Maria walked back into the classroom, running her hand through her hair. Her tongue brushed across her lips—then stopped. She remembered the kiss. Her eyes widened a little, and she quickly covered her face with her palm.
Ivy entered right after her, eyes red and puffy. She glared at Maria like she wanted to dig a hole straight through her head before storming back to her seat.
Suddenly—
"Guys, guys! I got news!"
King burst into the class like a hurricane.
Everyone immediately turned to glare at him.
"What's with the glares?" he blinked. "I'm just the news-bringer! I don't tell you how to act when you hear it. What you do with the info is your business."
"This idiot again," one boy groaned, slamming his palm on the desk. "Because of you, we're being punished!"
Thud.
A shoe flew through the air and smacked him square in the chest.
"Didn't I warn you to behave when I'm talking?" King sneered. "Now come give me my shoe back. These days, even stepchildren think they can bark at their elders. Should I make your family beg in the streets for real?"
He grabbed the boy's shoulder mockingly.
"You all just wanted to bully Kira anyway. You used my words as a catalyst. Don't shift the blame now. Instead of whining, admit you were stupid and move on."
He slung his arm around the boy's shoulder and grinned.
"I think I've found a new friend. Anyway, the test results are out—for the whole grade."
That made the room pause.
"They'll be posted on the notice board and projected around the school. Anyone below a hundred gets punished. Only the top twenty get extra points. Looks like the school's going military on us now."
He ruffled the boy's hair like a proud parent and dragged him to his desk.
"Move," King said, knocking on his seatmate's desk.
Then he shoved the new boy into the seat.
"The f*ck, King? What do you mean by this?" his old seatmate snapped.
"Must you shout? I'm not deaf. He's going to sit here temporarily—so I can teach him how to respect his seniors," King said, plopping into his chair.
"Agh, I had to give up my seat for a piece of sh*t?" his old seatmate groaned. "Can't you just beat sense into him?"
"Then I'll get expelled. Can't you think?" King replied mockingly. "You know how tight things are now."
"Hey, what's your name?" one of King's friends asked.
"You've been in the same class and don't know his name?" Nick said without even glancing up from his phone.
"Do you?" the other snapped.
"…No."
"Idiot," Nick muttered and slapped him on the back of the head.
He turned to the boy. "What's your name, mute?"
"…Flex," the boy muttered, fists clenched.
"Well, Flex, we're going to teach you manners real soon," Nick said, grinning darkly.
---
Meanwhile, toward the back of the room...
"Tsk. Finally, the test results are out," one girl muttered.
"Even though I hate Kira, I hate Maria more. Acting like a queen just because she got some popularity—who does she think she is?" Girl One mumbled.
"I know, right?" Girl Two added, folding her arms. "I heard she has 8 million followers and tons of projects now."
"It's funny, though. After she lost, she had to stop singing, dancing, playing instruments, and being Kira's slave. What a disgrace," Girl One laughed.
"She could pay forty million and still wouldn't get out of it. Pathetic," Girl Two sneered.
"What forty million? Can she even afford that?" Girl One spat. "If her family had that kind of money, would they treat her like garbage? Didn't you see her mom call her a slut at school?"
"Really? But I heard her family's doing better now," Girl Two said. "Who's supporting her? Who made James and the others apologize?"
"Tsk. Then she's definitely a kept woman. I knew it—no fire without smoke," Girl One muttered.
Thud.
Maria's pen slammed into Girl One's head.
"Your mouth stinks. Go wash it. You clearly haven't had fresh air in days," Maria said sweetly.
"Must you overreact?" Girl Two mocked. "Sounds like someone's hiding something."
"Yes," Girl One smirked. "He must've spent a lot of money on you. No wonder your skin is glowing and you don't look like someone abandoned by her family. We've made a discovery."
"Then give yourselves a round of applause," Maria replied, clapping slowly.
