With a new start of the week, Aurene was officially recognized as the S Class vice-president. It was nothing grand for Aurene, but seeing the almost sniffling V congratulating her and the sighing Mr. Shin made her think twice about it.
"I see... good luck then Miss Grace."
Aurene still could remember the pitiful eyes the homeroom teacher gave her that morning. It's quite unnerving to receive that kind of look from such a built man, but Aurene could only held in her comment lest she might taste some wrestling moves that her dear classmates had experienced.
With the whole Erika fiasco over, it was time to focus on the more important things such as her studies... and class managing. Right, her class. The S Class.
...
"STUPID JAHAD!"
"WILD MONKEY!"
With a mess of ice cream fallen on the floor, the once clean class was turned upside down by the brawl between Jahad and Yurin.
Right... what did she expect?
"Ah, Aurene!" Han, who was the nearest when she stepped inside the once-sparkling classroom, explained the situation quickly. Seeing that they couldn't hold back Jahad and Yurin from getting violent, it must be...
"Jahad accidentally bumped into Yurin and she dropped her ice cream, and now Yurin's demanding that Jahad goes back to the cafeteria to buy a new one!" Han almost cried as he clutched on the brunette's shoulders.
...serious...
Aurene tried not to let her temper get the best of her as she massaged her forehead. Should she applaud Han for managing to say all those in one breath?
"If that's the reason then, just let them fight," Eduan chided from behind her, looking ever so interested in the occurring fight. "I wanna see who wins this time," he grinned, leaving to observe the brawl.
Aurene decided to ignore the bluehead as she grasped Han's hand to assure the panicking male. "Alright, thank you for telling me," Han nodded his head vigorously. "First of all, where's V?" First, gotta search for the class president!
"V was called by Mr. Shin just now, as always," Gustang who looks as relaxed as ever was nonchalantly sitting in his seat, reading a book as if there wasn't a goddamned fight behind him.
"Why didn't you stop them, Gustang?" Aurene asked exasperatedly, feeling a little betrayed. Amongst all people in the class, Gustang with the sanest mind could've stopped anything from happening from the start. His demeanor from the pool-cleaning weekend convinced Aurene so.
The male only scoffed. "I wouldn't want anything to happen to my glasses for a second time," as he said this, a glare was directed to the cheering Eduan and rampaging Jahad in the background.
Right, that makes sense.
"Aurene," at the call, Aurene turned her attention to Hon who looked somehow proud, pointing at himself. "I tried to stop Jahad. I tried my best."
"Hon...!" Aurene was about to give Hon a grateful thanks until Blossom added with a lazy chuckle.
"Well, he only placed his hand on Jahad's shoulder for one second then let him go afterwards."
Aurene gave the white male the most betrayed look as Hon turned his gaze to the side, looking at least a bit guilty.
"Haa..." Right, she was the one who signed up for this anyway. It's all on her. And just some time ago, she too was guided by some violent spirits and even fought barehanded with Jahad.
Stepping forward, Aurene barely stopped Jahad's fist from reaching Yurin by pushing the two away, maybe a little too rough, and Yurin herself had automatically stopped when she saw Aurene stepping in, albeit the momentary jolt.
"A-Aurene!" Yurin sniffled. "Jahad won't buy me my ice cream!" The girl immediately hugged Aurene's free arm while crouching, trying to garner pity by looking up with her doe eyes and making herself shorter than the brunette. "He also called me a monkey..." Yurin sniffed twice exaggeratedly.
Some people wrinkled their face in disgust at Yurin's attempt to act cute in front of the vice-prez. Especially Eduan and Jahad. Mostly Jahad.
"I said I'm sorry, didn't I?!" Jahad shouted. "And whose fault it is for twirling in the middle of the path with a melting ice cream in hand?!"
The brunette in the middle heaved in a deep sigh, hoping her poor ears can withstand a little more if Jahad decided to shout again. Right, V had to face this all alone for two months. All alone until Aurene could imagine the drained V vomiting blood and also crying tears of blood while facing the complaints of Mr. Shin as well as handling all the unique and somehow violent S Class members. Not all were violent, but still.
She can handle at least a little of this.
"Yurin, you should sit down properly when you're eating, you hear me?" Aurene turned to her close friend first. One by one with patience, Aurene. "Also, break time is almost over, so even if Jahad runs with all his might now, he won't be able to make it before Mr. Shin arrives. So, why don't we get your ice cream once the school ends?"
