk in front of them, Naya was busy digging through her bag.
“Oh my God…”
Mira, sitting beside her, turned around.
“What?”
“I lost my pen.”
Mira looked at Naya’s desk, which was covered with books, papers, two candy wrappers, a water bottle, and one sock.
She pointed at the object in Naya’s hand.
“That’s your pen.”
Naya looked down.
The pen was, in fact, in her hand.
She was silent for two seconds.
“Oh.”
Mira turned back toward the blackboard.
“Your brain isn't on yet this early, huh?”
“Don’t come at me.”
“I’m talking normally.”
“That’s exactly the problem.”
Jeno suddenly chimed in from behind them.
“Nay, you were looking for your pen while holding your pen. I’m scared that one day you’re going to lose yourself.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m serious.”
“I’ll throw my shoe at you.”
“You’re wearing both of them.”
Naya looked down at her feet.
Silence.
“Why is everyone so annoying today?”
“Because you woke up,” Raka answered without looking back.
Naya immediately turned around.
“You shouldn't talk in the morning.”
“Why?”
“You make me mad.”
“Then I’m doing my job.”
“RAKA.”
Before Naya could grab the eraser, the classroom door suddenly flew open.
A girl hurried in.
Her hair was already neat. Her uniform was practically wrinkle-free. A small bag hung from her shoulder.
And in her hand—
Compact powder.
Sisi.
She stopped at the front of the classroom, took a breath, and started patting powder onto her cheeks.
Jeno stared at her.
“Where were you running from?”
Sisi didn't answer.
Pat. Pat. Pat.
“Si?”
“Wait.”
Pat-pat.
“Were you being chased by a dog?”
Sisi finally closed her compact.
“No.”
“Then what?”
“I was late.”
Jeno frowned.
“Then why did you save your face first?”
Sisi looked at him as if that were the stupidest question she'd ever heard.
“Because if I walked into class with a dull face, who would be embarrassed?”
“You.”
“Exactly.”
Naya stifled a laugh.
Sisi walked to her seat while pulling a lipstick out of her bag.
Mira watched her.
“How many lipsticks do you carry?”
“Two.”
“What’s the other one for?”
“Backup.”
“What if you run out of both?”
Sisi stopped taking the cap off her lipstick.
“Don’t say scary things this early in the morning.”
Jeno immediately burst out laughing.
“Dude. It’ll be the apocalypse if Sisi runs out of lipstick.”
Sisi applied a thin layer of lipstick while looking in the mirror.
“Guys…”
No one answered.
Sisi raised an eyebrow.
“Guys.”
Naya finally turned around.
“What?”
Sisi smiled faintly.
“I have some premium information you all need to hear.”
Jeno immediately leaned back in his chair.
“It’s definitely gossip.”
Sisi closed her lipstick with a click.
“OMG, HELLOOO?”
“What?”
“I have a source.”
Raka finally lifted his head.
“Whose source?”
Sisi smiled mysteriously.
“Well.”
She picked up her powder again.
Pat. Pat. Pat.
“Now that’s a quality question.”
Jeno rolled his eyes.
“Just talk.”
Sisi looked at each of their faces in turn.
“There’s going to be a phone inspection tomorrow.”
Naya immediately froze.
“WHAT?”
Mira turned around too.
“Seriously?”
Jeno snorted.
“Yeah, right. You’re probably lying.”
Sisi stopped patting her face.
She stared at Jeno through her little mirror.
“Oh my God, Egeeee…”
“What?”
“When I give you information, you should never doubt me.”
“From whom?”
Sisi smiled smugly.
“Bu Tika.”
The noisy atmosphere suddenly changed.
Naya looked at Jeno.
Jeno looked at Raka.
Raka looked at Sisi.
Mira timidly raised her hand.
“If my phone gets confiscated, can I get it back?”
Jeno immediately turned to her.
“Obviously.”
“Oh.”
Mira nodded.
“I thought they kept it and sold it.”
Raka sighed.
“Why is your idea of school a pawnshop?”
“I was just asking.”
Naya was already busy unzipping her bag.
“What do I need to delete?”
Jeno narrowed his eyes.
“What do you even have?”
“Secrets.”
“Uh-oh.”
Raka opened his book again.
“If they’re secrets, don’t bring them to school.”
Naya shot him a sharp look.
“If you’re not going to help, can you shut up?”
“I can.”
“Good.”
“Feel free to panic by yourself.”
“RAKA.”
Laughter erupted from several corners of the classroom.
Sisi was still busy looking in the mirror.
Pat. Pat. Pat.
Then she suddenly said,
“Oh, right.”
Everyone turned around.
“What now?” Naya asked.
Sisi smiled.
“The inspection tomorrow is only one piece of information.”
Jeno shot to his feet.
“WHAT?”
Sisi put her powder back in her bag.
“I have one more.”
“What?”
Sisi stood up and fixed her hair.
“This one’s even more premium.”
The bell rang.
Everyone fell silent.
From outside the classroom came the approaching footsteps of a teacher.
Sisi smiled.
“Maybe later.”
Jeno nearly exploded.
“SI—”
The classroom door opened.
Bu Tika stood there.
Looking at Jeno, who was still half-standing.
Looking at Sisi.
Looking at the trashed classroom.
Then she let out a long sigh.
“Good morning.”
The whole class answered in unison.
“GOOD MORNING, BU!”
Bu Tika walked in.
“Jeno.”
Jeno immediately sat down.
“Yes, Bu?”
“Why were you standing just now?”
Jeno fell silent.
Naya lowered her head to hold back her laughter.
Sisi quietly took out her powder again.
Pat.
Pat.
Pat.
Jeno glanced at her.
Sisi whispered,
“Don’t look at me.”
“I’m not looking at you.”
“Good.”
“I’m looking at your powder.”
Sisi immediately turned around.
“OMG, HELLOOO, don’t mess with other people’s stuff.”
And that morning, before the first lesson had even started, Class XI IPS 2 had already succeeded in making Bu Tika question her life choices as a teacher.