In a high school classroom, two close friends, Mansh and Ankhush, sat side by side, engaged in their usual chatter. Mansh was a high school boy with black hair of medium length, while Ankhush, also in high school, was shorter in height and had short brown hair.
They were students of Class 3-2, a class well-known among the teachers for being overly talkative during school hours. Their constant chattering often led to scoldings and punishments, yet they never seemed to learn their lesson.
On this particular day, during a short break between lessons, Ankhush leaned toward Mansh with a spark of excitement in his eyes. He could barely contain his enthusiasm as he shared something that had been on his mind.
Ankhush grinned. "Hey, what web novel are you reading these days? If you ask me, I'm reading *Solo Leveling* right now. I absolutely love its writing style, the story, and the characters. Seriously, you should give it a try, Mansh. I'm sure you won't regret it."
Mansh blinked, trying to recall the name of the novel he had just started reading earlier that morning. He had come across an advertisement for it and, intrigued, had decided to give it a read. However, no matter how hard he tried, the title stubbornly refused to surface in his mind.
He furrowed his brows in concentration. "Oh, mine? Hmm... let me think. Ummm… for some reason, I can't remember its name. It's weird—it was right there on the screen when I started reading this morning." He let out a small sigh. "I'll check when I get home and tell you tomorrow. It's a new novel, by the way. The author has only released one chapter so far."
Ankhush nodded eagerly. "Alright! Make sure to check and let me know. Don't forget, okay?"
Before Mansh could reply, their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the sound of footsteps entering the classroom. The chatter in the room died down as the teacher arrived and began the lecture. Mansh and Ankhush exchanged a knowing glance—they both knew they were supposed to stay quiet.
However, old habits were hard to break. Despite their earlier promise of not talking in the middel of classes, the temptation to whisper to each other proved too strong. It started with a hushed comment from Ankhush, to which Mansh responded in a barely audible voice. But their whispers did not go unnoticed.
The teacher, having had enough of their distractions, shot them a stern look. "Mansh. Ankhush. Out. Now."
The two friends exchanged sheepish glances before reluctantly getting up from their seats. With the weight of yet another punishment on their shoulders, they stepped outside the classroom, standing in the hallway as their latest penalty for talking too much in class.
After a few minutes, the teacher stepped out of the classroom, his expression stern. Without a word, he pointed at the wall.
"Face the wall, and go stand in front of deffrent walls also no talking," he instructed.
Mansh and Ankhush exchanged quick glances but obeyed, shuffling to their new spots. The punishment had just gotten worse. Now, not only were they standing outside, but they were also separated, unable to even glance at each other.
Time passed slowly. The sounds of the lesson carried through the closed door, but neither of them could focus on it. They simply stood there, waiting for their punishment to end.
Finally, after what felt like forever, the class ended, and the teacher called them back inside. Mansh and Ankhush returned to their seats, this time determined to stay quiet. They had learned their lesson—at least for now.
After School
Once the final bell rang, the students poured out of their classrooms, eager to head home. Mansh and Ankhush walked together, chatting about their usual topics as they made their way down the familiar streets. They laughed, joked, and pushed each other playfully, as if the day's punishment had never happened.
Eventually, their paths split, and they said their goodbyes.
"See you tomorrow," Ankhush called out, waving as he walked away.
Mansh nodded. "Yeah, see you."
When he reached home, he pushed open the front door and stepped inside. Without wasting any time, he headed straight to his room, eager to change out of his school uniform. Once he was comfortable, he sat down at his desk and turned on his computer.
For the next few hours, he immersed himself in anime, letting time slip away. Eventually, hunger pulled him away from the screen, and he went downstairs to eat lunch. After finishing his meal, he returned to his room and spent some time playing games.
It wasn't until later in the evening that he finally remembered the web novel. With a yawn, he grabbed his phone and continued reading from where he had left off.
But fatigue soon caught up with him, and before he knew it, he had dozed off, the phone slipping from his grasp.
