Lunch was consistent.
Which made it predictable.
Which made it boring.
Jared sat alone at his usual table, calmly eating while observing the cafeteria. Conversations overlapped, movements repeated, and social patterns played out exactly as expected.
Then—
The anomaly appeared.
"Hey."
Jared didn't look up.
"…target approaching," he muttered.
"…what did you just say?"
Jared finally glanced up.
Three guys stood in front of him.
Loud.
Confident.
Low variance in behavior.
"…statistically expected," Jared said.
"…you think you're funny?"
"…not intentionally."
"…this guy's got jokes now."
The leader leaned forward.
"…you think you're smart or something?"
"…slightly above average."
"…I'm going to hit you."
"…probability: high."
"…AT LEAST YOU KNOW."
The punch came.
Jared had already calculated it.
Angle.
Speed.
Timing.
He leaned slightly to the side.
The fist passed his face by a few centimeters.
"…reaction speed improved," Jared noted.
"…HE DODGED?!"
"…low margin success."
"…STOP TALKING!"
Another swing.
Jared stepped back again—minimal movement, maximum efficiency.
"…this is inefficient," he said.
"…GET HIM!"
Before things escalated further—
"Hey."
The voice cut in sharply.
All heads turned.
The girl from earlier stood there, arms crossed.
"…three against one?" she said. "…that's kind of pathetic."
"…stay out of it."
"…make me."
Silence.
The bullies hesitated.
Not because they were scared—
But because attention was shifting.
"…this isn't over," the leader muttered.
"…probability of continuation: low," Jared replied.
"…I HATE THIS GUY."
They walked away.
Jared returned to his food.
"…you're welcome," the girl said, sitting across from him.
"…intervention noted."
"…that's your way of saying thanks?"
"…yes."
She sighed.
"…you're really something else."
"…accurate."
"…name?"
"…Jared."
"…Iris."
"…noted."
She pointed at him.
"…you dodged that."
"…yes."
"…on purpose."
"…yes."
"…you're definitely not normal."
"…confirmed."
She smiled.
"…good. I hate normal."
Jared paused slightly.
New variable introduced.
Impact: unknown.
"…acceptable," he said.
"…I don't think you know how conversations work."
"…learning."
"…great. I'm your first test subject."
"…unfortunate."
"…HEY."
For the first time—
Jared almost smiled.