WE HAVE A TRANSFER STUDENT! This news spread out to the whole of sophomore year which particularly was Kieran's class. Having a new student wasn't a big deal. So why the fuss?

A girl, who happened to be in the staffroom when the new student arrived for his administration, went around the class gushing over how hot and handsome the student was. Some of the girls even tried to compare Kieran and the new student for the handsomest based on the girl's vivid description, for they haven't seen him yet. Adding to the boiling blood of the excited girls, the girl also revealed overhearing the appointed class of the boy, which was theirs.

"Kieran! Kieran!" Tristan called him out.

Kieran frowned. "What?" He was reading his usual fantasy novels.

"Have you heard of the new student?" Tristan asked. Kieran's frown deepened. "What about the new student?"

Tristan sighed dramatically. "I forgot, the typical you,"he muttered.

"Even without seeing him yet, the girls are enraptured by his looks," knowing fully well that Kieran was not one bit interested in that conversation, he still asked, "Are you afraid?"

"Afraid of what?"

"The new boy?"

Kieran knitted his brows. "And why?"

"That the girls might forget you once the new boy arrives. But I still think..." He stumbled. That there is no one comparable to you in terms of look and grace and someone more beautiful than you perhaps might not even exist. He completed it in his mind.

Kieran wordlessly stared at him as if he had lost it.

"But how can you be so indifferent to everything?" Tristan mused, noticing the gaze.

"Can't you pretend to be excited at the prospect of a new student or afraid of suddenly having a competitor?" Kieran outrightly ignored him, turning back to his book.

And just then, the class door was pushed open, and their class teacher emerged, followed by a lean boy.

At the sight of the boy. Most of the girls began giggling and whispering to themselves.

"Class!" The teacher shouted. "We have a transfer student," she announced like it was not already obvious in a gleeful voice matching to that of the students.

"Introduction! Introduction!" Chanted the class.

The class teacher turned expectantly to the boy. Having understood that, the boy spoke, " I am Mark Emrys. But you can call me Mk." He said and winked at them. The class erupted so cool.

The voice and the name pierced through Kieran's ear and automatically registered in his head. As he didn't raise his head with all of his focus plunged into the book. But, he didn't fail to notice that the voice sounded a little bit familiar.

On raising his head to look at the boy, Kieran was overwhelmed with shock with his mind in an emotional rollercoaster mode as he seemed to pass different emotions: shock. Confusion. Excitement and then finally settled in fear.

He would recognize those light brown eyes anywhere. His baby fats were gone, replaced with high prominent cheekbones and well defined jawline. Now, he was so tall.

"Mark," Kieran whispered.

Mark glanced at him and looked away. It wasn't a look of hatred or fear. Just a fleeting look shared between strangers along the road; no feelings attached.

Kieran was bewildered. He didn't know whether to be relieved or sad. However it wasn't a matter of choice anymore. He didn't recognize me?

"Kieran,"

"Hey!" Tristan was waving at him to get his attention.

"Kieran, I thought nothing could ever shake you. I never knew you would be stunned at the sight of a handsome guy like him," Tristan was all smirking.

Mark was appointed to sit at the vacant extreme end of the class, delighting the girls at that corner. And that was just a few seats away from Kieran's location.

Throughout that day in school, Kieran was lost and distracted from lessons while peeking several glances at Mark, who never seemed to stare back at him.

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Out of perplexity, he had even thought of going to him, resulting in him severely reprimanding and mentally striking himself for coming across such a strange thought.

What will I say? That I am Kieran? After what I did to him? I doubt if he still remembers me. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.

The guilty feeling has resumed nagging and pricking at him in all dimensions. However, it had put a temporary halt to his repeated glance towards Mark.

Tristan noticed his tensity and discomfort. "Are you okay?" He asked frowning worriedly.

Kieran gave him a brief look of surprise and nodded.

Tristan obviously wasn't convinced but he figured that Kieran might not be willingly to open up to him, so he didn't pressure him.

He glanced backwards at the direction of the extreme end, his eyes twinkling with envy and amusement. He tapped Kieran.

"Look, that new boy is clearly enjoying himself."

Hearing the new boy, Kieran already knew who was being referred to. Still, he turned his head sideways. There, he saw him smiling and chatting excitedly with the small circle of girls, who were twirling and battling their eyelashes flirtatiously around his corner.

Kieran schooled his emotions and turned back. He could still see the tiny traces of the Mark he knew then. His mind burned with curiosity of how Mark had been living all these past years. Had he met new friends? Finally knew who his father was? His previous school? His sudden transfer?

