Drawing Lots

Part I

Two figures move down the wide, concrete avenues of Bonifacio Global City.

They are both tall, young men.

The one on the left glides in silent, effortless strides.

His posture impossibly straight, his dark eyes fixed ahead, and his sharp, standout profile makes him impossible to ignore.

Beside him, his equally tall companion oozes a completely lax, half-asleep energy.

With his tie hanging loosely around his unbuttoned collar, his school blazer lazily draped over one shoulder.

He drags his uniform shoes along the pavement, hands shoved deep into his pockets while letting out a wide yawn.

"Honestly, man,"

Khyle drawls, rubbing his eyes and adjusting his strap.

"I will never understand you."

"Hmm?"

"..."

"Your family is rich,"

"So Why do you even bother waking up at dawn to walk and commute half the city when you could literally be driven here in a luxury sedan?"

"..."

Renz didn't reply.

He simply increases his pace, putting distance between himself and Khyle's endless chatter.

"Hey! Wait up! Dude! I'm asking a serious lifestyle question here!"

They reach a busy pedestrian crosswalk,

Stopping at the red light alongside a group of female students from a neighboring high school.

The moment the girls notice Renz, the air instantly changes.

Whispers breaks out instantly.

"Wait... look at him..."

"Is he a model? He's so ridiculously tall!"

"Look at his face... oh my gosh, he's so handsome..."

"He looks like a prince!"

"Look at his uniform— isn't that from the famous academy?"

"The guy next to him isn't bad either, oh my gosh! They are literally my type!"

The moment a few hushed compliments float in his direction, Khyle's ears perk up.

He flips his hair, flashing a dazzling 100-watt smile, and leans toward the group.

"Careful, ladies— staring that hard might just burn a hole right through me."

"The world isn't ready to lose a national treasure this early in the morning."

The girls' admiring expressions instantly freeze.

A heavy, awkward silence drops over the crosswalk.

"But hey, I don't blame you, it's not every day you get a view this good for free."

"Though if you want a closer look, you're always welcome to ask for my number—"

"Ah... um... I think we should go..."

One girl stammers, her eyes wide with visible discomfort,

Completely weirded out.

"Yeah... the light is turning green... let me go first..."

Another mutters politely, nodding her head, before the whole group scurries away across the street.

Khyle stands frozen on the curb, his dazzling smile slowly decaying into a tragic, hollow stare.

As they cross the street, Khyle hangs his head low, his feet dragging across the asphalt.

"Unbelievable. Cold-hearted. Absolutely ruthless."

"You bring it to yourself,"

Renz sighs, his voice flat.

"If you continue acting like that, you will die without ever finding a girlfriend."

Suddenly, a sharp smirk breaks across Khyle's face, looking up with a look of supreme triumph.

"That's where you're wrong, because I do have a girlfriend."

For a fraction of a second, Renz's stoic self completely shatters.

His steps freeze.

His dark eyes widen in genuine shock,

But almost instantly, his expression snaps right back to a deadpan, blank glare.

"I see,"

Renz says calmly, pulling out his phone.

"Did you threaten her? I am calling the authorities before you commit a serious crime."

"HEY!"

Khyle yelps, lunging forward, trying to swat Renz's phone.

"What kind of monster do you think I am?! That is incredibly cruel coming from my supposed best friend!"

"A realistic assessment,"

Renz replies, before sliding his phone back into his blazer.

"She confessed to me!"

"On the very first day! She looked into my eyes and declared her feelings,"

"..."

"Ahh~ I still remember it. My heart was so deeply moved that we officially became lovers right then and there!"

Renz blinks.

"The first day? Bro, you know lying is bad. It's embarrassing."

"I am not lying!!"

Khyle protests furiously.

"It was real! Pure, unfiltered romance!"

Renz sighs softly, rubbing his temples as if a headache is forming.

"Fine... And how are things going between you two now?"

The moment the question hits the air, the color completely drains from Khyle's face.

The triumphant aura instantly vanishes, replaced by a dark, gloomy cloud.

"About that..."

Khyle mumbles, staring at his shoes.

"We broke up..."

"..."

"You broke up in seventy-two hours?"

"No..."

"Forty-eight?"

"..."

"Twenty-four..."

Khyle speaks in a hush tone.

"Technically... it was eighteen hours if you don't count the time we were sleeping."

Renz pauses.

Then, with absolute calm, he reaches out and gently places his hands on Khyle's shoulder.

A faint, unnervingly gentle smile touches his lips.

"I'm glad,"

Renz says, his tone soft.

"The girl saved her own life."

Khyle turns, completely pale, looking like a hollowed-out ghost.

"Are you... are you really my best friend?"

Renz turns toward Khyle, his usual stoic mask softening into a genuinely gentle expression.

Extending an open hand, he helps him back up to his feet.

"Come on,"

Renz says softly, as they face the massive gates of the academy.

"School is about to start. Let's go inside."

Part II

When Sarah and I walk through the classroom, we are greeted by the sight of a small crowd gathered around the third row,

At the center of the commotion is Khyle, staring down at his desk with a look of dramatic despair.

