Objective: Befriend Reina Elistiyana.
Obstacle: Reina Elistiyana.
---
Step One: Sit Next to Reina.
Step Two: Make Reina My Friend.
Step Three: ???
Step Four: Victory.
This was the plan. It was a simple plan. A perfect plan.
But there was one major flaw_Reina Elistiyana herself.
The moment I entered the classroom, I moved with purpose. Students were claiming seats like settlers in a land rush. First-semester seating was free choice, but by second semester, the school would assign them. If I wanted to sit next to Reina, this was my one and only chance.
Why her? Because she was brilliant, emotionally unreadable, and completely alone by choice.
I could fix that.
She had chosen the classic protagonist seat-last row, by the window. Predictable. The problem? In the original story, Aeron was supposed to sit next to her. But not today. Today, I would take that seat.
Aeron entered just in time to see me swoop in like a tactical genius, dropping my bag onto the desk beside Reina before he could claim it.
A silent war commenced.
Aeron stared at me. I stared back.
Then, like a cold wind through an empty hall, he turned, gave me one last unreadable look, and silently took the seat in front of Reina instead.
Victory.
---
Phase Two: The Friendship Initiative
I turned to Reina with my best harmless, non-threatening smile. "Hi, Reina."
She glanced at me. "Hello."
Okay. That was neutral.
Time to push forward.
"I'm Aezel. We're seatmates now."
"Yes."
"I'm thinking we should be friends."
"No."
Wow. Fast.
"No? Just like that?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
She tilted her head slightly. "Why do you assume there must be a reason?"
Oh. Oh, she was one of those people.
"Reina," I said, clasping my hands together, "friendships are valuable. They provide social, emotional, and strategic advantages. If we_"
"I have no interest."
"Oh, that's fine. I have enough interest for both of us."
She stared at me. Not hostile. Not annoyed. Just… evaluating how much of a threat to her peace I was.
Then, in a quiet, measured voice, she said, "I prefer solitude."
"Oh, I totally understand. That's why I'm here."
She blinked. "...What?"
"As a social expert, I've diagnosed your condition. You have Severe Lone-Wolf Syndrome. I'm here to help."
"There is no such diagnosis."
"There is now. I'm pioneering the research."
She inhaled slowly, visibly summoning patience.
Unfortunately for her, I was a mosquito with a PhD in persistence.
---
From his seat in front of us, Ren watched the exchange like a live comedy show. "This is amazing. I've never seen anyone bother Reina this much and still live."
"Please," I said, flipping my hair dramatically. "I am not just anyone. I am an agent of emotional growth."
Reina turned back to her book, pointedly ignoring me.
Oh, she thought she could shut me out?
Challenge accepted.
"You know, Reina, isolation is a sign of weakness."
"No, it is not."
"Yes, it is. Loneliness makes people vulnerable."
"I am not lonely."
I gasped dramatically. "Oh no. That's exactly what lonely people say."
Reina paused. Just a tiny, fraction-of-a-second pause.
Progress.
Then she sighed and looked skyward, as if questioning every life choice that led her here.
---
The Test Announcement
Just as I was gearing up for Round Two, our homeroom teacher, Suzuki Yasara, stepped up. "Alright, everyone, quiet down. The First-Year Entrance Test notice is here."
Silence.
"The test evaluates strategic thinking, combat ability, and teamwork. It is scheduled for three days from now. You cannot go solo. Team formation is mandatory. Submit team lists on test day."
I turned to Reina with a smug grin. "See? Even the school thinks teamwork is important."
She didn't look at the notice. She just turned to me, expression unreadable. "I don't want to team up with you."
My jaw dropped. "Wait, what?"
"You heard me."
"You really don't want to team up with me?"
"No."
Ouch. But I recovered quickly.
I put my hands up in surrender. "Alright. I respect your decision."
Accepting defeat... for now.
Ren whistled. "That was surprisingly smooth."
"I know, right? I'm learning."
"So, who are you teaming up with?"
Ah.
Right. That.
Before I could think, a cheerful voice called out.
"Aezel-chan, over here!"
Asuka Srijona-bright brown hair, black eyes, class-famous-waved at me with a 100-watt smile. "Hey! Wanna team up?"
