Ch.09 Lunch Break Showdown: Rex vs. K

The classroom buzzed with chatter and clinking lunchboxes—until the door slammed open.
Rex stood there, panting like he'd sprinted through a typhoon.
"Finally... finally, we meet again, K!" he gasped, gripping the doorframe like a dramatic anime protagonist.
Everyone turned. Confused murmurs rippled through the room.
K? Who's K?
K blinked mid-bite, his sandwich slipping from his hand and landing on his desk with a soft plop.
"I should've finished my bread first," he muttered, regretting every life choice that led to this moment.
Rex marched toward him, eyes blazing.
"So... are you ready? I'm here to challenge you again!" he declared with a grin that screamed main character energy.
K raised an eyebrow. "Again? I'm meeting you for the first time. And no thanks—I don't do challenges. Excuse me."
He stood to leave, but Rex blocked his path.
"Your attitude hasn't changed at all. Just like before, you've forgotten my name. 
But it doesn't matter—soon, I'll carve it into your memory!"
Rex grabbed K's collar and raised his fist.
Amber and Aurora rushed between them.
"Stop! Fighting is wrong!" Aurora said, arms outstretched.
"And K, don't provoke him!" Amber added.
K looked genuinely offended. "Are you serious? I'm not provoking anyone—I don't even know this guy!"
Amber flinched at his glare. Rex, meanwhile, turned beet red at the sight of the girls.
But this time... he didn't run.
If I run again, I might miss my 0.01% chance of meeting him, Rex thought, clenching his fists.
K sighed and stepped forward
"Fine. I'll accept your challenge—if you pass three conditions."
Rex lit up. "Really?! Let's go!"
K smirked. "First condition..."
He grabbed Aurora's shoulders and gently nudged her forward.
"Hey! What are you doing?" she protested.
"You have to hold her hand for one full minute."
Rex recoiled, face flaming. But then he remembered her gentle smile from that morning... and without thinking, he grabbed her hand and shut his eyes.
K's jaw dropped.
"What?! How is he touching her?! That's impossible!" he muttered, gnawing his nails.
Amber, half-joking, turned to Aurora.
"So... is she a trash can or a patient?"
Aurora giggled softly to herself. "A trash can, huh..."
"Ah! Sorryyy!" Amber squeaked.
After one shaky minute, Rex stammered, "See? It was nothing."
The class stared at his trembling legs.
Yeah... we can tell.
Rex straightened. "Next!"
K smirked. "What's the value of π?"
He expected a blank stare.
Instead, Rex rattled off:
"3.1415926535...909..."
"Stop! You don't have to say more!" K clutched his head.
"My brain's melting!"
Rex grinned. "Last task?"
K's eyes gleamed. "Are you sure? Don't cry when you fail."
The class leaned in like they were watching a thriller.
"Hey, K... maybe that's enough," Aurora said, worried.
"I'm fine, Miss Aurora," Rex replied, voice shaky but determined.
Doki.
Amber whispered, "He looks kinda cool when he says that."
Aurora shot her a look. "Can you not?"
K raised his hand dramatically
"Final question: Who came first—the egg or the hen?"
The class groaned.
Seriously?
Rex laughed. "Easy. The egg!"
K grinned. "Are you sure?"
"Of course! Without an egg, a hen can't be born."
Then Rex paused.
"Wait... but who laid the egg?"
His brain spiraled.
K burst into maniacal laughter.
"You'll never solve it! Mwahahaha!"
The class stared.
"Is he... an evil scientist?"
Time passed. Rex's confidence crumbled.
"I admit defeat," he said, slumping.
K wiped imaginary sweat. "Phew... that was tough."
"You didn't even do anything," Amber and Aurora said in unison.
Rex bolted from the room, tears streaming. Aurora chased after him.
On the rooftop, Rex sat alone, staring at the sky.
Aurora approached quietly.
She walked over slowly, giving him space.
"You okay?" she asked, sitting beside him—not too close, not too far.
Rex sniffled. "I failed. Again. I couldn't even answer a chicken question."
Aurora took a sip of her juice. "To be fair, that question has confused philosophers for centuries."
Rex blinked. "Really?"
"Yeah. So technically, you're in good company."
Rex chuckled weakly. "I guess I'm a philosopher now... with zero wins and a dramatic exit record."
Aurora smiled. "You've got guts, Rex. You challenged K in front of the whole class. You didn't back down. That's something."
DOKI.
Rex's heart did a cartwheel.
He turned to her, eyes wide. "W-wait... are you saying I'm... cool?"
Aurora raised an eyebrow. "I'm saying you're persistent. And kind of loud. But yeah, cool in your own way."
DOKI DOKI.
Rex's brain misfired.
Aurora stood up, brushing crumbs off her skirt. "Anyway, just wanted to say... don't be too hard on yourself. You're not alone, okay?"
She handed him the juice box. "Here. It's mango. Everyone likes mango."
Rex took it with trembling hands. "Th-thank you..."
Then he stood up.
"I-I need to go!"
"Where?" Aurora asked.
"I don't know! Somewhere dramatic!"
And with that, Rex dashed off again—juice box in hand, heart thumping, legs wobbling, leaving Aurora staring after him like she'd just tried to reboot a glitchy NPC.

The next day at school, K opened his shoe rack to grab his shoes. As he pulled it open, a folded letter slipped out and landed near his foot.
He picked it up.
A small heart-shaped sticker was stuck to the front.
K stared at it for a moment, then sighed.
"Great… this is going to be a headache."