"Gahhh— That's so cruel."

Sarah who is standing behind me noted.

It was honestly so evil,

Someone has taken a thick, black permanent marker to his table.

Heavy, aggressive doodles of skulls, crossbones, and jagged broken hearts cover the surface,

Accompanied by threatening warnings, and letters saying,

"Stay away from my sister, Alcaraz!"

"If I see you near Beatrice again, you're dead meat."

"It's a tragedy,"

Khyle groans, clutching an open black Sharpie in his hand.

"My reputation as a top-tier boyfriend is dead!"

"You dated her for eighteen hours,"

Renz says flatly.

"We didn't even break up!"

"It's just a temporary cool-off!"

"So she ghosted you."

Without even looking up, Renz slides into his seat across the aisle.

His desk, in stark, insulting contrast to Khyle's, looks like a high-end French patisserie boutique.

A mountain of glossy, custom-wrapped boxes, premium ribbons, and hand-written letters from his upperclassman are stacked neatly in the corner.

With no single shred of remorse, Renz reaches into one of the premium boxes.

He unwraps a flawless, gold-leafed luxury macaron and pops the entire thing into his mouth.

"Wait, Beatrice?"

A guy in the front row whispers,

"You mean Beatrice Del Rosario from Section B? The famous varsity captain's younger sister?"

"Yeah, her!"

Another student nods.

"Her cousins are in the college department—and one of them is a star player on the college varsity team!"

"..."

"Come to think of it, I heard one of them found out she was crying in her room the other day."

A girl nearby giggles behind her hand, casting a pitying look at the ruined desk.

"Poor girl, her cousin must had been so furious when he saw her upset."

Khyle sweats, his face turns pale.

"Honestly, He is lucky it was just his desk,"

Another student chimes in with a quiet smirk.

"Yeah, I bet If he steps foot near the college building, it's going to be a swift execution."

"No, it would probably start with some basic tortures first."

Yikes,

Across the aisle, Renz chews his luxury macaron.

Comepletely unbothered.

He swallows slowly, his dark eyes staring blankly at Khyle's vandalized wood.

"You know... I think you should probably start wearing a helmet to school from now on,"

"Renz! My brother! My absolute anchor!"

Khyle cries out, glaring at Renz's box-laden desk with sheer envy.

Desperate, he reaches wildly across the aisle, boldly snatching two of the glossy, ribbon-tied gift boxes right off Renz's pile,

Stuffing a handful of gourmet chocolates straight into his mouth.

Ughh... Now that's a sight,

"Munch, munch, Don't you dare stop me!"

"This is honestly so unfair!"

Renz sits in complete silence, his dark eyes staring blankly ahead,

Entirely unbothered as Khyle aggressively devours his treats.

"Oh, poor Renz..."

A girl in the second row whispers, placing a hand over her heart with deep pity.

"He's way too patient,"

Another student sighs sympathetically.

"Imagine having your gifts stolen by a guy who just got dumped after eighteen hours."

"Renz truly is a saint."

Another girl murmurs, glaring harshly at Khyle.

"How pitiful... Does he have no shame?"

"Nghh, Shut-up—"

Before Khyle can even defend himself, the classroom door swings open.

"Hmmm? What's with all the commotio—"

Her sharp, critical eyes sweeps over the room, landing instantly on Khyle standing over his ruined desk with a sharpie in his hand.

"Mr. Alcaraz,"

Her voice echoing coldly through the classroom.

"Vandalizing school property before first period even starts?"

"Wait! Ma'am, no! I'm the victim here—"

Khyle stammers, waving his hands in a panic.

"I expect you to report directly to the guidance office after class, Mr. Alcaraz,"

Oh boy... Now he's really in trouble,

That's the worst timing you could think off...

"Report to Ms. Santos for disciplinary review and a restoration fee later."

Part III

"Alright, class, settle down."

"..."

"For your first project,"

"You will be working in pairs to conduct a market survey on price elasticity and consumer behavior for commercial enterprises."

A collective, nervous murmur ripples through the classroom.

"You'll also going to be handled by your senior upperclassmen as you gather live field survey data."

"Furthermore, your final grade will not rely solely on my assessment. The grading system will be divided into two components."

"..."

"Half of your grade will come from my evaluation, while the other half comes directly from your upperclassman."

A wave of groans and panicked gasps immediately erupts.

"Direct upperclassman evaluation?!"

"We're completely dead..."

"If we get assigned to a ruthless senior, they'll destroy our GPA!"

I glance across the room toward Renz, wondering how he's taking the news.

His expression hasn't shifted in the slightest.

He simply stares at the board with those calm, unbothered eyes, as if it is nothing more than a minor formality.

I turn around in my seat to see how Sarah is doing.

"Uhh..."

My stomach instantly drops.

Sarah is sitting entirely motionless, staring blankly into the empty air above her desk.

Her dark-rimmed glasses have slid slightly down the bridge of her nose,

Her wide eyes completely unblinking, devoid of any signs of life.

Slowly...

