“Oh, we meet again.”

“You're…”

After finishing their food, they didn’t leave right away. They spent some time in the canteen, chatting or playing a quick game. While they were doing that, someone approached their table. Adrian and Jose recognized the guy; he was the senior from the SSG, the one they had met on the first day.

“Wait, why are you here? Isn’t your break later?”

“We just finished our meeting earlier, and so I took the chance to eat early,” the senior admitted, taking advantage of it. “Therefore, can I join you?”

“You guys don’t mind, right?” Adrian asked the others first.

“We don’t mind. We also have some questions to ask.”

“Go ahead, ask me.”

After getting everyone's approval, they let the senior join them in exchange for asking some questions.

What they asked is just some typical school-related questions like, ‘What's it like being a student here?’, ‘Do you have any tips for us?’, and even joked, ‘Are there any cute girls in the SSG?’ And this senior answered them thoughtfully, but not everything, as he avoided some questions.

“Anyway, seeing you two here this early—have you already learned from your mistake?” the senior asked casually.

“We already learned that right from the start. This time, it has nothing to do with that. We have just happened to arrive early for a good reason.”

“And that reason is…?”

“It's just that, our class is empty. No teacher showed up to oversee us.”

“Oh? Tell me more.”

“Well lately, some of our teachers haven’t been showing up to our scheduled classes, leaving us unattended for an hour or more.”

“That’s interesting. What about during Ma’am Miranda’s time?”

“She’s the same—sometimes she doesn’t show up either.”

“Hmm… this is just speculation, but it might have something to do with Ma’am Miranda.”

“Something to do with what?”

“The situation you’re in. I could be wrong, but I have a hunch Ma’am Miranda might have planned this whole thing.”

“That’s a bit of a stretch. Why would a teacher do that?”

“I don’t know. It could just be part of her personality. Knowing her, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s up to something.”

“Saying that you know Ma’am Miranda. Then tell me what she did during your freshman year.”

Despite having answered all the previous questions, this was one of the questions the senior was reluctant to answer.

“I don’t want to disclose anything yet. What I want is for you guys to experience it yourself. It’s not a big deal—at least not until you realize.”

This senior went his way to warn them on the first day but still refused to explain the full context of his warning, even now. He might claim it’s nothing serious, yet his last comment suggested not otherwise. It was concerning to know what Ma’am Miranda had been up to in the past and what her deal was.

“So, how’s the first week? Has Ma’am Miranda done anything unusual or noteworthy; aside from those long stretches of vacancy that I suspect she’s involved in? Is there anything planned for your class coming from her?”

“Why would I tell you? You’re hesitant to share information about her and never fully explain what’s happening. You give us warnings, but never actually help us at all. So, what’s your deal?”

“I understand your suspicion. I agree that I haven’t been very helpful, but I promise these warnings are sincere. They’re meant to keep you alert, to help you prepare for circumstances that might seem strange,” The senior confidently said. “To give you a small hint about Ma'am Miranda’s personality, I’d say she appears innocent and cheerful on the outside, but in reality, she operates in secret. Where her actions go unnoticed, and by the time you realize it, everything is already in motion.”

“Is that true?”

“There’s no concrete evidence yet, but there have been instances where other teachers hinted that Ma’am Miranda might be involved in school decisions.”

“Has that been proven?”

“Not really. I’m basing this on what I’ve seen, heard, and experienced during my first year.”

“So, it’s still just a speculation on your part?”

It’s shocking to think that Ma'am Miranda could influence the school, but without solid proof, it’s just a rumor. However, as a teacher, her opinion still matters in the school.

The senior’s view of her behavior might be exaggerated, but who knows? To believe is to experience—or maybe the senior is right. It's just a matter of time to experience it firsthand.

“I know it’s hard to believe, and it’s fine if you ignore what I’ve said. But, there’s one thing I need you to understand, is that my warning isn’t just empty words meant to scare you. I genuinely want you to stay aware and be cautious around Ma’am Miranda.”

“You’ve said that many times already.”

“Just reminding it again. I also heard you guys will be arranging seats later, right? I don’t know what Ma’am Miranda’s planning is, and it might already be too late, but I want you guys to at least be ready for whatever the outcome may be.”

“Wait a minute. How did you know that?”

“You mean the seating arrangement you’re doing after this break?”

“Yeah, how did you…?”

