Atlas Performance/Arts

After a brief introduction, Ms. Park told Woo Young, "Thank you, Woo Young. Go and have a seat right beside Seok Ho." Woo Young then bowed to Ms. Park and his new classmates as he walked towards his seat and sat down beside Seok Ho.

Seok Ho then said, "You had a whole aura when you walked in, great intro bro." Seok Ho fist-bumped Woo Young as they listened closely to Ms. Park's words.

"Welcome to the start of an exciting new school year at the Atlas Performance and Arts School," Ms. Park began, her enthusiasm evident as she addressed the assembly. "Here, we are dedicated to nurturing your talents across a variety of disciplines. Whether your passion lies in acting, sports, music, visual arts, or any other creative field, you will find ample opportunities to explore and excel."

"Our curriculum is designed to provide you with a comprehensive education, balancing academic excellence with intensive training in your chosen areas. You'll be working with experienced instructors who are experts in their fields, each dedicated to helping you reach your full potential."

"In addition to your regular classes, we have a host of extracurricular activities and specialized workshops planned throughout the year. These will not only enhance your skills but also allow you to collaborate with your peers and learn from one another. We encourage you to participate actively and take advantage of these opportunities."

"This year, we are also thrilled to announce that scouts from various industries will be visiting our school. Representatives from top sports teams, renowned music labels, prestigious theater companies, and leading art galleries will be coming to identify and support emerging talent. This is a unique chance for you to showcase your abilities and potentially secure opportunities that could launch your careers."

"We understand that the journey ahead will be demanding, requiring dedication, hard work, and perseverance. But remember, you are not alone. Our faculty and staff are here to support you every step of the way. Make the most of this year, challenge yourselves, and don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zones. The skills you develop and the connections you make here will be invaluable as you pursue your dreams."

"Let's make this a memorable and successful year. Together, we will create, inspire, and achieve greatness. Welcome once again to the Atlas Performance and Arts School. Your future starts here!"

Everyone clapped at the little speech that Ms. Park gave them, and she then said, "Now I will give all of you 10 minutes to discuss and get to know each other." As she said that, she left the classroom.

Woo Young then told Seok Ho, "This school is much more interesting than I thought."

Seok Ho chuckled a bit as he said, "It is very interesting and cool. The best thing about this school is something you'll soon experience."

Woo Young then asked, "And what is that?"

Seok Ho then said, "Turn around."

Woo Young turned around and saw all of his classmates surrounding his desk.

Woo Young then asked, "Um, how may I help you?"

Everyone started to ask questions at the same time, "Where are you from? How old are you? Are you single?"

Woo Young then said, "I'd answer all of your questions if you wouldn't talk over each other."

Then everyone quieted down, and one girl asked, "Where are you from?"

Woo Young then answered, "I'm from South Korea, just like all of you, but I've lived most of my life in the States."

Everyone was impressed as Woo Young mentioned that he lived in the States.

Then one of his male classmates asked, "How old are you then?"

Woo Young said, "I'm 17 years old."

Seok Ho then said, "You're the youngest in the class, by the way."

Woo Young then said, "So everyone else is a year older than me?"

Seok Ho nodded to Woo Young's question.

One girl then asked, "Are you single?"

Woo Young then answered, "I'm not in a relationship, so yeah, I'm single."

Most of the girls cheered as Woo Young was confused.

Then the male classmates whispered to him and told him, "Be careful, Woo Young, these girls will only bother you from now on."

Woo Young then asked, "Why's that?"

Seok Ho then whispered to him, "I'm sure you experienced it this morning."

Woo Young then finally understood what they were warning him about and said, "Don't worry, guys, I'm prepared for that already."

Seok Ho then asked, "How will you handle it then?"

Woo Young then said, "You'll see, Seok Ho."

Woo Young stood up from his desk, stretching his arms. "I'll be going to the bathroom," he announced casually. As he stepped out into the hallway, he was greeted by a sight that made him pause—dozens of girls were lining up, their eyes locked on him with a mix of admiration and excitement.

He blinked, slightly bewildered. *Am I really that attractive?* he thought to himself, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Realizing he was trapped, Woo Young quickly retreated back into the classroom, shutting the door behind him. He turned to his classmates, looking somewhat sheepish. "Umm, can you help me out, guys?"

