The last row had unofficially become their territory.
No one said it out loud, but everyone in the class kind of knew that those three seats near the window belonged to Su Ran, Jiang Chen, and Zhao Ming.
If someone else sat there by accident, Zhao Ming would just stand there and stare until they moved.
"I don't even know why we sit here every day," Zhao Ming said one morning while dropping into his chair.
Su Ran answered immediately,
"Because we are last row people."
"What does that even mean?"
"It means we are not top students, not troublemakers, just… professional survivors."
Jiang Chen, who was doing homework, said without looking up,
"That is not a real category."
"It is now," she replied.
The New Nickname
During English class, the teacher was calling attendance.
"Su Ran."
"Here!"
"Jiang Chen."
"Here."
"Zhao Ming."
"Always here, unfortunately," Zhao Ming said, making half the class laugh.
The teacher looked at the last row and shook her head.
"You three again. Always talking, always laughing, always sitting together."
She paused for a moment and then said,
"I should just call you the Last Row Trio."
The class laughed a little.
Zhao Ming immediately whispered,
"That actually sounds cool."
Su Ran nodded.
"Yes. We sound like a group of detectives."
Jiang Chen quietly said,
"Or a group that fails exams together."
She pointed at him.
"Why do you always attack me academically?"
"I am just describing reality," he replied calmly.
The Notebook
Later that day, Su Ran bought a small notebook from the school store.
On the front, she wrote in big letters:
LAST ROW TRIO
Zhao Ming saw it and started laughing immediately.
"You're actually serious about this?"
"Yes," she said. "This is our official group notebook."
"What do we write in it?"
"Important things," she said.
She opened the first page and wrote:
Last Row Trio Rules
Share food
Share homework answers
Help each other pass exams
Sit in the last row whenever possible
Stay friends for a long time
She pushed the notebook toward them.
"Sign it."
Zhao Ming immediately signed his name in big messy letters.
Jiang Chen looked at the notebook for a few seconds.
"You're making this very official," he said.
"Yes," she replied. "So you can't escape later."
He didn't respond, but he took the pen and signed his name neatly under Zhao Ming's.
Then she signed last and closed the notebook like it was something very important.
"Now it's permanent," she said.
A Small Moment
That afternoon, during a very boring history class, Su Ran fell asleep.
Her head slowly dropped forward, then sideways… and then lightly hit Jiang Chen's shoulder.
He froze immediately.
Zhao Ming saw this and tried very hard not to laugh.
Jiang Chen slowly looked down at Su Ran, who was completely asleep and didn't notice anything.
He didn't move.
He just sat there very still so she wouldn't wake up.
Zhao Ming whispered very quietly,
"You're stuck like that now."
"I know," Jiang Chen whispered back.
"Do you want me to wake her up?"
"No."
Zhao Ming smiled and turned back around, still trying not to laugh.
About ten minutes later, Su Ran suddenly woke up and sat up straight.
"I was not sleeping," she said immediately.
"No one said you were," Zhao Ming replied.
She looked at Jiang Chen.
"…Did I fall on your shoulder?"
"Yes."
She covered her face with her hands.
"This is so embarrassing."
"It's fine," he said.
"You should have pushed me," she said.
"You looked very tired," he replied.
For some reason, she didn't know what to say after that.
So she just turned around slowly and pretended to listen to the teacher for the rest of the class.
Zhao Ming looked back at both of them and smiled to himself.
He had a feeling something was going on.
Not now.
But maybe later.
The End of the Day
After school, they packed their bags slowly like they always did.
Su Ran suddenly opened the small notebook again and wrote another line:
Rule 6: Even when we grow up, we must meet at least once a year.
She pushed the notebook toward them again.
"Sign again," she said.
Zhao Ming laughed.
"You're planning our entire future."
"Yes," she said. "I like planning things."
Jiang Chen looked at the notebook, then at her, then signed his name again without arguing.
Zhao Ming signed too.
Su Ran closed the notebook and put it carefully in her bag.
None of them said anything for a moment.
Then Zhao Ming stretched and said,
"Let's go. I'm hungry again."
"You're always hungry," Su Ran said.
"That's because school consumes my energy and my happiness."
They walked out of the classroom together, talking and arguing like usual.
The classroom slowly became empty behind them, sunlight falling across the last row seats near the window.
Three desks.
Three chairs.
And a small notebook in Su Ran's bag that none of them knew would become one of the most important things they would ever keep.