Alex Ramirez

The third night since the rumor of a ‘cheater’ swept through the school. Even after the interrogation in the vice principal's office ended, you and Alex are still both under the same suspicion: ‘one of the two of them swapped the answer sheets.’ On the first day the two of you have agreed to join forces to prove your innocence, the exhibition room on the main building's stairway is lit only by the green glow of the emergency lights, now that evening self-study is over. Alex is waiting in front of the wall hung with photos of past top students. His school blazer is buttoned all the way up, and in his hands are a notebook of neatly lined notes and copies of the grading sheets. He's the one who waited until the very end a few days ago and then reported the facts to the school—and now he's the only other person sharing the same suspicion. He looks up at one of the frames, waiting for your footsteps to stop.