The Great Deskmate Dodge

New semester morning.

A breeze slips through the window gap, so I loosen my collar. Spring, still tinged with winter, feels cold.

High school freshman year. Unfamiliar space. Unfamiliar faces.

Students trickle into Class 1-3, spotting the sign in the hallway, each carrying armloads of awkwardness.

I'm no different when it comes to awkwardness. Sure, my resident registration age is a few years older than everyone else's, but that doesn't magically grant me social skills or change my personality.

…

But right now, I don't have the luxury to feel awkward.

Day one's goal is singular: don't end up as her deskmate.

Back row, window seat. I'm parked there, trembling with anxiety.

'Why hasn't she shown up yet.'

Empty seats fill one by one. Mine next to me is still vacant.

If Seo Seon-ha gets here first and plops down, I'm toast from the jump.

And if I let just anyone sit there, she'll probably try to swap with them. Just like last year with my deskmate.

-Sell me that seat.
-What? No…
-Five hundred thousand won.

To preempt ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that disaster, I'd prepped an ally for the seat next to me today: a friend named Kim Hyun-jik.

But where the hell is this guy?

-tap tap tap

About a minute passes.

'? Why read and ghost?'

I straight-up call him. Ring… ring… The tone drags on. Unsettling.

Finally picks up. Hyun-jik's voice comes through, low and hazy.

"Dude, why ghost the read? When you coming?"

No response.

"Why silent? When you—"

This two-timing bastard…!

I've only been in this body a few months, but you were supposed to be my ten-year buddy from kindergarten!

I trusted you, and you sold out humanity for an iPhone?

And it's not "infiltration bandage," it's exaggeration, you moron…

No, I'm the moron for trusting him.

'We're screwed.'

I don't even need to see it. Seon-ha's handiwork.

Followed me to this high school.

Even rigged the same class (high probability).

Now she's gunning for deskmate on day one.

-shot up

'If that's how it is.'

I'll sit after Seon-ha, no matter what.

If I'm here first, she'll pull that fake-innocent "Oh, same class? What a coincidence?" and claim the seat.

“Oh, same class? What a coincidence~?”

"Gah!!!"

Jump scare! Bit my tongue, ow!!!

I whip around. Her line matched my prediction word-for-word.

“Hi there?”

Voice like tinkling jade beads.

All eyes snap to her instantly.

Perfectly wavy black hair. Deep black eyes sparkle at me. A sweet smile curves her lips. Glossy silver nameplate reads Seo Seon-ha.

…

She's here.

“…Hey.” “What to do? All other seats are taken.”

They weren't full until you walked in…?

Maybe the whole class is already in her pocket.

Been dodging her favorability ploys for months now. I'm basically early-stage paranoid.

-clip clop

Seon-ha tilts her head, hands behind back, glossy black hair cascading to one side.

"Mind if I sit next to you?"

As if.

“Sorry, but Hyun-jik reserved it… probably not.”

I deflect. She smirks like my lame excuse is a joke.

“He mentioned bad gastroenteritis today, unfortunately.”

“Gastro? Wasn't it a cold?”

“Oh, right, a cold?”

Pulls out her phone, dials somewhere. Turns away like I can't hear, but I do.

-click

This psycho bitch.

I grab my bag and stand. She'll follow anyway, but better than sitting still.

“Wanna swap seats?”

She asks, smile unwavering.

“Yeah, bad eyes.”

“Want me to book you Lasik? Know a great clinic.”

“Appreciate the thought.”

She'd schedule surgery tomorrow if it meant sitting next to me. For real.

I head to the farthest spot from my original: right by the front door.

Guy there sprawled with his smartphone horizontal, watching an old anime. Humans behind walls fighting giants.

Not that old here, I guess.

“Hey.”

He glances, visibly panics. Rough-skinned like a burly beast. Eyes behind white-framed glasses scream caution.

“Uh, me? What?”

“Eyes suck, can't see the board. Mind swapping?”

Awkward ask.

This body's a delinquent by canon.

Snarky, uncooperative vibe. Face like mine originally—ugly impression got me picked on nonstop in middle school. Hated it, skipped high school altogether…

Glasses guy's total herbivore type.

A normie request could twist into bullying in his head.

I force the most harmless expression possible.

“Swap?”

He looks at me like what's this guy's deal. Delinquents don't yield front seats over bad eyes.

“Yeah. Can you?”

“Sorry.”

“Huh?”

“I, uh, reasons. Can't. Sorry.”