"While others are out here discovering cures and building legacies, you two have discovered how deep your own stupidity goes."
She smiled sweetly. "Birds of a feather really do flock together. Stupid ones especially."
"Thanks for the compliment, by the way," she added. "Glowing skin and beauty? Aw, you're so kind. But does that mean you can't be pretty unless someone's spending money on you? You're just saying you're ugly."
She tilted her head. "No matter how much you spend on yourself, your face still ruins appetites. Is it because you're using fake products? Or is that just your natural curse?"
The class chuckled, stunned by her savagery.
Maria continued, "Instead of wasting money on your failed beauty attempts, maybe invest in food and books. Nourish that empty brain. Oh, and in case you forgot—my song has 20 million downloads and over 100 million views. I earn money. Meanwhile, you sit around calling me a kept woman."
She looked disgusted. "It's honestly gross how narrow-minded you are."
The classroom went quiet, then one boy finally spoke. "She's right. People ignore her success and call her names. It's pathetic."
"Only a mistress recognizes another," a girl added. "And these two? The type that give birth endlessly just to get upgraded to 'wife.'"
"Still, to be jealous, you need to at least have the right to envy," another girl said. "You're toads dreaming of being swans. Even a toad knows when to just admire from afar."
"Enough!" Girl One screamed, standing up. "Since when do you rats start defending her?! Mind your damn business!"
She turned to Maria. "And you! Stop acting like a saint! Are you seriously going to say you're not a kept woman?!"
Maria sighed and began fanning herself lazily.
"Well… I guess the truth is out," she said. "I am a kept woman."
She paused, smirked, and tilted her head.
"And the men keeping me? They're your fathers."
Gasps echoed.
"They said they wanted me to be their new wife. I refused. I didn't want stepchildren who looked like they chewed crayons for breakfast."
She gave them a look. "But now? I think I'd love to hear you calling me Mommy."
The class erupted in laughter.
Girl One lunged at her in rage.
Maria stepped back easily and raised her phone.
"Careful," she said. "I've recorded you. Every insult, every accusation. I could post it right now or send it to the school's disciplinary board. You know, the one working hard to wipe out all bullies and expose the chameleons who pretend to be decent."
She waved her phone like a weapon.
At that moment, the English teacher walked in—and the class snapped to attention.
Maria, however, didn't flinch. Her smirk stayed exactly where it was.
---
"Go sit down already," the English teacher snapped, slamming her book on the table. "You still have time to talk? Fine, let me ruin that for you. The results are out."
The classroom turned silent.
"Normally, only the classes that perform the worst are selected for military training. But because of the bullying incident, Grades 12 Class One to Class Twelve will all be going. Congratulations."
Gasps echoed around the room.
"But don't celebrate just yet. Class Three—you'll be staying extra time at the training facility."
Everyone in Class Three groaned.
"And don't forget your punishment for running around the school. You'll continue that during military training. Don't even think of escaping it. Even if you're not in this class, it applies to you too."
The students exchanged uneasy glances.
"And one more thing," the teacher added, her tone sharp. "You'll all head to the hall. Your full result sheets will be shown on the projector—your ranking among the entire grade, and your class rank. Below that, your total score and the school's judgment. And yes… we've intensified the system."
A cold chill ran through the room.
"Out of 250 students, those below rank 100 will be punished. They'll lose extra points, and attend five additional lessons. If they fail again—expulsion. Yes, even if it's your final year."
The shock set in.
"Those below rank 50 won't get any special support from teachers. But the workload? It'll stay the same. Keep failing, and your punishment increases. Those below rank 20—same treatment. No one's spared. Your lessons will double."
She looked around, eyes sharp.
"Understand? Meet us in the hall."
She walked out, leaving a heavy silence behind.
---
"F-Fuck…" one girl whispered, mouth wide open.
"So if you score lower, you get expelled… but if you do better, your risk of getting expelled increases?" a boy screamed, scratching his head. "What do they want from us?!"
