bethebee_

Yeli found herself in a world she never expected. Surrounded by the brightest minds, she felt like a flickering candle in a room full of blazing suns.  The Academy of Brilliance, a place she'd only ever seen in glossy brochures, was now her reality.  But she wasn't here for her academic prowess.  Yeli was a bit of a... well, let's just say she wasn't known for her brainpower.  In fact, she was pretty sure "dumb" was written on her forehead in permanent marker.

How on earth was she going to survive this?

Dumbest Star (English)

Avoid every club recruiter like my life depends on it.

Because let's be real—it kind of does. Everywhere I turn, there's another committee member in a polo shirt holding a clipboard of doom.

"Interested in Science Club? We have telescopes!"

I didn't know I was this popular until people wanted me for… brain stuff. Or limb stuff. Or whatever "potential" they kept seeing in me. If only they knew the only thing I excel at is surviving chaos and pretending I know what's going on.

I slipped into the hallway like a ninja, moving slow, holding a notebook up to hide my face. Maybe if they couldn't see me, they wouldn't sense the "dumb" aura radiating off me.

I was almost safe... just a few meters from freedom… until someone yanked my arm.

"Yeli!" Liora sniffed, her grip iron-clad as she dragged me down the hallway like I was a sack of talent she just picked up from lost and found. "Good news! We're doing a collab with the Media Club!"

My brain short-circuited. "Wait—what? I thought the play was over?!"

"It is. This one's a short film. Academy-level competition. And we need, well… you again."

Me again?! AGAIN?! Why do I keep getting drafted like I'm part of some acting military?! I wanted to crawl under the staircase and live there forever.

"Why me again?!" I croaked.

"Because apparently, you're the perfect representation of emotion," she said, stifling a laugh. "In short, your 'confused but cute' energy is cinematic gold."

I wasn't sure if I should feel flattered or violated. What even is 'confused but cute' energy? Is that a thing now?

I felt my soul leave my body. Honestly, at this point, my soul was probably already waiting in the media room.

When we arrived, it felt like walking into a full-blown production studio. Cameras, ring lights, boom mics—seriously, all we needed was popcorn. The media team looked too intense for people who probably just wanted to pass their elective.

And there, standing in the middle of it all, was none other than Kairo.

He was wearing glasses and holding a freaking script. He looks like he wanted a quit life but can't.

I shot him a look: Dude, us again?!

He returned it, blank-faced: I know. Just end me now.

The mutual suffering was real, huh?

Then the director stepped forward, clapping his hands like this was Hollywood. "You're Yeli, right? Great! You'll be playing the childhood best friend who secretly likes the male lead but pretends to hate him!"

I blinked. My brain took three seconds to reboot. "…Excuse me—secretly likes WHO?!"

Kairo raised his hand like he was being called to take the fall in a crime. "Apparently, that's me."

Oh, God! Why throw me again into a slow-burn fake romance with the top student while the entire school probably watches this film in homeroom next week?

And then, as if the chaos gods weren't done with me yet, River barged in.

"Yo, I heard there's filming. Count me in."

I froze. My whole body screamed in lowercase: no.

It would be a real chaos if he joined in.

"Oh, perfect!" the director beamed. "You'll be the mysterious transfer student who ruins everything."

Watdahel. Even him is part of this now?!

I swear, I could hear a faint dun-dun-DUUUN in the background, like a teleserye twist just dropped.

Operation: Avoid Club Recruiters