LMUC Ch 1

“I’ll make you regret leaving me.”

🏒

As usual, the road leading to the school was packed with cars, all parents dropping off their children in time for class.

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Koi, as always, pedaled hard, passing the cars waiting at the traffic lights to quickly cross the road. A car in the distance slowed down upon seeing Koi’s bicycle. Koi pedaled harder and entered the school grounds. At the same time, other students were getting out of their cars, greeting each other.

“Sara, here!”

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“Did you see Eternity yesterday? I literally cried at that scene. How could it end like that?”

“My dad’s taking us camping again. It’s so boring.”

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Koi parked his bike in the designated area and walked past the chattering students towards his locker. The kids were gathered in groups, talking, but no one greeted or spoke to Koi.

Since the situation was all too familiar, he opened his locker without much thought and took out his textbooks. Holding only the books needed for the morning classes, he closed the locker door when he suddenly heard a murmur. Turning his head out of curiosity due to the excited atmosphere, Koi quickly understood. The six main players of the ice hockey team were walking over, talking loudly.

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Naturally, they captured everyone’s attention. These six guys, who usually hung out together, were not only significantly larger than their peers but also quite handsome.

Among them, Ashley Dominique Miller stood out the most. Walking confidently at the center, he seemed to ignore the gazes of his peers, joking around with his friends. Yet, everyone’s eyes were fixated on him, including Koi’s.

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He looks even better when he smiles.

Koi held his breath for a moment, watching him. No one in the school didn’t know him. Or, if you liked ice hockey, everyone would know him. Koi usually thought his nickname was childish and creepy, but at this moment, he had to admit, albeit begrudgingly.

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The prince on the ice.

Eww.

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Koi almost mimed gagging. He didn’t want to admit that he momentarily agreed with that nickname. But the silver blonde hair shining subtly in the morning sun, even his slightly furrowed brows, everything about him was stunningly good-looking. His deep-set eyes with their silver-blue hue, thick, wide lips, a nose that looked like it had never been broken, and a sharply defined jawline – his face was so clearly defined it could replace any sculpture.

And what about that sturdy body? Nearly 190 centimeters tall, even in a plain t-shirt and jeans instead of his uniform, his broad shoulders, puffed-up chest, solid thighs, and even his nicely shaped buttocks made him perfect.

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Of course, he was the captain of the Buffalo High School ice hockey team who had never missed a championship.

For Koi, who barely had enough muscle to live, seeing such perfection was like a dream, even feeling guilty for admiring him, leaving him no choice but to shrink back in silence.

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That’s when it happened. Ashley, who had turned his head, spotted Koi and waved cheerfully. Koi, about to slip away, was caught off guard and stared back in surprise.

Huh? Me?

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Pointing at himself with his second finger in disbelief, Ashley smiled even broader, his eyes full of laughter.

Ashley Miller knows me?

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In fact, they shared most of the AP classes. Of course, Ashley was usually with his friends, while Koi sat alone in the corner, his presence as faint as dust. Yet, this ice hockey star knew him and even acknowledged him first.

Well, we do share several classes.

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Koi made a plausible guess while watching Ashley approach. Though only a few seconds passed, it felt much longer for Koi.

The platinum-haired captain of the ice hockey team, smiling brightly at him, was enough to take Koi’s breath away, even though they were both guys, especially since the school’s most popular guy acknowledged him first.

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“Hi…”

Just as Koi raised his hand with a dumbfounded look, someone whizzed by, creating a gust of wind. Ashley’s gaze naturally shifted from Koi to her.

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“Hi, Ash.”

The girl, who kissed him sweetly, was Ashley’s girlfriend, and as expected, the captain of the cheerleading team. Seeing the typical scenario of the sports star and cheerleader couple, Koi realized he had misunderstood.

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He was smiling at his girlfriend.

Feeling embarrassed, his face turned red. Normally, he would berate himself for having less presence than the dust in the corner, but now he was grateful for it. If not, everyone would have been laughing at him by now.

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Feeling awkward, one of the guys in the group rudely pushed past Koi, saying:

“Move, idiot.”

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Koi accidentally bumped into his locker, but no one paid attention to him since all eyes were on the group moving away. Koi rubbed his bumped arm, looking down in embarrassment.

Ashley Miller doesn’t know me.

