(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
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As Rudra walked down the gleaming hallway,
The echo of his boots against the metal floor filled the silence—
Until a familiar, teasing voice chimed from behind.
"Leaving without saying goodbye?"
Rudra paused mid-step and turned slightly,
His brows twitching in mild disbelief.
"...."
Gwen Grayson stood a few paces away,
Her usual confident smile playing on her lips.
Her tone was casual,
But her eyes carried that same sharp curiosity that made Rudra realize—
She wasn't going to give up anytime soon.
He sighed softly.
Sigh~
"You've been following me for a while now, Gwen."
She folded her arms, smirking.
Smirk~
"Maybe I have. Or maybe I just like bumping into interesting people."
Rudra tilted his head, unimpressed.
"Right. Because tailing someone down the corridor is the best way to make friends?"
Gwen chuckled, unbothered.
Chuckle~
"What can I say? You're not exactly ordinary, Professor. I just want to know what makes you tick."
That earned her a long, flat stare from him.
Stare~
"...."
For a moment,
He looked like he might say something serious—
But instead, he rolled his eyes and exhaled through his nose.
Sigh~
"You really don't give up, do you?"
"Not when I'm curious."
He rubbed the back of his neck in mock defeat.
"Fine. Do whatever you want. Just don't get me dragged into trouble because of your curiosity."
"Trouble?"
She repeated playfully.
"With you around, I think I'll be fine."
Ignoring the smirk she gave him,
Rudra turned away and entered the third-year classroom.
The door slid open with a soft whoosh,
Whoosh~
And the room went quiet for a split second—
Right before Gwen, still standing in the hallway,
Raised her voice deliberately.
"See you later, Professor! Don't forget our little talk!"
she called out, her tone loud enough to reach everyone inside.
Every head in the room turned instantly.
"...."
"...."
"...."
The students exchanged shocked looks,
A few whispering excitedly.
Murmurs spread like wildfire:
"Did she just—?"
"Wait, Gwen Grayson? Talking like that to him?"
"Are they… you know…?"
"Forbidden Love between Professor and Student... Kyaa!!! Romantic..."
Rudra stood frozen at the doorway,
A vein twitching on his temple.
Twich~
"...."
With a resigned sigh,
Sigh~
He pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered under his breath,
"Great. Just what I needed—a new rumor."
As Gwen's laughter echoed down the hall,
Rudra made his way to his seat, ignoring the curious stares and knowing smirks aimed his way.
During the class...
As Rudra paced before the board,
His tone steady and instructive, he continued,
"Pushing your limits is the only way to truly strengthen both your body and your quirk. Endurance defines mastery."
Most students listened with quiet focus.
But at the far end of the room,
A few boys clearly had other priorities.
Hidden behind long desks,
They huddled together, snickering under their breath while pretending to take notes.
A faint glow flickered beneath the table —
The unmistakable light of a phone screen.
Rudra's eyes flicked toward them briefly,
"...."
But he said nothing.
He turned back to the board, continuing his lecture,
Though his tone grew slightly sharper.
The boys thought they'd gotten away with it.
One leaned in to rewind the clip, the
Other tried to snatch the phone back —
And in their silent scuffle,
The headphone jack popped loose.
What came next froze the entire room.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Moans~ Moans~
"Yes!.. tHats it... Faster... Faster!!!"
Moans~ Moans~
A wave of sound —
Unmistakable, loud, and deeply inappropriate —
Filled the classroom.
For three long, painful seconds,
The moans echoed off the walls before one of them fumbled to mute it.
Silence.
Pure, suffocating silence.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Rudra stood still, facing the board.
The chalk snapped in his fingers.
Slowly, he turned.
His shadow seemed to darken the entire front of the room as his gaze landed on the guilty pair.
Every other student stared in horror, unable to move or breathe.
Rudra walked forward —
Calm, deliberate, every footstep echoing in the quiet room.
He extended a hand.
The trembling boy handed over the phone.
Without a word,
Rudra squeezed.
