At the Oracle’s High school Hall, together with hundred students starting their high school days. They were chosen to participate in Eden’s Project.

This school, with six other prestigious schools, around the world, also joined in. It was a curriculum program focused on developing character, team, and the city, for research and development.

The student will be going inside the program of Eden’s there for a contract of one year.

I’m in the white school uniform of Oracle, with stand-out white hair and red eyes. Listened to the speech in case it would be helpful later.

“zzz”

“Cloe! Cloe! Wake up!”

I shake the girl beside me, Cloe, one of my friends, sleep, and people notice us.

“Oh, Iris, was that old man stopped talking already?”

“Cloe! I thought you promised not to sleep. Here you dozed off.”

“Sorry, I didn’t know we had to listen to this for an hour. I can only last for ten minutes.”

“AHEM!”

There we go. The headmaster noticed us, making a scene. I will be forever remembered in their mind as the troubled kid.

As other students smirked, it was almost embarrassing. Cloe, with her openness, is just like an arrow, a straightforward person, more in a too-bad way. She is always called in every situation, not a care in the world.

“Iris, you don’t need to be embarrassed, for that is what Cloe was. She is just being her true self, a brick-headed person. No information can get through her.”

“That’s right, Iris, Maho said it right, and I’m just myself. And also, what about me being

what again?”

“See?”

I thought to myself, “Why do I even bother?” I mean, I have already known since we were a kid.

This short girl was no different, she was harsh in her word, and everything she said was either trying to make someone angry or for someone just confusing them. Though even with her words, she was one of the top students from our middle school.

She just concentrated on the speech, even from the start. She was the most excited person interested in the new technology of this Eden’s System.

“Heyo! Rosa-Chan here! As you can see, I’m with my girl. Wahoo!!”

And that another one of my friends, Rosa, made a live stream in the middle of the speech.

Around a hundred people moments, she flaunted her phone left and right, while her face was still in the picture. I don’t know about the live streams she kept making.

I’m from before. I downloaded the apps at once and watched her streams to watch her.

Sometimes, she sings, dance, and even walk around town. She is always at her streams. Sometimes one of her fans gives donations, as they would call it. All the people kept watching.

In our group, she was always the outgoing kind. Most of our time was spent together.

“Shh!, Rosa, they will notice you if you keep going there.”

“Oh, Iris, the fans want a picture of us together. Give us a peace sign.”

“What?!” Surprised by Rosa, I only managed to show a half-hearted smile and peace.

On the other hand, Maho does not care about Rosa, while Cloe has a severe face and peace sign awkwardly.

“Oh, look at all the comments, Iris. They liked you.”

The message comes to replace with a new message, “That girl with white hair was cute.” The only I could read. Thus, Rosa closes the Livestream on her phone after saying goodbye to the chat.

“Finally, can we just focus on the speech already?”

“I think this was about to be done already. As for Iris, don’t worry. The speech was mostly about honesty, integrity, and all that stuff. You were not missing much.”

Maho turned to us as she relaxed and explained what the headmaster had said. At least it ended. Thanks to Maho, she was the most reliable friend I got. With the other two, we were almost like each other.

I remembered, from a month ago, Maho, the one that suggested we partake in this program together. At the family restaurant in our area, she takes out her phone and shows us the website to register. Told this was an excellent opportunity for all of us.

“The Eden’s Project, the VRMMO? You mean, Maho?”  

“What is that again? Is that some trendy brand at the moment?”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“I know about the VVRRMO. It was the sound of the motorcycle, with smoke coming out of it.”

The group came in at a bad start, and I know about the MMO, as we always looked it up. As usual for Rosa with her fashion, Cloe was already lost cause.

We are at the family restaurants we always come to. Even the waiter would recognise us, cause of how frequently we come here, as the place is not too disturbing.

Swallowed by the idiocy of the group, Maho carefully explained what Eden’s Project was.

“This was a program that would provide scholarships for us, most of the students would want to register in this, so I suggested we do the same. With the achievement of the program, we would be able to get into our university easily.”

“Hmm, so for a big program, are they willing to provide a scholarship for the students? It’d be great if all of us got together.”

“I looked it up in my social media, the program would take a full year, and there were also contract in it.”

