Jin's pov
I focused my attention on the professor at the front of the classroom, listening intently to the lesson. Meanwhile, my so-called companions seemed entirely uninterested. Ryu was busy eating, openly chewing in the middle of the lecture, while Kevin was fast asleep, his head resting lazily on his desk.
Unbelievable. Are these two even real students? They act like they don't have a care in the world.
"Hey, you!" The professor's sharp voice cut through the room, making me tense up. I instinctively turned toward him, only to realize he wasn't looking at me—he was glaring at Ryu.
"Hey, you! The one eating."
Ryu barely spared him a glance. "What?"
I nearly choked. This idiot! He had absolutely no respect! Who talks to a professor like that?
The professor's expression darkened. "You don't seem interested in what I'm teaching."
Before he could finish his thought, Ryu interrupted, his voice casual. "Actually, sir, no one's really interested. Well, except him." He gestured lazily at me.
I mentally slapped my forehead. This bastard just threw me under the bus!
The professor smirked, clearly unfazed. "Is that so? Then let's put that to the test."
Ryu leaned back in his chair, completely relaxed. "Bring it on, sir."
I sighed, shaking my head. This guy never changes.
The professor flipped through his book, his smirk widening. "Alright then. What is the relationship between magnetism and electricity?"
I stiffened. That was a tricky question. The professor was clearly trying to put Ryu in his place. Serves him right.
To my utter shock, Ryu didn't hesitate. "Magnetism and electricity involve the attraction and repulsion between charged particles and the forces they exert. Their interaction is called electromagnetism. A moving magnet can generate electricity, and an electric current can create a magnetic field."
Wait... What?!
How the hell did he answer that so easily?!
The professor raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Good. Continue."
Ryu didn't even blink. "Magnetism affects a compass needle, unless influenced by another magnetic field. In 1820, Hans Christian Oersted observed that a compass needle changed direction when placed near a wire carrying electric current. He concluded that electric current produces a magnetic field."
Silence filled the room. Even Kevin, who had been dozing off, cracked an eye open.
Who the hell is this guy?
The professor nodded approvingly. "Impressive. You may sit down."
Ryu grinned and leaned back, completely unfazed. I realized I had been staring at him in disbelief when he suddenly smirked at me.
"Stop staring, Jin. That was too easy to waste my attention on."
I rolled my eyes. "How did you even answer that so fast?"
"Tch. What's your average?" he asked suddenly.
I frowned at the random question. "Ninety-two. Why?"
Ryu smirked. "You wouldn't have gotten into this school if your grades weren't high. Strength isn't the only thing that matters here, Jin. You need brains too."
I blinked. That... actually made sense.
"So, does that mean our classmates are just as smart?"
"Of course. The lowest average here is a ninety. I rank among the top with a ninety-five, and Kevin? He's at ninety-seven."
I exhaled sharply. Damn. So not only were the students here strong, but they were intelligent as well.
I didn't ask any more questions after that, instead turning my focus back to the professor. The rest of the lesson went by uneventfully, with discussions filling the air. Then, finally, the lunch bell rang.
The moment the lunch bell rang, Ryu wasted no time in stretching his arms and letting out a loud yawn. "Alright, lunch time. Then later, we've got a fight to watch," he said, grinning. Kevin and I nodded, gathering our things to leave the classroom.
Just as we were about to head out, I suddenly remembered something. I patted my pockets instinctively. Wait. What the fuck? Where's my phone?!
It didn't take long for me to realize I must've left it in my bag. Damn it.
"You guys go ahead. I left my phone in my bag," I said, turning back.
Ryu waved me off. "Yeah, yeah, just don't take too long."
With that, I hurried back to the classroom. As soon as I reached my seat, I spotted my phone peeking out from my bag. "There you are," I muttered, grabbing it.
I was about to head back to the canteen when something—or rather, someone—caught my eye.
A girl sat alone on a bench just outside the classroom, reading a book while absentmindedly eating. Her long blonde hair obscured most of her face, but there was something about her that made me stop in my tracks.
Curiosity got the better of me.
I walked over and stopped beside her. "Hey."
No response.
Tch. What a snob.
I tried again. "Uh, you're eating alone? Why not join—"
Still nothing.
Okay. Now I was intrigued. Was she ignoring me on purpose?
Screw it. I sat down on the same bench, keeping a respectable distance between us. Maybe if I waited long enough, she'd acknowledge me. But even after several minutes, she remained completely focused on her book, not even sparing me a glance.
What the hell? Was she allergic to people or something?
Finally, my patience wore thin. I leaned forward and lightly tapped her shoulder. "Uh... miss? You okay? You've been silent this whole—"
She abruptly shut her book and turned to face me.
My breath hitched.
Her presence sent chills down my spine. She was beautiful—undeniably so—but there was something cold and piercing about her gaze that made every hair on my body stand on end.
"Who the hell gave you permission to touch me?" she snapped, her voice laced with venom.
For the first time in a long time, I was at a loss for words.
"Speak!" she barked, making me instinctively straighten up.
"A-ah... uh..."
Her glare hardened. "What?!"
"I-I'm Jin. Jin Yagami," I stammered out. What the fuck was wrong with me? Why was I stuttering?
She scoffed. "I don't fucking care about your name. Why the hell did you touch me?"
Holy shit. Even the way she cursed was intimidating.
"I-it was nothing," I muttered, looking away.
She clicked her tongue. "Don't you dare come near me again. Understand?"
I nodded before I even realized what I was doing.
With that, she stood up and walked away, not sparing me another glance. I watched her retreating figure, still trying to process what had just happened.
That's when I noticed something on the bench.
A notebook.
I picked it up, flipping it open to the first page.
Briana Naomi.
Wait... Briana Naomi? That name sounded familiar.
Then it hit me.
Holy fucking shit.
Briana Naomi?! Rank 5?!
No wonder I had a bad feeling about her from the start!
I stared at the notebook in my hands, still reeling from the revelation. Well, I guess I'd return it to her the next time we crossed paths.
Still a little dazed, I made my way to the canteen, where Ryu and Kevin were already waiting.
"Oi! What took you so long? You look like you've seen a ghost," Ryu remarked, raising a brow.
I didn't answer.
His eyes trailed to the notebook in my hands, and before I could react, he snatched it away.
"Hey! Give that back!" I snapped, reaching for it.
Ryu dodged effortlessly, flipping it open. The second he read the name, his eyes widened.
"Pfft—" He barely lasted a second before bursting into laughter. "BWAHAHAHAHA! No fucking way! You—of all people—ran into Briana Naomi?!"
Kevin, who had been quietly eating, finally looked up. "Wait. You met her?"
"I didn't just meet her," I grumbled. "I pissed her off."
Ryu clutched his stomach, still laughing. "Oh man, you're screwed. You better watch your back from now on!"
I scowled, snatching the notebook back. "Shut up. I'll just return this to her."
Ryu smirked. "Yeah, good luck with that."
I ignored him, flipping open the notebook one last time. In the upper right corner, a small picture of Briana stared back at me.
I exhaled slowly.
This school was just full of surprises, huh?