The Plan to Save the Boss in Reincarnation

**Chapter 5: Ink Stains, Mango, and Math Puzzles**

Doing things one-handed was a major pain, especially something like refilling a fountain pen.

Jake awkwardly twisted open the ink bottle and the pen barrel with one hand, managing to smear dark ink all over his fingers. He stared at his messy hand, a flicker of frustration in his eyes.

Alice had slipped out between classes to see her best friend, Chen Feier. When she returned, she found Jake sitting statue-still at their desk, his hand covered in black ink.

“Refilling ink? Why didn’t you wait for me?” Alice’s voice held an edge of annoyance as she shot him a look. “Don’t just sit there. Go wash your hands!”

The boy seemed to snap out of a daze, standing up mechanically and heading for the restroom. When he finally returned with clean hands, his desk was immaculate. The spilled ink was wiped away without a trace, the pen was filled, capped, and the ink bottle securely closed and back in its box.

He pressed his lips together, his gaze shifting to the girl beside him. She was talking quietly with the student in front, her expression neutral, her neat bangs swaying slightly as she nodded.

Just one day, and Jake already found Alice puzzling. Most of the time, she was incredibly quiet, her presence almost fading into the background when she spoke, and she rarely smiled. Like now. But other times… like downstairs when he’d clearly seen her deliberately step on Liu Chang’s foot *twice*; the way she’d practically dragged him to the nurse’s office, brooking no argument; that morning, loudly telling the teacher he’d been pushed, a flash of anger in her eyes. And just now, scolding him for not waiting… that look of irritation, as if he was somehow… *her* responsibility.

A wave of sudden irritation washed over Jake.

*Whatever. It’ll all change in a few days anyway.*

He shook his head, forcing his focus back onto the unsolved formula in his notebook. *This* was reliable. Constants. Equations. They were always there, waiting patiently, never lying.

Seeing Jake open his book, Alice automatically picked up his fountain pen, unscrewed the cap, and placed it inverted on the end before handing it to him. She also slid a few sheets of scrap paper under his notebook.

She did it naturally, but this time, it backfired.

The boy reacted sharply, slamming the pen she’d handed him down on the desk. He pulled another one from his pencil case. He pushed the scrap paper she’d provided back onto her side of the desk and opened his own notebook, diving into his calculations.

*Like he was deliberately opposing her.*

The knuckles of his long fingers were still stained with stubborn ink. He gripped his pen so tightly Alice worried it might snap.

Alice took a deep breath, refusing to feel discouraged. *It’s only the first day. He needs time to adjust.*

Even a stray cat gets anxious and skittish when it’s first brought home. A guy who’s been alone this long? Of course he would.

...

The first day was mostly syllabus stuff and icebreakers. No homework. As the final bell rang, Chen Feier bounced over, and the two girls headed for the boba place off-campus.

“OMG, Alice! That guy next to you is your *desk partner*? He is *so* freakin’ hot! Do you have his Insta? His number?” The words tumbled out of Feier the moment they cleared the classroom door, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Chen Feier had been Alice’s ride-or-die since elementary school. Same high school now, though Feier was in a different homeroom. She was pure sunshine – bubbly, optimistic, able to laugh off almost anything. Alice loved being around her; Feier’s happiness was contagious.

But right now, Alice felt a pang of exasperation. “Feier, back off. He’s mine. The guy I like.”

Feier froze, utterly unable to process those words coming from Alice, aka ‘Miss Unbothered’ herself. She was convinced she’d misheard.

“You said *what*?”

Alice repeated, more firmly this time. “I said I like him. I’m going to be with him. End of story.”

“……” Feier’s jaw dropped. “Holy crap! Alice? Did the unflappable ice queen just… thaw? Wait, what happened? Did your mom’s latest boyfriend drama finally push you over the edge?” She reached out dramatically to feel Alice’s forehead.

Alice batted her hand away with a wry smile. “Stop it. I’m serious. I’m going after Jake.”

In her past life, she’d only confessed her feelings for Jake to Feier *after* transferring schools. Feier had been shocked then too, but mostly relieved. By then, like everyone else, she’d heard the rumors about Jake, and probably figured Alice had dodged a bullet.

Feier instantly switched gears, buzzing with energy. “Whoa! So much for our pact to be single and slay high school together! Alice, ditching me on Day One? Okay, even if he looks like he stepped out of a K-pop video, that’s fast! Spill! Do you know him already? Because this ‘love at first sight’ speed is giving me serious deja vu of your mom’s dating history!” She nudged Alice playfully.

Alice shook her head.

*Know him?* That was an understatement… but she couldn’t say a word.

At the smoothie shop, Feier ordered her usual – bubble tea with extra cheese foam. Alice got two mango s**o drinks. She vaguely remembered Jake liking mangoes; in her past life, she’d always brought some when she went to his place for physics tutoring.

Seeing the two cups, Feier rolled her eyes dramatically. “Seriously, Alice? He’s not even your boyfriend yet, and you’re buying him drinks? Wow… never thought I’d see the day. You’re basically the poster child for ‘happily single at forty’ because ‘unbothered’ is your middle name!”

Alice couldn’t help but laugh, a genuine curve lifting her lips. Feier knew her best. *Forty and single…* that was her past life, alright.

Feier noticed the smile, her expression softening with surprise. “Alice, you’ve smiled, like, a bunch of times today. You know… you have a really pretty smile.” She bumped Alice’s shoulder gently. “Seriously, whoever it is… if he makes you smile like that? Go for it.”

...

Back in the classroom, Alice placed one of the mango s**o drinks on the corner of Jake’s desk, straw already inserted.

The boy was chewing absently on the end of his pen cap (a nervous habit), lost in thought over a complex equation, scribbling intermittently in his notebook. He didn’t register her movement.

The small wastebasket tucked under his desk was already half-full with crumpled paper.

Alice glanced down. The sheets were covered in dense formulas, some using symbols she hadn’t seen since… well, since *she* was a physics teacher. Tucked among the discarded calculations were two unopened, pastel-colored envelopes – *love letters*.

Alice propped her chin on her hand, watching him.

He always chewed the cap when deep in thought; the gold plating was worn thin. Probably wrestling with a tough problem, his brow was slightly furrowed, long lashes casting faint shadows on his cheeks.

She loved seeing him like this. His eyes focused, intense. The cold, detached doll replaced by someone alive, vibrating with quiet concentration.

For about five minutes, the scene held. Then Jake wrote a few lines of symbols, gave a small, satisfied nod, and closed his notebook with a soft thud. A hint of relief, almost pleasure, softened his features.

It was still there – that flicker of warmth – when his gaze accidentally lifted and met hers.

Alice blinked, then nudged the mango drink closer to him. “Long haul? Got you a drink. Buy-one-get-one-free down at the smoothie place.” (A little white lie)

The boy’s expression shuttered instantly, returning to its usual detached cool. He pushed the cup back towards her side of the desk.

“I saw you leave with your friend.” (Calling her bluff. If it was BOGO, she and Feier should have one each).

Alice paused, momentarily thrown. *Right. Of course he saw.* Sometimes his mind worked faster than hers.

A small laugh escaped her. “Okay, busted.” She met his gaze directly. “I bought it for you. Thought you might like it. Mango?” (Owning it)

Jake pressed his lips together, silent for a long beat. Then he looked up, his eyes locking onto hers with unnerving intensity. They were guarded, distant, setting a clear boundary.

“What do you want?” (What do you want?)

The question hung in the air. His expression was crystal clear: *Whatever it is you think you’re getting from me, you’re not.* Her persistent attention had finally crossed a line he wasn’t willing to ignore.