Episode 7

The weekend is finally over. A new Monday morning in school awaits.

“Phew…I thought I was late again.” Veena sighed in relief as she took a seat. There are still a few minutes until classes start.

“Did you finally memorize the way to the classroom?” Shion asked, relieved that her new friend didn’t get lost again.

“Barely.” Veena said then she let out a long sigh

“So? Who’s the last student we need to recruit?” Angi finally asked the main question, so Veena took out a copy of the list of the recommended students from her pocket. The three friends looked at the list and found out-

“Luke Prince.” Veena said out loud

“I don’t know this guy. Maybe he’s an upperclassman?” Shion wondered while Angi nodded her head to agree

“I think so…” Veena folded the list and then put it back into her pocket

“Okay, class is about to start. Take your seats.” Ms. Harley finally arrived and then started taking attendance. Shion and Angi returned to their seats, leaving Veena with her seatmate. ‘Huh… school started weeks ago, and I haven’t gotten a chance to know my seatmate.’ Veena thought as she looked at her seatmate whose bangs were almost covering his eyes. The attendance checking is still going on.

“Luke Prince.” Ms. Harley said that made Shion, Angi, and Veena pay more attention to their teacher

“P-present.” Shocked, Veena couldn’t believe her eyes when she heard her seatmate finally speak.

Her seatmate is Luke Prince

The last student they need to recruit is her seatmate.

“What?!” Veena suddenly stood up, surprising everyone in the classroom.

“You! Over there! Sit down.” Ms. Harley angrily ordered.

Then class started. But Veena wasn’t paying attention in class at all. Instead, she kept on looking at her seatmate.

‘Just wait until Recess comes. I will definitely recruit you.’ Veena thought with eyes as if she were looking at her prey. Luke noticed her piercing gaze and gulped in nervousness.

‘Let’s meet during club time; don’t look for me during recess and lunch. I have something to take care of. See you!’ Ayumi kept repeating the words she saw when Veena sent her a text. Ayumi was about to head over to Veena's classroom because it was recess time, but when her phone buzzed because she received the text, she stopped halfway and turned back to her own classroom. Such a shame; she even packed and prepared sandwiches to share with Veena since it’s her favorite, but she can’t believe that-

“Pray tell, who told you to touch and eat my sandwiches?” Ayumi said to Bleex, who was busy chewing the sandwich as if it was his own. Iori, who was Ayumi’s seatmate, certainly saw a vein that could pop out any second in Ayumi’s forehead

“What? Friends should share. Besides, Iori is eating a piece, too. Don’t be stingy, Kitt- Ayumi.” Bleex replied as he gulped down the food. Upon hearing this, Iori almost choked on the food, and Ayumi is nearing to lose her last bit of patience since Bleex almost called her kitten again.

“That’s because I, who prepared the sandwiches, willingly offered it to her, unlike you who just grabs a piece like you own it. I swear, where was the guy who screamed his lungs out because of a-Hmmph--“ Ayumi didn’t get to finish her sentence because Bleex deliberately shoved a sandwich into her mouth. ‘This crazy flirt!’ Ayumi thought but then felt guilty because she had almost spilled Bleex’s secret with Iori around.

“Now, now. Enough of that and eat. Classes will start soon.” Bleex said, then he drank water from his tumbler

“Huh… I didn’t know you two became so close in a short period of time. One date must have a lot of happenings.” Iori finally said her thoughts out loud as she observed Ayumi and Bleex.

“A deal is a deal, of course. By the way, where’s the student council president?” Ayumi asked, Soon after, Iori was the one whose vein was ready to pop out.

“Don’t mind that goofball. Pretty sure he’s somewhere in a ditch, surprising girls with his weak presence again, dumping all the student council work on me when I clearly just told him there are files needed to be reviewed and checked.” Iori said with a sinister smile while crushing her soda can in her hand. Ayumi can’t help but worry for Jin’s safety as he pisses off Iori yet again.

Ayumi wondered about Veena’s text again, hoping her best friend didn’t stir up trouble again.

Meanwhile

“Join our club!” Veena slammed her hand at her seatmate’s desk, startling Lucas, who’s been sitting at his seat since he couldn’t get away due to Shion and Angi blocking his every way.

“Well, that was straight to the point.” Angi said as she facepalmed. ‘She could have said it more gently, though.’ Angi thought

“Sorry about this, Lucas.” Shion said as she looked at Veena as if she were saying, ‘Tone it down, you’ll scare the poor guy’

“Well? Yes or yes?” Veena said as she leaned closer to Lucas. Her eyes look like they're burning with fiery passion. Shion and Angi could swear they heard a small shriek from Lucas.

“O-okay.” Lucas replied, fear clearly visible in his trembling voice. Shion and Angi are still shocked that Veena’s approach actually worked. AWU Alliance is officially not at risk of disbanding as all the recommended students have been recruited.

At the same time, during recess…

“I can’t believe you gave the last bun to that bastard.” Shin said as he pouted at Eru, pointing his finger at Ze

“You dimwit. In her defense, you ate almost all of the dozens of buns Eru bought with MY money.” Ze said, rolling his eyes as he took a bite from his bun.

“I’m sorry, Shin. How about I make it up to you with handmade cookies? How’s that sound?” Eru said with a pleading look, which Shin found adorable. Then he slowly nodded to agree.

‘I hope they’ll explode’ Ze’s only thoughts as he cursed his third wheeling and for the first time he wished that classes would start soon.

*RING! RING! RING!* and that marks the end of classes this Monday.

“And there’s the bell, I’ll end the lesson here. Be sure to pass your assignments on time, and the quiz will be on Friday.” Miss Harley told her students, who immediately gave out a complaining sigh that earned Miss Harley’s glare. When she exited her room, the students prepared their things to go home or to have their respective club activities.

