Haliben is, for the lack of better word, a humongous school.
Well, at least, that was what the ex-colonel was thinking before he'd realised how offended the blue haired teen in front of him looked.
"Uh…"
He was aware the comment was quite rude, but the gnarly face deserved it. Aizen looked like- gee, sorry. LORD Aizen looked like a conman, and that didn't sit right with Arel, at all.
There's this one manhwa Arel's read, and the main character's expression sure looks like Aizen's.They're pretty similar with their affiliation with money, too. Maybe they should totally bond over it.
Or not, maybe they'll end the world.
He lightly rubs the back of his own neck, staring down at the somewhat saddened teen, before looking away. Not a single bone in his body is telling him to apologize, and he's definitely the kind of guy to do that.
Instead, by convenient timing, the assembly announcement came up. All students and teachers were summoned to the main hall's.. main hall, because they were rich enough to make dozens of halls, apparently. The black-haired shot a look at the younger, who was still annoyedly pouting at his choice of words.
Arel waited, and waited for Aizen to budge from his position because the assembly was really going to start, and all the other students the blue-haired's age had started walking.
Until it clicked.
Aizen was one of those rebels, wasn't he?
The kid's definitely not joining the assembly, probably skipping somewhere with his other bad friend Yusol, considering their affiliation with one another. By the way, Arel is NOT hating, or disliking, or attacking these puny students, it's just what usually happens when students join school assemblies.
Albeit it's farfetched for a Student Body Head, or someone of that caliber to not join an orientation day.
The red-eyed clicked his tongue and walked, accidentally stepping on a stupid little sticky note- kids, throw your trash, seriously, and deliberately ignore it until he gets to the location.
It was easy to get lost, but the kind students standing by the halls were able to give him necessary directions, even after laughing at his shoes. Well, whatever was written to the thing stuck on his shoe.
—
'Hi, I'm dickwit.'
The post-it mentions. No wonder they were throwing their backs about it.
The delicate, boyish handwriting really just made Arel even more frustrated. Cursively readable. There is just one other person Arel knows who can write like that.
His dear old general.
Except now younger.
So…
His dear young ex-general who is still technically his boss unofficially. Regrettably his boss.
Was this the thing posted on his back? Arel was somewhat aware that the disrespectful blonde put something there, but if this was it.. then.
God. Arel needs to watch out for two teens who definitely dislike him at this point.
And he'd been a teacher for not even a day yet.
_
The assembly was boring. It might've been fun if the adult had been a teenager at the moment, but Arel's an adult.
Psychologically, or mentally, whichever fits, he was probably one of the oldest in the role. Actually, no, there are some old fucks here.
But he was technically 36? 37? Well, he's at the age that it's probably acceptable to forget how old he is. Still, he won't bode too well with these half-his-age kids.
Also, also. Yeah, Yusol's in the assembly, sitting nearby the Head of School while Arel sat behind them. While the blue-haired was nowhere in sight.
The main concern was the flag raising ceremony, because..
What flag is that?
In all his 30-something years of living, Arel had only pledged allegiance to one flag. NC, Neenconesia. A distinct yellow ornamental cream centered in a sea of blue. It looked like poop, if he'd admit.
But this wasn't that NC flag he knew.
Black and gold, like it was expensive or something. The school flag? No, they wouldn't be so tacky, would they? The school flag was plain, and he'd definitely made fun of it if the situation wasn't so jarring.
Everyone stood up, hands pressed to their forehead like a salute. Yet all his life he'd been taught to..
Bow down and pray.
What? He'd almost instinctively done that. His knees were practically shaking, prepared to kiss the ground as he hoped his forehead wouldn't itch. His mouth almost whispered a silent prayer, like his habits done by all those years ago.
The anthem seemed to have sung the same one Arel's Neenconesian tune.. so what happened there? Was this really the past?
Yusol didn't even seem phased by this, just standing and respectfully doing everything his mates are doing.
But the general Arel knew had sunk his head deep unto the ground it would've bruised. Like he was punishing himself.
Ah. But one knee buckled. Didn't it?
Sucking in his breath, Arel firmly follows along everyone else's step, saluting respectively despite the running question in his mind.
What the hell?
Though, when Arel did think about it, he's practically blank for his life before turning 24. Maybe the flag hadn't changed yet, right? Maybe the way to respect hasn't changed yet?
It really bothers him.
_
The sensation brought him down, to the point that he didn't even realise it was all over. Everyone had sat, yet he stood like the belligerent fool he was acting.
Was this real?
If it was a memory-loss sort of issue, Yusol wouldn't have hesitated as well, right?
They both had been side-by-side in the future past, resonating with the flag as they bowed together. It was a reflection of what the red-haired was doing now, so what's different?
Could his general be Yusol right now?
That may explain some things, but his general surely would've told him so soon.
This whole time travel scheme was planned, so this could be a stunt..?!?!!
God. Arel has another hater coming up and it's himself this time. Because he knows how to drive his ass into a corner and overthink.
He'd been taught one other thing though, other than to praise the flag.
Confront when sure, retreat when fazed.
Thanks, lead FIGHT trainer for that one.