Cold sweat trails his cheek. Pupils shake wildly. Even basic refusal leaves him breathless.

'…'

Probably not the swap itself. It's the precedent: cheerfully obeying a delinquent's first demand invites endless torment later.

“…Really no…?”

“Yeah. No thanks. Sorry.”

…I'm desperate here.

I'm no delinquent.

Just a harmless dude who loves anime, gacha trash games, and visual novels like you.

"…No dice, huh?" "Yeah. Sorry."

Can't force it.

Could if I wanted—school violence territory, though.

Not on my adult-with-ID bingo card. Never did it even at lunch back home.

I'm a gentleman.

"That's the Armored Titan, and that's the Colossal Titan." "?"

Tiny revenge, then turn from glasses guy.

'…Try asking someone else?'

Nah… impossible.

Sweep the room: everyone's eyes scream discomfort. Don't talk to him faces.

'Sigh.'

She waves mockingly as I slink back like a defeated soldier.

Deskmate confirmed, Seon-ha leans in.

“Same school, same class—even next to each other. What a coincidence. Hehe.”

Coincidence my ass. Retrieve that telescope from my room first.

“Get along from here on.” “Sure.”

Have to… go ghost and I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠get regional disaster texts all day: Missing 17yo Lee Yeon-woo.

“Can't see the board? Lasik after all? Or assign an extra teacher to the back row?”

She grins mischievously.

Her once icy-cold face is now unfathomably deep.

“I'm good.” “Or remodel the classroom? Shift the board back. Add an extension up front…” “Nah, thanks for caring.”

Day one, already dancing to Seon-ha's tune. Bad sign.

'…Been here months already.'

Truth is, when I first possessed this body, I wasn't worried.

More let's have fun than oh shit.

Not like I got isekai'd into a zombie apocalypse, right?

Hit up the heroines one by one, chat, bond, smooch, and boom—sent home?

But the plan sank at step one.

Couldn't even approach the main heroine.

Here's a snippet of Seon-ha's bizarre antics from last year—middle school 3rd year, a few months.

First, she graffitied Lee Yeon-woo ♥ Seo Seon-ha everywhere.

-Dude Yeon-woo, even the principal's office…?

Pre-possession me took the heat for her stan behavior.

Also.

If I wrote love letters to heroines, she'd swap 'em with hers.

-Sob… Yeon-woo. Calling me a brainless cow…? How could you say something so cruel…?
-M-Me!??
-Sniff, yeah. Sorry I'm dumb. Happy now?
-W-Wait…! Ju-hee! Ju-hee!!!

Also.

Lucked into a seat next to a main ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heroine once.

-Seon-ha said I have opera talent! Sending me to study in Moscow!

Shipped her off abroad to eliminate her.

…

All courtesy of the demon next to me.

-slide

Front door opens. Male student wheezes in carrying a stretcher of textbooks.

“Textbooks here. Pass one back from the front.”

No time for long flashbacks.

'Fine. Whatever.'

Double down on focus this year.

Grab my pencil, scribble this year's goals in my notebook—hidden from Seon-ha.

other heroines. Important, twice: No favor items for Seo Seon-ha. No favor items for Seo Seon-ha.

-thud

Front student passes back two textbooks to us at the rear.

“…” “…”

Seon-ha… won't even lift a finger, huh. Spoiled much?

I take 'em. Stash one in my drawer, hand the other to her.

“Here…” “Thanks.”

After months dealing with Seon-ha, I'm not getting swept up in her schemes like last year—no missing chances with other heroines.

Luckily, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they're all at this high school.

So…

-swish

Casually handing over the book, right before it touches her hand.

Peeking from behind…

Seon-ha's lip curls…

-smirk

Shoooo…

"!"

That face. Seen it a ton. Like a fish in a net. Victory grin.

Hand delivering the textbook slams on the brakes like emergency braking.

"…huff." "Tch."

Ignore her tongue-click, flip through the book frantically. Found it. Pansy flower tucked on page 64.

Pansy flower. Item with very high favorability boost for Seo Seon-ha. Nearly handed it over myself.

'…'

Her upturned palm twitches fingers, disappointed.

-Huh? Flower in my book.
-Me too.
-Where? Page 64?
-What's with the flower? Who did this?

Who else.

Only one culprit doing this crap for months.

Pansy scent fills the room fast.

She smiles innocently, lips moving.

“Mind giving me that flower?” “…Nope.” “Aw, too bad.”

No favor items for Seo Seon-ha. No favor items for Seo Seon-ha.