"Really?" the hyper girl lighted up, her previous pitiful tears all gone (and Gustang shaking his head in shame in the background). "Then it's a promise!!"
"And Jahad," Aurene turned to look at the male now that Yurin's all cheered up, on her merry way to brag to the irritated Eduan.
"What?" Jahad looked back at her with a pout, like a child who was wronged by the whole world and wanted to take revenge on everyone instead.
"I know you didn't do anything wrong from the start so drop the pout, it's disgusting," Aurene sighed, "I also know this must've been the norm in the S Class all this while, but let's refrain from resorting to violence all the time. You know not all people can't take your fists head-on, right? And my bruises still hurt," Aurene chuckled, trying to make it lighthearted. For a prideful man like Jahad, she was sure he wouldn't listen if she scolded him anyway. Let's be peaceful, peaceful~
The golden male only kept his mouth shut, but at least that pout (as well as his frown) was gone so Aurene took that as a good sign.
"Now, class will start soon, so I better clean this puddle up first," Aurene walked away to the back, missing the way Jahad tried to reach out to her. "Hendo Lok?"
The burly man flinched, as if he wasn't expecting Aurene to call his name.
"What's wrong? Can you please help me arrange the desks? They were all pushed away by the fighting earlier. Thanks in advance." It was convenient to see Hendo Lok all alone in the back of the class just when she was searching for a mop. Having another hand to help her won't be so bad. Surely these rich kids won't mind some cleaning if it's just simple tasks, right? Well, we did clean the pool before.
"Okay."
"Ah, is it alright with you? I'm sorry if I sounded too bossy," Aurene smiled, looking apologetic to the still-dazed tall man.
"No, it's fine. I will help you clean."
Later when V returned, he never stopped giving Aurene a happy and thankful look every time he made eye contact with her.
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When the bell rang, Aurene carefully packed her bag to head out for with Yurin as promised with the rest (Eduan, Hana, Blossom, V, Han) waiting outside the class.
"Aurene, do you have a moment?" a shadow covered the lights from the sun pouring in, and Aurene looked to her side to see Hendo Lok towering over her, looking nervous. Considering his status as 'an underworld heir' as Aurene and the rest learned just recently, the look didn't quite suit his image.
"What's wrong, Hendo Lok?" Aurene faced him properly. Right now, everyone else had already gone out of the class, only the noisy chattering resounding from the hallway. This situation looked like it came straight out of a shoujo manga where the boy confessed to the girl he liked.
"That... thanks for earlier," Hendo Lok slightly bowed.
"Eh?" the brunette waved her hand frantically. "Wha- why are you thanking me? I didn't do anything specifically!" Or is it because she stopped Yurin and Jahad from fighting? Are their classmates that grateful if someone stopped Jahad and Yurin fighting? Like V?
Well, that sounds plausible considering the damages...
"That," Hendo Lok finally raised his head. "Earlier, for treating me like usual... thank you for that." He scratched his cheek, as if embarrassed with his own words. "I really didn't expect you to call for me since you were closer to Eduan, so I'm really thankful for that."
Aurene looked more confused. "Only that? Rather, it's me who should be grateful to you who helped me with the cleanup. Eduan would've been too lazy even if I were to ask him."
Hendo Lok chuckled. "Well, that sounds like him."
"Right?" Aurene chuckled along, glad that the mood had gotten lighter.
The man didn't seem to have finished yet. "You may not know this, but all of us are actually childhood friends."
Aurene widened her eyes. Well, that explains why they knew each other so well despite the constant chaos.
"So, after they found out about my real background, they must've been really surprised since I never revealed anything about it," he continued, looking down once more. "No one mentioned anything about it, but it's like... there's an unspoken tension between me and those guys now..."
"Is that so..." Aurene didn't notice anything at all. So, was he worried about that? "It may be something I shouldn't say since I just got into this class but," she hesitated, before looking at Hendo Lok right in the eyes. "I don't think they would be that upset that they would outcast you. Maybe, just maybe- it's all just in your head? V, Hana and Han wouldn't mind it much, right? Gustang doesn't look like he cares much about some secrets, Blossom is the same with Gustang. Yurin might cause some fuss but she won't go so far as that. Eduan... is Eduan. I don't know how Jahad would think? Who else..."
