"Hello, Bumble," a gentle voice said as I waited outside. A girl with darker skin approached, her big smile framed by straight black hair and expressive dark eyes.

"I am Nova from class 10/A-H. It is nice to meet you," she continued warmly.

"Class 10/A-H?" I asked, confused. I was still unfamiliar with the system.

"Yes. I'm in 10th grade, class A, under hunter status. You are in Class 9/E-H, which means you are in 9th grade, class E, also accepted as the lowest class, and under the hunter status. You are assigned to E class because you just enrolled and are an outsider. Don't worry, though; with enough studying, you will enter a higher class. Shall I start showing you around?" she asked. I nodded to her, and we started walking.

"Our school building is divided by function and grade. The bottom right side of the school belongs to the 9th grade, which is where you'll be. The same floor on the left side is where the 10th grade is. The upper left belongs to the 11th and the upper right to the 12th grade. Classes, as you might expect, are organized by age. Ranks are a different story; academic and extracurricular achievements determine them. The higher the rank, the better. Graduating within the top 2 rank, not depending either on hunter status or technician status, allows you to join the military, which is considered an honor."

All this sudden knowledge made me feel lost and overwhelmed. I felt my anxiety rise but tried to overcome the feeling and asked my question.

"Why does rank matter so much?" I asked, feeling a twinge of anxiety. "How does it actually affect our futures?"

"It will directly affect your future—from career prospects to your relationships and so on! Being in a low class labels you as useless in society. If you rank up, your life will improve."

"But aren't we all in this together? Shouldn't we get along?" I questioned.

"Well, we do get along," she replied. "But those who don't contribute to society are cast out. We all need to do our share."

I nodded, but there was still a gap in my head.

How is it logical? If someone struggles or lacks, shouldn't they help them more? I wondered but didn't ask.

As we left the school grounds, a large backyard welcomed us. It had many grasses, walking paths, benches, and pergolas. A sweet breeze was in the air.

"I will show you from afar since we must return to lessons soon," Nova said, getting my attention.

"If you walk forward from here, you will see the arena. Every year, we do various events there, such as flag races, voidspawn simulations, and so on. On the right side, you will see the library and the gym where we learn to fight."

I nodded but did not fully understand since some words were still foreign to me. I noted them to myself so I could ask Alaric when I got home.

"And at the left side is the 'cyber' part. You, like most of the students, are forbidden to enter."

I nodded again. She smiled.

"Alright, the last stop is the cafeteria," she said as she walked back inside. As we walked, she never took her gaze off me, making me feel tense.

"Umm, is there something wrong?"

She shook her head.

"Does your left eye have a green tint?" she inquired, her gaze unsettlingly intense.

"Yes," I replied, a flush of self-consciousness warming my cheek. Her notice made me surprised. My eyes were mostly brown color, but my left eye, like she noticed, had a green tint in it.

"I have to say, your eye color is quite eye-catching," she commented. I was taken aback by the sudden compliment—at least, I thought it was a compliment.

"Thanks, you are the first one to say that," naturally, I thought since she was one of the first people I met. A few minutes later, we arrived where both the canteen and cafeteria were. She showed me around quickly and then took me to my classroom.

"I hope you will enjoy your time here," she said with a smile before leaving.

"Yeah, thanks," I mumbled, surprised by her abrupt departure. I shrugged and knocked on the door as Alaric had instructed before a voice inside told me to enter.

Upon opening the door, I saw a bald teacher who looked very tired.

"Oh, there you are," he said, gesturing for me to come closer. I hesitantly walked towards him as my heart began to race with a mix of fear and excitement. There were so many people here in one place. Some looked at me with boredom, others with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. I gulped before seeing a familiar figure. Naomi was in this class, too!

"Okay, everyone. This is Bumble. Be nice to her," he announced with a monotone tone, barely glancing my way as he loosely gripped my shoulder. A wave of heat washed over me as a few snickers broke out at the mention of my name.

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You love your name; no matter how many chuckles you will hear today, this fact will never change! I said to myself.

"Sit anywhere you want and remove your headphones and glasses," he instructed before turning his back. I slowly made my way to a middle seat next to a boy with black hair and settled in to listen to the lesson.

When the bell rang, everyone stood up abruptly.

Didn't they have to wait for the teacher to say "class dismissed"? I wondered. But it seemed the teacher didn't care either and left the class quickly.

I sat still without knowing what to do. Then I remembered what Alaric said.

"If you ever find yourself in a situation with too many people and don't know what to do, follow the pack," he said once. I got up slowly and started to look around. Some students left the classroom, and others chatted with others who might be their friends.

So, either talking or walking outside, I thought. Going outside would force me to analyze more, so I decided to speak to someone. That someone was chosen already: Naomi. She was reading a book, but I was sure she would be okay with me talking to her.

As I walked toward her, she looked at me over her book hesitantly.

"Hi, Naomi!" I greeted.

"Hey," she responded as she lowered her book slowly.

"It seems we are in the same class," she said hesitantly. I could see that she wanted to talk but was afraid of something.

"Yeah, but that it expected?" I asked.

"How so?" she asked.

"Well, the girl - what was her name - Nova, said I was assigned to this class because I'm an outsider, and since you're here too..."