The boys, noticing his predicament, raised their eyebrows. "What do you need?" one of them asked.

Woo Young pointed towards the hallway. "I need to get through that mob out there."

The boys exchanged glances, letting out a collective sigh before deciding to help him. They opened the door and formed a barrier, allowing Woo Young to make a quick dash toward the bathroom. As he reached the bathroom door, he leaned against it, breathing heavily. One by one, his classmates joined him, their faces flushed from the chase as the girls swarmed the hallway behind them.

Once they were all safely inside, they locked the door, taking a moment to catch their breath. Woo Young looked around at the group, still panting. "Man, those girls aren't joking around," he said with a chuckle. "Thanks for the help, though. By the way, may I know your names?"

Kim Ha Neul grinned widely, stepping forward. "Hey! I'm Ha Neul. Nice to meet you, Woo Young!"

Next, Lee Hyun Bin gave a playful salute. "Hyun Bin here! That was a close one, huh?"

Park Sang Woo, leaning against the sink, nodded. "I'm Sang Woo. Good to see you, man."

Choi Kyung Min adjusted his glasses with a chuckle. "Kyung Min. That was quite the adventure."

Jung Dong Hyun clapped Woo Young on the shoulder. "Dong Hyun. We should do this more often!" he said, grinning.

Seo Ji Soo ran a hand through his hair, laughing. "Ji Soo. That was intense!"

Ahn Tae Min flashed a thumbs-up. "Tae Min. Thanks for the save!"

Kwon Jin Hyuk leaned in, still smiling. "Jin Hyuk. You're a lifesaver, Woo Young!"

Ryu Seo Jun nodded, still catching his breath. "Seo Jun. That was wild!"

Finally, Moon Hyun Sik shook Woo Young's hand, laughing. "Hyun Sik. Nice to meet you!"

Then, Seok Ho stepped forward, a smirk on his face. "And I'm Seok Ho, your best friend... not that you'd remember, right?"

Woo Young chuckled, playfully slapping Seok Ho on the back. "I'll never forget you, bro." They fist-bumped as Woo Young glanced around. "So, how do we escape this bathroom? Any plans?"

Hyun Sik's eyes lit up as he excitedly said, "I have an idea!" Everyone turned to him expectantly. "Let's use the vents!" he suggested, pointing up.

Ji Soo groaned. "Someone slap him."

Tae Min quickly gave him a light smack on the back, and Woo Young shook his head, laughing. "We might have to hurry up. We've only got about ten minutes before the next session starts."

Dong Hyun then chimed in. "We might as well face it and run through the crowd."

Seok Ho suddenly grinned. "Unless…"

Woo Young raised an eyebrow. "Unless what? Do you have a plan?"

Seok Ho's grin widened. "This might work."

Moments later, outside in the hallway, the girls started whispering among themselves. "Is he coming out? What's taking them so long? Class is about to start."

Suddenly, the bathroom door burst open, and Hyun Sik and Dong Hyun bolted down the hallway, the girls immediately chasing after them.

Meanwhile, the rest of the boys slipped out and ran back to their classroom, laughing as they narrowly avoided the mob. Ha Neul slung an arm around Seok Ho as they entered. "Thanks to your plan, we survived."

Woo Young, however, looked worried. "Are you sure Hyun Sik and Dong Hyun will be okay?"

Ha Neul waved off his concern. "Don't worry about those two. They're smart enough to dodge a bunch of girls."

Woo Young dropped into his seat with a sigh. "So, what's next? Classes, right?"

Seok Ho sat beside him, nodding. "Yeah, but today we've got PE."

"PE?" Woo Young repeated, surprised.

Jin Hyuk nodded. "Yeah, and it looks like we're playing soccer today."

Ji Soo groaned dramatically. "Oh no, it's happening again."

Woo Young was confused. "What's happening again?"

Sang Woo answered, his voice low. "The Freaks of the Sports Club."

Before Woo Young could ask more, Ms. Park entered the classroom, her gaze sweeping over them. "Are you all done with your ten-minute discussion?"

