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“You spelled that wrong.”
“What? No, I didn’t!”
Ryoko looks at her notebook. Really looks at it. Her brows furrow. All of the lines squiggle together. It looks right. She’s certain it’s right. It is right…right? She looks back up at the blonde boy next to her – his name is on the tip of her tongue, and her head itches to try and think of it, but nothing comes out – she must have heard it a few minutes ago, and he’s acting like they’re friends – and she stares at him. “It doesn’t look weird to me.”
She’s lying, of course. But it’s the same sort of thing as saying a word over and over and over and having it start sounding weird. At least, she thinks it is. Surely looking at a word over and over could make it look weird, too. So she still spelled it right! Definitely!
…right?
“You have the i and the e mixed up.” He points to the word with the sharpened tip of his pencil. “You really are the Ultimate Dunce.”
“No! I’m the Ultimate Cute!” Ryoko sticks her tongue out at him. Then she writes the word again, this time with the i and e replaced. She stares at it for a few seconds. “That doesn’t look right.”
“It is right.”
“You’re sure?” Ryoko glances back up at him. She meets his blue eyes. They’re not as deep or dark or pretty as Yasuke’s are, and they’re cold and harsh. Somehow, that seems friendly. Not attractive the way that Yasuke’s are. Not remotely. Just…nice. Maybe. Maybe?
“Yes.” He sighs and rolls his eyes. “And you’re not the Ultimate Cute. That term is far too subjective to be an Ultimate Talent. It isn’t measurable in the slightest.”
Ryoko blinks twice. “Oh.” She tugs her lower lip between her teeth. “I’m not the Ultimate Dunce, though. I know that!”
The boy just taps her notebook again. “Make sure you spell it right next time.”
“Spell what right?”
He groans.