That night, as the responsible student she was, Lunna assigned the members of her group what to bring the next day.
The next morning, the autumn sunlight remained gentle and clear as crystal. A thin layer of mist still lingered on the school grounds, making everything look as though it were covered by a soft sheet of glass. The sound of brooms sweeping echoed along the hallways, mingling with quiet student chatter and laughter.
Lunna arrived early, carrying a broom, a bucket of water, and a cleaning cloth. She still felt a little shy, but as group leader, she told herself she had to set an example. As she placed her bag on the desk, familiar footsteps approached.
"Good morning!" Sophie waved with a bright smile. "You're here early!"
Only a few minutes later, the classroom started to fill up. Max was the last to arrive, slinging his backpack over one shoulder, holding… a bright green broom that looked like it belonged in a toy store.
"Who let you bring that?" Ava asked, arms crossed, staring at Max.
"We ran out of brooms at home. This one still works—dust is dust, right?" Max shrugged, putting on an innocent face. The whole class burst out laughing.
Lunna shook her head slightly, but a smile tugged at her lips.
The cleaning session began. Lunna assigned tasks: some would wipe down desks, others would sweep the hallway, and a few would take out the trash. Though it was a little chaotic at first, the class gradually found their rhythm. Sophie wiped desks while whispering funny stories that made everyone around her giggle. Max—despite occasionally pretending to be "too tired"—managed to sweep the entire hallway impressively well.
Ava and Sophie quickly hit it off. At one point, they even took a photo of Max and captioned it: "Our super hardworking (and slightly bossy) class secretary."
While cleaning the windows, Lunna saw her reflection faintly on the glass. Her hair was tied up high, sleeves rolled up, eyes focused—she was no longer the timid girl from yesterday.
"Hey, Lunna," Max called from outside the classroom, half-joking, half-serious. "Class secretary confirms: Group Two is the most hardworking, hands down!"
"And has the class secretary finished his own area yet?" Ava shot back.
"I'm conducting quality control," Max replied with a mischievous grin.
The bell rang, signaling the start of the school day. Everyone packed up their tools, washed their hands, and returned to their seats. The classroom floor sparkled, the windows gleamed, and the air carried a warm, dusty scent touched by sunlight.
That was it for the day. Since it was still the first day of school, we only had to clean and then listen to the school rules. After that, we were free to go.
And as I stepped out of the classroom, I accidentally locked eyes with Daniel.