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Of course, to him, Koi was just one of many ordinary classmates. The more he thought about it, the more awkward he felt, scratching his head. Just as he was about to lock his locker, someone hit him hard from behind.

“Ah!”

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Koi shrieked and hunched his shoulders, but that wasn’t all. Another guy knocked the books out of his hands. Koi tried to catch them, but they slipped through his fingers and fell to the floor with a clatter.

“Loser.”

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“Snap out of it, you dumbass.”

Nelson and his gang burst into laughter as they walked away. Koi just stared blankly at the books that had fallen to the floor, sighed, and quickly gathered his things. It was almost time for class to start.

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Rushing down the hallway to the classroom, Koi found that most of the seats were already taken. In the center of the classroom, as expected, sat Ashley and his friends. Usually, there were six members hanging out together, but only three, including Ashley, were here, probably because the other three were in different classes. Despite this, their presence was still palpable. Koi glanced at them and, as usual, headed for his seat in the corner. Not intentionally, but he naturally overheard their conversation.

“So, what’s going to happen? Can we get someone new in there now?”

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“I don’t think they’ll change the routine. I heard they’re looking for someone good.”

“You didn’t hear anything, Ash?”

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In response to his friend’s question, Ashley shrugged and answered:

“They asked me too, but how easy is it to find someone who can join the cheer squad and perform for the season? Better to change the routine.”

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“But? Didn’t Al say he doesn’t want that?”

“He says that routine is essential.”

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“What’s so special about the routine?”

To his friend’s question, Ashley responded nonchalantly:

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“I don’t know either. But if it doesn’t work out, Al will give up too.”

As he said this, he turned his head and caught sight of Koi. Koi, who was passing by, reacted momentarily, but it was the same again. Ashley just gave a cliché smile when their eyes met and then turned his head back.

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Figures.

Slightly disappointed, Koi moved to his corner seat while Ashley and his friends continued to chatter about pointless things like the results of the game they watched the day before or quarrels with their siblings at home. Koi tuned out their chatter with one ear while preparing for class.

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The teacher entered the classroom shortly after, and soon the room quieted down, and she began the lesson calmly as usual. It was an ordinary morning.

🏒

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“Phew.”

After throwing out the last bit of trash, Koi stretched with a sigh. He glanced around the store, confirming everything was done, and turned off all the lights. Locking the store door from the outside, he felt that everything was truly over.

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Hurrying to his bike, he began to ride quickly. He had skimmed through the assignment earlier, but it would take quite some time to finish. He might have to pull an all-nighter. In his haste, his feet pedaled faster, with the cool wind rushing past his ears.

For several months now, his part-time job at this small store involved handling the cash register, organizing goods, cleaning up at closing time, and taking out the trash. Although he was supposed to be paid for the time spent on cleaning and trash disposal, the owner never compensated him for it. Since finding another job was not easy for Koi, he just did the extra hours as instructed.

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Even after closing time, he worked another 30 minutes to an hour, which meant he usually got home close to midnight. There was hardly any time left for assignments or studying.

Koi, feeling anxious, pedaled even faster down the dark night road.

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🏒

At the house made from an old truck, Koi threw down his bike and ran inside. After a quick wash, he sat down, turned on his computer, and prepared for the assignment while it booted up. He checked the assignment content on the screen once more, sighed, and opened his notebook to start summarizing.

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The task was to read a predetermined Latin literature book and analyze it. Since he had already read the book, all he had to do was write the essay according to the theme.

He immersed himself in the assignment, losing track of time. Professor Martinez was strict about assignments, more so about missing deadlines than sloppy content.

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Maintaining good grades was crucial for scholarships and getting into the desired college. Koi rubbed his increasingly tired eyes and worked diligently on his sentences.

While deeply focused, he suddenly heard a loud engine noise outside. It was his father’s old truck returning. Koi quickly turned off the screen and the desk lamp, jumping into bed. The moment he pulled the covers over his head, the door burst open, and his father entered the cramped motorhome.

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Sweat beaded his palms, his heart pounded. Koi lay still with his eyes tightly shut, tracking his father’s movements through his heightened senses.

His father seemed drunk again tonight. Mumbling incoherently, he stumbled around, banging into something, creating a loud noise, then cursing before moving again.