CRASH!
The device crumpled in his palm, sparks flickering out.
The faint crackle of plastic and glass breaking punctuating the horror of the room.
He dropped the mangled remains onto the floor.
The air was so heavy that even breathing felt dangerous.
"...So,"
Rudra said finally, his tone icy and deliberate,
"while I'm here teaching you how to strengthen your quirks and bodies…"
He turned around fully,
His sharp gaze sweeping across every trembling student.
"…some of you decided to strengthen your hands instead?"
No one dared to laugh.
The two culprits looked like they wanted to sink through the floor.
Rudra stepped closer,
His voice lowering—
A predator's calm before the strike.
"You think this is a joke? You think this—"
He gestured at the crushed phone.
"—is what heroes-in-training do? In a classroom meant to shape the future of your world?"
The silence was absolute.
"...."
"...."
"...."
"Stand up,"
Rudra said coldly.
The boys obeyed instantly, their legs shaking.
"You two will clean every inch of this training hall for a month. And if I ever hear or see something this stupid again—"
He leaned forward slightly, his tone deadly calm.
"—I'll make sure your quirks are too exhausted to move your fingers for a week. Understood?"
"Y-yes, sir!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
They stammered in unison.
"This is Sky High,"
He said, his voice calm but heavy.
"Not a circus. If your minds are too weak to focus in class, I'll make sure your bodies remember discipline instead."
His eyes swept across the rest of the class.
"Anyone else wants to test how fast they can lose their gadgets?"
No one spoke.
No one moved.
"Both of you,"
Rudra said, his gaze never leaving theirs,
"will spend the rest of the month assisting the janitors. You'll scrub the training halls clean until they shine."
Rudra turned back to the board as if nothing had happened.
"Now,"
He said evenly,
"where was I? Right—limit training."
The rest of the class was so quiet,
Even the sound of chalk seemed deafening.
Ring... Ring...
As the final bell rang,
The students scattered, whispering among themselves about the
"Ra-One look" their teacher had given earlier.
Rudra gathered his notes, let out a quiet sigh,
And made his way back to the staff office.
The room was filled with the low hum of conversation —
Papers rustling, quills scratching, and the occasional thud of a chair.
A few teachers greeted him with nods or warm smiles as he passed.
Nod~
"Evening, Professor Ra-One,"
Said Mr. Medulla from behind a stack of chemistry papers, peering over his spectacles.
"Evening,"
Rudra replied, settling into his seat.
He rolled up his sleeves,
Pulled the second-year test papers closer,
And began marking them.
It was quiet work —
Almost meditative —
Until a soft knock interrupted the rhythm.
Knock!
Rudra looked up.
"...."
Standing at the door was Layla,
Her usual calm expression brightened by a touch of nervous excitement.
"Layla?"
He said, raising an eyebrow.
"Something you need?"
She stepped inside, fidgeting slightly.
"Um… actually, yes professor Ra-One. I came to invite you to my birthday party. It's tomorrow — at my house. My parents would really like to meet you."
Rudra blinked, clearly caught off guard.
"...."
"Your parents… want to meet me?"
Layla nodded quickly, almost too quickly.
Nod~
"Y-yes! They've heard a lot about you from me and Will. So, um… please come!"
Before he could respond,
She gave a small bow and hurried out,
Her hair swaying behind her as she disappeared down the hall.
Rudra sat there for a few seconds, processing the invitation,
Then slowly turned back to his papers.
From the other side of the desk,
Mr. Medulla looked up again,
His lips curling into a knowing grin.
Grin~
"Well, well… someone's getting invited to family gatherings now, huh?"
Rudra gave him a flat look.
"It's just a birthday."
Medulla chuckled, tapping his pen on the desk.
Chuckle~
"Sure, sure. I know... but I can't prove it."
Rudra rolled his eyes and went back to grading,
Though a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Who would have thought this big head professor would be funny type.
Just as Rudra was finishing another stack of papers,
The office door swung open without warning.
Thud.
