A few days had passed by. Today was Krakz Sport's Day. The morning assembly was cancelled. The students needed to gather in the classroom to fill in the attendance and to submit the remaining homework or any other pending assignments to their homeroom teachers before going to the field. Compared to the usual quiet days, today was a bit livelier and noisy.
Classroom 4A2.
The students chit-chatted and walked around happily. Anna sat idly near the window by stretching out her legs and folded her arms. Her fourth-row desk was arranged in a single order with no pair like the rest of the desks. Anna looked around at the noisy chatter sounds surrounding her and shook her head.
Student 1: See my trendy headband. The fur is soft. My mother bought it last week.
Student 2: No way! It's awesome! I want to touch it. Wow, the fur is so soft. Can I try it?
Student 3: Me! Me! I want to try it too!
A student rushed to the pair of female students sitting on the desk in front of Anna. The student dragged a nearby chair and joined their conversation. All these immature obsessions never missed Anna's eyes.
Tch, so childish! Talking like never seeing a headband…
This was not the first time Anna watched these types of scenarios. Anna rolled her eyes looking at these trio behaviours. She checked her wristwatch. It was 6.45 in the morning. It was still early. Unbearing to continue looking at them, Anna gazed outside the window. Her heart melted in the sun rising scene in front of her. The grass bed was shining from the lazily emitted sun rays. The translucent dews were clinging and dancing onto the green blades. The flying birds touched the grass before landing on the tree. One of the birds managed to catch the worm and flew back to the tree. It fed the babies in the nest. The chirping sounds of the birds were nice to hear in the early morning. Anna felt refreshed by just admiring nature. A smile curved on her lips.
" Hi, Anna! Morning! " Vani rushed to her seat. Her seat was beside Anna although their tables were separated. She took off her bag and hung it on the chair.
Anna turned around and extended the smiles at Vani. The morning nature scene still lingering in her mind. Anna was in a good mood.
Vani lifted her eyes and met Anna's eyes. Her crinkled unspoken smiling eyes made Vani froze. Anna's gesture of genuine and captivating smile was indescribable. Her crescent-shaped eyes made her look more charming with a ray of a sunshine smile. It was rare to see her smiling like this but whenever she smiled, it was breathtaking to take one's eyes from admiring this God's creation. Her layered shag hairstyle with full fringe covered her small oval shape face with pointed chin was being shined under the sun lights who started to peek through the windows. Her youthful look and charismatic aura made her look like a warrior angel who came directly from the comic book.
" Morning, Vani." Anna 's voice woke up Vani from a deep thought. " Hehe.." Vani grinned and scratched her head. She felt a little discomposed when she realised she was admiring her own friend's beauty. Anna raised her eyebrows with the suspicious-looking mood at Vani's weird action. Before she could ask her, a well dressed up young woman with a snake coiled bun on her head and a wide-brimmed glass covered her eyes entered the classroom. She placed the attendance sheet and an empty box on the table. She looked at the chaotic classroom and curved a gentle smile. She took a can from the drawer and hit the table. Her action gained the attention of the students who were rushing to their respective seats. Then the students stood up and greeted Ms Song.
" Good morning, Miss Song!! "
" Good morning. You can sit down now. " Ms Song raised her hands and signalled the students to sit down.
"I know you're excited today. Today is awaited Sport's Day. So, I don't want to drag much of your time. " After a pause, she continued, " When I call your name, please do stand up and drop your assignment into the box here. " Ms Song, the homeroom teacher of class 4A2 started to call students' names one by one before she finished ticking the attendance.
While adjusting her brimmed glass, Ms Song continued, " For those who are not able to hand over the assignment today, I'll deduct the daily points. However, I'll come to school tomorrow morning during the weekends. You all still have one more day to hand over your work...and, I'll deduct the points daily till you submit the work. Whoever collected the lowest points in quarter one, you'll end up signed for one week community service. Do note that. " Ms Song strictly reminded them.
"Anna... " Vani hissed to Anna in a low voice. Anna turned her head towards Vani and lifted her head like asking if anything matters.
" Luckily we'd submitted the work today... " Vani giggled while covering her mouth. Her eyes brightened like she had won one million dollars.
When looked at Vani's face, Anna did not want to kill her excited mood. She replied, " Yeah.. ", in a low voice with a joyous smile on her face. Anna also felt satisfied when her points stayed stagnant. Both eyes locked as they understood each other, and they curved smiles when they looked at each other again.