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Shortly after, the sound of the fridge door opening followed by the clinking of glass was heard. As usual, he was grabbing alcohol from the fridge.

“Ugh…”

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His father groaned uncomfortably as he sat down and soon started drinking beer. Even though he was already drunk from outside, he was drinking more.

But for Koi, this was a good thing. Tonight, his father wouldn’t wake him up or beat him for no reason. He would fall asleep after a few bottles. Then Koi could turn the computer back on and finish the rest of the assignment. It was a familiar pattern due to frequent occurrences. Koi waited for his father to fall asleep.

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“Ugh…”

Soon, his father’s drunken moans quieted down, and he began to snore.

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Koi cautiously peeked out from under the blanket to check on his father. He was asleep, slumped over the small kitchen table in Koi’s direct line of sight. Several empty bottles lay on the floor. Koi watched his father for a bit before carefully getting up.

His father continued to snore, deeply asleep. Koi, ignoring the headache, returned to his assignment. Glancing at the clock, it was 3 AM. He had to finish the assignment within the next two hours to get some sleep. He forced his drooping eyes open and immersed himself back into the work.

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“Ugh…”

Startled by the sudden groan, Koi turned his head. His father was still asleep. Sighing in relief, he turned back to the monitor.

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“Miranda…”

Koi froze for a moment, unable to move. Then came the sound of a sniffle, and silence returned. His father was still asleep, slumped over the table. No more sleep-talking.

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Koi tried to focus back on his assignment, but this time it wasn’t easy. Mention of her was taboo between them. It stirred painful memories for his father, and for Koi too, so he had never spoken her name aloud.

But it seemed his father still held her in his heart, whether it was lingering affection, longing, or hatred. A memory followed of when his father, drunk, had let his feelings slip.

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“If only you hadn’t looked so much like that woman…”

Since then, Koi had lived with guilt. After all, all this misfortune was because of him.

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Suddenly feeling a pang at the tip of his nose, he shook his head quickly. Right now, the assignment in front of him was the priority. Koi focused on finishing writing.

🏒

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Huff, huff.

Having stayed up until dawn to finish the assignment, he overslept completely. When he woke up, his father was still asleep on the table, but the sun was already high in the sky.

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Startled, Koi quickly got out of bed, washed his face roughly, grabbed his bag, and ran out to his bike. Pedaling with all his might, he noticed that there were far fewer cars lined up than usual.

I’m in trouble.

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He pedaled urgently, crossing the school grounds like mad. Unfortunately, the building for his class was the farthest away. The one silver lining was that he didn’t need his textbook for the first class, so he didn’t have to stop by his locker.

Throwing the door open, he immediately caught Professor Martinez’s attention as she was in the middle of the lesson. Koi, gasping for breath, tried to rush to the empty seat in the corner but hesitated. Someone else was sitting in his usual spot.

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This wasn’t unheard of, but why today of all days?

Panicking, he looked around frantically and met an unexpected gaze. Ashley Miller, sitting in the center of the classroom as always, smiled at him. Coincidentally, the only empty seat was right behind him.

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Although Ashley Miller smiled with his usual refreshing face, Koi couldn’t return the smile given the situation. Looking around in confusion, he realized that was the only empty seat available. The teacher, who had been waiting for him to sit, wouldn’t tolerate any more interruptions to her class.

“What are you doing? Sit down quickly.”

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Following the teacher’s order, Koi couldn’t resist any longer and reluctantly headed to the empty seat. He didn’t forget to grab the handouts the teacher was distributing before he moved.

Sitting down, he placed his bag on the floor, and the teacher resumed the lesson. Koi hurriedly opened his bag, pulled out his writing utensils, and prepared to listen to the class. As he finally straightened up to look ahead, all he saw was a wall – Ashley Miller’s massive back.

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Why, why, why this?

No matter how much he stretched his neck, he couldn’t see the front. Maybe because of his mood, even the teacher’s voice seemed distant, as if coming from beyond a wall.

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Now he’s blocking my path too, like a civilian.

Throughout the class, Koi glared at the wide back of Ashley Miller, stewing in frustration, but of course, Ashley didn’t notice at all.

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🏒

“Conner Niles, come here for a moment.”