Tracing small, identical circles with her index fingers over and over onto her desk.

"Sarah?"

I whisper leaning nervously toward her.

"Are you... still with us?"

"Hana..."

Sarah whispers back, her voice faint.

"Sarah, you're scaring me—"

"If this first block ends up being my demise..."

She whispers, her tone gravely serious,

"I... Just want you to know that I am truly thankful I met you."

"What the heck are you even saying—"

"Quiet down, everyone!"

"..."

"Now, pay attention as I read off your assigned pairs."

"First pair... Khyle Alcaraz and Clarissa Avellana."

Khyle, who is sulking in his desk from earlier, instantly lights up.

He spins around in his seat, completely forgetting his marker-drawn death threats,

Flashing a wide smile at Clarissa from the front row.

"Looks like we're a team, partner!"

"I look forward to our brilliant collaboration—"

"Teacher!"

Clarissa suddenly stands up, her tone cold, sharp, and entirely dismissive.

"I request a formal transfer."

"My family's estate is currently collaborating with the Valencia Group."

"I believe pairing with Julian Valencia would yield far superior analytical results for this project."

The teacher lets out a slow, tired sigh.

Not bothering to talk even further,

"Very well. Ms. Avellana, you are now paired with Mr. Valencia."

Khyle's dazzling smile instantly freezes.

He slowly turns back to his seat, staring blankly at his vandalized desk.

I'm really starting to feel bad for him...

The teacher clears his throat and continues reading off the remaining pairs.

Name after name echoes through the classroom.

As students turn to exchange excited whispers, nervous nods, or resigned sighs with their assigned partners.

I hold my breath with every passing second,

Praying to be paired with someone quiet, manageable, and completely low-profile.

"And finally,"

The teacher announces, checking his screen one last time.

"Hana Konoe..."

"You will be partnered with Renz San Diego."

My heart violently stops.

"Huh?!"

I squeak out loud, my hands instinctively gripping the edges of my desk as my vision blurs in pure panic.

The entire classroom goes dead silent.

In a fraction of a second,

The atmosphere inside Room 1-A transforms from a standard academic lecture into an absolute battlefield.

Every single eye in the room—

Especially those of the popular, elite girls in the front rows— instantly locks onto me.

The glares are suffocating, burning with an intense, toxic mixture of disbelief, jealousy, and sheer hostility.

"Wait, Teacher!"

Khyle suddenly calls out, raising his hand dramatically.

"You forgot about me!"

"You can't leave a dazzling asset like myself without a partner! It's going to be a tragedy!"

"I didn't forget you, Mr. Alcaraz,"

The teacher sighs,

"You are paired with the student sitting directly behind Ms. Konoe. Sarah Mercado."

Khyle blinks, looking over at the desk behind me.

"Uh... Teacher? With all due respect, there is literally no one there. Did you partner me with a phantom?"

Behind me, Sarah's finger abruptly freezes.

The lifeless, floating look in her eyes instantly shatters into pure horror as the realization hits her brain.

Her pupils shrink to tiny dots, her jaw dropping as she stares at Khyle.

"Nnn... NOO..."

Sarah squeaks out, her voice cracking in a high-pitched, panicked whisper.

"Anyone but him... Please!!"

Khyle violently flinches at the sound, spinning back around to stare directly at her.

"GYAAAH!"

He jumps out of his seat, as he clutches his chest in absolute terror.

"Where did you come from?! Were you always sitting there?!"

"I've been here since the first day!"

Sarah panics, rapidly pushing her glasses up her nose with trembling hands.

"T-Teacher! I humbly request a formal petition for a solo project!"

"I rather conduct a two-person survey alone! Please, I beg of you—"

"Request denied, Ms. Mercado,"

The teacher cuts in flatly.

"The learning objective explicitly requires pair collaboration and resource allocation.

"No solo projects."

Sarah's hand slowly limp-drops back to her desk,

All the life force draining out of her once more as her soul leaves her body for the second time.

"A ghost..."

Khyle mutters, clutching his chest in genuine terror as he slowly sinks back into his chair.

Meanwhile, terrifyingly, Renz turns his head.

He looks back across the classroom,

His dark, piercing eyes locking onto my face with that same unreadable, freezing expression.

He stands up, and begins walking down the aisle toward my desk.

With every single step he takes,

The heavy, critical gazes of the students presses down on my shoulders like a physical weight.

"Wait... is he actually walking over to her?"

"No way... why her of all people?!"

"Isn't that the girl who tripped right in front of everyone during introductions?"

"Ugh, ridiculous... she's completely plain! She doesn't even belong in the same room as him!"

"How does a nobody like her get paired with Renz while the rest of us get stuck with randoms?!"

The harsh, venomous whispers ripple through the classroom like wildfire.

An intense mixture of jealousy and sheer hostility.

I can't move.

My entire body freezes completely solid,

My fingers glued to my desk as the suffocating pressure pins me to my seat.

My chest tight with a terrifying realization,

The "Ice Prince" is officially my partner—

And I have just become the number one target of the entire academy.