He didn't even need to look up to know who it was —
The confident footsteps gave it away.
"You know,"
He said dryly, still marking the last page,
"most people knock before entering a staff room."
Gwen Grayson ignored the remark entirely.
She strode straight up to his desk,
Placed a notebook down with a soft thump, and slid it toward him.
Thump~
"I have a doubt,"
She said matter-of-factly,
Pointing at a page filled with neat handwriting and a few underlined words.
Rudra finally looked up, one brow arched.
The topic she'd highlighted read:
'The Mentality of Heroes — and How They Differ from Villains.'
"Didn't you ask this exact same question yesterday?"
He asked, leaning back in his chair.
Gwen scratched the back of her head,
Letting out a sheepish laugh.
Hehe~
"I… might have. But your answer yesterday was a bit too… philosophical. I want to understand it better this time."
Rudra's eyes narrowed slightly —
"...."
Not in irritation, but in quiet curiosity.
He could tell she wasn't here for an academic question.
Her tone, her expression… it was the same as before: half genuine, half probing.
He closed the notebook and placed it back on the table between them.
Nod~
"It's simple,"
He said calmly.
"A hero acts because he must. A villain acts because he wants to. One's duty defines him — the other's desire consumes him."
Gwen tilted her head, her smile faint but intrigued.
"...."
"So… you think it's about intent?"
Rudra nodded.
Nod~
"Intent, control, and the ability to draw a line — even when you have the power to cross it."
For a moment, the room was quiet.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Gwen studied him with those sharp, calculating eyes —
The kind that looked less like a student and more like someone dissecting a mystery.
Then she closed her notebook, gave a small smirk, and said,
Smirk~
"You really are interesting, Professor."
With that, she turned and walked out, leaving Rudra staring at the door for a moment —
Before shaking his head with a sigh.
Sigh~
"That girl,"
He muttered under his breath,
"is going to be trouble."
Across the room, Mr. Medulla, who had been quietly sipping his coffee, chuckled.
Chuckle~
"You just realized that now?"
Next Day...
The night breeze carried the faint hum of music and laughter.
Rudra stood at the edge of the brightly lit lawn,
Staring at the sprawling suburban house before him —
Layla's home.
Fairy lights draped across the porch railings, students mingled on the front yard with plates of snacks, and somewhere inside,
Someone was already singing off-key to the rhythm of pop music.
He adjusted the collar of his casual jacket —
No formal suit tonight, just a simple dark shirt and jeans.
He'd tried to look as friendly as possible,
Though his natural composure still made him stand out like a professional among teenagers.
As he stepped through the gate, several students turned, blinking in disbelief.
"Wait… is that—Professor Ra-One?"
"No way! He actually came?"
"Layla invited him?"
Their whispers rippled through the crowd.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Some froze mid-conversation,
Others awkwardly pretended to check their phones,
Unsure whether to greet him or stay quiet.
Rudra, ever calm, offered a polite nod to each greeting that came his way.
His presence alone seemed to bring a hush of order to the chaos.
He walked across the neatly kept lawn,
Passing a group of students clustered around a snack table.
A few girls whispered something and giggled.
Giggle~
One boy nudged another,
Muttering that maybe Layla had a thing for her teacher.
Rudra caught the comment but chose to ignore it,
His expression unreadable.
Reaching the front door,
He raised his hand and knocked —
But before he could, the door swung open.
Layla stood there,
Dressed in a soft green gown that matched her eyes,
Her hair lightly curled for the occasion.
The moment she saw him, her face brightened with genuine delight.
"Professor! You came!"
She said, her tone brimming with excitement.
Rudra smiled faintly.
"You did say your parents wanted to meet me. It would've been rude not to show up."
"Still,"
She grinned, stepping aside,
Grin~
"I didn't think you'd actually come. Come in — everyone's dying to meet you!"
As he stepped inside,
The chatter and music dimmed for just a moment.
As Rudra stepped into the house,
He was immediately surrounded by the warm buzz of chatter, music, and laughter.