I blinked. "Uh."
"Awesome, that's a yes! Now we just need one more person."
Asuka steamrolled over my decision-making process.
She scanned the crowd and snapped her fingers. "Ah-ha! Kenshin!"
Kenshin Lavotia-black hair, grey eyes, athletic-raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Join our team!"
He considered it for two seconds before shrugging. "Sure."
And just like that, I had a team.
Asuka beamed. "Alright! Team secured. Let's win this!"
Ren chuckled. "Looks like you're in good hands."
I gave him a deadpan look. "Debatable."
---
Aeron's POV – The Passive Observer
I didn't have many strong opinions about seating arrangements. As long as my seat was somewhere quiet, near the window, and far from unnecessary conversations, I was content.
Today, I found myself sitting in front of Reina instead of beside her. A small change. Nothing worth noting.
At least, it shouldn't have been worth noting.
Yet, somehow, the air behind me crackled with an intensity that I could only describe as the Aezel Effect.
I didn't turn around, but I could hear everything.
"Hi, Reina," Aezel's voice chirped, brimming with the confidence of someone who had never been shut down in her life.
"…Hello."
Brief. Efficient. A model response.
It should have ended there.
It didn't.
"I think we should be friends."
I internally winced.
"No."
Aezel was undeterred. "Just like that?"
"Yes."
"You're not even gonna consider it?"
"No."
I stared out the window, watching a bird hop along the school fence. It looked free. Unbothered. A life of peace.
Meanwhile, behind me, Aezel was engaged in an entirely one-sided battle.
"That's exactly what lonely people say."
Reina's response came half a second later. "I am not lonely."
I blinked.
That was fast.
Too fast.
I wasn't an expert in social interaction, but if you weren't lonely, you probably didn't need to defend it that quickly.
Aezel picked up on it immediately.
"Oh no," she gasped. "That's definitely what lonely people say."
Reina didn't respond this time. But silence, in and of itself, was a response.
Aezel smelled blood.
I tuned them out.
Or at least, I tried to.
---
The Test Announcement – An Unexpected Victory
Just as I was mentally preparing for an entire school year of background chatter, Suzuki Yasara walked in and silenced the room in one go.
"The notice for the First-Year Entrance Test is here."
A wave of tension rippled through the class. Even Aezel paused her crusade.
For exactly three seconds.
Then she turned to Reina. "See? Even the school thinks teamwork is important!"
I closed my eyes. Aezel had a habit of arguing like a person who thought logic was optional.
I waited for Reina's inevitable counter.
And it came.
"I don't want to team up with you."
…
I resisted the urge to turn around.
But I could feel the silence.
Aezel didn't reply immediately.
I expected her to argue. To fight back. To launch into another overly enthusiastic attempt at persuasion.
Instead, she just said, "Okay."
That was suspicious.
Aezel didn't just accept things. That wasn't in her nature.
I sighed, looking out the window again.
This wasn't over. I knew that much.
But it wasn't my problem.
So, I did what I did best.
I stayed quiet. I stayed uninvolved.
And I let the chaos unfold around me.
Meanwhile,Reina's Reluctant Team-Up:
The day before the test arrived, and as usual, Reina was in her own world, already strategizing. The school's requirement to team up had thrown her into a state of mild inconvenience. Teamwork? It wasn't something she needed. She had always preferred to handle things on her own. But the rules were clear: no one could go solo.
I watched her, sitting by herself in the corner, her brow furrowed slightly in thought as she scanned the room for potential teammates. I wasn't sure if she was just going to pick someone at random or if she was considering the best way to minimize her involvement in this "teamwork" nonsense.
She wasn't looking at me, though, which I was completely fine with. I'd already accepted that I wouldn't be her first choice. Heck, I wasn't even sure I'd make it to her list of options. I was a passive observer, happy to leave the chaos to others.
A few moments passed before I saw her glance across the room. She locked eyes with Aeron, who was leaned back in his seat, his usual bored expression plastered across his face. If there was anyone in this room who had zero interest in teaming up with anyone, it was him.
Reina didn't hesitate. She walked over to him, looking calm and collected, as always. Her approach was a silent challenge, one that Aeron seemed to completely ignore at first.