Everyone quickly returned to their seats, nodding. Ms. Park looked around, noticing something off. "Wait, where are Dong Hyun and Hyun Sik?"

Ji Soo quickly replied, "Ah, those two are still in the bathroom. They told me to let you know they'll be a bit late."

Ms. Park sighed but accepted the explanation. "Very well. Your first session is Math. Mr. Choi will be here shortly." She left the room, and Woo Young turned to Seok Ho.

"What's after Math?" he asked.

"English, Science, and Korean," Seok Ho replied. "It's going to be a long day."

Woo Young yawned. "Let's get through Math quickly. It's an easy subject, anyway."

Seok Ho looked skeptical. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"Why's that?" Woo Young asked, curious.

"You haven't met Mr. Choi yet," Seok Ho said ominously. "Just be on your best behavior."

Woo Young smirked. "Alright, alright, I'll be good."

Just then, the classroom door opened, and Mr. Choi entered with Dong Hyun and Hyun Sik in tow. His expression was stern as he commanded, "Everyone stand up!"

The class quickly stood, and Mr. Choi glared at them. "Who was fooling around with these two?" he asked, pointing at Dong Hyun and Hyun Sik.

Woo Young felt a pang of guilt. *They were threatened to spill the beans,* he thought. Mr. Choi continued, "If nobody admits to causing trouble, the whole class will be punished."

Woo Young couldn't let that happen. He raised his hand. "It was me, Sir."

The entire class turned to look at him, surprised. Woo Young took a deep breath. "A group of girls was chasing after me. I asked the boys for help, and they got dragged into it. Please don't punish anyone else."

Mr. Choi sighed, gesturing for Dong Hyun and Hyun Sik to sit down. "You said your name was Woo Young, right?"

Woo Young nodded, feeling the weight of his decision. "Yes, Sir."

"Meet me at the Teachers' office after class," Mr. Choi instructed. "Understood?"

"Yes, Sir. I'm sorry for causing trouble," Woo Young replied.

"Sit down," Mr. Choi said, his tone softening just slightly.

As Woo Young sat, Seok Ho leaned over, whispering, "Why did you do that?"

Woo Young whispered back, "I saved your ass, so keep quiet and let me handle the rest."

Hyun Sik discreetly tossed a note onto Woo Young's desk. Woo Young opened it, reading the scrawled message: *Thanks, man. I swear I'll pay you back.* He looked up to see Hyun Sik giving him a thumbs-up. Woo Young chuckled to himself. *I might actually have some fun in Korea.*

After a long, grueling Math session, Mr. Choi finally announced, "That's it for today. Remember to memorize the formulas and do your homework. Woo Young, follow me."

Woo Young stood up, following Mr. Choi out of the classroom. As they left, Kim Na Young, one of the girls in their class, approached the group. "Why did you guys get Woo Young in trouble?"

Seo Yeon added, "So you two were running away from girls instead of going to the bathroom?"

Dong Hyun quickly explained, "We were all in the bathroom at one point, but it was Seok Ho's idea for us to distract the girls so Woo Young and the rest could escape."

So Hyun shook her head. "Poor Woo Young. He got dragged into trouble on his first day here."

Meanwhile, in the Teachers' Office, Mr. Choi sat down at his desk and motioned for Woo Young to take a seat. "I'm guessing you're a transfer student, so you don't really know the school rules yet."

Woo Young nodded. "I'm aware of the school system and rules, Sir, but I got caught in a... tricky situation."

Mr. Choi raised an eyebrow. "And what was this tricky situation?"

Woo Young blushed slightly, feeling embarrassed. "It's kind of a personal one, Sir. I hope you won't laugh."

Mr. Choi's expression softened. "I've encountered a lot of situations. Go ahead."

Woo Young hesitated but then explained, "A lot of girls have been following me around, and I just wanted to get to the bathroom. The boys were only trying to help."

Mr. Choi leaned back in his chair, studying Woo Young for a moment before nodding. "I see. I understand that certain situations can be overwhelming, especially for a new student. But remember, Woo Young, you're responsible for your actions and the impact they have on others."

Woo Young nodded. "I understand, Sir. I'll be more careful from now on."

