After being scolded by Ms. Garcia, Sir Shin returned to his seat next to me and class began. Looking disheveled and completely unlike his previous self, I subconsciously ask out loud,
"Are you alright Sir Shin?" [Laura]
{Why did I ask that? I told myself that I wouldn't get involved. Please don't be mad!}
"If you were that concerned for me, you could have stayed and helped me through that or at least offered a way out." [Shin]
{He is mad! Please don't take it out on my family!}
"I deeply apologize Sir Shin; however, I am not courageous enough to place myself in front of Ms. Garcia's wrath." [Laura]
Apparently, he let me off the hook because he didn't seem to be bothered by what happened. Although he did try to get me to stop using honorifics which I would not budge on.
{Why is he trying to be friendly with me? Can you please leave me alone. Just talking to you gives me 10 years worth of anxiety!}
Luckily for me, Ms. Garcia started the class which meant that talking time was over. Shin looked dejected that I was still using honorifics with him, but he stopped asking me to change and looked towards the blackboard. With more enthusiasm than I've ever mustered, I take out my two notebooks and begin taking noted vigorously.
…
{Okay, I am getting sick of this. Can we please have a break soon!}
Ms. Garcia's classes are by far the hardest out of all our school's (not including the Elite 10's) classes. Those students who fail to take notes in the class will without a doubt get left behind as each of her classes pack incredible details within 45-minute timeslots. Of course, every detail she mentions is on the weekly exams so one must have an almost god-like memory if they wish to get full marks. The highest grade so far this year ahs been an 85, scored by someone I do not really talk too in the class. It for this reason that every single student in the class has multiple notebooks and is completely quiet while she is teaching. It is also for this same reason that I am confused…
{Why doesn't he have a notebook out? Does he not care if he passes or not?}
Since the beginning of the class, Sir Shin has not taken out any writing devices whatsoever, simply staring at the teacher as she discusses the Late Emperor's foreign and domestic policies that lead the Kaross Empire into it's new Golden age. As she begins to discuss His Majesty's brilliant war plans which increased our terrirtoy, Sir Shin actually rolls his eyes and begins sifting through the textbook as if bored.
{How can he be so calm? Does he not know that this will be on the test in the afternoon?}
As I'm about to reach out to him, I hear the faint mutterings of someone talking near me. I look up from my notebook and realize that the person talking is Shin, whose nose is buried in the history textbook.
At first, I though he was being a diligent student and studying. That is, until I heard what he was muttering to himself.
"The government…misleading statements…Impossible terms…plundered by our country." [Shin]
{Isn't he openly criticizing the Late Emperor's policies!! There's no way anyone else would be able to even think of uttering such words. Does he not even understand that people are executed for saying similar things?!}
Uninterested in what's happening in the class, he continuously murmurs his thoughts on what's written in the textbook. The worse part is when the volume reaches the ears of Ms. Garcia, who stops her class to stare at Sir Shin. Those sitting beside him (including me!) shiver and we aren't even on the receiving end. As for Sir Shin…
{How is he not aware of Ms. Garcia's glare?}
I'm not sure if he's naturally thick skinned or he's oblivious to such things, but it takes five minutes for Ms. Garcia's icy stare to reach him. After scolding him and increasing his after-school punishment, Ms. Garcia returns to her lesson, leaving Sir Shin, clearly worried by his upcoming punishment.
…
At the end of class time, I see him get out of his seat and head towards the door.
Hoping that he's leaving school for the day, I ask him.
"Are you leaving already Sir Shin?" [Laura]
{I won't ask you to leave, but it will help me mentally if you attend the class with the other elite. That way I won't have to be exposed to all this accumulating stress.}
"I'm just going to go stretch my legs for a bit. I might stop by a vending machine as well, you want something?" [Shin]
{WHY ARE YOU Offering TO Fetch ME SOMETHING!? So much for getting rid of stress. It's gotten to the point that I'm sure he's doing this on purpose just to mess with me.}
Thinking that this is yet another one of the traps the Nobles use, I try to respond with an answer befitting of a servant, just to be on the safe side.
"I could never ask you to fetch a drink for this lowly person, Sir Shin. In fact, would you like me to fetch the beverages while you perform some calisthenics in the classroom instead?" [Laura]
Seemingly confused at my response, Shin gives me a confused look with a tilt of his head.
"N-no that's fine, I prefer to go myself." [Shin]
Not knowing if this is also part of his devious plan, I wave him off with,
"V-Very well, enjoy your excursion Sir Shin." [Laura]
I watch him leave towards the door before turning my attention to much more important matters. Today's history lesson is around 3 full pages of notes, making the afternoon's test material around 20 pages long. As I flip to the beginning of my notes to begin studying, a bright white light fills the room, illuminating the pages for me. When I glance up from my notebook, I see a large white diamond-like pattern on both the walls and even the ceiling. The other student's in the room seem to be in a panic as their quite discussions turn to shouts. Not understanding what's happening, my mind scrambles to find a reason for these things.
