The next day in the morning,
06:50 A.M.

Alvish's POV,

As we had discussed, I was there standing in front of his house, to invite him to go to the school together. I rang the doorbell and a woman who looked to be in her 30s opened the door.

She's Reada's mother, Alie Harns. She's a lovely and very kindhearted woman, and to be honest a quite beautiful one too. I had first met her the day before yesterday while she was helping us regarding this area as we are new here. Also she has helped us a lot since then.

Even though her age is the same as my mom, she looks quite young. Like, my mom is 45 but she looks to be around 30! And that's why I was surprised when I first found out that Reada is her son. I also didn't know about her youngness until yesterday, when my mom told me about it in the evening, after he left.

Aunty had told me tho- that she has a son that my brother and I can be friends with, but I had always thought that he would be like 5 or 6 years old. I had never thought he would be this old.

Seriously, what's her secret? Every woman would wanna know that.

"Oh, It's you Alvish!! Tell me how can I help you??" Aunt Alie said as she came out of the door, after she opened.

I personally don't think it's fair to call her auntie. But she doesn't mind and actually prefers to be called that.

"Sorry to disturbed you in this time of the day but-"

"No no, Alvish. You can come here whenever you want, you're always welcome here."

See, I had said she's sweet.

"Actually Auntie I'm here for Reada, we had planned for going to school together, yesterday."

"Oo… So, you have come for him?? But Alvish, he actually isn't ready."

Gotcha!! Assumeable from that weeb face!
I had thought that he must be a lazy person from yesterday's conversation. And I was correct. That's why I've come a little earlier today.

And wanna know one thing? I can't stand lazy people. So I'm gonna charge him a little. Afterall every person should be hardworking for the sake of their goals.

"Oh yeah, why don't you come inside and wait for a little, until he gets ready??" Aunt Alie suggested.

Actually I was going to say the same, that I'll wait. But I think we have the same kind of mindset.

"Yeah, I can wait!" I said and then we both went inside.

She took me to the living room. Where there were three couches placed in a way that they were making a rectangular 'C' shape. Then she told me to take a seat and left saying that she's going to call Reada.

I took a seat on one of the couches in the corner.

It's my second time actually visiting Aunt Alie's Home. The first time was on my first day here, but I hadn't seen Reada that day. Her house was and is as well decorated as her. Clean floors, walls with colours that please eyes and well arranged furniture. Like for example, the set of couches, on one of which I am sitting on right now, is all in dark green colour which really makes a good match with the painting on the walls. Even though the paintings are of blended colours that look like liquid, and honestly don't make much sense to me.

There is also a large glass table in front of the couches and in front of it there is a large TV. Beside the living room there was the kitchen and in between them there was the staircase which leads to the upper floor, where Aunt Alie have gone to.

"Do get ready, okay! I'm packing your lunch!" Auntie said while descending the stairs while looking up towards the upper floor.

"Alvish, wanna have breakfast!" She offered after coming down. But I refused saying that I had already eaten, then she went into the kitchen.

Following her Reada also came down but he wasn't wearing any uniform and it didn't even look like he was willing to. He walked up to me and sat on the couch that was on my counter side.

He was sitting while lowering his posture towards the front a bit, looking down at his feets, while taking support from his elbows which were on his knees. His long dark hair were hanging down which really made it look like he had just been forcefully woken up from his sleep or a person who is depressed about something.

"Alvish!" he called in an uninterested voice. He didn't sound sleepy though. "I'm not going to school today, so you can leave."

"Huh, but why?" I asked in surprise.

"Because if you won't leave then my mom won't let me stay home" He said like he was trying to compromise with me.

"I didn't mean that. I mean why are you not going to school?" I asked as I clarified.

"Oh-" he sounded interested a bit this time and lifted up his gaze towards me, and said with a smile, "Simple, cause I don't want to!!"

What?? Seriously??

"But you might get punished if you take a leave without any proper reason though!!" I stated.

"A person who will punish me?-" He questioned in an egoistic voice as a smirk appeared on his face after hearing me. He straightened his posture and with his eyes peeking through his hair he looked like he was about to tell me some short of his secret. He had so much confidence in his eyes that I couldn't resist but look back at him and selectively try to hear what he was about to say. "-Ain't born yet!".

