Chapter 66 - Finals Reshuffle
Sunday has arrived, and with it, the realization that my weekend after midterms has been painfully uneventful. I had actually planned a small hangout yesterday—just me, Remuel, and Neil—but Neil turned me down without much of an excuse. Not only that, but I can’t even get him to join our usual mobile gaming sessions. At this point, it’s starting to feel like the guy outright despises me.
Left with little else to do, I spent most of my weekend exchanging texts with Myrrh. Our conversations jumped between random topics, but they always seemed to circle back to one thing—Neil and Fei’s love quarrels. Or, more specifically, the absurd love triangle I somehow found myself tangled in. Myrrh, ever the amused bystander, just laughed at my predicament.
Myrrh: It’s impossible for Fei to have a crush on you, goon!
Myrrh: Fei has never told me anything about it! You're so assuming!
I frowned at my screen, tapping out my response with a mix of frustration and curiosity.
Me: Then why is Neil so mad at me?
Me: And he literally told me to stay away from Fei.
Me: Is he insecure? Is he worried Fei might actually fall for me?
Me: Maybe I’m just too handsome for my own good :3
Myrrh: In your dreams!
Myrrh: Anyway, you should clear things up with those two.
I stared at her message for a moment, drumming my fingers against my phone case. An idea suddenly popped into my head, and I smirked.
Me: Wait, I got an idea. Hang on a sec.
I closed my messenger bar and swiftly opened a new group chat. My fingers moved with mischievous intent as I set my plan into motion.
[Zaft Created a New Group Chat]
[Zaft renamed the group chat to “Lovey Dove Dove <3 <3 <3”]
[Zaft added Neil to the group chat Lovey Dove Dove <3 <3 <3]
[Zaft added Fei to the group chat Lovey Dove Dove <3 <3 <3] The source of this content ɪs NovᴇlFire(.)nᴇt
The moment both names appeared in the chat, I saw it—those tiny typing indicators bouncing like restless dots. A smirk tugged at my lips. Perfect. I had to be quick. I tapped out my message at lightning speed and hit send before either of them could react.
Me: Whoops! It looks is your private group chat, you lovebirds! :3
Me: I’m sorry for interrupting!
[Zaft left the group chat]
I tossed my phone onto the bed and stretched out with a satisfied sigh. My work here was done. Surely, with just the right amount of teasing, those two would be forced to talk things out.
“Those two will reconcile any second now,” I muttered to myself, resting my hands behind my head. A grin crept onto my face. “Damn, I’m so smart it’s actually kind of scary.”
A few minutes later, my phone buzzed on the bed. I quickly grabbed it, thinking it was Myrrh, eagerly waiting for my update. But as I opened the message, I saw it wasn’t her—it was Neil.
Neil: Not cool, Zaft. Not cool.
My fingers hovered over the screen, a knot forming in my stomach. I quickly typed my response, trying to explain myself.
Me: I made that private group chat for you two to reconcile. I wanted you to know that I’m not a third party in your relationship.
The reply came almost instantly.
Neil: You have the wrong idea. Don’t do that again.
I froze, my heart sinking. I had done it again—pushed things too far. It seemed like Neil was definitely angrier at me now. I was about to put the phone down when another notification popped up. This time, it was from Fei.
Fei: That’s not funny, Zaft! Please don’t do that again!
I let out a nervous laugh, trying to brush it off. “Wow, these two are still in sync,” I muttered under my breath, but it barely masked the unease creeping in. Inside, I was beginning to worry that I might’ve just turned both Neil and Fei against me. I had no idea how to fix this, or if I even could.
“You absolute nincompoop of a goon!”
It was Monday morning, and the first thing I heard as I walked into class was Myrrh’s scolding. Her voice rang through the air, louder than the hum of idle chatter, making it impossible for me to escape her fury. I had just shared the story of the Lovey Dove Dove Group Chat—a prank that, evidently, had not gone over well. What was supposed to be a peaceful Monday morning before the first period had quickly turned into a public lecture.
The other students in the room were starting to glance our way, and Myrrh, ever the fiery one, immediately noticed the attention. A deep blush spread across her cheeks, and she quickly sat down at her desk, clearing her throat dramatically to cover the awkwardness.
“Excuse me,” she muttered under her breath, as if to dismiss the sudden spotlight. But her eyes didn’t lose their sharp edge when they landed on me. “What were you thinking, Zaft?”
I shrugged, trying to play it cool despite the mounting tension. “I just wanted them to make up. That’s all.”
She wasn’t buying it. “If they wanted to message each other, they could’ve done it without your stupid prank of a group chat. They could’ve used their private chats, idiot.” Myrrh's gaze hardened as she narrowed her eyes, clearly unimpressed with my attempt at a good deed.
