Sure, the other ranked people in the front row might mistake Athen for Kai, but for a fact, Athen knew that two people could identify Kai correctly.

Dragging Kai out of the aisle and walking towards the stage, Athen quietly asked.

"If you're so sure you've hidden your face, why can I name more than one person who knows what you look like?"

"...? No one should be able to..."

Hearing Kai's genuine tone, Athen sighed and concluded that the two girls must have seen Kai's face or something like that without him knowing.

Seeing Athen not reply to his question, Kai stared ahead confusedly, allowing himself to be dragged by the hand, and asked.

"Wait...two people besides you know my face?"

Not bothering to look back, Athen braced himself as he reached the front of the stage and replied.

"Two people know that I'm not you. I believe I already mentioned one to you...Alice. The other is a white-haired girl named Delphi."

Arriving at the first row of seats, Athen glanced down the aisle, easily spotting the only empty seat that belonged to Kai.

However, blocking his way to his seat, a familiar figure was standing in the middle of the walkway while talking to the boy from earlier, who was ranked number two.

With a nametag that read "Percy," the sitting boy awkwardly tried to move his head around to look at the stage; however, the figure standing before him completely blocked his vision.

Obstructing Percy's vision, a boy with pure-blonde hair and teal eyes stood with his back facing the stage.

His eyes were locked onto Percy as he proudly displayed his collared shirt, which bore the name "Hybris."

Athen easily recognized the boy as the person on the flying ship who had been bragging about his top-ten ranking to the fan club of students around him.

Looking down at Percy with eyes filled with disgust and...joy, Hybris said, not minding the many spectators around him.

" *tsk* I guess this is what they call the DEI program. Some admission officers must have wanted the school to look pure and morally correct by ranking some poor-ass commoner at the number two rank. You're just a pity selection."

Deeping his voice, Hybris continued, perfectly mimicking the voice of an adult.

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"Oh, our school is so diverse; we even accept commoners!"

As Athen entered the walkway and walked towards the two, Kai leaned downwards and attempted to hide his face with the back of Athen's collared shirt.

After finishing his rant, Hybris expectantly stared downwards at Percy, looking for any reaction whatsoever.

However, Percy remained perfectly calm, to the shock of the students in hearing distance, and responded back.

"So what? I'm a pity vote, what about it? I'm still ranked hi-"

Standing right next to the two boys in front of Kai's seat, Athen grinned before glancing around and seeing all the people tuned into the argument.

Now was his time.

To Kai's dismay and confusion, Athen raised his hand and rushed it forward right into Hybris's back.

Shocked by the sudden pressure, Hybris lost his balance and staggered forward, falling right into Percy's lap.

"..."

Pure silence emerged amongst the spectators as the scene of Hybris on top of Percy came into view.

Stepping over Hybris's legs, Athen turned around and looked at the two from over his shoulder.

Giving them a disdainful glance, he said in an exhausted voice.

"Can you two just fuck off already? No one wants to hear you two argue about your romantic relationship. Either break up or make out already."

A blank expression appeared on Percy's face as he gazed at Hybris, who had grasped onto his shirt to regain his balance.

Not daring to make eye contact with anyone, Kai awkwardly followed after Athen, staying completely silent and still hiding his face.

After a moment, Hyrbris used Percy's stomach to stand back up and regain his balance before slowly shifting her gaze toward Athen.

"What...the hell did you just say?"

Turning back around, Athen arrived at his seat and replied, not even looking at Hybris.

"Braindead and deaf? Maybe you're the DEI hire."

Taking a seat on the chair marked "Kai #4," Athen made sure that Alice and Delphi were looking at him before finally turning to Kai, who was awkwardly standing in front of him.

"Come."

Seeing Kai confusedly look at him since there was no chair to sit on, Athen turned around and looked at the people in the row behind him.

"You won't mind if I borrow a chair, will you?"

Having heard the conversation from earlier and seeing the rank on his chair, two boys from the row simultaneously stood up to avoid any trouble and nodded their heads.

His act had worked.

Chuckling, Athen reached his hand over the back of his chair and grabbed one of the boy's chairs.

Although it was painful and took up most of his strength and willpower, Athen managed to maintain a nonchalant expression while lifting up the chair.

Bringing the chair over his head, he clenched his teeth before carefully placing it on his left side.

Turning to face the girl next to him with the number three ranked chair, Athen said.

"You won't mind if a friend of mine sits here, will you?"

Clearly not scared or intimidated in the slightest, the girl with pink hair and dark purple eyes simply shrugged her shoulders before returning his gaze to the stage.

Taking the hint, Kai obediently sat down before turning to Athen and muttering just loud enough so that Alice and some others around could hear.

"That dinner you sent me to was...amazing!"

Nodding his head, Athen looked out of the corner of his eye to his right, where Alice sat, making sure she hadn't done anything.

Thankfully, besides a disgusted gaze, she was normal.

At that moment, Athen suddenly recalled why he had gone searching for a pair of clothes in the first place.

"...well, me ditching her on the lower deck and looking homeless does play into my character, I guess..."

As Athen shifted his eyes toward the stage, he was unsurprised to find a very familiar figure walking past him with a sharp gaze.