"She was already born, long before you!!" Suddenly a hand forcefully smacked his head from behind, while a woman's voice said that.

"Aaw!!" He cried out as he got pushed forward after getting hit. That smack was hard and unexpected, it was so sudden that even I was surprised.

Reada turned around to see the source of that hand and voice. And found aunt Alie who was standing behind him with her arms crossed, looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"About 25 years before your birth!!" She continued bluntly.

"25? Means you're over 40? Dang, You Are Old!!"

*SMACK!!*

"You Are Going To School Today And That's Final!! Now go and get ready." Auntie shouted angrily after hitting him again.

"Okay okay fine, I'm going!!" Reada said in a crackled voice as he cried out while covering the left side of his face. Then he stood up and went upstairs. Yes, this time he got slapped on his face and it seemed even harder too.

Of course that would happen!! What was he thinking when he said that? Any woman will get angry if you call them old.

But… this side of auntie was something unseen.

"I'm sorry Alvish, although I told him to get ready he was just roaming around! I guess you'll have to wait a little bit more!!" Suddenly auntie said as she turned to me after Reada left. She seemed to be finally taking a breath of relief now that she has sent him to get ready for school.

"It's fine auntie, I was kind of prepared for that." I replied.

After that I waited for like 20 minutes, until finally Reada came down all prepared for school. And then we left.

On our way to school,  we had been walking at a normal pace but we were also running out of time. Reada had been walking on the front all this time while I was following him, yet we never talked about anything this whole time.. But it's not very important so who cares. The time was around 07:25 AM. But the school's gate had started to come in sight.

So I think we can make it.

"Alvish!!" Suddenly Reada called as he stopped and turned to me. He was checking all over his pockets. "I guess I forgot something. Go on without me!!" He said and then ran away to the direction we had come from.

"Hey!! Wait- We Have Almost Reached!!" I tried calling from behind, but he didn't listen.

And now this shit's getting me angry.

JUST WHAT DID HE FORGET NOW? HIS LUNGS, THAT HE RAN AWAY SO DESPERATELY??

FIRST OF ALL HE WASN'T READY EVEN AFTER HE HAD SAID HE'LL GO TO SCHOOL WITH ME. AND NOW HE RUN OFF SOMEWHERE WHEN WE WERE JUST ABOUT TO REACH SCHOOL!!

WHAT DOES HE THINK HE IS??
I'M SURE HE'LL BE LATE AND GET PUNISHED!!

Guess no one can save you from your fate, Reada. You see, I tried but you messed up!!

"Well well, I shouldn't raise my blood pressure over an idiot's stupidity!!" I said to myself and tried calming down. And then I entered the school's gate.

I made it by the very edge of time, since I arrived when Mr Targil was just about to start taking attendance. But after asking him for permission to enter he let me enter without making any remarks. I guess it's because he also entered some seconds ago.

After entering I saw that the whole class was filled up. At least it looked like that from the front, where I was standing and I couldn't find a seat for myself. But suddenly I saw a hand waving at the very back of the class. And as it caught my attention I saw two desks behind it, side by side that were empty. It was Shin who was sitting in the second row from the window side, on the second last desk. And she was calling me to sit behind her.

I went and took that seat. But it was a little disappointing. Although I don't have any serious problem with sitting in the back, I usually prefer sitting in the front, where all the toppers normally sit. Like, Rem, the intelligent ones. I had noticed he was sitting on the same desk that he was sitting on yesterday. I also started noticing some more empty desks while sitting here in the back. But most of them were in the middle area unlike the one I was sitting on or that one empty desk beside me. Only if I had seen them sooner then I would have taken one of them.

"Okay everyone, pay attention. I'm taking attendance!!" Mr Targil said as he started taking attendance.

"Roll no. 1?"
"Present sir!" Rem said.

"Roll no. 2?"
"Absent!!" The 3rd ranked girl said today as well.

So he is absent today to-

"May I come in??" Suddenly a boy's voice interrupted as it came from outside of the class.

Mr Targil turned that way and it seemed as if there was someone standing in front of the entrance, asking permission to get inside.

Now, who is he?
A question occurred in my head.

While sitting in the back of the classroom I really can't see the face of whoever was standing there. Reada…? Is it him?? No wait- it would take at least 5 minutes to walk up to here from home. So I don't think it can be him.

