"Ten, nine, eight…"
From the stage, Flora began counting down the remaining time of the Five-Fruit Tray Decoration Contest.
The line in front of Class 11D's tray began to slowly dissolve, students reluctantly returning to their class areas.
"… Three, two, one! Time's up! Alright, everyone, please put down your tools. The contest has officially ended. In just a few more moments, the judges will begin visiting each class to score and give feedback. And now, let me introduce the members of this year's Five-Fruit Tray Decoration Contest Judging Panel!"
Flora paused as the entire student body and faculty of Harmony High applauded in unison.
"The most special member of this year's judging panel is none other than Mr. Locke. Mr. Locke was one of the very first students of Harmony High - back in the days when students had to rush into bomb shelters at every air raid siren. After graduating, he joined the army to defend the country. And after the nation was unified, he returned to his hometown and has been volunteering as Harmony's night guard since 1975."
Mr. Locke had a small and wiry frame, his weathered face marked with the strength of someone who had seen much. Despite his age, there was a proud and commanding aura about him - a veteran's dignity - that made even the rowdiest boys from Group B classes hesitate to stir up trouble on campus.
"Next up, representing the Harmony High Administration, is Principal Ella Nguyen. And yes, ladies and gentlemen, her name speaks for itself. Our beloved Ms. Ella is a true beauty - graceful in both presence and appearance. Like Mr. Locke, she is also a proud alumna of Harmony High, attending from 2002 to 2005."
Camellia could feel the testosterone levels in the air skyrocketing. The boys of Harmony High were clearly electrified by Principal Ella's appearance.
Standing around 163 centimeters tall, Principal Ella had the kind of hourglass figure and long slender legs that turned heads. She always knew how to dress in a way that balanced elegance and allure - subtly highlighting her strengths.
But it wasn't just her looks. She carried herself with calm confidence, a poised demeanor, and the commanding presence of someone seasoned in leadership. There was an undeniable authority in her, wrapped in the aura of a seasoned headmistress.
To be honest, it was hard to find any flaws in that woman.
"And finally, representing the Harmony Town School Board, we have Dr. Spring. This year, the doctor is only 38 years old - and still single, by the way. As you all know, he's incredibly busy working at both the Town Hospital and the Field Hospital. That's why he hasn't had time to date. So perhaps, this is a golden opportunity for…"
Flora didn't even get to finish her sentence before the entire female population of Harmony High erupted like a hive of bees swarming from a broken nest. The girls whipped out their phones and began snapping photos non-stop as the blue-eyed doctor stood up.
Camellia frowned. A strange sense of discomfort stirred in her chest as she heard the whispers echoing through the crowd:
"Oh my gosh, blue-eyed Daddy!"
"Autumn, hurry up and call me sister-in-law!"
Dr. Spring looked like he was only 24 or 25 years old - and he might stay looking that way for hundreds of years. But in reality, he was old enough to be the father or uncle of Camellia and most of the girls here. And yet, these Harmony girls were shamelessly seeing him as a potential boyfriend.
How embarrassing.
Not just for them - but for herself as well.
"And now, dear students of Harmony High, please turn your attention to the large screen on stage as we begin showcasing the promotional clips for each class's Five-Fruit Tray!"
Flora's sweet voice rang out again, and the school's attention shifted back to the contest.
But Camellia was no longer focused on anything happening on stage. Her eyes were unconsciously fixed on the warm, tender gaze that Dr. Spring directed at Ms. Ella.
Those eyes - normally so cold and distant - now sparkled with a youthful, carefree joy, just like the high school boys around them.
Camellia's heart clenched painfully as she saw him extend his arm for Ms. Ella to hold onto, and the two descended the stage together to begin judging the Five-Fruit Trays - starting with Group A.
The voice of reason inside her tried, in vain, to convince her…
… that aside from being different species, the two of them truly looked perfect together - in age, appearance, and aura.
Maybe it was best to just wish them happiness.
Yesterday, Camellia had already cried her heart out after deciding to forget her one-sided love.
Was that not enough?
Camellia bit her lip tightly.
She had to lean on the table where Royce was sitting, surrounded by a mountain of fruit decorations, just to steady herself.
She wasn't sure if it was just an illusion, but for a moment, she thought she saw a smirk flash across Royce's face.
Unbelievable - his body was supposed to be completely paralyzed by the anesthetic.
Could it be that she bought fake drugs?
The screams and cheers of the entire female population jolted Camellia out of her gloomy, spiraling thoughts.
The big screen was now playing the clip from Class 12C. The content was just as Cherry had shown to Ethan and Camellia earlier - except now with a music track added, which made it feel way 'gayer' than the raw version.
Camellia noticed Ethan smiling faintly. He looked quite smug as he watched the expressions of the boys across Harmony High. It was clear - most of them had the exact same "stab my eyes out" reaction Ethan had when he accidentally watched the clip earlier.
After the explosive chemistry that captivated the girls - and shocked the emotionally fragile boys - thanks to 12C's clip, all the videos from classes like 11C, 10C, and 12D suddenly felt flat and forgettable.
Only when the clip from Class 11D started playing did the entire student body light up like they'd just been injected with pure dopamine.
The music, lighting, special effects, interactions between Royce and Camellia, and the tight editing of the film made the students gasp in awe - as if they were watching a real movie trailer, not just a promotional video for a school contest.
The girls of Class 11D really deserved praise. In such a short amount of time, they managed to piece together video footage and secret photos of Camellia and Royce into a well-structured, compelling story.
"Impressive. You 11D weirdos really did your homework on audience trends, huh?"
Andrew the Detective from Class 11B suddenly appeared beside Camellia like a ninja.
"Romantic drama plots - enemies to lovers, possessive and domineering male leads, pinning each other to the wall, handcuffs, and of course a dash of boy love - those only appeal to female viewers."
Camellia nodded in agreement with Andrew's insight into the tastes of today's young girls.
"But young Asian male viewers - especially high school boys like us - we're suckers for something else entirely. Innocent, gentle guys constantly getting iced out and treated coldly by girls like you? We eat that up. That's why your video works."
"I have eyes. I can see for myself. I don't need you to narrate the obvious. Now get lost and go back to your precious Class 11B!"
Camellia fired back, acting exactly like the type of cold, blunt girl Andrew had just described.
But he didn't mind. Andrew the Detective kept rambling on, totally oblivious to how uninterested his audience clearly was.