CHAPTER 8

Chapter 8: A Role to Remember

It was another regular day in class until Professor JM announced an activity that would test our creativity and teamwork.

“We’re doing a roleplay today,” he said, setting his notebook on the table. “Each group will act out a family scenario. You’ll decide the roles and situations. The point is to demonstrate different dynamics and how individuals interact within a household.”

The class buzzed with excitement. It wasn’t every day we got to do something this interactive.

“Form groups of four or five,” he added. “You have ten minutes to plan before we begin.”

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I ended up in a group with Carla, Mark, and another classmate, Jessa. Naturally, Carla immediately declared, “I’m the dad.”

“Fine by me,” I said with a shrug. “I’ll be the mom.”

Mark smirked. “So what does that make me? The rebellious teen?”

“Perfect,” Carla said, giving him a playful shove. “And Jessa can be our sweet, innocent child who brings balance to the chaos.”

We huddled together to brainstorm a scenario. Carla suggested something ridiculous: a heated family argument at breakfast. I added the twist that the baby—played by a stuffed toy we borrowed from Jessa—would be the center of attention.

“Let’s make it funny,” Carla said. “The class loves humor, and you know JM will appreciate it.”

“Got it,” I said, already imagining how it would go down.

---

When it was our turn, we took our positions at the front of the room. Carla sat at the “head of the table,” puffing out her chest dramatically. “I’m the breadwinner, and I work hard to put food on this table!” she bellowed in an overly deep voice.

I stood next to her, hands on my hips. “And I’m the mom who does all the housework while you sit around watching basketball!”

The class chuckled at our exaggerated performances. Mark, playing the moody teen, rolled his eyes and groaned, “Ugh, why do you guys always fight? I just want to go to my room and play video games!”

Jessa sat quietly, hugging the stuffed toy to her chest, looking like the picture-perfect innocent child.

---

The real chaos began when Carla handed the “baby” to me mid-argument, saying, “Here, take care of your kid!”

Without thinking, I cradled the toy in my arms and blurted out, “Fine! I’ll just feed the baby since no one else cares!”

And then, in a moment of sheer impulsive absurdity, I mimicked breastfeeding the stuffed toy.

For a second, the room was silent. Then it exploded.

---

The class erupted into uncontrollable laughter. Carla doubled over, slapping the table in hysterics, while Mark fell out of his chair, clutching his stomach. Even Jessa, who was supposed to stay in character, couldn’t keep a straight face.

I glanced at Professor JM, who had one hand over his mouth, clearly trying to maintain his composure. His shoulders shook slightly as he fought back laughter.

“Oh my God, Junno!” Carla wheezed, tears streaming down her face. “You didn’t—oh my God, you did!”

Realizing what I’d done, I buried my face in my hands. “It was a joke!” I shouted over the chaos. “You said to make it funny!”

“That was… something else,” Professor JM finally said, his voice tinged with amusement. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a roleplay quite like that.”

---

The laughter continued long after we returned to our seats. Every time someone glanced my way, they burst into fresh giggles. Even Carla couldn’t stop poking fun at me.

“You really committed to the role,” she teased during lunch.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” I said, trying to sound annoyed but failing miserably.

Still, I couldn’t help but smile. The activity had been a hit, even if it came at my expense.

---

That evening, I got a text from Professor JM:

“Junno, your group’s roleplay was… unforgettable. You managed to lighten the mood for everyone, which is a skill in itself. Well done.”

I stared at the message, a mix of pride and embarrassment swirling inside me.

“Thank you, sir,” I replied. “I’m glad the class enjoyed it. Hopefully, I didn’t overdo it.”

His response was quick:

“Not at all. Sometimes humor is the best way to connect. Keep being yourself.”

I set my phone down, a smile tugging at my lips. If nothing else, I’d definitely made an impression.