"Anyways, enough with the chatting," Mr. Choi said, a stern look in his eyes. "I have a class to catch up on, so stay here until lunchtime."

Woo Young's eyes widened in shock. "Until lunchtime!? That's like three hours away."

Mr. Choi's expression didn't change. "Well, that's the detention you're getting. You said I should punish you only, which means you'll take on the others' detention time too."

Realization hit Woo Young, and he grimaced. He had inadvertently extended his detention time massively. Mr. Choi gave him a cold smile. "I'll be going now. Don't even think about escaping."

The hours dragged on for Woo Young, who was left alone in the classroom. Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the detention period. He made his way to the cafeteria, where his friends were already seated.

Seok Ho looked up as Woo Young approached. "What happened to you? You didn't attend English, Science, or Korean classes."

"I messed up," Woo Young admitted, sinking into a seat. "I ended up with a massive detention."

Hyun Sik frowned. "I don't know what happened, but let's just hope he's alright."

Shin Ye Jin shot them a frustrated look. "It's all your fault that he got detention, and now you're just hoping he's alright."

Yoon Ji Woo, maintaining a composed expression, said, "Calm down a bit, Ye Jin. It's not like Woo Young's going to die from detention. I'm sure he's been released since it's lunchtime."

The Class 3-B students sat at one large table, discussing their upcoming PE session. Sang Woo sighed. "We're pretty much doomed for the PE session."

Ha Neul looked puzzled. "Why's that, Sang Woo?"

Tae Min interrupted, "We're playing soccer against 3-D."

Seo Jun's face fell. "Shit. We're up against the Freaks."

Hyun Bin shook his head. "I just don't understand how all the freaks from the Sports Club ended up in one class."

Kyung Min added, "They're delinquents who engage in fights and play sports."

The cafeteria buzzed with the usual lunchtime noise until the double doors crashed open with a deafening sound. All eyes turned as the notorious Kang brothers, Jae Won and Hyun Soo, stormed in, flanked by their intimidating friend, Oh Min Ho. The trio's presence cast a shadow over the room.

Without hesitation, they approached the Class 3-B table, where Hae Ri sat, visibly frightened. Jae Won leaned in, smirking. "Hey there, beautiful. How about you and I ditch this place and have some real fun?"

Hae Ri recoiled, clearly uncomfortable, her eyes darting for help. Kyung Min, resolute, stepped forward. "Back off, Jae Won. She's not interested."

Jae Won's expression hardened. In an instant, his fist struck Kyung Min's face, sending him staggering. The cafeteria erupted in gasps and whispers, but Min Ho and Hyun Soo quickly moved to block the rest of the Class 3-B students, ensuring no one could intervene.

Jae Won loomed over Kyung Min, who was on the floor, struggling to get up. "You think you can tell me what to do?"

Just as Jae Won raised his fist again, a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist mid-air. The room fell silent as Woo Young stepped into view, his grip firm and unyielding.

"That's enough, Jae Won," Woo Young said, his voice calm but edged with authority.

Jae Won wrenched his hand free, glaring. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Woo Young met his glare with a smirk. "I'm just the guy who's tired of watching you act like you own this place. You're all bark and no bite. How about we settle this like men… during PE?"

Jae Won's face twisted in anger, and he threw a wild punch at Woo Young. But Woo Young effortlessly sidestepped, dodging each blow with ease. "Is this all you've got?" he taunted. "I thought delinquents were supposed to be tough."

Jae Won, now red with rage, struggled to land a hit as Woo Young remained calm, his movements fluid. Finally, Woo Young stepped back, letting Jae Won catch his breath. "Save it for PE," Woo Young said, his tone almost bored. "Let's see if you're still so tough when everyone's watching."

The entire cafeteria watched in stunned silence. Jae Won's knuckles were white with tension, but he could only watch as Woo Young turned his back and walked away, his presence commanding the room.

As Woo Young exited, the chatter in the cafeteria resumed, filled with whispers of admiration and disbelief. The Kang brothers and Min Ho exchanged looks, their challenge clear. This was far from over. PE was going to be a showdown no one would forget.

*To Be Continued…*