Hidden in this Thing Called Life

Befriending the Boy Named Monster

Once Professor Khan's class was over, the room filled with chattering students.

"I wonder who will be my partner?"

"I hope I get partnered up with someone smart." The classmate looked behind him at Rood who was lost in thought.

"I want to be with Juli! Maybe He chose us together because we are best friends!" Another classmate spoke up while looking at her friend.

"Hey! The list is already here! C'mon, let's go check it out!" The moment these words were said, a multitude of students got up to go check the list for their partner.

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Rood sighed as he looked at the book that Lidusis had left on the desk when he got up to look at the list. 'He left the book again...'

"Hey Rood! The list of the partners is out already! Let's go see it! Stop sitting there and being laaaazy!" Dio said, hyper from the nap he took during class when he should have been paying attention.

"You are the last person I want to be called lazy from. Now let's go see the list." Rood replied as he got up from his seat, taking the book with him.

"Yay! I hope I'm partnered up with you since we're friends!" Dio said hoping that his friendship wasn't one-sided.

"I don't care." Rood said heartlessly when the blue-haired boy stopped in front of him suddenly. He bumped into the back of the older boy and looked at him confused.

"Ouch, why did you stop so suddenly?! And why are you covering my eyes?! Dio, what the hell!" Rood stumbled back a bit, his confusion as to why his friend was dragging him out of the classroom was clear in his voice.

"R-Rood! We need to go tell the professor to change your partner! Now!" He dragged the short friend, his earlier cheerful demeanor having been replaced with panic. Rood was confused as to his friends panic as no explanation was given to him.

"Geez it's not like I've been partnered with a monster, let go of me for Christ sake." the blonde boy forced the hands away from his eyes, his tone sarcastic.

"N-NO! You've been partnered with the monster!"

"Lidusis Dien Artian?"

"YES!" Dio confirmed, trying to push his stubborn friend into the classroom. Unfortunately, his friend stubbornly stays put.

"He's not a monster, he's a human. Do you sleep so much in class that you don't know the difference?"

"B-but Rood....." Despite his insistence, the smaller boy ignored Dio.

"Annoying." Rood muttered under his breath and walked to Lidusis. The blue-haired boy followed his friend hesitantly. When the smaller boy walked up to the shy boy, Lidusis looked at him nervously.

"We're partners. Let's work together." Rood gave him a smile and held up his hand, waiting for the other boy to shake his hand. Lidusis looked away shyly in a quiet refusal.

"I-it's fine... I can work by myself...."

"I refuse."

Lidusis's eyes widened in surprise at the younger boy's words.

"What if you do it wrong? I don't know the amount of knowledge or skills you have and I don't want bad marks." Rood spoke persistently, leaving the gray-haired boy with the only option of agreeing.

"Alright..." The other boy spoke shyly, looking through his long bangs, left with the feeling of only being able to say yes.

"Good boy." The shorter boy looked up at Lidusis as he smiled. Dio watched wide-eyed, his jaw slackened as well. He couldn't help but wonder why Rood said good boy. Was Lidusis a dog?