The sun had already begun to set when Mark finally stepped out of the restaurant. His white uniform smelled faintly of grilled meat and coffee. He rubbed his tired eyes, letting out a long sigh. The air outside was cool — the kind of evening that whispered, "Go home and rest."
Mark trudged along the quiet path toward a small wooden cottage near the hill. The lights inside were glowing warmly. He knocked twice on the door.
After a few moments, the door creaked open, revealing his friend Ooka, wearing loose pajamas and holding a cup of steaming tea.
"Mark, you're late again," Ooka said, shaking his head. "You know if you work too much without rest, you'll end up getting sick."
Mark scratched the back of his head with a tired smile. "Yeah, I know, bro. But today, a whole party came in and refused to eat anything. It took forever to calm them down. Sorry for being late again."
Ooka sighed but smiled softly. "It's fine. Go and get some rest. You look half dead already."
"Thanks, man," Mark said, heading toward his bed. The moment he hit the mattress, he was out cold.
A few hours later, the shrill beep beep beep of the alarm clock cut through the silence.
Ooka groaned, slammed his hand on the clock, and shouted, "Mark! Wake up, it's morning! We've got school, and it's exam day!"
A sleepy voice came from under the blanket. "Five more minutes… please…"
"Fine," Ooka said with a smirk. "But if you're late, don't blame me."
He headed to the bathroom, humming lightly as steam began to fill the small cottage.
When Ooka came out, he was neatly dressed in his school uniform — crisp white shirt, dark blue tie, and the academy badge shining proudly on his chest.
"Mark, your turn!" he called.
Mark finally sat up, his hair sticking out in all directions. "Alright, alright, I'm up," he muttered, dragging himself into the bathroom.
After both were ready, they sat down at the wooden dining table. The breakfast smelled of warm toast and eggs.
"Eat fast," Ooka said. "If we're late, the teacher will kill us."
Mark grinned. "Relax. She already hates me enough. One more day won't make a difference."
They laughed and finished their meal, stepping out into the bright morning.
The road to school was lined with cherry blossom trees. Petals floated through the air, catching the sunlight like falling stars.
"Hey, Ooka," Mark said, adjusting his bag. "Do you know what subject the exam is today?"
Ooka blinked. "Wait, you don't know?"
Mark shrugged. "Nope."
Ooka burst into laughter. "You idiot! How do you plan to take the exam if you don't even know what it's about?"
Mark sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I know I'm dumb. Don't laugh too much, okay?"
Ooka wiped a tear from his eye, still smiling. "It's not a subject exam, Mark. It's the Practical Marriage Exam."
Mark froze. "Wait— what?"
Ooka nodded. "Yup. The academy pairs us with girls, and we have to live together for three years. It's supposed to teach us responsibility or something."
Mark groaned. "This school is insane."
"So, who do you think you'll get paired with?" Ooka teased. "Any girl you like?"
Mark chuckled. "Nah, man. You know me — I'm not into that stuff."
Ooka blushed slightly. "I-I'm not good at talking to girls either. I'm only comfortable around you."
Mark slapped his shoulder playfully. "That's why we're brothers!"
When they finally reached the academy, the bell rang sharply. The courtyard was filled with students buzzing with excitement. Mark's phone vibrated — a message from Larry.
"Dinner tonight at 7. Don't be late."
Mark smiled and quickly typed back: "Sure, I'll be there."
As he entered the classroom, their teacher, Ms. Rin, walked in, her voice calm but firm. "Everyone, take your seats. Today marks the beginning of your final test — the Marriage Practical."
The room fell silent.
"You will each be paired with a partner," she continued. "The school will assign you cottages to live in. You will earn points through cooperation, communication, and care. Everything will be monitored. Do your best."
The names began to appear on the holographic board one by one.
Ooka × Sophie — the most popular girl in school.
Mark × Larry — the mysterious transfer student.
Opka × Cage — the quiet girl who rarely spoke.
Ooka's face turned red as Sophie winked at him. "You okay, bro?" Mark whispered, grinning.
"I-I'm fine…" Ooka stammered.
The lunch bell rang soon after. In the cafeteria, Larry walked up to Mark, her long hair glinting under the lights.
"Mark," she said firmly. "We're partners for three years. Don't even think of doing anything stupid. If you try anything, I'll hit your weakest spot."
Mark blinked. "You think I'm that kind of guy? Please. I'm not even interested in this fake marriage system. Honestly, I hate it."
Larry frowned slightly but didn't respond. She turned and left, her steps echoing down the hall.
Mark sighed. "What a scary girl…"
He went back to class and spent lunch joking with Ooka, who was nervously glancing at Sophie from across the room.
"Bro," Mark said, nudging him, "just talk to her. You'll be fine."
"She's too perfect…" Ooka murmured.
Later, in the afternoon, the teacher asked, "Mark, did you complete your homework?"
He scratched his head. "Uh… no, ma'am."
"Out," she said sharply.
Mark sighed and walked out of the classroom, muttering, "Figures…"
When school ended, he checked his phone. 7:00 PM.
"Oh no, the dinner!" he shouted, rushing home to change.
He quickly put on a clean shirt, fixed his messy hair, and ran to the restaurant.
Larry was already there, arms crossed. "Finally," she said coldly. "I thought you forgot."
Mark smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I almost did… but how could I forget something this important?"
For a moment, her expression softened. The restaurant lights reflected in her eyes like gentle stars.
And in that moment — neither of them knew — the first spark of their story had just begun.