"Did she really say that?" Naomi interrupted. Her voice was sad.

"Yeah. I know that it might feel bad, but Alaric told me that we need time for them to get used to us!"

"Who is Alaric?" Naomi inquired.

"Alaric is my guardian!"

"Guardian?" She asked, confused. "Like a parent?"

"Oh no, my parents are dead," I explained.

Naomi looked shocked and confused.

"Is that so? Well, I don't know what to say," she said slowly. I frowned.

"Why?"

"Well," she averted her gaze, "your answers confuse me."

"Oh," I said. "Sorry."

"No, no, you don't need to say sorry!" She said as she waved her hands. Her face was flustered.

"Everyone here has a story, I suppose. It's just... your openness is a bit unexpected."

I nodded, not really understanding what "open" means. After a while, the bell rang again, signaling the end of the break. The rest of the break stayed almost the same. During the next break, I went to Naomi's side and then let her read her book.

As lunchtime came, everyone rushed outside except Naomi.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Her face seemed pale.

"Oh, it's nothing," she insisted.

"Then why are you not going to the cafeteria like everyone else?" I pressed.

"I'm not hungry," she replied with a forced smile. "You go ahead."

"Oh," I paused. She was hiding something. Her right leg was shaking under the desk. Alaric once told me that this might happen when someone feels stressed. I wanted to ask her more, but decided not to probe it. In the end, we just met today, and Alaric warned me not to persist with others.

"Okay then, see you later," I said as I left the classroom. When I arrived at the cafeteria, I saw a very long line on one side and diners on the other. I joined the line and waited patiently to get my meal. As I was waiting on the line, I felt discomfort about the noise around me. It was too loud. Not knowing what to do, I looked around. Some were laughing; some were serious, and some were just eating their food calmly, alone. I also saw the boy, Elijah, from afar. He seemed happy as he was smiling. His friends also seemed to enjoy themselves. When I saw him chuckle, I felt blood rushed to my cheeks. I looked away quickly, trying to calm my beating heart.

I wish Naomi were here, I thought. At least, that would help me to blend in. I sighed and waited in complete silence in the line. When it was my turn, I saw foods that I had never seen before. I took all of them with excitement, then moved to a table, like everyone did. I sat somewhere that seemed comfortable and ate in silence. I felt people's gazes on me, but I didn't bring too much attention to it. Yet, there was an emotion inside of me that made me feel miserable. I considered calling Alaric again, but I was sure that this would disappoint him. I quickly finished eating and headed back to class. On my way, I saw Naomi. She was talking to the three male students, but she looked very uncomfortable and pale. Her eyes met mine, wide with a mix of fear and desperation.

What is going on? I thought. When one of the male students pushed her, I felt my body tingled with anger. As I was about to approach them, someone held my arm. It was the boy I sat next to.

"Don't," he warned calmly, his grey eyes severe.

"Why? What's going on?" My voice was a mere whisper, my gaze drifting past him towards Naomi.

He glanced over his shoulder, his voice low. "I'm only telling you this once since you're new. Stay away from them, especially Marcus."

"Who is Marcus?" I asked.

"The guy had a slick black hair," he described. I looked over to see a boy with sharp, icy blue eyes and a well-maintained physique, dressed differently from the rest.

"Who is he?" I asked.

"He is someone you should never have crossed paths with. Normally, school do their best to stop bullying. But since Marcus's family is rich, they can't do anything. The best you can do is ensure he won't notice you."

"But, what did Naomi do?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I don't know. But she's not alone; he bullies many. However, they especially target her because she's an outsider. Speaking of, you are an outsider too, right?"

I nodded.

"Then be careful," he warned one last time as he let go of my arm and went to the classroom. I looked at Naomi again. Her blue eyes were teary, and her body was trembling. My heart is suddenly filled with pain. I knew that Naomi and I had just met, and I was warned not to approach, but I couldn't leave her like this. I took a deep breath and walked towards them, pretending like I hadn't heard anything about Marcus just now.

"Hey Naomi, I was worried since you didn't come to the cafeteria. Are these your friends?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Marcus and his friends turned to look at me, smirking at my question before bursting into laughter.

"Friends? Yeah, right," Marcus said as he put his arm on Naomi. Naomi's face was frozen with fear.

"And who are you? I have never seen you before," he asked mockingly.

"Oh," I gulped, feeling the intensity of his gaze." I am Bumble-"

"Bumble? What kind of name is that? Were 'Flutter' and 'Buzz' already taken?" one of his friends, a boy with ginger curly hair and brown eyes, jeered as they all laughed.

"Why would they be taken? I mean, there can be multiple Naomis, for example, so I am not sure how a name can be taken," I replied. Somewhere inside of me, I felt annoyed, but I also thought that this might be a genuine question.

"Let me give you some advice since you are new," Marcus said, stepping closer.

"If you want to live a peaceful life here, stay out of our way. When you see us, like your classmate did, change your path. Or you will end up the same as her," he warned with a non-genuine smile.

"Oh, and Naomi," he added, turning back to her, his tone chilling. "I'll see you after school," he said before walking away with his friends. He hit my shoulder with his shoulder as he did that. Naomi collapsed to her knees and started crying. Unsure of what to do, I watched her in dismay.