The break bell had just rung, and the atmosphere in Class 7A shifted drastically within seconds. The sound of chair legs scraping against the tile floor echoed through the room, creating a chaotic din.
At the front of the class, the history lesson had just ended. The history teacher, a round and stout man, looked like he was struggling just to stand up.
His potbelly kept getting caught against the edge of the desk. He shoved the wooden table far forward.
With heavy steps and slightly audible breathing, the man finally managed to walk out of the classroom.
The moment his broad back disappeared behind the door, any sense of formal authority evaporated instantly.
"Hey, let's play something!" a loud voice shouted, cutting through the noise.
Nazma turned her head. Bright was already perched on the teacher's chair—Mr. Diaz's former 'throne' of authority—acting as if he owned the place. One of his feet was propped up on the chair's base, his thumb twitching playfully.
"Play what?" Milan chirped back while tossing a crumpled paper ball.
In another corner, Nazma could see small groups beginning to form.
Some were busy unpacking lunch boxes, others were shouting plans to hit the canteen, and one person just sat there silently observing the chaos—Zemiro.
"Let's play school. I'll be Mrs. Siti."
A wide piece of fabric fluttered through the air.
Bright managed to snatch the object with lightning-fast reflexes. "Tada~!"
Bright draped a pink tablecloth over his head.
"Wait, where did he get—"
Sensing something flashy, Talitha spontaneously whipped her head around.
Her pink eyes rounded perfectly. "Hey... that's a tablecloth!!" Talitha gasped, pointing at the pink fabric.
Indri hurried over. Talitha watched as Indri busied herself folding the cloth under Bright's chin.
Her gaze was fixed on Indri's surprisingly nimble hands.
The two of them suddenly went into a panic, searching for a safety pin to lock the makeshift hijab in place.
Talitha's thick eyebrows shot up even higher when she saw Indri hurriedly rummaging through her skirt pocket.
"Got it! " Indri cried out triumphantly.
She had found a pin.
"Wait, why do you even have that?" Talitha muttered in bewilderment.
Indri quickly pinned the cloth right under Bright's chin, making sure the folds framed the boy's face neatly. As soon as Indri stepped back, the entire class went dead silent for a split second.
"Crazy! Why does he actually look pretty?!" a student yelled from the back.
The whole room erupted in laughter.
The pink tablecloth actually made Bright's skin look brighter.
Nazma stood there agape, hardly believing what she was seeing. The scene before her was completely unpredictable. The class idol had transformed into a version of 'Mrs. Siti' who was way too charming?!
Talitha had to rub her eyes repeatedly. "Whoa, Indri ... do you actually have a talent for being a makeup artist?" she murmured while staring at Bright, who was starting to flirt with the crowd.
Jihan and Milan immediately whipped out their phones, ready to capture this rare moment.
Bright was now completely immersed in his role.
He stood up, sashaying with an exaggerated, flirty strut toward Zemiro's desk. The air around them suddenly felt tense. Bright leaned in, locking eyes with Zemiro,who remained unbothered.
"Hey... do you want to be my boyfriend?"