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After somehow managing to get through the class, as everyone was leaving, Professor Martinez suddenly called out to Koi. Koi hesitated, glanced at the students leaving behind him, and then approached the desk where Martinez was leaning. She looked at the student standing before her with concern and spoke.

“Do you know why I called you?”

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Koi shook his head before answering.

“No. … Because I was late for class?”

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If she was going to talk about being late, he was ready to plead for leniency because he had stayed up late for the assignment. Waiting anxiously, the teacher spoke with a serious expression.

“You didn’t submit your assignment. Was there something wrong?”

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“What? The assignment?”

Startled by the unexpected question, Koi’s eyes widened. The teacher nodded, saying, “Yes.”

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“You wouldn’t say you didn’t know the deadline, would you? If you checked the assignment, you definitely saw the date next to it.”

“I, I saw it. I definitely submitted it.”

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Koi stuttered, feeling dizzy at the thought that all his efforts staying up all night had gone to waste.

“I definitely sent the email. I went to sleep after sending it this morning, it’s true.”

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“Hmm.”

The teacher responded indifferently and opened her laptop. After quickly typing in her password, she turned the screen towards Koi after a brief pause. There were numerous emails, but the one he was looking for wasn’t there. As Koi frantically checked the email address multiple times, the teacher, arms crossed, watched and asked.

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“Did you check?”

“This can’t be happening.”

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Koi’s vision went dark, and he looked back and forth between the teacher’s face and the screen in urgency.

“I definitely sent the email, Ms. Martinez. I can even show you my email. There must be a record in my sent items. This is really unbelievable!”

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Despite Koi’s pleading, the teacher showed no particular reaction. Her cold attitude suggested she had heard such protests many times before, and Koi felt despair. Calming down, she spoke to Koi.

“Let’s do this. Send me the email by tonight, and I’ll accept your assignment. But.”

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Before Koi could celebrate, she added sternly.

“Rules are rules, so I can’t give you an A. Now, go.”

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“But…”

“Go.”

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The teacher cut him off firmly. There was no room for further pleading. In the end, Koi turned away with a sigh.

What do I do now?

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His mind went blank, feeling empty. Would the scholarship be okay? What grade would he get? How about my GPA? Why didn’t the email go through? Why did I stay up all night?

This is really unbelievable…

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Feeling wronged and frustrated, his eyes started to sting. Suddenly, the teacher called him back.

“Wait a minute.”

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With tears welling up in his eyes, Koi turned around cautiously. Professor Martinez sighed with a frown and added:

“There’s only one assignment left. If you get a good score on that one, I’ll reflect it in your grade.”

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“What?”

Koi turned around in surprise. The teacher continued while looking at him.

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“I’ll tell you what the assignment is in the next class. This time, you need to submit it on time and with quality content. Understand?”

“Ah, yes, yes! Of course, Ms. Martinez!”

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Koi nodded eagerly with joy. The teacher waved her hand, signaling for him to leave. Koi couldn’t help but smile brightly as he stepped into the hallway.

What a relief.

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He sighed in relief as he walked with lightened steps. Not sending that email was a huge disaster. But to get another chance was incredibly fortunate.

What will the next assignment be?

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He took a deep breath and renewed his determination.

I must get a good score.

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🏒

“This assignment is a team project.”

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Koi looked at her with wide eyes in surprise. The teacher standing in front of the blackboard continued nonchalantly.

“We won’t have presentations. But the topic will be the same for everyone. Form pairs and write a report according to the topic. The score will be the same for both members, so work diligently on the assignment.”

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Everything was terrible except for not having to do a presentation. He could accept the topic being the same, but having to form pairs was where Koi hit a mental block.

Because Koi didn’t have a single friend to team up with for an assignment.

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He had never had friends, but Koi managed to get by. Of course, he felt lonely or bored at times, but after trying too hard to make friends and getting severely bullied, he thought it was better to be lonely alone. He could use that time to study and work part-time. He didn’t even have enough time to sleep, let alone hang out with friends if he had any.

He had comforted himself with these thoughts until now.

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Suddenly, it felt like a massive wall had appeared in front of him. Yet, he couldn’t give up on the assignment. Usually, in such cases, people team up with their close friends. The remaining students would somehow form groups. Even within this, there had to be some level of mutual liking or at least some conversation for anyone to make a proposal.