“Finally! We’re done and over with the classes. Miss Harley is really not making it any easier. I mean assignments and a quiz? Really?” Bleex whined as he stretched out his arms then Ayumi smacked him on the head. “Ow!”

“Quit complaining and start getting ready. We have a club, remember?” Ayumi gave Bleex an intimidating smile. Bleex quickly picked up his bag and rubbed his head to see if there was a bump.

Seeing those two, Iori still wonders how they’ve gotten close in a short period of time. And before Iori could forget, she grabbed Jin’s collar from the back and yanked him to her. It seems Jin is planning to escape his duties again, seeing that he’s trying to sneak off from Iori, but sadly, he fails. “Hi Iori.” Jin innocently greeted her.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Iori asked him with a sweet smile albeit threatening.”Uhh…” When Jin was about to answer, Iori dragged him away by his collar. “I have enough of your antics so I’ll just drag your pretty ass to the student council room.” The two student council officers exited the classroom. Ayumi and Bleex saw the whole thing. ‘Poor, Jin. My condolences’ is what Ayumi thought, and all Bleex thought is that ‘Sheesh. Why are the girls from my class so violent? Pretty but violent.’

And so, the third-year members of the AWU Alliance headed to their clubroom.

In the clubroom, the second-year members who arrived first were Shin, Eru, and Ze.

“Huh, we’re the first ones here.” Eru said when she opened the door to their clubroom. She thought Ze would make a loud entrance again, so she hurriedly opened the door before Ze would kick it open.

“Sh*t, I’m hungry.” Shin complained as he took a seat, rubbing his belly that was loudly growling right now.

“Dude. What in the actual f*ck is wrong with you? You ate a lot, A LOT, during recess and lunch time. I even gave you a snack before we headed here.” Ze sighs in disbelief and takes his seat, too.

“Damn you! If I’m hungry, then I’m hungry, so that’s that.” Shin said as he slammed his hand on the table.

“Both of you, calm down and let’s wait for the others. Please don’t fight, okay?” Eru said as she took a seat and prayed that the others would come soon before the two boys would go on a full-out brawl.

Minutes passed then the door opened as the third-year members arrived. Eru stood up ‘At Last!’ she thought.

“Hey guys! Thanks for waiting. Here’s the new addition to the club, Bleex Edward.” Ayumi introduced Bleex as Bleex nodded to them.

“Welcome here!” Eru cheerfully said to Bleex

“Hmm… a ‘B’ huh.” Bleex mumbled to himself as he stared at Eru

For some reason, Eru suddenly felt goosebumps.

“So, the first years are still not here yet? Also, thanks for opening the door.” Ayumi said as she took a seat. Eru, Shin, and Ze looked at each other as they heard Ayumi. ‘The door?’

Bleex also took a seat beside Ayumi. The clubroom is pretty much consisting of a blackboard, a long table and some chairs like a meeting room. The seating arrangements right now are Shin, Eru, and Ze, and across from them is Ayumi and Bleex. The first years are taking so long, so Ze lends out his hand to Ayumi which she understood Ze’s intention.

“Yes, yes, the cats. Wait a sec.” She pulled out her phone and lent it to Ze so he could see the pictures.

“Damn! They’re so cute! Send me the pictures, Ayumi.” Ze said as he bore his eyes to the picture of Ayumi’s cats. The whole situation surprised the remaining three in the room, namely, Eru, Shin and Bleex. ‘So, the Mad Satan of the school actually has a soft spot for cats?’ all three of them thought and are still utterly flabbergasted.

“The first years are very late.” Eru said after minutes passed and the first years still haven’t arrived yet.

Ayumi nods to agree to this, and she definitely knows the reason. When she was about to say the reason, Ze beat her to it and said, “It’s definitely because Veena has a trashy sense of direction. Although Shion and Angi are with her, they might lose Veena as that girl always goes off on her own, and it’s beyond hopeless to the point it’s pitiful.”

“The first-year members are all girls?” Bleex asked as he propped his hand to his cheek. Meanwhile, Shin had already dozed off in his seat. Ayumi immediately made a disgusted look at Bleex

“That’s your concern?” Ayumi asked, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

“What? It’s an honest question.” Bleex shrugged, and Ayumi wished to wipe off the smug face off of Bleex. ‘Ayumi is a C and Eru is a B, I wonder what the others will be?’ Bleex thought and was excited to see the rest of the members of the AWU Alliance. Eru and Ayumi suddenly had chills.

Then, for who knows how long, the door opened, and the first years arrived at last.

“We’re here!” Veena cheerfully said as she entered the room. Shion and Angi followed her with tired faces.

“I should have taken Ayumi seriously when she said you have a trashy sense of direction.” Shion said to Veena

“Thank you for opening the door for us.” Angi said as she took a seat next to Ayumi

‘It’s the door again. But none of us opened the door?’ Eru wondered and shook her head in disbelief. She tapped Shin’s shoulder to wake him up.

“You’re late. Very late.” Ayumi said to Veena, knowing it’s Veena’s fault. Veena flinched in fear when Ayumi sweetly smiled at her. ‘Oh no, she’s mad.’ Shion and Angi nervously thought.

“I’m sorry! But I have a surprise.” Veena said as she walked out of the room

Ayumi wondered what the surprise was, and it better be good.

When Veena burst open the door, she entered the room while dragging someone in

“Here, Ayumi! A surprise and an apology gift.”

Ayumi couldn’t believe it.

“Meet Lucas Prince! The last recommended prob- I mean student in the list.” Veena proudly said.