How indeed? Adrian couldn’t help but wonder. It’s only been a few hours since the announcement, and it was specific to their section. Yet, how could someone from outside their class, let alone a different year, already know what they’d be doing?

“Well, let’s just say I know someone from your class. Don’t ask who it is, because I won’t reveal their name to protect their privacy.”

He explained a lot, but still left out the important stuff.

So, he knows someone from the freshmen class. It’s not unusual to know someone in a lower grade or younger than you—since they could be childhood friends or perhaps relatives. Then, if they live in the same neighborhood, it’s likely they attend the same school.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Curious to know who it was, Adrian contemplated who that person might be. Based on the information he had, he had one guess. The person the senior is most likely connected to is possibly Frias.

Looking at the obvious, Frias is the oldest and a repeater student in their class. Still, while it seems evident, there was no guarantee she was the one the senior was referring to. And if she is, the most reasonable explanations for her sharing information with the senior would be: one, they’re close friends, and she casually mentioned it, or two, they’re acquaintances and she sought his advice. Either scenario—or perhaps even a mix of both—is highly plausible, leaving Adrian to wonder just how deep their connection went.

“Ahem, so with that in mind, I’ll give you some advice,” the senior said, trying the conversation to move on. “Whatever happens later—whether it's a predicament or the outcome—just stay calm and analyze the situation thoroughly, and carefully consider how to minimize any damage caused by whatever issues arise. It may sound confusing now, but trust me, you’ll understand soon enough.”

“... I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Alright, I’ve got to go now.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes, that’s all. And this will be the last time we talk like this. I have no more advice to give beyond this point. From here on out, it’s up to you to handle things as they come, based on your understanding. That’s for the best.”

After giving his final advice, he finally left them.

“Hey, what was that about? That conversation sounded confusing,” one of their classmates asked.

“He was just giving advice. Really an odd advice.”

It was indeed a strange conversation. Receiving advice that hinted at a lurking threat seemed unimaginable, especially when it involved a specific teacher. It suggested that the teacher had some sort of caution sign hanging over them.

When their classmates asked what it was all about, neither Adrian nor Jose could explain it on the spot, as they also didn’t fully understand it themselves. So none of it made any sense to them.

With nothing else to do, they decided to head back to their classroom thirty minutes early.

“Hey, you guys go ahead. I’ll stop by the bathroom first.”

“Sure.”

Walking to their floor, Adrian decided to stop in the bathroom while the others went ahead. Why he went to the bathroom? The reason, of course, was to take a piss.

After finishing his business, he moved to the sink to wash his hands. As he does that, the conversation from earlier resurfaced in his mind.

The whole exchange was far from normal. Everything the senior said seemed absurd and hard to believe. He kept emphasizing that Ma'am Miranda wasn’t just any ordinary teacher. But what did that mean? Was she some kind of special teacher, well-known and respected among students? From how the senior toned it, probably not.

The way the senior described her was far from flattering—it was more like she was someone to avoid, like a looming danger. What kind of threat could this teacher pose for the senior to raise such concern? It almost sounded like slander, and there was no real evidence to back it up. Still, Adrian couldn’t shake the feeling that what the senior said might not be far from the truth.

Based on his experiences with Ma'am Miranda, Adrian had only ever thought of her as a teacher with a distinct personality. And so far, nothing she had done seemed harmful.

Adrian couldn’t understand why the senior was trying to label her as a danger. But now, because of the senior's unsettling remark, he was beginning to worry about what might happen later.

As these thoughts ran through Adrian’s mind, he noticed one of the cubicle doors open, and someone stepped out. Using the mirror, he got a clear look at who it was.

“That’s…”

It was the guy who had boldly proclaimed he hated BTS during his introduction.

What he did back then had certainly stirred things up, especially among certain classmates. Since then, the aftermath had already begun when the diehard fans finally started to surface. At first, they only glared at him, with no big scene or uproar. But as time passed, they began gossiping, gradually raising their voices, clearly hoping enough to make sure he could hear them.

Going back to the moment in the bathroom. Realizing someone else was there aside from him, the guy quickly left the bathroom.

“What a strange guy,” Adrian thought.

“Wait, the thing he was holding…”

Before the guy left, Adrian noticed something in his hand. Although the guy tried to conceal it with his body, Adrian still managed to glimpse what it was.

“A lunch box? Did he perhaps wash it?”