The man chuckled as Aurene rambled on her long thoughts, as if he was finally released from the shackles binding him.
"That's right, they're that kind of guys." Hendo turned up to the ceiling as he smiled more confidently, feeling hot tears welling up. "Thanks so much, Aurene. I'm really glad you're one of us now," he waved goodbye to Aurene as he went to walk out of the class-opened the door and only to see the whole class eavesdropping behind the door and the wall.
"Whoa, Bloodmadder, you surprised me!"
"Aw, you guys are finished already?"
The giant man looked at his friends in astonishment, specifically at the crouching figures of Yurin and Eduan, Hana and Han right above them having bewildered and guilty faces. "You guys...?"
"It wasn't me! I swear!" Yurin raised her hands up, pointing to Eduan beside her, "It was all Eduan!!"
The bluehead didn't look even a bit guilty and stood back up proudly, dusting off his hands, "I can't let my Aurene be alone with any men, after all! I have to make sure you don't step out of the line!"
"What a creep," Blossom drawled.
"You should be used to Eduan's obsession by now," Gustang merely pushed back his glasses. "Also, can't you walk by yourself?" the brunette complained yet still held the dangling girl by his side like a sack of potatoes.
"Don't wanna..."
"Sorry, really sorry, Bloodmadder," Han who looked the guiltiest there bowed several times. "We're just too worried-!"
"Han, you're bowing too much!" Eduan complained loudly.
"Ack! Han's head hit mine!!"
"Yurin!"
The crowd didn't seem to stop chattering anytime soon as Hendo Lok could only open and close his mouth like a fish, hesitating every time he wanted to say something.
Jahad tried not to look interested as he approached the tall male with crossed arms, lightly punched him on the chest. "Was that why you didn't speak at all today, Bloodmadder? You disappoint me with that shallow thought of yours," Jahad sternly scolded him, but his voice was light. "Now, let's go."
Hendo Lok looked surprised. "To where...?"
"To get that wild monkey's ice cream, of course."
"Hey, Jahad!" Yurin tried to tackle Jahad while rubbing her red forehead, only to fail as Han hurriedly pulled her back.
"Crap, someone help hold Yurin back!"
Chuckling at the sight of Han struggling, Hana pushed her friends' back so they would start walking. "Now, now, let's move on, hurry!" Gustang followed along Hana while trying to balance the sleepy Blossom.
Aurene smiled at the chaotic yet cheerful scene, making sure to close the door tight behind her as V slid to her side with the widest smile like an emoji.
"See, I wasn't wrong about my choice," V chuckled, patting Aurene in the shoulder as the brunette only gave the too-happy V a helpless smile, only agreeing with this pitiful class president of hers. He really suffered a lot, huh?
"Yea, yea, whatever you say, V." Aurene serenely took in the backs of her classmates whom she will be spending her next three years of studying. "Did you expect that, V? Even about Bloodmadder?"
The man shrugged, smiling down to her with his goofy smile. "Who knows? I also didn't know about his real background before he used that card in the recent case. And," V also looked lovingly towards the classmates he cherished so much. The S Class. "If Bloodmadder revealed himself just to help you, doesn't that mean he already accepted you from the start?"
"...I see," Aurene also felt her grin getting wider by the seconds. "I'm glad, really..."
"Hey, V! No flirting with Aurene!"
"Let's go before Eduan drag both of us." The two only chuckled as Eduan got in between them while wrapping his arms around their shoulders.
"He already is."
Bonus:
"So in the end, everyone ended up eavesdropping on us earlier, huh?"
"Well, you should've seen how the others were holding Eduan back from storming into the class earlier," V mused.
"I wish I hadn't know that."
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Author's note:
I'm back. But not for long lmao, let's see how long I can last this time before I land back in hell (uni life).
I don't know how everyone's been faring, but for me- it's been an endless cycle of falling back into the TOG fandom with the serial of season 3 (green guy and glasses guy really be going handsome huh, also Luslec cough cough), waiting not-so-patiently for trailer of the season 2, maxing out both of my TOG games like Great Journey and New World. Haish...
Anyway I just gotta post this chap too cus it has (again) been sitting so long in my draft lmao.
Imma write about green guy next so- buckles up readers