LOWKEY

03

The second day is as thrilling as the first. With the bell resounding 5 minutes after the first, Eula cooped herself with the sociology book.

Jeno, who's always on her left, peered over her, frowning at the sight of the hundred words on one page she was reading without any colorful drawings.

Their subject teacher is running late today, causing the little groups to bring chaos to their classroom.

There's nothing entertaining, exactly. Except for the fact that most girls have a fleeting crush on the male, and Eula, being always beside him, could feel the insecure stares stabbing onto her.

It's not like it's her fault. It's Jeno who happily pledged to always be beside her since they are classmates anyway.

The two are actually close. Ever since that dinner, when the two families signed a certificate of engagement, certified by law, Jeno was there too, having been officially adopted by Mark's family when his parents died.

Jeno is always grateful to have a sweet aunt and a welcoming uncle. Though he knew Mark was soft and kind, he couldn't understand why he was too distant with his soon-to-be wife.

Jeno knew the older man's party life too. Thus, he decided for himself that he'd look out for the girl for Mark, just as Mark looks out for him too.

"Is that book so entertaining?" he asked after a long while.

Eula hummed a yes and flipped on the next page. "Maybe you should do advance reading too."

"Is that how you aced almost everything?"

"Maybe," she shrugged and looked over to the male. "Maybe I'm born to be pretty and smart."

"Pretty, my ass," he gagged, making the girl laugh.

Sometimes, Jeno has the urge to punch Mark or bang his head on a wall.

Shin Eula is everything he could pray for. She's the ideal girl, as Jeno always wishes.

She's pretty, intelligent, and has an angelic smile. Her eyes crinkle into crescents like his, almost seeing himself through her.

Behind all those thick books and shelves of academic trophies, she knows how to have fun too. She can also be spoiled if she's in a foul mood, but she's cute when angry.

Sometimes Jeno would forget that she's already bound with another.

Sometimes Jeno wishes that it was him instead of Mark.

After another fifteen minutes, which is already pretty late for a teacher to arrive, all students immediately went back to their seats.

Ms. Goo seemed breathless when she walked into the room. Her brown hair is down, and some strands are messy. Still, the boys hollered that she looked gorgeous.

Ms. Goo is also a fresh graduate, around Mark's age, and prettily young.

Eula's eyes squinted when she noticed how her legs shook with every step on those red stilettos. Her white long-sleeved shirt is crinkled on the side, and it wasn't properly tucked in the red plaid skirt.

"Is it just me, or she doesn't look like a teacher at all?" Jeno whispered.

"Yeah, but Mark doesn't look like a teacher either."

"Right? But at least he dress appropriately."

Eula just nodded in reply as she continued to watch over the young teacher in front of them, beginning her discussion.

After passing the half hour, they started an activity. All of them should write down the connection between humans and society on the white board.

Jeno grumbled on his seat, reading the book in panic, hoping to recreate words that fit the activity.

Finally, it was the back row's turn, and Eula approached the teacher to borrow a marker with Jeno behind her.

"Shin Eula, right? If I remember, you placed first at a science fair last year."

"Yes, that's me." Eula flashed an awkward smile.

"Great! I have a feeling that you'll top the class too," the teacher beamed and handed the white board marker. "Good luck, Eula."

"Thank you," Eula paused for awhile as a certain scent passed on her nose for a second, letting out a small chuckle afterwards. "Thank you, miss; I'll do my best."

With that, she approached the almost-filled white board and slowly wrote a relevant word, then placed the marker back on the teacher's table in a rush.

Eula settled back on her seat with an unsettling face, and it didn't take long for the male to notice it.

"What is it? Is there something wrong?" Jeno worriedly asked as he sat down.

"Oh?" she snapped back with a hesitant smile and shook her head. "No, no. I just suddenly thought of something bad, but no problem, Nojam."

She used a certain nickname for the male to completely shrug off, as they both fixated in front when the teacher went over the answers on the board.

Though her voice became a faint buzz to the girl, her eyes focused on her every move and the small red stain on her collar.

No, Eula can't be mistaken. She knows that scent, and she's used to it.

Her clothes often smell of it almost every day when he is with her.

It's Mark's cologne.

His body scent is one that Eula always basks on when she'll bury her face in his neck.

She smelled of Mark.

Eula can just take a deep breath and blink the brimming tears off her eyes.