"Hey, Aeron," she said, her voice level.
He didn't even look up from the ceiling, his disinterest practically radiating from him. "What?"
"I need a teammate," Reina said, without missing a beat. "You don't have to do anything. Just act like you always do."
Aeron exhaled slowly, clearly not interested in this whole "teamwork" thing. But Reina's words-her sheer certainty-seemed to work like a magnet. He glanced at her, and for a moment, I thought he might brush her off entirely.
He didn't.
"Fine," he muttered, still looking at the ceiling. "Whatever."
I had to admit, I was impressed. Reina had managed to get Aeron on her side without even trying. No negotiating, no pleading-just a simple, matter-of-fact approach that didn't give him a chance to refuse.
Reina turned back to the class, and for a moment, I thought the team was complete. But no, she still needed one more person. I couldn't help but feel the anticipation building. Would she go for the more reliable, outgoing students? Or would she pick someone unexpected?
Before I could even start guessing, Ren's voice cut through the air.
"Reina," Ren said, casually strolling over to the pair, "looks like you've got the stoic one covered. How about me? You need someone to keep things interesting, right?"
Reina turned, considering Ren for a moment. I could tell she wasn't particularly thrilled by the idea of adding another person, but Ren was hard to ignore. He wasn't just a good student; he had a way of making things fun. Maybe that's why she gave him the tiniest of nods.
"Fine," she said, her tone still impassive, though I could tell she was begrudgingly accepting him. "But don't get in my way."
Ren, ever the confident one, grinned like he had just won a battle. "You've got my word."
---
Aeron's POV:
As I leaned against the wall, I watched the whole scene unfold. Reina was walking over to me, and I could tell she was about to do her usual "effortlessly convince me to do something I don't care about" routine.
I wasn't sure why she even bothered. I already knew what my response was going to be-no. Not because I had anything against her, but because I just didn't care. Teamwork? A bunch of nonsense in my book. I could take care of myself, thank you very much.
But when she spoke, there was something about her tone-calm, direct, and matter-of-fact-that made me pause.
"I need a teammate," she said, her eyes cool and calculating. "You don't have to do anything. Just act like you always do."
It wasn't like I was being asked to do something I actually had to put effort into. She wasn't asking me to become her partner in some grand scheme or to be the most engaging teammate. She just wanted me to… exist.
And that was probably the only thing I could do.
"Fine," I muttered, not bothering to make eye contact. "Whatever."
And that was it. No arguments. No further discussion. I wasn't interested in playing the team game, but I could play the game of 'stay out of the way' just fine.
Reina turned away, and for a moment, I thought it was over. But then Ren walked up. Of course. I couldn't escape this "team" nonsense that easily.
I watched the exchange with mild amusement. Ren was already grinning like he had it all figured out. And Reina? She didn't even seem to mind. I had no idea what kind of team this would turn out to be, but I wasn't going to sweat it. It wasn't my problem, right?
The rest of the class continued, but I couldn't help but feel this strange sense of inevitability. The test tomorrow would either prove or shatter the whole team concept.
I leaned back further, preparing for the next round of inevitable chaos.
---
Final Team-Up
It was official. Aeron, Reina, and Ren were now a team, whether they liked it or not. I could feel the tension in the air. They hadn't exactly "bonded" in any meaningful way yet, but somehow, they were all stuck together.
Ren turned to me after the whole thing was settled, his usual grin plastered across his face. "Well, looks like you've got quite the team-up situation on your hands."
I chuckled dryly. "Yeah. It's going to be… interesting."
Ren smirked. "At least it won't be boring."
I nodded. "Yeah, that's the least I can say."
And so, I watched as Reina walked away from the group, her expression unreadable. She didn't want to team up with anyone, yet here she was, surrounded by a group of people who would undoubtedly challenge her at every turn. How long could she keep that wall up before she started realizing that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't as invincible as she thought?
The test was tomorrow. And everything was about to change.
Reina's POV
I should have been relieved to avoid Aezel. And yet, something about her persistence lingered in my mind.
She was different. Persistent. Irritatingly warm.
And somehow, despite myself, I was starting to notice.
I shook my head. No. I didn't need anyone.
But I had a feeling Aezel wasn't done with me yet.
Game on.