Ariana Summers glanced secretly at Wyatt, gently stretching her hand toward him, hoping he would hold it like he usually did.
But no matter how long she waited, Wyatt, eyes closed, didn't reach for her hand this time.
Ariana's heart sank slightly in quiet disappointment.
Meanwhile, outside the moving bus, the silver-haired old woman pulled out her phone and made a call.
"Where to, ma'am?" the driver on the other end asked respectfully.
"Take me to the chairman's office."
"Understood."
---
Chairman's Office
In a sunlit office on the top floor of Metropolitan Prestige Academy, Chairman Samuel Kingsley was reviewing the files of this year's incoming students when he heard a knock at the door.
"It's me," came a calm, firm voice from outside.
"Mother? Please, come in," Samuel said, surprised.
The silver-haired woman pushed open the door. Her sharp, commanding presence made sense now—she was the chairman's mother.
"I wasn't expecting you today," Samuel added. "What brings you here?"
"I finished overseeing the seating assessment," she replied, referring to her secret role in evaluating new students' behavior on the bus ride to school. "But something unexpected happened. I met a very curious student—Ariana Summers, first-year, Class D. I need to see her profile."
Samuel raised an eyebrow but immediately reached for a stack of neatly organized files. He pulled out Ariana's student record and handed it over.
"Here, take a look."
The old woman opened the file and read carefully:
> Name: Ariana Summers
Occupation: Student
Student ID: S01T004738
Class: First-Year Class D
Academic Ability: C+
Intelligence: C
Judgment: D
Physical Ability: D
Teamwork Ability: D-
Interviewer's Comment:
A very shy student with below-average academic and athletic performance. Struggles with communication and social interaction, which is seen as a significant flaw.
The old woman frowned, clearly puzzled.
"These records make her sound completely ordinary. How did she figure out the 'points' system so quickly?"
Samuel leaned forward, intrigued.
"She realized the system existed just after stepping onto the island?" he asked. "Tell me everything that happened."
The old woman recounted the entire bus ride: Ariana's unexpected question about points, her nervous behavior, and the boy standing protectively by her side.
Samuel's expression darkened slightly.
"Was there a boy with her?"
"Yes," the old woman confirmed. "Tall, dark-haired, very handsome. I was hoping he'd be in Class A like Aria…"
Aria Kingsley—Samuel's daughter and the old woman's granddaughter—was indeed a freshman in Class A this year.
Without replying, Samuel calmly pulled out another file from the Class D section.
"Mother, is this the boy?"
The old woman studied the photo attached to the document and nodded slowly.
"That's him. Wyatt King. But… what's going on with his personal records?!"
---
> Name: Wyatt King
Occupation: Student
Student ID: S01T004737
Class: First-Year Class D
Academic Ability: A+
Intelligence: A+
Judgment: A
Physical Ability: A+
Teamwork Ability: E-
Interviewer's Comment:
Wyatt King ranks at the absolute top in both academics and athletics. However, he shows minimal interest in teamwork, social interaction, or group activities, often completing projects alone. His lack of cooperative behavior raises concerns about communication skills and team dynamics.
The old woman blinked in disbelief.
"Why on earth is a student this talented assigned to Class D?" she demanded. "Those scores are higher than most Class A students!"
Samuel didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gestured toward the last section of Wyatt's file.
"Check the notes at the end," he said calmly.
The old woman flipped to the back, reading the detailed disciplinary record:
> Wyatt King has a history of violence.
During middle school, he used force against several adult intruders on school grounds, causing serious injuries to one and minor injuries to three others.
He has also been involved in multiple off-campus self-defense incidents, leaving several members of criminal organizations hospitalized.
However, all actions were legally classified as self-defense, and Wyatt was never sent to juvenile detention.
The old woman's hands trembled slightly as she lowered the file.
"I… I never would've guessed. He seemed so calm. Gentle, even."
Samuel sighed.
"Now you understand why he was placed in Class D."
"But still… why even admit someone like him into this school?" she pressed.
Samuel explained patiently, "It's more complicated than it looks. Wyatt's past violence isn't random. It's linked to protecting his childhood friend—Ariana Summers."
He opened another file, showing past police reports and psychological evaluations.
"About six months ago, Ariana was targeted by criminals near her hometown. Wyatt stepped in... using any means necessary to protect her. Since then, Ariana's social anxiety worsened dramatically. She can barely communicate with strangers."
The old woman exhaled slowly, finally understanding the full picture.
"So Wyatt's actions were... revenge for her sake. But his methods were ruthless."
Samuel nodded.
"He isn't just some violent delinquent. Everything he's done has been carefully calculated—always within the bounds of self-defense. No charges ever stuck."
"And... there's no other way to handle people like that except with force," the old woman added thoughtfully.
"Exactly," Samuel agreed quietly. "That's why I approved his admission. He's dangerous. But also brilliant."
The old woman closed Wyatt's file, her expression unreadable.
"This year's Class D might be more interesting than usual."