William Foster shook his head, not wanting to bring up the past: "Especially Samuel Clark—asking him to change seats with his deskmate was like asking for his life. He kept saying it was inappropriate, and the more he talked, the more ridiculous it got. In the end, he even used the phrase 'a melon forcibly twisted is not sweet.' Tell me, was I really forcing him? I was just discussing it with them."

The teacher next door was also amazed after hearing this.

Although William Foster felt a bit regretful, he quickly adjusted his approach. He needed to guide them patiently and plan for the long term. If one-on-one couldn't solve the problem, then as a teacher, he would ignite himself to become a beacon of light for lost youths!

Little did he know, at this very moment, that lost youth was desperately hoping he would hold on a bit longer, not be too respectful of the students' wishes, and be a bit more assertive when necessary.

After organizing his materials, William Foster looked up and saw the two of them still standing by the desk. The usually unruly Samuel Clark had a face as cold as frost. William Foster thought to himself, Samuel Clark is talking less today—could he be in a bad mood?

As for Brian Cooper, he actually looked, well, much more approachable...

But judging from their expressions, both seemed to carry a similarly complicated emotion.

William Foster put down his pen: "Do you two have anything else?"

Brian Cooper really wanted to just turn around and leave.

Recalling how he had been so "unyielding unto death" in the office last time, Samuel Clark also felt he couldn't stay any longer.

The slap in the face came too quickly.

The harsher the words back then, the more embarrassing it felt now.

If he could live life over, he would go back to the day William Foster arranged for him and Brian Cooper to be deskmates, and say five words to William Foster: Teacher, I am willing.

But regardless of the embarrassment, being deskmates was something he couldn't avoid.

Brian Cooper lowered his voice, turned his head, and said word by word in Samuel Clark's ear, "You dug this hole, you fill it."

Samuel Clark reminded him, "Right now, you are Samuel Clark."

Brian Cooper: "..."

Samuel Clark added, "I can say it, but you better think it through."

The implication was that if he didn't say it, Samuel Clark would have to say it under the name of "Brian Cooper."

No math olympiad problem had ever troubled Brian Cooper as much as this. After weighing his options, Brian Cooper closed his eyes for a moment, then reluctantly spoke: "Teacher, we would like to request to sit together."

William Foster had just started counting the number of in-class assignments. The office was noisy, and though Brian Cooper spoke coolly, it still made him lose track of his count for a moment: "Ah, deskmates, okay... wait, what did you say?!"

Once William Foster processed it, he was shocked: "You two want to sit together?"

After crossing that mental hurdle, the rest wasn't so hard to say. Brian Cooper repeated, "We want to switch seats."

William Foster suddenly sat up straight, wondering if he had misheard: "Didn't you say before it was inappropriate?"

Brian Cooper kept a straight face: "It's appropriate."

"Isn't it all about fate between people?"

"Fate has arrived."

William Foster: "A melon forcibly twisted is not sweet?"

"A melon forcibly twisted," the embarrassment of this phrase was too much, so Brian Cooper paused before continuing, "How would you know if it's sweet or not if you don't try?"

William Foster continued, "Feelings between classmates that are forced..."

Brian Cooper interrupted, "Not forced."

"......"

William Foster glanced at the students coming and going in the office. The teacher next door was telling their class rep, "If they keep urging and still don't turn it in next time, don't waste your time. Don't collect their homework, just let them come to me directly. What kind of attitude is that? I'll deal with them properly." Only then did he feel a bit more grounded: "Are you two serious? You really want to be deskmates?"

As serious as can be.

Brian Cooper had already reached his limit with those few lines. He lowered his eyes, reached his hand behind Samuel Clark's back, and pinched him through the school uniform where William Foster couldn't see.

Samuel Clark didn't feel as much psychological pressure. After the awkwardness passed, he even found the situation somewhat amusing. He never stood properly anyway, so he just leaned against the wall, listening to the back-and-forth between William Foster and Brian Cooper.

Caught off guard by the pinch, he blurted out, "Shit," straightened up, and took over: "Teacher, we're really not being forced. I've thought it through too. Samuel Clark really does need the help of an excellent deskmate like me on his academic journey."

William Foster's last bit of rationality still remembered that Brian Cooper had called it "trouble" before: "You don't think it's trouble anymore?"

Samuel Clark: "Not trouble."

Samuel Clark added, "How could it be trouble? Isn't it right for classmates to help each other and make progress together?"

William Foster was a bit muddled by these two, but he also realized that his one-on-one plan had somehow progressed on its own. He had originally intended for them to be deskmates anyway, so now there was no reason to refuse: "You two have thought it through... alright."

He tore down the seating chart for Class 7 from the side, marked a swap between the back row of the first row and the back row of the second row: "Then John Thompson will sit with Eric Turner."

After speaking, Samuel Clark leaned back against the wall again, thinking, so Brian Cooper's deskmate was called Eric Turner.

After making the marks, William Foster asked, "When will you two switch?"