Masters of Denialism

A Secret Place

“Can you do it?”

There was a few seconds of silence after Jetroharu asked Wei the question. Wei was staring at him puzzled about what to answer, but knowing Jetroharu…

“Yeah, sure. I can talk to her about it tomorrow.” He could not reject him.

“Nice! I’m counting on you Wei!” He knew Wei wouldn't disappoint him.

“But why her? Aren’t you supposed to study with Chi?”

“It’s distracting to study with a pretty girl.”

“You mean our class rep is not? That’s mean Jetro~” Kazu poke fun at him.

“She agreed that she isn’t pretty though.” He made clear that Nikee herself has not denied it.

“Oh, but is that really the only reason why you want to study with her?”

“She had the highest grade among us, of course you would too?”

“That is quite obvious, but I'm talking about the personal reasons. When were you guys able to talk to each other anyway? I’ve never seen you talking with her the whole semester?”

This was the thought-provoking question of the topic, one answer from Jetro would leave more shady questions from Kazu who is known to stick his nose into other people's personal lives, which Wei immediately noticed.

“Kazu, it’s not our business to know about their unresolved issues, let's just keep it at that.”

Jetroharu heaved a sigh of relief as he stood up from his chair.

“Well then, see you tomorrow. I’ll be waiting for her response to you.”

Jetroharu pierced him with his assertive eyes as a sign that he trusts him and his words.

He started walking into the exit door and called Kazu.

“Isn’t it weird? Him getting involved with Nikee I mean?” Kazu whispered to Wei who’s beside him while he looks at Jetroharu who’s walking out the restaurant first.

“Yeah.”

“Well then, I’m also going, see you tomorrow.” He waved goodbye and ran after Jetroharu.

Wei watches them until they completely disappear from his sight. 

“That was unexpected…” 

—

Nikee’s bedroom is what people would not expect to be, because behind her quiet and imposing character as the class representative, the vibe of her room is the opposite of it. Every corner of the walls in her room, posters can be seen, and it’s not a poster where an inspirational quotation is printed on it, but faces of beautiful men. Just by the appearance of her room, it tells a lot about how different she is in school and when she’s in her own room.

She was sitting on her chair close to her desk while looking at her notes. It was unrelated to the lesson they have tackled in school.

“I’ve written down all the available study spots I could go outside the school…but I have to spend money to be able to stay there for an hour…”

She got out of her chair in distress and threw herself on her bed. She looked up at the ceiling and realized her thoughts kept coming back to it.

“How do I decide what to do with that deal anyways?” 

That moment suddenly flashed in her mind again.

“Unless you agree to help me pass, then why shouldn’t that be a reason to make that secret spot of yours a secret?”