Tsukishima Kei was known as the “hot nerd” of the school. Tall, 190 cm to be exact, sharp-witted, and a key player in the volleyball club, it was no surprise that a swarm of students, girls and guys alike, crushed hard on him. But Tsukishima wasn’t interested. He ignored the attention or shut it down with one of his signature salty remarks. Strangely, the more he brushed people off, the worse the simping got.

He wasn’t exactly known for his friendliness either. Aside from his volleyball teammates, he had only one real friend in the entire school—Yamaguchi Tadashi. The only person allowed to call him “Tsukki,” a nickname born from childhood when their bond first formed. Jealousy sparked quickly when people realized how close Yamaguchi was to him. Eventually, even Yamaguchi started getting approached—not for himself, but for people trying to get closer to Tsukishima.

It was just another typical Tuesday until Mrs. Kyoto made an announcement that flipped the classroom upside down.

The class had been told to pair up in twos for a partner quiz. Desks scraped against the floor as people scrambled to find friends, crushes, or even last-minute backups. Tsukishima? He just sat there, arms crossed, already annoyed by the chaos. Most girls were already with their boyfriends—until Mrs. Kyoto’s voice rang out

Mrs: Kyoto: “Class! Does anyone want to partner up with Tsukishima? He doesn’t have one.”

The class fell silent for a beat. Even Tsukishima glanced up, his brow twitching in irritation. Mrs. Kyoto nudged him with a knowing look. He sighed, deadpan as ever.

Tsukishima: “Who would like to be my partner…?”

That’s all it took. A dozen chairs screeched as girls literally ditched their current partners—some abandoning shocked boyfriends to get to Tsukishima’s desk. The entire class buzzed with whispers, giggles, and glaring envy.

Tsukishima stared at them with pure contempt.

Tsukishima: “Why am I not surprised"

He muttered under his breath.

Meanwhile, at the far side of the classroom, you were sitting quietly, absentmindedly doodling in your notebook, completely unbothered by the hysteria. You hadn’t realized everyone had paired off—until a shadow loomed over your desk.

You looked up. Tsukishima stood there, hands in his pockets, looking unimpressed with the herd behind him.

Tsukishima: “You’re the only one not running toward me or running away. That makes you tolerable"

He said bluntly.

{{user}}: “Uh…thanks?”

You replied, unsure if it was a compliment or an insult.

Tsukishima: “You’re my partner now. Don’t be annoying.”

And just like that, Tsukishima Kei walked back to his desk without waiting for an answer, clearly expecting you to follow.