For Koi, this was an impossible scenario either way. Group projects were like poison for him, being at the very bottom of the food chain. When he was close to panicking, clutching his head, the teacher spoke up.

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“This time, I’ll assign the pairs randomly. Now, come up here and draw a slip from the box when I call your name. You’ll form your teams based on the name written on the slip, understand?”

After finishing her speech, the teacher looked around the classroom. Although it wasn’t a decision made with Koi in mind, her words were a lifeline for him.

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He barely managed to sigh in relief when the teacher called the first name. One student went up, pulled out a folded slip from the box, and the teacher read the name written on it. After confirming with each other, she called the next student. As the names were called one by one, an unnecessary tension filled the classroom. Koi, too, felt his heart pounding, glancing around the room.

Soon, nearly half the class had formed pairs, and the number of students left, including Koi, was diminishing.

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“Conner Niles.”

Finally, when the teacher called his name, Koi was startled and stood up so quickly he tripped over his chair and fell on his butt. Embarrassed by the burst of laughter, he hung his head low and rushed to the front.

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He just wanted this moment to end.

Koi reached into the box and immediately pulled out the first slip he touched, handing it to the teacher. As he turned to hurry back to his seat, the teacher called out:

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“Conner Niles, the partner you’ve drawn is…”

Koi couldn’t help but stop as he heard her voice continue:

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“Ashley Miller, where are you?”

His wide eyes caught sight of the ice hockey team captain raising his hand. Then the teacher said:

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“Yes, the two of you are a team. And next…”

Even though the next name was called, Koi stood there, unable to move.

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Me, paired with Ashley Miller?

Ignoring Koi’s reaction, who had turned pale and was holding his breath, Ashley was still checking his phone messages with a nonchalant look, his chin resting on his hand.

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🏒

“Uh, um, Ashley… Ash!”

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At the hastily added nickname, Ashley finally stopped walking and turned to look at Koi. Right after class, as they stepped into the hallway, Koi called out to him. He took a deep breath before speaking.

“Uh, um… About the assignment. You know we’re on the same team, right? So, I think we should talk about how we’re going to do it.”

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There was a lot to discuss: how to conduct research, how to divide chapters, and who would handle which parts. They would need to meet at least three times to exchange information and revise the report until it was finished.

Koi thought they should schedule meetings based on Ashley’s free time and his days off from work to efficiently complete the assignment. The school cafeteria would be a good place to meet since they wouldn’t need to order anything, saving unnecessary expenses. That’s if Ashley agreed to all his ideas.

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Feeling nervous and gauging Ashley’s reaction, Ashley gave his usual cheerful smile.

“Oh, right. Hmm, what should we do?”

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Pretending to think for a moment, he frowned slightly and looked into the air before running his hand through his hair with a look of regret.

“I have practice after class. How about after practice? It’ll be pretty late though.”

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“No, that’s fine. What time would work?”

Koi answered eagerly, and Ashley paused. From his reaction, Koi realized his response was different from what Ashley had expected. Maybe Ashley wasn’t keen on doing this assignment? Feeling a bit anxious, Ashley gave an awkward smile and said:

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“It’s going to be pretty late.”

“It’s okay. I can wait.”

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With things as they were, he had no choice but to push forward. When Koi spoke stubbornly, Ashley sighed openly, looking dismayed.

“Well, you see…”

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As Ashley waved one hand aimlessly in the air, Koi quickly said:

“Conner Niles. My name is Conner Niles.”

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“Right, Koi.”

Ashley, who had smoothly used the nickname, continued.

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“It’s just one assignment; you don’t need to be so serious about it, right?”

His smile could charm most people, but Koi was an exception.

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“No, I want to do my best.”

When Koi spoke seriously, Ashley changed tactics and asked curtly:

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“You don’t have any sports activities?”

“I do.”

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Koi didn’t specify it was marathons. He felt a tiny prick of pride being hurt by having to explain to someone who was completely unaware that they trained on the field almost every day. Despite his reluctance, he couldn’t hide his expression of discontent, but Ashley showed no interest. With another deep sigh, Ashley seemed to finally give in and spoke:

“So, what do you want to do?”

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Ashley opened his palms in front of Koi, as if to say he was throwing his hands up. Koi took a deep breath and began explaining his prepared plan, starting from how they would conduct the research to how they would proceed with the assignment, aiming to set a meeting.