" I didn't bring it! Ahh…damn it! " a student behind Vani smacked his forehead while mumbling to himself. However, his voice was heard by others since the classroom was pin-drop silence at the moment. Only Ms Song's voice aired on top. Both Anna and Vani looked at him before they turned back and looked at each other. Their speaking eyes made them giggled.
" D-did you...did you just mock me? " the boy's weird expression showed he just caught the two girls in front of him teased him by giggling. " Oiii..this is embarrassing ", the boy messed his hair. He lost the pride in showing a good example in front of these beauties. Other girls and boys surrounded them giggled as well.
Their acts caught Ms Song's attention. " Danny, are you okay? " Ms Song's eyes noticed a worried student. " Nothing miss." The stout boy stood up. " I forgot the assignment miss. I'll bring it tomorrow. After listening to his confession, Ms Song replied, " Good to hear that." After a pause, she continued, " But I'll still deduct the point. No excuse. " The boy nodded in disappointment before sitting. As expected from a strict teacher like Ms Song.
After settling the attendance list and satisfied with the number of assignments in the box, Ms Song looked at the expecting youth faces in front of her. " Ok, class! You can go to the changing room now and change your clothes into sport attires or uniforms. Be ready. For those who're sick or forgot their uniforms or sports house shirts, please come forward now. For the rest of you, class dismissed! You can leave now! '' Ms Song gave permission to the students to leave the classroom and to proceed with the preparation for Sports Day activity.
" Yeah, it's almost time! Start to pack your stuff! " Vani hurriedly tidied her desk while adjusting her fringe hair strands and looking at the pocket-sized mirror.
" I have nothing to pack... I didn't open the bag at all from the beginning. " Anna stood up. She grasped her blue denim school bag pinned with various badges she got from her cadet uniformed body. In the standing posture, she stared blankly at her tiny friend. This girl was inseparable from her as she was always tagging with her no matter where she went in school. It seemed as if it was Vani's responsibility to be beside Anna all the time. It gave Anna a warmth feeling thinking this long curly hair friend was with her since her primary school years.
" You don't want to come? " Anna looked at her childhood friend who busied touch up her face before she started to walk. " Wait! " Vani pushed the chair towards the desk and grabbed her bag. She chased Anna, who was already walking towards the door.
Both walked towards the girls changing room. They changed into the cadet uniform and each took the matching beret bearing a red feather on top of it. Since Anna's hair was short, she did not struggle much and successfully pinned the beret on top of her head. Vani struggled with her long curly hair. She bundled her hair into a ponytail with bang sets and lots of pins before the beret stood fixed on her head. Vani looked at Anna who was getting ready beside her. The uniform self-imposed Anna's hourglass figure and she looked like a stylish and elegant teenage girl at her age. At some point, Vani smirked and felt envious towards Anna.
They headed to the field to join their team. Their school norms were to have uniformed body marching competition for the opening ceremony prior sports activities. Each uniformed body could send up to 2 teams to participate in the marching competition. Anna's Team 4 and Team 2 from police cadet uniformed body were among the teams being selected. Now, all the teams from various uniformed bodies were preparing their positions in the middle of the field.
" Is that Anna? What's so special about her? Besides her figure, she has nothing else in her! " Wei Xuan mumbled to Reena while fanning herself with a floral folded fan.
" You're right. " Reena responded in a soft teasing voice. She stood proud while crossing her arms examined her rival.
Among the other students, Reena stood gracefully there. She stole the spotlight. She was like the school princess. Other students already envied her perfect status; a rich family background, good education and a good figure with flawless skin. This perfect model figure is admired by many boys. But her eyes only captured one teenage boy. Steven. Previously, she liked Li Cheng but since this new boy transferred here last week, her heart melted. Not only her, but the other girls also attracted to him.
" Look! It's Steven! " other girls around Reena shouted when a tall, masculine boy with radiating light skin tone entered the field with his friends. Reena and Wei Xuan were standing among the crowd of students outside the sports house tenants built for each four colour of houses; blue, green, red and yellow. They were watching the opening ceremony. Some of the students who were getting ready for sports competition in the open tenants came out and watched the rumoured handsome boy who recently transferred to their school.
" Steven! Steven! Steven! " The girls shouting non-stop at him. Reena looked at him intently and smiled coyly. Anna, Vani and other students from marching group turned their head and their eyes searched for the source of loud sounds coming from. When they saw a group of teenage boys walking into the fields, the marching students who stood in unmoving coordination mumbled to each other. Other students surrounded them could hear them too.
Marching female student 1: Wow, he's handsome!
Marching female student 2: Yaa, he looks good…
Marching male student 3: Tsk tsk.. is none of us here handsome?