“Maho, I think you already know what I’m going to say, right? This technology, with that kind of contract, was something that was being tested, right? I would so much disagree.”

While I can see the potential for the program, with Cloe not understanding the technology would be hard for her to utilise her athletic ability. She also thought our safety and something that had not been proven wasn’t her good idea.  

“I figured you were going to say that. Here is a reason why we needed to.”

*Swoosh*

Maho pours a stack of paper onto the table. The report was the previous exam result and a few more from the back month. Amazingly, some people can manage to get this low score, were something.

“Can you see all of this? Somehow, I managed to find these behind both of Cloe and Rosa, closet and drawer.”

“I… don’t know what you are talking about here….”

“Wait, how come you went to my room without my permission? This was an attack on privacy.”

“It wasn’t Maho. I’m the one that went to your room for cleaning.”

“Oh. If it’s Iris, I don’t see a problem.”

We all had each other on the throat, trying to come to terms with Maho.

“Haah…, this was why I wanted to go to Eden’s program. Cloe, even though you are very athletic, a score will be needed to pass the grades, and I’ve already looked at our syllabus. You won’t make it to the second year.”

“…”

“Oh, I don’t need that grade if it was for me. I will marry someone rich and ride life as it was.”

“Rosa, you have a bright future as a beautician. You don’t want to let that go because you love it.”

Wow, look at Maho’s change. She was earnest about us and deep in her heart, I knew she wanted to help all of us. Though I probably join them for the sake of joining.

“And Iris, this was also important for you as well. We know you still struggle with your health, even when you wanted to hide it.”

“?!”

“That enough, Maho!”

Cloe couldn’t stand it anymore. She also knew about my health. That was the secret I meant to hide from them, not to worry them. The atmosphere turned dim, and all of us were silent, and they knew I was in the worst state. But, I decided that I took on courage and spoke my thought.

“Cloe, Rosa, and Maho thank you. I’m sorry that I hid this from all of you. It hurts all the time. Sometimes I could feel I stopped breathing. But, I hold on to it because of us. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

*Drip*

Rosa lent her chest to me as I cried. Even though she is not as good as she looks, she is still one of my friends.

“Ughh, we got it, so what is this reason for Iris to join in?”

“For Iris, there will be this special sleeping pod. This was the most advanced medical technology, the record says, it can cure a terminal illness such as Iris having.”

Cloe gave up and asked Maho, she didn’t want to upset anyone, and she honestly thought of Maho’s good intentions.

Maho has done her research. She knows each of the equipment for Eden’s System. A medical bay for the sick, as the terminal? Was Such technology possible?

“So we need her to be in the pod for her to heal? Do you know for how long?”

“I don’t know about the details. It might be for days, a week, or even a year. But I suggested we do it for a year and check the result.”

After a month of registration, surprisingly, all of us accepted. After the interview, we were all granted a scholarship into Oracle’s High school, followed by Eden’s Program.

So here we are, inside these bunker-like structures, going down and down with the massive elevator. Later on, we were given our quarters, and we were assigned to our room.

“Iris, are you feeling fine? Does that sickness come back?”

“Thank you, Cloe. At this moment, it wasn’t too bad. Probably because we’re together, I’m not feeling it.”

“Don’t worry, Iris, if anything comes, I will be there for you. Just call on me.”

“What do you mean, by that, Cloe? Of course, we going to help Iris together.”

“That’s right, Iris is our precious friend. We wouldn’t leave her alone.

Somehow they decided to hug me, getting cramped in this tiny space in this massive elevator, every one of us. I thought, “I might not make it after all.” I smiled through sarcasm to myself.

“Well, this is where we go off to our rooms. Remember to meet each other there.”

“How we’re going to do that?”

“Don’t worry, Rosa, and I will find you. Just make sure to pay attention.”

“Alright, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Maho already planned the way for us to meet, probably because they were good at technology.

I go to the room assigned to me, a bright room filled with technology. There was the sleeping pod that Maho said would cure my illness.

As nervous as I am, I trust my friend and am willing to under joined anything if it means I can spend more time with them.

“Miss Iris, please head into the sleeping pod.”

The speaking instruction guides me to go into the sleeping pod.

 I go inside, and the feeling of warm inside immediately puts me into sleep mode.