Perfect? No. II

"Oh, you again... now with another kid?" the overweight senior sneered.

"Don't start anything, we just finished lunch," I said, trying to keep the peace.

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do, pretty boy?" he taunted, stepping closer.

"Geez, you've already lost to me so many times. You have such a big ego," I mocked him, matching his stare.

"...Might be right, but that doesn't mean you've already won," he retorted, his voice laced with a hint of menace.

I rolled my eyes, unimpressed by his empty threats.

I looked at his friends, trying to hold back a smirk. "Can you at least tell him to look in a mirror?"

The friends turned away, struggling to contain their laughter, their shoulders shaking with barely suppressed amusement.

The senior's face flushed with anger, but he seemed to hesitate, unsure of how to respond. The sound of stifled laughter from his friends only fueled his frustration.

"Whatever," he muttered, shoving past us with a huff. "Just stay out of my way, freaks."

His friends followed suit, casting nervous glances back at us as they hurried away.

"Freaks?" IM scoffed, shaking his head.

"I hate that kind of personality, but it seems his friends didn't want to fight me either," I said, smirking.

"Yeah, they know if they lose, they lose," IM chuckled.

We walked back to the classroom, relieved to find it empty. The quiet hum of the air conditioner and the sunlight streaming through the windows created a peaceful atmosphere.

I shook my head, letting my long hair flow loose. "Hmm, do you think my hair smells bad?" I asked IM.

IM leaned closer to my back, sniffing my hair. "Nah, it doesn't."

Tang! A loud noise came from the door.

Both of us looked towards the door. It was Monic, and she looked shocked.

"What?" I asked, confused.

She blushed, her cheeks turning a deep crimson.

"What's up with her?" IM asked, equally puzzled.

"Y-You guys... why you..." Monic stuttered, unable to form a complete sentence.

What's up with Monic...? I thought, my brow furrowing in confusion.

"Are you guys... into each other?" she finally managed to say, her voice barely a whisper.

...The hell does she mean by "into each other"? I thought, my confusion growing.

I raised an eyebrow, my confusion evident. "Into each other? What are you talking about?"

Monic's face grew even redder. "Well, you were... you know... holding each other, and you were sniffing his hair..."

Understanding dawned on me, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing. IM, who had been equally perplexed, soon joined in.

"Oh, you mean like that. No, no, he was just making sure my hair didn't smell bad."

Monic looked relieved but still a bit embarrassed. "Oh, okay. I just... It looked kind of intimate, that's all."

IM made a face of disgust, clearly not liking the implication of her words.

Monic picked up the plate she had dropped earlier.

"What's that for?" I asked.

"Don't you remember? Today we have class with Mrs. Nay, and we're going to have a practice session," she replied.

"Really? I didn't know."

Monic rolled her eyes, "Duh, we're going to practice tasting food and writing reviews about it, like for English class."

"Oh, that's easy... what kind of food?" I asked.

"Bring your own... you better buy some now," she said.

I looked at IM.

"Wanna take a look?" I asked.

"Yeah, we should buy some food now," he agreed.

We left the classroom, Monic trailing behind us, still a bit flustered from the earlier misunderstanding. We headed towards the school gate, discussing what kind of food we should buy for the taste test.

"How about those fried bananas from the stall across the street?" I suggested.

"Nah, too messy," IM countered. "What about those steamed buns from the bakery? They're always good."

"Sounds good to me," I agreed.

We walked to the cafeteria, hoping to find a wider variety of options.

The cafeteria was bustling with activity as usual, the air filled with the clatter of trays and the chatter of hungry students. We scanned the various food stalls, our eyes drawn to a display of colorful macarons and delicate pastries.

"Those look good," IM commented, pointing to the pastries.

"Yeah, but are they good enough for a food review?" I wondered aloud.

"Only one way to find out," IM said with a grin.

We made our way to the counter and ordered a selection of pastries and macarons, along with two cups of iced coffee. We found a table in a quieter corner of the cafeteria and spread out our treats, ready to begin our impromptu taste test.

"So, what should we start with?" I asked, eyeing a particularly tempting chocolate eclair.

IM picked up a bright pink macaron, examining it closely. "How about this one? It looks interesting."

We took our first bites simultaneously, a symphony of flavors exploding in our mouths. The sweetness of the macaron, the richness of the chocolate, the smooth bitterness of the coffee... it was a delightful sensory overload.

"Wow," IM said, his eyes widening in surprise. "This is actually really good."

I nodded in agreement, already reaching for another pastry. "Definitely review-worthy."

"You take care of that one, I'll search for another," IM said, eager to explore the other options.

I nodded, already scribbling down notes about the macaron's texture, flavor, and presentation.

After a while, classes started, and Mrs. Nay entered the classroom.

"Okay, guys... as I said before, you each brought a food item to review, and I'll be evaluating your reviews in English, just like I told you. Is that clear?" she asked the students.

The class responded with a chorus of "Yes, Mrs. Nay!"

"Alright then, you can start writing your reviews now. Remember to include details about the taste, texture, appearance, and overall experience. You have 30 minutes."

I looked at the assortment of pastries in front of me, a smirk playing on my lips. "This should be fun," I whispered to IM.

He grinned back, already scribbling away in his notebook.

I picked up the chocolate eclair, taking a moment to admire its glossy glaze and delicate swirls of whipped cream. I took a bite, savoring the rich, creamy filling and the flaky, buttery pastry.

"Oh my god, this is heavenly," I mumbled to myself, quickly jotting down my impressions.

The next 30 minutes passed in a flurry of tasting, writing, and the occasional exchange of stolen glances and knowing smiles between me and IM. As Mrs. Nay announced the end of the activity, I leaned back in my chair, feeling a sense of satisfaction. I had not only discovered a delicious new treat, but I had also managed to turn a school assignment into a fun and enjoyable experience.

"Alright, everyone," Mrs. Nay said, clapping her hands to get our attention. "Please submit your reviews at the end of class. I look forward to reading them!"

As we packed up our things, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. I was eager to hear what Mrs. Nay thought of my review and to see how the rest of the class had fared. It seemed that even the most mundane school activities could hold unexpected surprises.

"...Dzaky, what did you write here... 'This is delicious and good, would be even better if Mrs. Nay fed me...?'" she read the paper aloud, a mix of amusement and disbelief in her voice.

Dzaky was a boy who always messed around and made jokes, never taking anything seriously. Though he often skipped class, I had just realized he was in this one.

"Heheh, that's the true answer, Mrs. Nay!" Dzaky replied with a cheeky grin.

The class erupted in laughter at Dzaky's antics, even Mrs. Nay couldn't help but crack a smile. "Alright, alright, Dzaky, that's enough," she chuckled. "But seriously, guys, I want to see some actual food reviews, not just silly comments."

The laughter died down, and the class settled back into a more serious mood. As Mrs. Nay made her way around the room, collecting the papers, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness. I had poured my heart and soul into my review of the chocolate eclair, hoping to impress my teacher with my newfound appreciation for the finer things in life.

IM nudged me, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Don't worry, Xian. I'm sure you aced it. Your descriptions were practically poetic."

I blushed, grateful for his vote of confidence. "Thanks, IM. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what Mrs. Nay thinks."

The rest of the class passed in a blur of discussions about grammar, vocabulary, and writing techniques. As the bell rang, signaling the end of the period, Mrs. Nay gathered her things and addressed the class one last time.

"I'll be grading your reviews over the weekend, and you can expect to receive your feedback next week. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this little taste test. It's important to remember that even the simplest things in life can be worthy of appreciation and critical analysis."

< Chapter 107 > Fin.