{Are these projections? Is this some sort of movie promotion or something? Then why in a classroom… no…WAIT!}
Thinking hard for a moment jars my memory enough to remember what I saw on the displays on my way to school. Recently, there have been terrorist attacks all over the empire. People have been warned to stay away from government buildings and the workers were told to work from home.
{But isn't this a government building…?}
Although this building has no impact on administrating the empire, it's still government property which makes sense for a school to be a target.
{Wouldn't they protect the Prince and the other nobility then? Security should be tight so there's no way this is terrorists, or maybe an enemy's nation attack?}
Over the roar of the other students I hear Sir Shin's shout.
""Miss Silva, the door is locked, and I won't be able to open them in time. Try to open the windows, I'll check the service traps." [Shin]
His voice and tone are completely different than before. His voice, firm, steady, seems to calmly disregard the situation as he gives out orders. At the complete wrong time for them to be remembered, my mother's words from this morning enter the front of my mind.
{So, this is what my mom meant as dependable…}
"Roger!" [Laura]
Shaking those thoughts out of my head, I answer back before rushing over to the windows. The floor to ceiling windows all have a small vertical section cut out of their bottom, making them easy to open them outward with a simple push. That is, under normal circumstances. When I reach the windows, another girl was grabbing the handle and trying to turn and push the window open. Seeing that she was struggling, I pushed her out of the way and tried to force open the windows myself. The girl, stumbling from being pushed, tripped over her own feet, and fell over backwards. While I still fumble with the window, she gets up and angrily begins shouting at me. I hear something about Marquis or something, but I tune it out and grab the closest metal chair. No matter how sturdy the locks are, glass is still glass. Grabbing the chair by the legs, I swing while rotating my hips, using every ounce of my strength and throw the chair at the window.
*TONK*
Instead of the sound of glass shattering, a bizarre sound of metal hitting solid wood resonates through the classroom. Instead of the window breaking, the chair bends and pieces go flying, one screw hitting the girl from earlier, causing a scratch along her cheek.
{I must go tell Sir Shin. Maybe the hatch is open.}
I turn to go tell Sir Shin when I hear a voice come from behind me.
"How dare you throw that at me! Do you even know…" [???]
"Sorry." [Laura]
Having gotten off the ground and back on her feet, the girl from earlier seems furious at me and begins yelling something at me. Not having the time to care, I halfheartedly apologies behind my back as I work my way through the crowd of panicking people.
Reaching Shin who just descended from the top of a desk, I say,
"Sir Shin, all of the windows are shut tight and won't open. Some of them are not even locked yet I can't open them. I even grabbed a chair to smash the windows What is going on? "[Laura]
"I'm not sure what's happening, all I know is that we can't escape." [Shin]
{Even he doesn't know what's going on? Then what is all of this…}
Before I can even finish my sentence, the patterns begin to flash at a much quicker pace, making it seem like whatever is going to happen, it will happen soon. Realizing that this could be the end, I stop thinking and moving, prepared to accept whatever happens.
{Well, bye mom. I'll miss you and dad. I hope that you at least don't blame yourselves and live full lives.}
I close my eyes, scared about finding out what, if anything, is on the other side.
"Miss Silva, get under here quickly." [Shin]
I open my eyes and see that Sir Shin is standing by a bunch of desks turned over to make what looks like a kid's fort. I quickly look at the rest of the class and I see that they are like me, standing still and waiting for the end.
{I see, so even if everyone else gives up, he doesn't accept it as it is. He built this shelter even if there was no guarantee whatsoever that it would help. I guess some people refuse to give up, even if it the odds are against them. That's right! There's no reason to give up. What was I thinking?}
Inspired by his will, I rush over to the fort and squeeze under the upturned desks. Shortly after I enter, Sir Shin comes in behind me and grabs me in a hug. I don't even have time to get embarrassed or refuse before the lights flash rapidly and I lose consciousness.
…
When I wake up, I see a beautiful azure sky with puffy alabaster clouds dotting the sky.
{I see, so I died. This must be the afterlife. I guess the afterlife comes with a relaxing view at least.}
I move to get up and look around, but something heavy lies on top of me, pinning me to the ground. I lift my head to see what it is that's holding me down. Which is when I realize that there's a person on top of me and I recognize the person's face. As my sense of touch floods back to me, I can feel that his hands are dangerously close to certain places. I can feel my face heat up in embarrassment as I realize the position, I am in. My mind is a jumble of thoughts as I try to figure out what is going on. The most prominent thought however, was,
{I was right to be scared about what was on the other side…}