Marching female student 1 and 2: Nah…can't compare with him…
The students gossiped with each other while standing in the resting position. Vani and Anna heard them too. However since Vani stood in the front line and Anna stood at the last line, Vani could not share her astonishment with her best friend. She ended up nodding with the other girls while admiring the tallboy approaching the middle field.
Anna also lifted her head and looked at the so-called handsome boy.
What? He? The one I saw yesterday?
While Anna recalled back the boy's sharper and captivated gaze at her yesterday, she compared the image in her mind with the boy walking towards the marching groups.
Omg, he's the one! But why was he staring at me like that yesterday? It felt creepy...
Anna's deep thought made her eyes locked with the boy's eyes who already realised the girl had been staring at him for a long time now. Her curious eyes made Steven's sights deepened at her and he did not move his gaze away from her.
No...not again?
Anna frowned and felt uneasy with his expressionless and cold gaze. She felt a chill run down her spine again. Her heart skipped a beat. To her surprise, he was walking towards her. Anna's eyes darkened and she felt suffocated and constrained.
Am I mistaken? H-he's coming in this direction?
" Ok, cadets! Be ready. Opening ceremony is going to start soon! We'll begin the march after the Red Crescent Society marching group starts to move. " Charlene Choi clapped her hands to gain attention from her team towards her before reminding them.
While walking in the middle of the field passed through the sports house tents and various marching groups on his left side who kept on cheering towards him, Steven's eyes caught the same figure he confirmed yesterday. She looked at him prior turning her head back to the front after Charlene Choi commands aired. Steven's stoic and cold expressionless face showed he did not bother at the cheers and praises thrown towards him. His intention was to walk towards the stage situated at the other corner of the left side of the field. But he could not help himself to not walk towards the girl who was staring at him for a longer time. He wanted to capture her face in his mind in a close range. So, he ended up walking towards her and passed through the marching groups who were facing towards the stage and their backs were facing Steven. His cool aura while walking accompanied by other teenage boys with serious faces made the crowd in the open tents area and others ended up jaw dropped at the admiring scene of a bunch of teenage handsome boys walking steadily in front of them.
Two weeks ago.
" Young master Chan, all ready. " Butler Kim prepared all the stuff needed for Steven Chan Jinhan to be transferred to Krakz school after visiting Benta schools for one week. He also handed over his duty to his trusted and reliable right hand man, junior butler Choo to take care of the house temporarily in his absenteeism. Although it was last year for Steven Chan to complete his high school education before leaving for study abroad, he determined to extend one more year in the excuse of gaining new experience in local school just to complete his mission this year.
" Butler Kim… how many times do I need to remind you to call me Steven only. Don't include family name. I don't want my identity being exposed there. " Steven Chan glared at butler Kim when he prepared to carry his laptop bag.
" Y-yes, young master Chan..no no, young master Steven!" Butler Kim screwed this time. He patted his head while bowing down. He tried to hide his nervousness in front of his young master who could get angry any time. Once his anger exploded, none of them could escape being tortured by him until his anger subsidised. There was one time a new young female maid accidentally broke an antique vase gifted by his late grandpa Chan Guhan. Steven Chan who just turned 15 years old that time got angry and punished the maid to make hundreds of porcelain pottery for one week in their farming estate in a remote village. One could see how exhausted and lost weight the young girl when she returned and voluntarily resigned her maid job. Her fingers got dirtied and calloused by touching the clay. She landed up being tortured as a sculptor girl. There were a lot of weird punishments that had been tasted by the servants from their peculiar minded young master Chan.
" No worry butler Kim. I'm not angry. Why being nervous? Just practice more before reaching there. " Steven's mind occupied with other things and he did not mind to bother the carelessness shown by butler Kim. Butler Kim sighed and after collecting his courage, he spoke his words while carrying the luggages with other servants while silently tagging behind Steven Chan. " Young master Steven… should we notify Madam about your new school? "
Steven Chan stopped walking. His eyes darkened. With a firm voice, the 18-year old boy replied coldly "No need. I know when to notify her. If I get to know anyone who exposes my minute activities to her, you'll get 'generous rewards' from me." Steven smirked cunningly before he fastened his steps towards the Mustang car. Butler Kim gulped his saliva and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He placed all the things in the cars parked in lines behind their master car with the help of servants. Alongside with butler Kim, a few servants followed young master Steven Chan to town Krakz located in a different state. The Mustang car sped off followed by a few luxurious cars in a lavish style leaving behind Chan mansion and city L.