At the first rang of the bell indicating dismissal. Kieran had taken his bag, bid a quick bye to a confused Tristan and fled out of the classroom.

Plainly, he could no longer withstand the torture of being in the same room with Mark under that circumstance.

On leaving the school premises, Kieran heaved, releasing a torrent of fresh air into his stuffed lungs.

Absent-mindedly, he walked past the bus stop, his mind clogged up. All of sudden, two teens his age or even older blocked his path, therefore jolting him into reality. One was lanky while the other was stocky. However, it was obvious that they were high school students.

Kieran arched up an eyebrow as if to ask what?

"I advise you not to ask questions or struggle. Just quietly follow us," the lanky one told him.

Kieran just stared unblinkingly at them, not uttering a word.

The two boys couldn't help but felt a chill run down their spine, facing the piercing aloof lavender eyes. It was like they were the ones being forced to a corner and not the other way round.

"Okay," Kieran eventually said. "Lead the way," the two boys were baffled but they tried as hard as possible to hide it. They could see that Kieran was unruffled and unfazed as if he was confident that they wouldn't be able to do anything to him.

The stocky one humphed. "We will see how long that look would last on your face."

"It's a pity that this beautiful face will soon be disfigured," the lanky one thought.

Nevertheless, Kieran heard that quite well. Just how long has the thought been resounding in his mind for Kieran to have heard it even with the ear cord tucked in.

The lanky one walked in the front while the other at the back but they felt like the scene seemed like an attendant leading a tourist for sightseeing and a bodyguard respectively.

Finally reaching their destination; a deserted uncompleted building surrounded by grown up weeds, there were other boys smoking and gambling with furious shouts and delighted laughter emitting from their circle. Not far from them was a green eyed boy with bushy eyebrows sitting on a rocking chair, one of his legs sprawled on the handle of the chair. An unlit cigarette dangled from his mouth while he snapped on and off a lighter.

"Boss, we have brought him," thick pride could be detected from the lanky one's voice as he reported to their leader.

The boys playing and gambling instantly stopped preceded by impregnable silence.

The boy-leader hummed pleasantly and closed his eyes.

"I have long heard of this ethereal boy in our school but unfortunately I haven't met him," the boy said sarcastically as he stood up.

"So, I sent my boys to invite you here. For us to chat and drink together," there were shouts and mocking laughter.

The boy intimidatingly moved closer to Kieran and was so stunned that he nearly gasped but he managed to pull himself in check.

"Quiet," the leader ordered and the previous silence resumed. The leader smirked as if impressed that he had shown off his authority over the boys to Kieran.

Meanwhile, Kieran was totally unperturbed, he just stared at him in a bored manner like it was an everyday scene.

The leader's eyes wandered from Kieran's head to toe like he was appraising a goods. He nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad,"

He stretched forth his arm to touch him but Kieran quickly moved aside which resulted in the leader grabbing the air instead.

"I don't like being touched," He said, frowning. The leader who was embarrassed at the turn of things merely laughed as if to say he allowed that to happen.

"The boy has rules," he said, nodding repeatedly.

"You must have known who we are," seeing that Kieran didn't make an attempt to respond, he continued, "Every student respects and fears us, the teachers including. We get anything we want without lifting a finger. As long as you join us, I can make you the second in charge," there was hushed gasps and whispers of surprise. Clearly, it wasn't how it was supposed to be.

"You will enjoy the privileges we do, even more," the leader continued, ignoring the boys behind him.

The corner of Kieran's lips curved up. "What's funny?" The leader asked.

"Is that supposed to be favorable or unfavorable to me?" Kieran asked in a serious tone.

"What?" The leader was confused.

"Stealing, manhandling, cheating, bullying weak students, disrespecting teachers. That's all I have heard about you and your underlings,"

The leader was agape and wide eyed.

However, Kieran was not done talking. "You said, you invited me here and for it to be an invitation, it's left for me to accept or decline. Of course, I decline, I absolutely don't want to take part in any of those insolent acts. And I will advise you to halt these activities. You guys are too young for that." Kieran turned to leave.

The leader finally had had enough. He shouted furiously at the boys to get hold of him.

The stocky boy nearby was the first to make a move. However, Kieran already knew what was about to happen. Casually, he spun around and grasped the boy by his collar. With his extraordinary strength he pushed him down and he fell with a resounding thud. A second boy rushed to him but all of a sudden a boy seemingly appeared from nowhere, landing a powerful kick to the other boy's abdomen. Then, He clutched onto Kieran's hand and they took off.