The faint scent of vanilla frosting and candle wax filled the air.
Layla, clearly a bit nervous,
Guided him through the crowded living room,
Weaving past clusters of students and friends until they reached the main hall —
Where her parents, the Williams couple,
Were busy setting up the cake for the night's celebration.
"Mom, Dad,"
Layla said, slightly breathless,
"this is Professor Ra-One — the one I told you about."
Her parents turned, smiling warmly.
Mr. Williams, a tall man with silvering hair and kind eyes,
Stepped forward first, extending a hand.
"Ah, so you're the professor our daughter keeps mentioning,"
He said, his tone filled with genuine gratitude.
"It's a pleasure, Professor Rudra. Thank you for coming."
Mrs. Williams joined in, her smile wide and motherly.
"We've heard so much about you. Thank you for helping our Layla focus on her studies again. We were honestly beginning to worry — she used to spend all her time fooling around with her friend."
At that, Rudra chuckled softly and glanced at Layla,
Chuckle~
One eyebrow slightly raised.
"Oh, really?"
He teased, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Layla's face flushed bright red.
"Mom! Dad! Please—"
She groaned, grabbing her mother's arm as if to stop her from saying another word.
But her parents only laughed, clearly enjoying her embarrassment.
Mr. Williams continued playfully,
"She talks about your classes all the time, you know. About how good you are, how you push everyone to their limits — and she never miss a thing happening in the room."
Layla buried her face in her hands.
"I swear, they're exaggerating…"
She muttered under her breath.
Rudra only smiled, his tone gentle yet teasing.
"Well, it's good to know my reputation precedes me,"
He said, giving Layla a reassuring nod before turning to her parents.
"You've raised a bright daughter. She just needs the right nudge — and she's been doing well."
Mrs. Williams' eyes softened with pride as she looked at her daughter.
"That means a lot, Professor. Thank you."
Layla groaned again.
"Okay, okay, that's enough parent–teacher meeting for today,"
She said quickly,
Dragging Rudra toward the refreshment table while her parents chuckled behind them.
Taking a chilled bottle of apple juice from the fridge,
Rudra twisted the cap and took a long sip.
Hiss~
The sweetness mixed with the cool air of the room,
Helping him settle in among the noise of laughter and music.
The party was lively—
Colored lights blinked across the walls,
And a group of students were dancing in the center of the living room to a pop song blasting through the speakers.
There was still some time left before the cake-cutting ceremony,
So Rudra quietly found a spot on a large couch near the side of the hall.
From there, he had a good view of the students—
Some dancing wildly, others laughing as they filmed each other with their phones.
"...."
It reminds him of his friends Shiva, Ravi and Sandeep.
He leaned back, resting his arm casually over the backrest,
Watching the energy in the room with a faint, amused smile.
It felt strange but pleasant to see them like this—
So carefree, far from the training grounds and classroom pressure.
Every now and then, a few students sneaked glances his way, whispering to each other in disbelief.
"Is that really Professor Ra-One?"
One murmured.
"No way, he's actually here at a party?"
Another whispered, stifling a laugh.
Rudra didn't mind. He simply nodded politely at the curious looks, taking another sip of his drink.
Nod~
"...."
The music changed to a slower beat, and some couples started pairing up for a dance.
The colorful lights flickered across Rudra's face,
Catching a faint glint in his eyes as he watched them.
Just then, Layla came over, holding a plate of snacks.
"You look too serious sitting there,"
She said teasingly, handing him the plate.
"Try to relax a bit—it's a party, not a staff meeting."
He accepted it with a soft chuckle.
Chuckle~
"I am relaxed,"
He said.
"Just observing the chaos."
Layla smiled, sitting down beside him. "You really are like an saint sometimes, you know that?"
"Saint?"
Rudra raised a brow, amused.
"Careful, Miss Williams. I might assign extra laps for that comment."
She laughed, leaning back beside him as the music swelled again.
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(Author's POV)
(A/N):
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review!!! And power stone too!!!
Guys it will motivate me more?