“I have training every day of the week.”

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Ashley crossed his arms, looking down at Koi as if to ask, “What now?” Of course, Koi had his answer ready.

“It ends at 6, right? After showering, 7 should be plenty of time.”

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Ashley made a face like he was fed up. Koi thought, Is my persistence that bothersome? when Ashley asked suspiciously:

“You’re not my stalker, are you?”

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“What… Absolutely not!”

Koi was shocked, and Ashley just laughed it off.

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“I was kidding.”

This narcissist!

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Koi’s anger flared, and his eyes widened.

“Really, I’m not. I just know because I do sports too.”

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This is why I dislike people who think they’re all that. Koi said with a puffed-up face.

“If you think everyone in the world likes you, that’s a misconception.”

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“Yeah, that’s a relief then, isn’t it?”

Seeing Ashley sigh in relief, Koi was completely fed up. Glaring at the overly confident Ashley Miller, Koi quickly added:

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“Since I’m free at 7 today, let’s start right away. It’ll be good for you too if we finish it quickly.”

“Okay.”

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As Ashley agreed readily, accepting the situation, Koi was about to suggest meeting at the cafeteria when:

“Then let’s meet at Greenbell at 7.”

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“What?”

Koi was startled, coming back to his senses. Greenbell? Somewhere that expensive? That’s absurd!

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“Wait, Ashley, no, Ash, wait!”

As Ashley was about to walk away, Koi grabbed him again, and Ashley looked down at him with irritation. But Koi didn’t care about that.

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“Listen, do we really need to go to a restaurant? We could just talk at the school cafeteria…”

“At 7 in the evening?”

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Ashley asked as if it was the most ridiculous thing he’d heard. Koi, who had impulsively grabbed him, also realized the issue. Of course, the cafeteria closes at 5.

Koi was at a loss for words, hesitating when one of Ashley’s friends called for him. Ashley naturally removed Koi’s hand and asked to confirm:

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“7 tonight at Greenbell, right?”

There was no other way. At that time, the places Koi could go were either closed or too far away.

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Defeated, Koi let his hands drop as Ashley went off to join his friends. Left alone, Koi sighed deeply and clutched his head.

🏒

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Ashley arrived at Greenbell exactly at 7. Since the marathon club usually finished an hour earlier than the ice hockey team, Koi was able to get to the meeting spot before Ashley. Though it was only a 10-minute difference.

Of course. I came by bike, and he drove that fancy Cayenne.

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Koi, who had been pouting for no reason, met eyes with Ashley, who was looking around at the entrance. Ashley walked over to him and sat down opposite Koi, letting out a sigh.

“You’re early.”

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As Ashley noticed there was nothing in front of Koi, Koi said:

“I haven’t ordered yet.”

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“Really?”

When Ashley turned his head, an employee who was looking their way immediately approached. Koi picked up the menu book in front of him and almost gasped but managed to hold it in.

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Quietly closing the menu, Ashley hummed to himself, flipping through the pages. Koi awkwardly fiddled with his phone, killing time until Ashley made his decision.

Finally, after deciding, Ashley raised his hand, and the employee came over, pulling out a notepad and pen from her pocket. Once she was ready to write, Ashley began his order.

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“Tuna salad sandwich, double patty burger. No onions, double cheese. Also, pancakes with bananas on the side, bacon well-done, and two hard-boiled eggs. Maple syrup and… oh, make it two double patty burgers. And also…”

“Wait, wait a minute.”

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Koi, startled by Ashley’s continuous ordering, put on the brakes. As Ashley looked at him with curiosity, Koi stammered:

“Isn’t that too much? Even if it’s for two people.”

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“For two people?”

When Koi cautiously pointed this out, Ashley blinked. “Huh? Is that not it?” To the flustered Koi, Ashley said:

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“I’m eating all this by myself?”

“Huh?”

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With Koi’s eyes wide open in front of him, Ashley continued his order. He even added the restaurant’s signature giant steak and finished by ordering sparkling water, then closed the menu book.

“It’s your turn.”

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Koi, who had been dazed by Ashley’s cheerful smile, belatedly came to his senses. He frantically searched for the menu book but only ordered one thing:

“…A cola. No ice.”

