Inside a spacious room divided into several designated areas, large windows allowed bright sunlight to flood the space. The walls were adorned with numerous awards, showcasing the achievements of students, the school, and its esteemed faculty. In one corner, a large bulletin board displayed various notices, while a water dispenser stood a few metres away.
The room buzzed with conversation and activity until a sharp, irate voice cut through the air.
"You are a disgrace! An embarrassment to this school's legacy! You shouldn't even be here!"
Several teachers seated in the staff room turned their heads towards the commotion. Standing over a desk was Mr Mike, his expression contorted with frustration. Seated before him was Sky, who kept his head slightly lowered, masking his evident indifference. A computer monitor sat on the desk, surrounded by stacks of files and mathematics textbooks. As Mr Mike continued his tirade, his voice growing increasingly exasperated, Sky rolled his eyes in irritation. Even the other teachers in the room appeared equally weary of the outburst.
'My ears… this man needs auto-tune just to make his yapping tolerable.' Sky mused dryly.
Mr Mike's glare intensified as he took in Sky's appearance.
"And what exactly are you wearing?!" he bellowed. "Where the hell is your uniform?!"
His eyes raked Sky from head to toe before he let out a deep, weary sigh. Just as he was about to launch into another fit of shouting, the staff room door suddenly swung open with force.
A woman stormed inside, dragging a female student by the wrist. Her face was twisted in anger, and her sharp gaze swept across the room before locking onto a male teacher seated beside Mr Mike's desk. Without hesitation, she strode forward and delivered a resounding slap across his face.
The impact was brutal—his cheek instantly reddened as he placed a hand over it, stunned. A collective gasp rippled through the room, and two teachers rushed to restrain the furious woman before she could strike again.
The man she had slapped was Mr Ben, the Physical Education teacher. Dressed in a blue tracksuit, he stood at an imposing 6'4", with dark, well-groomed hair and deep brown eyes. Despite being in his mid-thirties, he was exceptionally fit.
Sky watched the scene unfold, his mind racing. A slow smirk crept onto his face as he quickly pieced together a theory.
'Oh… oh my God. A scandal? A student-teacher affair? And now the mother has found out? Damn! Mr Ben is bold… This is the kind of drama that gives me butterflies. I have to stay and see how this plays out—'
A sharp nudge to his shoulder interrupted his thoughts. Mr Mike was subtly signalling for him to leave the room. Sky clenched his jaw, frustration bubbling within him.
"For fuck's sake! Just let me get scolded!"
He reluctantly moved towards the exit, dragging his steps in a deliberate attempt to prolong his departure. He strained his ears, desperate to catch the inevitable exchange of words between the two, but the room had fallen into an eerie silence. The mother exhaled heavily, while the other teachers whispered in an attempt to calm her.
'This is straight out of a K-drama,' Sky thought, his inner fanboy tingling with anticipation.
Just as he reached the doorway, his gaze locked with the girl's. They were roughly the same height, but she seemed particularly fixated on him.
Later – Classroom
"A bloody disgrace! I'm absolutely speechless… How could he do such a thing?"
A male student with dark skin and a close-cropped haircut spoke animatedly, igniting an intense discussion among his classmates. The room buzzed with speculation.
At the back of the classroom, Sky sat with an air of disinterest, surrounded by several girls eagerly trying to pull him into the conversation. He paid them no mind, his gaze fixed on the window, though he wasn't truly looking at anything in particular.
Suddenly, a blonde-haired boy appeared out of nowhere, hopping onto Sky's desk and shooing the girls away.
A collective murmur of disappointment rippled through them as they reluctantly returned to their seats.
"Come on, Sky," the blonde boy whined. "I really need that English textbook. I've been asking you for a week now..."
Sky remained unbothered, still gazing out the window with a blank expression.
A high-pitched screech erupted from the PA system, forcing the students to cover their ears. A moment later, a deep male voice came through.
"Hello, you miserable lot. This is someone speaking—a human being, in case you were wondering. What I'm about to say is groundbreaking, so you might want to start crying now. However… I don't give a shit!"
A collective groan filled the room. Everyone knew that voice.
Mr Ramon, the vice-principal. A rude, insufferable old man who, by all accounts, should have retired years ago. Instead, he seemed to derive great pleasure from verbally tormenting students.
After clearing his throat obnoxiously, he continued,
"As you all know, the world is under attack, and luckily, we remain safe thanks to the United Army of the Seven Continents. Class presidents, turn on your damn televisions in your pathetic classrooms!"
"The old bastard…" the blonde muttered.
Sky finally turned his attention towards the front of the classroom, only to find the blonde obstructing his view. Annoyed, he pushed him aside, dusted his desk, and propped his feet up.
The blonde scoffed but returned to his seat without further protest.
Sky realised, with some amusement, that he didn't actually know the names of most of his classmates. They might have told him before, but he simply never paid attention. Frankly, he didn't care.
A young woman with fair skin stood up from her seat at the front. She had neatly tied black hair, wore glasses that framed her delicate features, and had bright green eyes that shimmered with determination.
This was Katie—the class president. The object of every boy's infatuation. Well… every boy except for Sky, who had never once experienced a first love.
Katie strode to the front of the classroom, picked up the remote, and switched on the television mounted in the upper corner of the room.
The screen flickered to life, revealing a live broadcast from the National News Channel. The camera focused on the Oval Office, where the President of the United States sat at the Resolute Desk.
The setting was regal—polished mahogany furniture, the American flag standing tall beside the presidential seal, and the relentless flashing of cameras from gathered reporters.
The President, a man in his early fifties with silver-streaked hair and deep-set wrinkles, exhaled slowly. His expression was grim as he fixed his gaze on the camera.
After a brief pause, he finally spoke.
"Good morning, my fellow citizens. I address you today in a time of great uncertainty. I bring both dire news… and a glimmer of hope. We stand at a crossroads, and the choices we make now will determine our survival."
The camera zoomed in slightly, heightening the tension in the room.