The lesson dragged.
Same as always.
Teacher talking. Pens moving. Someone whispering when they shouldn't be.
Ren wasn't really listening.
He wrote a few things down.
Then stopped.
Then wrote again.
Normal.
Kai leaned back in his chair, bored out of his mind.
"…I'm gonna die," he muttered.
"You say that every day," Ren said.
"One day it'll be real."
"Hopefully not today."
"Wow."
Airi kept writing.
Focused.
Quiet.
Then—
Kai suddenly sat up.
"I've decided something."
Ren didn't look up. "No."
"I'm making a group chat."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
Airi paused.
"…Why?"
Kai pointed between them.
"Because this is inefficient."
Ren frowned. "What does that mean."
"We talk in person. That's slow."
"It's not."
"It is."
Airi tilted her head slightly. "…How is that slow?"
Kai pulled out his phone.
"Because now we can talk anytime."
Ren stared at him.
"…We don't need to talk anytime."
"We do."
"No we don't."
Kai ignored him and started typing.
"Alright, I'm making it."
"Don't add me."
"Too late."
"My number—"
"I have it."
Ren paused.
"…Why do you have it."
"You gave it to me."
"When?"
"Last year."
"…Oh."
Kai smirked. "See? I'm useful."
"No you're not."
Airi looked at them.
"…You're adding me too?"
"Of course," Kai said.
"…Why."
"Because you're part of this now."
Ren looked at him.
"…Part of what."
Kai grinned.
"This."
"That doesn't explain anything."
"It doesn't have to."
Airi thought for a second.
"…Okay."
Ren turned to her.
"…You're just agreeing?"
"Yes."
"…Why."
She looked at him.
"Why not?"
Ren didn't have an answer.
Kai held up his phone.
"Done."
Ren's phone buzzed.
He didn't check it.
Airi's phone buzzed too.
She did check it.
"…You named it 'Elite Squad'?" she said.
Kai nodded proudly. "Yeah."
"That's terrible," Ren said.
"It's not."
"It is."
Airi looked at the screen.
"…It's funny."
Kai pointed at her. "See? She gets it."
"She doesn't."
"I do," Airi said.
Ren looked away.
"…This is stupid."
Kai leaned back.
"You're in it though."
Ren didn't reply.
His phone buzzed again.
Kai sent a message.
Kai: welcome
Another one.
Kai: say something
Airi typed.
Airi: hello
Kai instantly replied.
Kai: wow she actually responded
Ren's phone buzzed again.
He stared at it for a second.
Then typed.
Ren: stop
Kai laughed out loud.
"There we go."
Airi looked at Ren.
"…You responded."
"…Yeah."
"Why?"
"…I don't know."
Kai grinned.
"You care."
"I don't."
"You do."
"I don't."
Airi looked at her phone again.
Then typed.
Ren's phone buzzed.
Airi: it's not bad
Ren stared at the message.
Paused.
Then typed back.
Ren: it is
Kai slammed the table lightly.
"This is perfect."
"Shut up," Ren said.
But he didn't leave the chat.