I could feel the weight of her glare. “It’s not about that,” I shot back, trying to salvage my reasoning. “It’s about telling them that I want them to settle things and that I’m not a threat in their relationship.” I forced a smirk, though it felt flimsy under her stare.
Myrrh’s sigh was heavy, like the weight of all the wisdom in the world falling on me at once. “It doesn’t work that way. It’s not that simple, you hooligan.” She shook her head in disbelief, her frustration bubbling up before she deflated entirely. With a final, resigned sigh, she softened. “The best thing you can do for now is to leave them be, give them space, and let time heal their misunderstanding.”
I let her words sink in, knowing she was probably right. But I wasn’t ready to admit defeat just yet.
I was about to reply, but then the door swung open, and Fei Xian entered the room. Her presence seemed to brighten the atmosphere as she flashed a warm smile at Myrrh, greeting her with a soft "Good morning." Then, with a grace that was both calm and poised, she made her way to her seat in front of us.
Just a few minutes later, Neil walked in. His expression was a cold mask, emotionless and distant. He didn’t spare a glance in our direction—not at Myrrh, not at me, and certainly not at Fei, who was sitting just beside him. He slid into his seat without so much as a twitch, his back straight, his posture rigid as if he were trying to distance himself from the world around him.
In those quiet moments before the bell rang, the tension in the room was suffocating. All four of us were wrapped in an awkward silence, each lost in our own thoughts. I stole a glance at Myrrh, but she simply rolled her eyes in exasperation, resting her head on her hand with an air of resigned annoyance. It was as if she was silently telling me I had made things worse, deepening the rift between the two lovebirds.
Just then, the door opened again, and Professor Chen entered the room, his voice breaking the tension. The bell rang sharply, signaling the start of the class.
“Good morning, everyone,” Professor Chen announced, his voice carrying the authority of the moment. “Today marks the official first day of the Finals. For that, we will be reshuffling the pairings.”
As those words settled in, the classroom came alive with murmurs. Conversations erupted around us as the students eagerly exchanged words, reflecting on the bond they had formed over the past six months with their partners. Glimpses of shared laughter, late-night study sessions, and fleeting memories of camaraderie flashed in my mind—memories that would soon be replaced with the reshuffling of teams. The end of an era.
“Zaft.” Myrrh’s voice cut through the quiet, and when I looked at her, her blue eyes were twinkling with something I couldn’t quite place. She smiled, and it was one of those rare, genuine smiles that always made her look a little softer. “Thank you for making me an ace WAIFU for the past six months we’ve been partners.”
I felt my face heat up, and I scratched the back of my head, feeling awkward but touched. “Well, it was a pain in the butt, but I can honestly say I enjoyed your company. I’ll miss our friendly banter.”
Truth be told, though, it wasn’t just the banter that I would miss. The thought of Myrrh no longer being my partner, no longer calling me a “goon” every day, left a hollow feeling in my chest. A hole, really, one that I hadn’t noticed until now. I tried to brush it off, but the sadness was hard to ignore. Saying goodbye, even if it was only to our partnership, felt heavier than I expected.
“Pffft!” Myrrh scoffed, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Why are you getting teary-eyed, you jerk?”
“I’m not crying, bitch,” I shot back, my voice cracking before I could stop it.
Myrrh’s smile softened, and a faint blush crept across her cheeks, the pink hue contrasting with the usual mischief in her eyes. “Don’t worry. We’re still classmates. We’ll still see each other.” She paused, and something playful flickered behind her gaze. “Oh, and I just remembered—I still owe you one final date.”
“Oh, right. I almost forgot about that.” I said, trying to brush off the heaviness in the moment. Reaching out, I offered a handshake, trying to mask the pang of uncertainty in my chest. “Welp, take care and good luck with your next partner.”
Myrrh took my hand with a firm but warm grip, her soft fingers wrapping around mine in a gesture that felt strangely intimate. The warmth of her touch lingered longer than I expected. “Same to you,” she replied, her smile softening just a touch. “I hope you get a good WAIFU partner for the finals.”
After the semi-farewell, the room fell into a quiet anticipation. The hologram flickered to life, flashing the names of students one by one as the randomizer machine worked its magic. A collective murmur filled the room as the final pairings for the Finals began to take shape. The names swirled in the air, and then…
When the result was finally displayed, my heart sank. I stood frozen, staring at the screen in disbelief. Of all the people, of all the partners I could have gotten, the randomizer had to pick the one person I was least prepared to work with.
My WAIFU partner for the Finals was none other than…