"I think they're bluffing," someone muttered. "The worst they'll do is suspend us, right? I mean… what about Neo? What about Chloe? Or those hidden elites?"
"King! What about you?" another boy shouted toward the back of the class.
King, who was casually playing a game on his phone, looked up and smirked. "I don't understand why mortals fear punishment… I'm immortal," he said with a laugh.
"Idiot," Nick muttered. "Did you forget King is in the top ten? Did your brain get stepped on this morning?"
"Don't answer fools. Give them face and they think we're equals," King said coldly, locking his phone.
He turned to Flex, who was sitting stiffly, deep in thought. With a smirk, King slapped the back of his head.
"What's with the long face?" King asked.
"Are you insane?!" Flex snapped, holding his head and glaring at him.
King chuckled darkly. "Come. Let's skip class."
His friends grinned and grabbed Flex by the arm, gripping him hard as a silent warning to cooperate. They dragged him out of class, heading toward a part of the school with restricted access—a place most students were forbidden from entering.
Flex's heart pounded. This place… isn't it reserved for the school's top-level elites? His father had warned him before—"Never cross the power circles in the school. Especially those controlled by Mike and his friends."
The northern and southern territories belonged to Mike. The east was shared by lesser elites. And the west?
That was one man's land.
Yet King was leading him there.
King pulled out a card and swiped it, opening the door. Flex paled.
"Tsk. King is so kind. Letting you peek into the upper class," Nick sneered, then shoved Flex to the floor.
King sat down, legs crossed, watching with amusement. His lackeys entered and began kicking Flex, who covered his face, gritting his teeth.
"Stop," Nick finally said, crouching in front of him. "Apologize."
"Why should I?" Flex spat, his lips bleeding. He chuckled bitterly. "What's the big deal? At the end of the day, aren't you just his dog?"
SLAP.
Nick's hand cracked across his face.
Flex wiped the blood from his mouth. "I hit a nerve, didn't I? A barking dog, desperate to impress its master. You beat me, fine. That makes us equal, right?"
King raised a brow. "Equal? Who said I'm satisfied yet?"
He waved lazily. The beatings resumed.
---
Back at the hall...
The entire grade assembled, murmuring in dread. The principal stepped onto the stage, his face stone-cold.
"You've all heard the new policy. The reason is simple—you disgraced this school. You made this institution a target of public ridicule, and now you must face the consequences. Final year or not."
The students fell silent.
"Some of you think your families can save you. You're wrong. We've held meetings with them. We've implemented the rules. If your combined score isn't above 700, you will repeat the year."
The crowd gasped.
"We've removed every trace of malpractice. We've conducted investigations. These results—are real."
Suddenly, footsteps echoed on the stage.
Mike walked up the podium and leaned toward the principal's mic.
"Before you continue…" he said calmly. "Make sure this doesn't affect Maria."
The crowd stirred wanting to know what Mike was telling the principal.
"If her score is low—scrap the system. If she passes, then proceed. But don't stress her. Remove anything that would trouble her. Tell her to go upstairs."
Mike stepped down and scanned the crowd. His eyes found Maria, who was trying to dodge his gaze.
He smirked, touched his lips with his fingers, then winked at her before walking off.
The hall burst into shrieks and giggles from the girls.
The principal coughed awkwardly, turned to the head teachers, and whispered something. One of them nodded and quickly checked Maria's results.
The principal returned to the mic.
"Let us proceed."
---
The principal's voice was crisp. "Maria, go upstairs."
Maria stared, expression unreadable. The principal didn't flinch, only gestured again. She turned wordlessly and headed up.
As soon as she opened the door, thud—she walked right into a solid chest.
She blinked, stepping back, only to meet Mike's phoenix eyes, dancing with amusement. His lips curled, slow and lazy.
