By lunchtime, things had finally settled—though only because several teachers and faculty members stepped in.
Without their intervention, the whole building might have been overrun by students losing their minds over their idol's sudden appearance.
Who could blame them?
Alissa was a perfect 10. With her western features, plus the singing and dancing talent to match, she was every teenage boy's hormone-fueled dream girlfriend.
Even James's group returned to the classroom just to catch a glimpse of her, gawking like cavemen who had just spotted fire for the first time.
zzzzz
Daniel's phone buzzed under the desk. He glanced down and saw a message from the so-called goddess.
((Meanie! you've been ignoring me since I got here.))
A sly grin tugged at his lips as he typed back
(I just didn't want to get beaten up by your fans.)
((Not my fault the universe made me this lovable.))
Her humor almost made him laugh out loud, but he managed to hold it in.
They were actually friends when they were young because her mom worked at a hospital he often visited. They drifted apart when she moved to another country with her father at twelve.
Four years later, she returned—only to take the entertainment scene by storm.
After getting no reply, she sent another message:
((How about we meet after class?))
(That's even worse. If someone takes a photo of you with me, I'll be hunted by the whole country,) he responded with a joking emoji.
Daniel caught her stealing a glance so he threw a cheeky wink, making her blush and looked away.
She was probably wondering why he had suddenly grown so bold, unaware that he already knew about her feelings for him.
'I'm sorry, Alissa, but I can't be that innocent and pure guy anymore. I'm too old for that.'
Although the way he treated her now would be different, he still loved her just the same.
While the lesson went on, he found himself recalling things.
Next year, the world's mana concentration would begin to rise, ushering in an era of frequent supernatural phenomena.
But the change wouldn't be instant — it would take another three years before things spiraled out of control.
Eventually, the hidden groups would be forced to reveal the existence of mana and other systems of power.
Along with this revelation came the opening of their doors to the public.
Both him and Alissa belonged to the same batch.
He picked Magic Engineering. The course focused on developing new spells and magical artifacts, which was the perfect fit for him at that time.
Meanwhile, she studied Arcane Medicine and went on to become a Healer.
They became a couple after joining government agencies, but that peace was short-lived.
By 2035, the number of monsters had begun to rise, and healers like her were forced to the front lines. She died there, while he remained safe inside the city — a regret he carried ever since.
If only he had chosen a combat-related course, he might have been there to save her.
'No matter what happens, I swear I'll protect you this time.'
***
***
***
ring ring ring
When the bell rang signaling lunch, she barely made it out of her seat before the entire room closed in on her.
Desks scraped, chairs toppled, and students crowded around as if she were a magnet pulling them in.
"Is it true you're going to release a new single next month?" one girl asked, leaning over a desk.
"Do you really practice six hours a day?" another chimed in.
"Can you sign my notebook?" a boy shoved his book forward, eyes shining.
Someone else blurted, "Why did you even choose this school? You could've gone anywhere!"
The questions piled up one after another, no time to breathe between them. Alissa laughed lightly, brushing her braid over her shoulder.
"One at a time, please,"
She maintained her composure, though, when she heard the last question again. Her lips parted, and for a second she hesitated.
"Because… I knew someone here," she admitted.
That answer only made the whispers explode louder. Students glanced at one another, craning their necks, desperate to guess who she meant.
Daniel, the person in question, was already on his way to the back of the building.
Twelve students flanked him on both sides, each one working under James.
'Wow… real original,'
The whole setup was ripped straight out of a Korean manhwa.
But reality wasn't as forgiving as fiction.
The moment they stepped into a secluded area, Daniel didn't wait.
thud!
His fist crashed into James's jaw, sending the cocky student to the floor.
The other boys rushed him, but he dropped them in no time. There was no flashy fighting or back-and-forth because they were just a bunch of wannabe gangsters who sucked at fighting.
'I almost feel bad hurting these idiots,' he muttered, shaking his head before kicking another one. This one for staring at Alissa weirdly in class.
Casually, he strolled up to James, then grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked hard.
"I'm sorry!" he pleaded, unable to muster any strength for reasons he couldn't explain.
"Don't worry. I forgive you," Daniel just smiled. But behind that smirk was something far darker.
A thin thread of mana seeped into the bully's heart, wrapping around a vessel where a mark had been engraved.
By next year, it would slowly eat away at his health until he died of cardiac arrest.
"You should enjoy your life while you can." he slapped James's face playfully before walking away.