It was odd to see someone carrying a lunch box in the bathroom. If Adrian’s guess was right, why not wash it outside in the garden, where there’s a sink nearby?

Before jumping to conclusions, Adrian figured maybe the guy didn’t know about the garden sink, since he was new to the school. But something still felt off.

The guy had come out of one of the cubicles. Adrian might’ve been overthinking it, and maybe the guy just used the cubicle after washing the lunch box. But still, why bring the lunch box inside the cubicle? How could he pee while holding it? That thought disturbed Adrian a bit, especially given the awkwardness of their brief interaction. It felt even more awkward because they were in the same class. Adrian wouldn't have thought much of it if the guy hadn’t avoided him and rushed out so quickly.

The more Adrian thought about it, the more puzzled he became. He scratched his head, sighed, and muttered, “I shouldn’t think too deeply about it.”

Forgetting what had happened in the bathroom, he returned to the classroom.

As Adrian entered, he glanced toward the guy’s seat. The guy was just fidgeting with his phone, Despite the obvious stares from some of their classmates, he continued to mind his own business.

“What's wrong? Do you have a problem with him?” Jose asked after noticing Adrian staring at the guy.

“No, it's nothing,” Adrian replied, dismissing whatever Jose was speculating.

Having moved on from the bathroom incident, Adrian and Jose spent the remaining time chit-chatting until the break finally ended.

The next subject was supposed to be Personal Development with Ma’am Arevalo as the teacher, but that changed when Ma'am Miranda announced they would be having homeroom instead.

“Okay, class. As I mentioned earlier, we’ll arrange your seats according to the seating plan I made,” Ma'am Miranda said once she entered the room. “So, everyone stand up and come to the front,” she instructed, and the class followed suit.

Following that was the seating arrangement.

Typically, the seating plan is based on alphabetical order by the student's last names. Other than that, it could be based on height, with shorter students in front and taller ones in the back. But since it took Ma’am Miranda five days to create the seating plan, it was clear that she wouldn’t follow either of these ideas.

Once all the students were gathered at the front, Ma’am Miranda began calling them one at a time to assign them to their seats.

The seating arrangement worked in pairs, with fifty chairs and tables arranged in five rows and five columns. Each pair of chairs and tables was set up in a boy-girl format, meaning each row had ten chairs, and the same went for the columns.

“Therefore, these will be your seats for the whole school year—unless there are any unexpected changes,” Ma’am Miranda said after arranging the class. “As for the class officers, we won’t tackle that today. That will be for next week’s session.”

The teacher's announcement was a relief for Frias, as it gave them time to prepare and gather more support.

“Now that this is done, I'll be leaving you all early,” Ma’am Miranda said casually, not waiting for a response or the class's approval, and promptly left the room.

But it wasn’t as if the students cared much about what she said because their minds were elsewhere. So, as soon as she was gone, voices of complaint started to surface in the classroom.

“Why the h*ll am I placed next to this guy?!”

After learning their seating arrangements, some students were dissatisfied with their assigned seats.

For instance, those in the front row. While some students prefer sitting in front, the majority didn’t want to be there, because it makes them too visible to the teacher. Unfortunately for Adrian, he was placed in the front, and even worse, right in the middle column—directly in front of the teacher’s desk.

Was it a coincidence, or did Ma'am Miranda intentionally place him there? Given her personality, Adrian’s experience, and the warnings from older students, it seemed possible.

Ma'am Miranda's seating plan didn’t follow the usual methods—neither alphabetical nor by height. Instead, she appeared created an arrangement either by random selection or carefully arranged the seating based on her criteria. However, it likely wasn’t random—it didn’t feel random; it seemed to have a purpose, as the seating showed clear patterns.

If you think Adrian’s placement in the front is already unfortunate. There’s a guy in an even worse situation than him. And that guy was his classmate, who had expressed his dislike for a certain K-pop group.

This guy was stuck in a tight spot, where he found himself surrounded by a group of fangirls he disdained so much. It was a bad spot to be in, even the entire class thought so.

And so, as expected, the middle part of the room was already filled with complaints.

Now, finding his situation dire, this guy couldn’t imagine what the rest of the school year would be like. Remember what Ma'am Miranda said—that this would be their seat and neighbors for the entire school year. At this point, he could only hope for, is to that; these fangirls’ hostility toward him would eventually fade.