Buried Genius (TripleS)

INTRODUCTION

The academy bustled with its usual rhythm. Students walked through the polished hallways, laughter spilling from the cafeteria where trays clattered and conversations overlapped. On the campus grounds, groups gathered under the shade of trees, some practicing routines for their clubs, others simply enjoying the break. It was a picture of normal school life—busy, vibrant, and seemingly ordinary.

But behind the order, the Student Council kept watch.

Seoyeon, the council president, moved with quiet authority, her eyes scanning the campus as if every corner held a secret. At her side was Chaewon, her bubbly companion and council member, who balanced Seoyeon's seriousness with teasing remarks and lighthearted energy.

As they rounded the back of the building, Seoyeon's gaze sharpened. A student leaned casually against the wall, a cigarette dangling between his fingers. Without hesitation, she pulled out her notebook and began writing down his name.

Chaewon tilted her head, grinning mischievously.

"Really? Smoking here? You know you've only got two lungs, right? Keep this up and you won't even make it to your fourth year—you'll be coughing your way into the grave."

The student froze, embarrassed, as Seoyeon's pen scratched across the page. She didn't raise her voice, but her presence carried weight.

"This will be reported. Consider this your warning."

Chaewon gave a playful shrug, her tone still light but edged with mock threat.

"Better quit while you're ahead. The council doesn't hand out second chances."

The student muttered under his breath, extinguishing the cigarette against the wall before slipping away. Seoyeon closed her notebook with a snap, her expression unreadable.

"Another name on the list," she said simply.

Chaewon laughed, looping her arm through Seoyeon's.

"And another soul saved from self-destruction. We're practically heroes."

Together, they walked back toward the main building, the normal hum of campus life continuing around them.

The hum of the academy carried on—students chatting in the hallways, lockers slamming shut, footsteps echoing across the tiled floors. But suddenly, the calm was broken by shouts and the heavy thud of fists.

In the east hallway, a group of male students had erupted into a fight. Books scattered across the floor, and the crowd of onlookers grew restless, some cheering, others backing away nervously.

Jiwoo and Chaeyeon, both members of the Student Council, rushed in.

"Stop this immediately!" Jiwoo shouted, her voice sharp with authority.

Chaeyeon tried to wedge herself between two of the fighters, but the moment she pushed, she was dragged into the chaos. A fist grazed her shoulder, and Jiwoo stumbled as the brawl pulled them deeper in.

"Council orders—enough!" Jiwoo cried, but her words were drowned out by the clash of bodies.

From the staircase above, Nakyoung descended from the fourth floor, her eyes narrowing at the scene. She paused, then shouted across the hall:

"Hey! Cut it out!"

The fighters barely glanced her way, too consumed by their rage. Nakyoung's jaw tightened. She turned to her companions—two girls standing at the side, their nametags reading Nien and Hayeon.

With a sharp gesture, Nakyoung gave the signal.

"Handle it."

Nien and Hayeon strode forward, their presence commanding. At first, they tried to separate the fighters with firm pushes, but when the students resisted, the two girls escalated. Grabbing arms, twisting wrists, and forcing bodies apart, they used sheer strength to break the fight.

The crowd gasped as the chaos shifted—no longer a wild brawl, but a scene of forceful intervention. Jiwoo and Chaeyeon, bruised and shaken, stepped back, watching as Nakyoung's club members subdued the fighters with physical dominance.

Nakyoung folded her arms, her voice cutting through the silence that followed.

"This is how the D.F. Club keeps order. When words fail, we act."

The hallway fell quiet, the tension lingering in the air. For some, the sight was reassuring. For others, it was terrifying.

The hallway was tense, the fight nearly subdued by Nien and Hayeon's forceful intervention. Students who had been dragged apart now stood panting, glaring at one another, their shirts wrinkled and fists still clenched.

But one of the boys, held tightly by Hayeon, suddenly lunged forward again, breaking free with a burst of rage. He swung wildly toward another student, his voice hoarse with anger.

Nakyoung's eyes narrowed. In two strides, she was there. She grabbed the boy by the collar, yanking him back with a force that sent him stumbling. With a sharp motion, she slammed him against the wall, the sound echoing through the hallway.

Her fist rose, trembling with restrained fury.

"You think you can keep fighting under my watch?" she hissed, her voice low and dangerous.

The boy froze, his bravado faltering under her glare. The crowd held its breath, waiting for the blow.

But before Nakyoung could strike, a voice cut through the tension—sharp, commanding.

"Nakyoung! Stop!"

Seoyeon stood at the end of the hallway, her council armband gleaming under the fluorescent lights. Her tone carried authority that silenced the crowd.

Nakyoung's fist hovered in the air, her jaw clenched. Slowly, she lowered her hand, though her grip on the boy's collar remained tight.

Seoyeon marched forward, her eyes locked on Nakyoung.

"This is not discipline. This is violence. The council will not tolerate it."

The hallway fell into uneasy silence. Jiwoo and Chaeyeon, bruised but standing, exchanged glances—relieved yet unsettled. Nien and Hayeon stepped back, their expressions unreadable, waiting for Nakyoung's signal.

Nakyoung finally released the boy, letting him slump against the wall. She turned to Seoyeon, her voice dripping with defiance.

"Your council talks too much. My club acts. That's why students listen to us."

Seoyeon's gaze hardened.

"And that's why your club is under review."

The tension between them was palpable, the crowd sensing that this clash was far from over.