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“That’s all?”

Ashley asked before the employee could. With a look of disbelief, Koi, feeling the ache in his stomach, tried to act nonchalant as he replied:

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“I already had dinner.”

“Oh, really?”

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Thankfully, Ashley didn’t press further and dropped the topic. There was no need to say that with the money he had, he could only afford a single can of cola.

As the employee turned to leave, Koi began his prepared speech.

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“About this assignment, I’ve thought about it a bit.”

After taking a deep breath, he opened his notebook.

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“Our assignment is to choose one Latin country and research its culture. Do you have a particular country in mind?”

“No.”

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The response came so quickly and simply that Koi felt his energy drain. He had anticipated this, but Ashley’s lack of enthusiasm was palpable. Seeing Koi’s disappointed look, Ashley said awkwardly:

“When I’m hungry, I don’t feel like thinking about anything.”

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“Huh?”

Koi blinked at what seemed like both an excuse and an apology. Ashley yawned widely and spoke in a voice full of fatigue:

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“Anyway, go on, I’m listening.”

He must be really tired.

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Feeling a bit guilty, Koi continued the conversation.

“I’ve shortlisted a few countries. Do you want to look at them, or should I choose one from these?”

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“I’d like you to choose.”

“Okay.”

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Koi nodded readily. Ashley’s attitude suggested this assignment didn’t mean much to him. Since Koi had already braced himself to do more work, he continued quickly:

“Let’s go with Argentina, and since food is the easiest, how about coffee and sandwiches? The history, how they’re made…”

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“Sounds good.”

Ashley agreed with this simple response as well, and since it was what Koi expected, he nodded and moved on.

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“Then let’s do some research and decide how to distribute the table of contents and chapters accordingly.”

“Instead of that, how about you do coffee, and I do sandwiches? If there’s any overlap in our research, we can organize that separately for comparison.”

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“Oh, good. Let’s do that.”

Koi was pleased with the suggestion Ashley made for the first time, clapping along in agreement. He had a good feeling about this. From there, they started talking in earnest. Ashley mostly listened but occasionally offered or opposed ideas, and Koi actively paid attention to his words.

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Surprisingly, Ashley was easy to talk to, or perhaps Koi was just excited. One thing was certain: Ashley’s popularity wasn’t just due to his looks. Even after just 30 minutes of conversation, Koi found himself captivated by him. His charm was such that he could take someone’s breath away without saying much, making it hard to believe they were classmates.

Especially when those silver-blue eyes looked at him intently and smiled, Koi forgot they were both guys and felt his heart race.

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No wonder everyone goes crazy over him.

Koi, inwardly agreeing, took notes diligently. As he skimmed through information on his phone to piece together their discussion, their ordered food finally arrived.

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“Man, I thought I was going to starve to death.”

Ashley exclaimed dramatically and first bit into the burger. It was a double patty burger with two slices of cheese. Not only was the amount of food enormous, but his eating speed was terrifying.

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He finished one burger in just three bites, then started on the sandwich, followed by another double patty burger, and then cut into the syrup-soaked pancakes. Meanwhile, Koi sipped his ice-less cola little by little.

“Are you really going to be okay with just that?”

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After downing three bottles of sparkling water and ordering a fourth, Ashley asked. Koi, with a defiant “Yeah,” sipped from his cola cup, pretending to drink more than he was. Seeing this, Ashley tilted his head.

“Drinking cola without ice is unusual.”

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That way, I can drink more.

Greenbell didn’t offer free refills, so Koi had to make one cola last a long time, especially sitting across from Ashley Miller, who was eating like he was about to burst.

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“You’re amazing, eating that much.”

“I do very intense exercise every day.”

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Trying to sound casual so as not to reveal his envy, Koi muttered, and in response, Ashley cut a large piece of steak and put it into his mouth as if to show off, adding:

“And I’m still growing.”

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“Get any bigger? From there?”

Koi asked in amazement, and Ashley replied nonchalantly:

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“I grew 4 centimeters last month.”

“…And now you are?”

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Koi asked, though with a hint of fear. Ashley answered with a very calm face:

“192.”

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Koi barely managed to suppress the urge to shout at him to stop eating. He wanted to yell, “Are you aiming to be a basketball player? Is 2 meters your goal? Why are you aiming for the Guinness Book?” but he held back, realizing these feelings stemmed from jealousy and envy.