So… is he that second guy? As far as my guess can go, only he is coming to my mind. I don't know if it's really him, but if it's him then I'm really excited to see how he looks.

"Oh so you finally got time to come to school!" Mr Targil said sarcastically while looking out of the entrance. "Well you may."

"Nah, actually my mom kicked me out." That boy replied as he entered and it was Reada.

And all my hopes died as I saw his face. He really killed my mood of excitement! I was really disappointed because I wanted to see that second guy.

Also he didn't get any kind of punishment for being late so I think this school doesn't have a system of punishment for things like that?

Reada did see me as he entered and gave me a 'Hii' sign, but with only his two fingers, the middle and index one, which looked more like a 'v/victory' sign. Then he started walking up towards me after he walked past Mr Targil. Seemingly he was marching for the desk beside me.

But then he suddenly stopped, and turned around to Mr Targil. And said, "Oh yeah!! I forgot. Present!!"

"What- He Is Second??" I said out, accidently in shock.

"Yes, he is, do you know him?" Shin asked after hearing me as she leaned her back a bit on my desk.

"Yeah, he's my neighbour."

"Oh, so is that where you live?"

By this time Reada had walked up to us and was taking his seat beside me but what made me notice him was Shin's words. Does she know where he lives?

"You know where he lives?" I asked.

"Ye-"

"Roll no. 10!!" Suddenly I heard Mr Targil call.

Crap, I was so lost in talking that I had forgotten about the attendance. But thankfully I made it by the edge somehow.

After taking attendance Mr Targil finally started teaching his maths today, which was his subject in the first period. I was paying attention to the class and so was everyone, except Reada. He was laying down his head on his desk and looking out of the window this whole time while Mr Targil was teaching.

Now when I pay attention to his actions I think they are pretty weir- No wait! More likely they're interesting! The way he just doesn't care about school and isn't paying attention to the class while others are working their ass off makes me wonder how he still has managed to take the 2nd place.

Is he naturally talented for studies?? Or, is it his eye shade that works as an advantage? Because these are the only things I can think of that can gift him the second spot in the class even after behaving like an idiot!

But I have to accept that Rem has even managed to beat the natural talent here throughout his hardwork and I guess that is also why he always keeps studying.

He keeps on preparing for his future battles.

After all, Hard Work Always Beats Talent!

But still even though he is naturally talented for this, I believe he should be paying attention to the class, else he can get punished if he's caught.

"READAREX!!" Mr Targil suddenly called loudly.

Well speak of the devil, -think he noticed him.

"Why are you heading down?" Mr Targil continued, "Are you not feeling well or something?"

Reada slowly lifted his head up after hearing that while facing front, looking at Mr Targil. And responded in a lazy voice, "Aa… no, actually I'm feeling bored!!"

Wow, He Has Got Guts For Saying That On His Face!!

"SHUT UP AND STAND UP!!" Mr Targil shouted angrily, in a voice full of resentment.

Reada slowly stood up.

"Listen!! I'm a teacher here to teach you all and so that I'm doing. And you're a student, here to learn from us teachers so just like how I'm doing my job without any slacking and with complete honesty, you must too." Mr Targil said and this time he was dead serious, with his eyes widely open, looking at Reada. "I'm not asking much from you. Just look to the front and try to understand while I'm teaching. That's the rule. Follow the rules and act like a proper disciplined student!"

"There is no rule like that!!" Reada said as he cut in.

Mr Targil was just about to calm down after saying that and continued his teaching but what Reada said made his blood boil again.

Still he forced himself to calm down and said, "Okay fine! There's no rule that says that you have to keep looking at the board during a class. But here I'm working hard as a teacher so that you all can learn. I'm doing it all for you, so can't you at least be a bit grateful to me for doing that and do that much for me?"

"Sir, you must have heard of the many-worlds interpretation and many of the hypotheses and theories which have occurred from it, right?" Reada asked as Mr Targil finished. "According to them, every action that can happen is happening in one of those universes in the multiverse. Means in one of them maybe I'm also paying attention to your class. And in this universe I'm slacking out so that the other me, in that other universe, can pay attention to your class. I'm doing all this for you, so can't you at least be a bit grateful to me for that and let me sleep for your sake too!!"