Flynn glanced at Dylan, who'd been slumped over his desk for most of the period.
"Hey, you okay? You've been looking like a zombie since earlier," Flynn said, half-concerned, half-teasing.
Dylan slowly lifted his head and turned to him. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just didn't get much sleep."
Flynn smirked. "Looks like Stephanie wore you out last night, huh?"
Dylan huffed out a weak laugh. "Not just last night. The whole weekend, actually. She wanted to go everywhere and do everything."
"Well, can you blame her? You two haven't seen each other in a while," Flynn said, shrugging.
"I know." Dylan rubbed the back of his neck. "It just... felt a bit too much."
"She was probably just making the most of your time together," Flynn replied casually.
Dylan only nodded, then seemed to remember something. "Oh, right— we've got basketball training later. Did you bring your stuff?"
"Yeah," Flynn said. "But you go ahead after class. I'm one of the cleaners today."
"Alright, got it."
Before Flynn could say anything else, Nathan came strolling toward them with his usual grin.
"Flynn! Dylan!" he called out. "You guys eating lunch? Come with me—I've got three free meal stubs. They expire today, so we might as well use them."
"Where'd you even get those?" Flynn asked, curious.
"From the theater club," Nathan said proudly. "They gave these to the members, but I didn't get to use them. People keep giving me food anyway."
Flynn chuckled. "Looks like your fanbase in the creative department's growing fast, huh?"
Nathan grinned proudly. "Haha, of course. You should be used to it by now."
When the three of them arrived at the cafeteria, they each claimed their meals using the stubs Nathan had given them and found a place to sit.
While they were eating, Flynn turned to Nathan. "So... how's everything with the activities you signed up for? Have you decided which two you're going to stick with?"
"I'm not joining Mr. Campus," Nathan said between bites. "I realized I wouldn't be able to handle both that and the theatrical. I need to focus, there are too many scripts I need to memorize."
"Good choice," Flynn nodded. "Just make sure you get it right. The theatrical is one of the big events, and from what I've heard, they'll be promoting it outside the school too, so a lot of students from other schools might come watch."
"I know," Nathan replied seriously. "That's why I really need to focus."
Dylan suddenly chimed in. "What about you, Flynn? You're mostly a sub on the basketball team, so you don't need to go all out in practice. Aren't you thinking of joining anything else?"
Flynn paused, thinking about Dylan's question. "Not really. I don't have any other ideas for clubs or activities. For now, being on the basketball team is enough."
Dylan and Nathan just nodded in agreement.
After finishing their meals, they cleared their trays and were about to leave when they noticed a guy being bullied by three other students.
Dylan couldn't just stand by and he immediately stepped forward. "Leave him alone!" he shouted at the three.
The bullies scattered quickly, and Flynn and Nathan quickly went to check on the guy.
"You okay?" Flynn asked.
Sputtering, the guy replied, "Y-yeah. I'm fine. Thanks to you."
"Don't worry about them. If it happens again, report it to guidance right away," Flynn advised.
The guy nodded and walked away.
"Come on," Dylan said. "Let's get back before the next class starts."
The three of them left the cafeteria and headed back to their room.
After their class ended, Flynn was left alone in the classroom to clean while Dylan and Nathan had already gone off to their respective practices.
Disappointment was clear on Flynn's face—he had to clean all by himself since everyone who was supposed to help had left early.
As he mopped the floor, he decided to sing to pass the time. Being completely alone in the room, he could really let himself get into it, feeling every note as he sang.
---
When his classes ended, Jacob decided to look for the three boys who had stepped in to help him when he was being bullied earlier.
After his class, Jacob decided to look for the three guys who had helped him earlier when they bullied their schoolmate.
As he walked down the hallway, he heard someone singing—a clear, captivating male voice that carried through the quiet corridor. The melody echoed softly off the walls, almost angelic, filling the still air with something calm and beautiful.
Curious, Jacob followed the sound until he found himself standing outside Flynn's classroom. He peeked through the doorway and froze.
There was Flynn, singing while he cleaned, completely lost in the song. Jacob couldn't take his eyes off him—the smooth tone of his voice, the way he moved, the calm expression on his handsome face.
When Flynn looked up, he saw Jacob standing at the doorway, staring at him. He froze mid-song, nearly stumbling back in shock.
"You've... been there the whole time?" Flynn stammered, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"Uh... not exactly," Jacob said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I just heard you singing. You're really good."
Flynn scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Oh... hehe, thanks. So... what brings you here?"
"I came to find you guys. I wanted to thank you for helping me earlier with those bullies." Jacob explained.
"Oh... they already left, but don't worry about it. It's fine," Flynn replied.
"Thanks again. I'm Jacob, by the way. Class 10," he said, holding out his hand.
"I'm Flynn," Flynn said, shaking his hand.
"Have you joined any activities yet?" Jacob asked, tilting his head curiously.
Flynn nodded. "I'm on the basketball team, but just a sub."
"Flynn... uh, can I ask you a favor?" Jacob began, a little hesitant. "I've been wanting to join the Battle of the Band, but... after what happened earlier with those bullies, I didn't really have the courage. But seeing how you guys helped me—and hearing you sing just now—I think... I think we could make a really great duo. Your ballad, my rap... it could actually work."
Flynn blinked, caught off guard. "H-huh? I don't think I can... And it's the Battle of the Band, right? Just the two of us?"
Jacob leaned slightly forward, confidence in his tone. "The way you sang earlier, I know you can handle it. And the rules? You don't actually need a full band. The judges focus on vocals, stage presence, and creativity, not just instruments. Duo acts are totally fine, as long as the performance is engaging. Don't worry about the music—I'll take care of the pre-recorded instrumentals."
"I... uh, I'll think about it for now," Flynn said, unsure of what to reply.
"No problem. The event's still a while away. Just let me know once you've decided," Jacob replied with a small smile.
"Alright," Flynn nodded.
Jacob's face lit up with excitement. "Okay, I'll head off for now. See you later!"
After Jacob left, Flynn quickly finished cleaning so he could join the basketball practice.