"Finally," he said, voice a velvet flame. Before she could react, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled—dragging her effortlessly onto his lap as he collapsed onto the velvet couch like he owned the air she breathed.
"You feel light. Too light," he muttered, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear with unsettling gentleness. "Don't you eat? Or is malnutrition your new aesthetic?" he teased, popping a slice of chilled mango to her lips.
Maria, caught between confusion and exasperation, opened her mouth to argue—only to feel the fruit press against her tongue.
Across the room, Jay, dressed too clean to look harmless, stared with a deadpan expression. A half-eaten strawberry dangled between his fingers, the other half still on his lip.
He chewed the rest slowly, watching the couple.
"…Why am I the only one facing this nightmare?" Jay muttered to himself. His eyes narrowed, and his fingers lifted casually, snapping a photo of the scene. "Continue your romance. Ignore me. Not like you already haven't."he said softly
Maria turned, startled, just as Mike leaned in and pressed a warm kiss to her cheek.
"he's just want to share the new with the other single dog ," Mike said lazily. "
"It's not like we're dating," Maria muttered, arms folded.
Mike gasped theatrically, resting a hand over his heart. "Wow. Maria, I never knew you were this heartless. How many times have we kissed now? You're sitting on my lap. My lap. And now you're denying me?"
He leaned in, lips near her ear, voice low. "Tsk. You wore your trousers once and forgot the beautiful night we shared? You're a playgirl now?"
Maria's lips twitched. She reached up and patted his head like a pet. "Stop pouting. You look like a bullied puppy."
Mike smirked, victorious.
Neo, who had been lounging with a soda, stood up, brushing imaginary dust off his jeans.
"A smart man knows when to retire." Hands in his pockets, he strolled toward the door with the grace of a lazy cat and the chill of a passing shadow.
Mike raised an eyebrow. "If it was the idiot Neo he'd still be sitting here trying to make jokes," he thought, amused.
Behind them, Jay's eyes glinted with evil glee as he casually hit send on the video he just took and powered off his phone.
Whistling as he walk out han din his pocket
---
Across the Ocean – Neo's Hotel Room
Neo had just shut his eyes after two straight days of work.
Ping.
His hand shot out with the precision of a sniper. When he saw the sender—Jay—he smirked.
"That idiot misses me already."
He tapped the video open.
Smirk faded. Then died. Face fell flat.
Mike. Maria. Cheek kiss. Lap.
Neo sat frozen for a second.
Then he slowly, very slowly, covered his face with a pillow and let out the kind of sound that would make a demon check on him.
"JAYYYYYYYY!!!"
He called—voicemail. Again—voicemail. Switched off.
"That evil bastard! I finally sleep and THIS is what I wake up to?!"
---
Back in the School Hall
"Enough noise!" the principal barked. The crowd quieted instantly.
"The results are being released now," he said, turning to the projector.
The screen lit up.
Cries. Gasps. Screams. Some collapsed, others stared wide-eyed.
Then—a thunderclap silence.
A name.
Maria – 12th in class. 20th in the entire school.
Heads turned slowly to Maria, as if seeing her for the first time.
Then—Kira.
15th in class. 25th in the school.
Even Jay, walking in like a ghost of chaos, blinked. "Huh."
A girl from the back screamed, "This is cheating! There's no way Maria beat Kira! She must've cheated!"
The spotlight slammed onto her. She froze like a rabbit.
The principal turned. Calm. Too calm.
"What did you say?" he asked, voice dangerous.
"I-I—"
"Excellent. Come to my office with your evidence. Let's talk. If you waste my time and can't prove your accusations, you'll be docked 20 points. If you fabricate anything, I'll personally see you expelled."
Silence.
"I—I'll just take the minus twenty…" she whimpered and ran out, sobbing.
Mike chuckled, watching Maria from upstairs through the tinted glass.
Jay, reappearing behind him with a drink in hand, murmured, "this is getting interesting he said chuckling
---