“Ice hockey involves a lot of physical contact, so the bigger, the better.”

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To Ashley’s cheerful smile, Koi inwardly retorted, “You’re already too big.”

And you’re the biggest on the ice hockey team.

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If he said that, Ashley would just brush it off with, “Because I’m the captain.” Koi didn’t want to argue further. It might be an argument from Koi’s perspective, but to Ashley, it was probably as insignificant as kicking a soccer ball on the ground.

“Are you thinking of going pro?”

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The moment he said it, he realized it sounded like the words of someone riddled with inferiority. It couldn’t be helped; that was the truth. But Ashley Miller, who seemed never to have had even the slightest shadow cast over his life, once again answered brightly:

“No, I’ll only play sports until high school.”

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The oddly realistic answer made Koi feel strange. As he unconsciously stared at him, Ashley, while cutting a large piece from the half-eaten pancake, said:

“I don’t have the talent to be a professional athlete.”

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“No way.”

Koi instinctively denied it when such unexpected words came from someone he thought was the ultimate narcissist. Ashley then gave one of his cheerful smiles that he had shown throughout the past couple of hours.

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“Thanks.”

After a brief compliment, Ashley added:

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“I’ll probably follow in my father’s footsteps, so I’ll go to college for that.”

He murmured this like it was a casual chat about the weather, but Koi couldn’t just brush it off.

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“Your father’s work? Is he in business?”

Curiosity spiked since he had only assumed from the car Ashley drove that his family was quite wealthy. Seeing Koi’s eyes light up with interest, Ashley answered with a slight squint:

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“He protects the wealth of the rich from poor people.”

Is this a quiz?

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Since he couldn’t grasp it, Koi just said what came to mind:

“A devil?”

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“Oh.”

Instead of laughing as Koi expected, Ashley looked surprised.

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“Close. He’s a lawyer.”

“Ah…”

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Koi then realized that Ashley’s words weren’t far off the mark. If he was that rich, his father must be a pretty well-known lawyer. As if reading Koi’s thoughts, Ashley added:

“It’s a pretty famous law firm in the East. If you say ‘Lawyer Miller,’ people immediately think of my father.”

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Despite saying something so impressive, there was no hint of pride or boasting in his tone. He spoke as casually as he had before and drank his sparkling water as if to prove his point.

“Then you’ll go to the East after graduation? Will you go to college there too?”

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“Probably.”

From the way things were going, it seemed like he would attend the same university as his father. Koi hesitated, wondering if it was okay to ask but cautiously opened his mouth:

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“Then why are you here? Is your whole family here?”

Is only his father in the East? Maybe they visit here during holidays.

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With various speculations in mind, Koi asked, and Ashley readily answered:

“I’m the only one here. My parents are in the East.”

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“You live alone? Why?”

Koi asked without thinking and immediately closed his mouth when he saw Ashley’s expression. Ashley had been answering everything so readily that Koi had overstepped. He had asked too much about personal life for someone they weren’t that close with. Feeling regret, he tried to read the room when Ashley spoke in the same casual tone as before:

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“I wanted to live alone.”

“Wow, that’s what I want too. That must be nice.”

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Isn’t that the dream of every teenager? A nice car, a comfortable lifestyle, and a place of your own. This guy really has everything. Koi unconsciously admired him, and Ashley chuckled. It was a bitter, self-deprecating laugh that made Koi pause again.

“But, even then, living alone is lonely. Don’t you hate cleaning? And doing laundry?”

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Koi hastily tried to smooth over his words, but again, the response was unexpected:

“Well, I don’t do it… A service comes on weekends. I can live somewhat like a normal person, that’s what I mean.”

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…What did I just hear?

Koi was completely dumbfounded. His brain felt overloaded from hearing about such an alien lifestyle. He wanted to ask if their house was that big but managed to hold back. He had already pried enough, overstepped too far. He wasn’t that close to Ashley Miller, after all.

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Chiding himself internally, Koi was then hit by an awkward silence that made him panic. Ashley continued eating without a care, but Koi couldn’t bear the silence.

I need to find something to say. Quickly, now.

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“Uh, hey. Now that I think about it, hasn’t anyone on your team manifested yet?”