Not A Window Seat

The classroom was filled with black benches made of some unknown metal, accommodating all 20 students in this section. Upon entering the now-packed classroom, Ren noticed the sudden silence engulfing him from all sides. All eyes turned towards him, watching his every move as if he were some sort of exotic animal. Recalling from memory, he made his way toward the fifth bench in the third row, though it wasn't a window seat.

Ren pondered silently, 'Who made the rule that only protagonists get to sit at the window seat? Why am I not a protagonist?"

The system picked up on Ren's thoughts and presented him with a considerate option: 'Do you want to take Sabrina's role and be with Win, or do you want to be Win and be with Sabrina?'

At the mere mention of Sabrina, Ren's body subconsciously shuddered. He gulped his nervousness down, thinking, 'Forget it. This seat is very comfy. Very good to sleep on.'

The system chimed in, 'You are here to study, not to sleep!'

Ren, recalling his habit of sleeping during high school classes, refrained from teasing the system this time. Observing the narrowed eyes of the cub casually resting on his desk, he wisely stayed quiet.

As Ren sat down, the whispers in the class began to fill the air with gossip once again. He could vaguely hear the students talking about the park and Win, but he ignored them.

Each table was equipped with an optical brain loaded with studying materials and various applications. Ren's slender fingers touched the smooth edges of the table as he tapped on the indicators to understand its working pattern. The screen lit up and floated in front of Ren. Following the memories in his mind, he separated the screen into two windows: one for classwork and another for noting crucial points.

With a few minutes left before the teacher's arrival, the system began to teach Ren about the software he would be using from now on.

Ren marveled, 'Oh! That's so cool! You can just select this, and no need to draw shapes individually. You don't need to make notebooks at all. Oh, my fellow students who were beaten by teachers for not completing their copies, you will be remembered.'

The pious look on Ren's face, accompanied by his hand placed on his heart as if giving tribute, left the system speechless.

After paying homage to the 'homework warriors', Ren was about to explore more options when a hand knocked on his table.

Those tanned fingers didn't give him a good feeling.

Sure enough, Win was staring at Ren, or rather at Ren's black hoodie.

"Dorion, we need to talk," Win said.

"No," Ren answered without hesitation. Dorion wouldn't talk, but he had already done so yesterday. It should be fine, right?

Ren waited for Win to leave, but instead, Win's clenched fist knocked on his bench with such force that it shook even the floating screens.

Ren immediately sought help from the system. 'Oi, little God, what's going on? Didn't he go back yesterday? Why is he still here now? I thought these kids were very obedient.'

The system felt like hitting someone. 'Dear Ren Jiang, I sent you all the data yesterday. Did you not read it?' 

The more polite the system became, the more frowns appeared on Ren's forehead. It seemed to be the case. He really forgot about that!

Ren could only beg his system, 'Please, baby, help me, okay? Big brother will make you a big, delicious meal when we go home.'

Ren's low voice, coupled with his sincere attitude of admitting mistakes, made him seem quite pitiful. 

The greasy voice made Little Cub's ears ring with irritation, 'Stop! It was because of the mental strength you accidentally used that they obeyed you. Don't you ever speak like that to me!'

Ren's eyes immediately widened with realization. No wonder they were like model children listening to their elders without talking back. 

System interrupted Ren's wandering thoughts, 'Elderly Ren, your first mission is not complete yet. You better deal with the situation once and for all.'

The elderly Ren, "....."

"Dorion, You... I...."

Ren, ' I and you, Oh I love you~'

The system finally couldn't bear Ren's distraction and bit his finger. Though it took only 2 seconds for their conversation, the system wanted to finish the first mission faster.

Ren took his finger back, cradling the non-existent wound, and reluctantly focused on Win who was still stuttering, "What is it? Make it short."

Win's eyes had a reddish hue, a clear indication of his previous sleepless night. Win had no idea how he spent his night in a complete daze. It was only in the morning that he came to his senses. Win was too scared at the fact that he had been thinking about Dorion from day to night then to the new morning.

The kid who was experiencing his first love suddenly found himself lost in the memories of his love rival. The emotional turmoil was a bit too much for him to bear.

Win, being the straightforward kid, went ahead to confront the culprit head-on. Yet, the moment he opened his mouth, his words disappeared. He had no idea what to say and how to say it.

He took a deep breath to calm his nervous heart, "Look, Dorion, I, Win, only like Sabrina. I was only playing with you, and you have no right to pursue Sabrina or me. Stay away from both of us!"

Ren found it a bit hard to understand Win's thinking process. He was the one to take the initiative, and now he was also the one scolding him.

Are all teenagers like this? No wonder his grandma would tell him about his rebellious behavior in his high school time. Oh, the things he wanted to forget.

The system's curious voice chimed in, 'Like what?'

For the first time, Ren ignored the system and looked at the hot-headed kid in front of him, "Ok. I will never approach you or Sabrina. Can you move away?"

Due to Win's arrival, the whole classroom was silently looking at the unfolding drama with eager anticipation.

This time, it was Win who was too stunned to speak. The matter ended just like that.

???

Before Win's mind processed anything, an announcement was heard throughout the school.

"Dear students, Class 1 is in process. Report to your teacher immediately."

This type of instruction would ring at the beginning of every class until the Sixth and the last lecture.

Win wanted to say something more, but the teacher would arrive in a few seconds, and he had to leave. But before leaving, he still glared at Dorion with his pale narrowed eyes.

'See, my magic is still working. Win left.' A voice filled with a smile continued, 'Oi little God, why is this person giving the same impression as Silvia Yarx?'

The system's eyelid twitched before he answered Ren, 'It's the magic of the teacher, that he left so easily, not you.'

Little God's frustrated voice echoed inside Ren's mind, 'And Silvia Yarx is Win's maternal aunt. He must be scolded by her. Read the information or I won't assist you at all!'

Ren shut his eyes tight to let the sudden sting in his head ease. The cub's angry voice was a bit hard to bear. The system turned around and ...went to sleep on his desk.

'Hey, who was the one scolding me for sleeping in class?'

The system didn't even open his eyes, 'Your class,' laziness evident in its voice, 'Not mine.'

Ren ignored Silvia standing on the platform, teaching them about some historic Zerg fights. He used this time to finally read all the information sent by his system. It took him four lectures to sort all the data and the memories clamoring in his mind, making even his heart restless.

Ren had always been like this. Doing everything all at once or doing nothing at all. It might be the habit he developed while doing his projects at the last minute in college.

Ren didn't know that it would take such a huge toll on him. His back was soaked with sweat, and he could feel the chill seeping into his nerves. A few cold, water beads covered his forehead. The moment the fourth class ended; Ren walked towards the bathroom.

"He has been sitting in his seat for four hours, didn't go out even during the 15-minute break."

"He must be heartbroken."

"At first, it was okay, but now I kinda feel pity for him."

"I heard Sabrina from class B and Dorion were childhood friends."

"Doesn't that mean Win is the third party?"

"Do you wish to take that poor ghost's place? If not, then shut up?!"

A class monitor, Terim, immediately made every student quiet.

Terim hated Dorion with all his might. First, it was because he was always first in the entire grade. Dorion would act all high and mighty, causing the school to bow down to him and not display his picture in the 'Honorary-Students' Section, a place where every student wants to see himself.

Now, Terim got to know that this bastard was so poor, yet he managed to get 1st rank. Terim, though, a rich kid, did not want to bother his parents with his studies and learnt everything on his own. He couldn't use the 'Dorion has money to buy more tutors' as an excuse anymore!

Are all the scholarship students this poor?