The final bell echoed through the long corridors of Indus High, blending with the restless hum of students flooding out of classrooms.
The evening breeze slipped through open windows, carrying the scent of chalk, sweat, and a thousand whispered conversations.
The first day — loud, unpredictable, and strangely tense — had finally come to an end.
Sam stretched as he stepped out of class, his arms reaching toward the ceiling.
Sam: "Finally… thought this day would never end."
Beside him, Max yawned without a word, his gaze fixed outside — watching clusters of students whispering, some stealing glances at them.
He could feel it — eyes that weren't just curious. They were measuring him.
Moco joined them, swinging her bag over one shoulder.
Moco: "Looks like we made quite the impression today."
Sam: "You mean you made the impression."
Moco smirked. "Oh please, you were the one causing chaos at lunch."
Max: "Both of you caused chaos. Just… keep a low profile from tomorrow. Things here get complicated fast."
Moco raised an eyebrow but didn't push it. She could tell from Max's tone that it wasn't advice — it was a warning.
They walked toward the main gate, the orange hue of sunset washing over the courtyard.
It looked peaceful — but it was the kind of peace that hides a storm behind the clouds.
---
Terrace
Meanwhile, on the terrace, Tom and Ashi leaned against the railing, watching the crowd disperse below.
Ashi: "You think they'll get dragged into this?"
Tom: "They already have. It's just a matter of time before the higher-ups make their move."
Ashi exhaled, brushing his hair back.
Ashi: "Guess the calm days are over, huh?"
Tom: "Maybe… or maybe this time, someone like Max will change how it ends."
The wind shifted.
Down below, Max turned his head slightly, eyes locking with Tom's across the distance — calm, unreadable, and sharp.
A silent acknowledgment passed between them.
The kind that said — it's beginning again.
---
After School
Later that evening, under the shade of an old tree just outside the campus, the group gathered — Tom, Ashi, Sam, Max, and Moco.
Sam: "So… what now? Anyone got plans?"
Ashi: "Let's go celebrate. It's been, what, four years since we all met?"
Sam's face brightened. "Count me in!"
Max: "I'm in."
Tom: "Same here."
Sam looked at Moco, smirking.
Sam: "What about you? Got other plans?"
Moco: (hesitating, then smiling) "Okay, fine. Why not."
The five of them walked toward the city as the gates of Indus High closed behind them with a metallic clang — marking not just the end of the first day, but the quiet start of something much larger.
---
The Café Gathering
The café was small and cozy, the kind of place that smelled like roasted coffee beans and faint nostalgia. Warm lights flickered off the glass windows that faced the dusky street.
They grabbed a table near the corner, ordered simple food — burgers, noodles, and cold drinks — and the atmosphere slowly loosened.
Sam: "Finally… peace. I thought this school would be boring."
Ashi: "You call fighting seniors peaceful?"
Sam: (grinning) "Made things interesting, didn't it?"
Tom: "Interesting for you, maybe. For us, it's babysitting trouble."
Max: (chuckling) "He's not wrong. You've already got half the school's attention."
Moco: "You too, brother Max. Everyone saw you with him… and me."
For a brief moment, the table went quiet — the kind of silence that feels like the world holding its breath.
Then Ashi lifted his glass.
Ashi: "At least the food's good."
Laughter broke the tension. For a moment, it felt like old times — simple, loud, and free from whatever shadows loomed over Indus High.
Tom: "It's funny, isn't it? Every time we're all together, something happens. Let's just hope this time, things stay calm."
Max: "Don't jinx it."
They laughed again — but inside, none of them really believed things would stay calm.
---
Introductions
Ashi: "Alright, let's do proper introductions. Everyone here's got a story. This school only accepts top talents, right?"
Tom: "Good idea. I'll start."
He leaned back, folding his arms.
Tom: "I got recognized for math — ranked first once in the National Mathematics Olympiad." He smiled faintly. "I'm also a national-level kickboxer. Won gold once."
Sam: "Woah, that's crazy!"
Ashi: (grinning) "Still not as crazy as me."
Max: (sighs) "Here we go…"
Ashi: "Not a genius like Tom, but I'm solid. Taekwondo — black belt, two-time champion."
Tom: "You just had to flex."
Ashi: "Someone's gotta keep the spotlight balanced."
Sam: "Guess it's my turn. I'm not great at studies, but I'm good at football. Combat-wise, I've picked up a few MMA moves here and there."
Moco: "Alright, my turn." She leaned back, calm but confident. "Been boxing since I was a kid. Came fifth in an international under-16 boxing tournament."
Everyone froze.
Ashi and Sam practically shouted in sync:
"WHAT?! Fifth internationally?!"
Tom: "That's… the biggest bomb dropped tonight."
All eyes turned to Max, who was quietly eating, unbothered.
Sam: "Alright, fine. I'll expose him. This guy's been breaking records since under-16 — 100m, 200m, 400m, 1200m… even weightlifting under 70kg. Just search his name."
Ashi: "No way. He did all that before sixteen?"
Tom: "Speed, endurance, strength — this guy's a machine."
Moco: "So this quiet guy's basically a walking record book?"
Sam: "Pretty much. But he's humble about it… or lazy. Hard to tell."
Max: (smirking faintly) "Eat before your food gets cold."
Typical Max. Calm even when the room was on fire.
---
The Truth About Indus High
Tom set his spoon down, his tone shifting.
Tom: "Alright. Time for something serious."
The mood changed instantly.
Tom: "You guys are new here — especially you, Sam, Max, and Moco. You need to understand what kind of place Indus High really is."
Ashi: "It's not your average school. Looks normal, but inside — it's a battlefield. Status, strength, and power rule everything."
Tom: "Exactly. The Student Council runs things here. Events, clubs, punishments — they control it all. Their power's on par with the principal."
Sam: "So they're the top dogs."
Tom: "Not exactly. There are three main powers — the Council, the Captains, and the Free Ranks."
Moco: "Captains? Free Ranks?"
Ashi: "Captains lead departments — the Council's enforcers. The Free Ranks… they answer to no one. Dangerous types. Even the Council avoids them."
Tom: "Those three keep the balance — or chaos. And after what happened today, you two already made a mark."
A chill passed through the group.
Max: "So strength decides status."
Tom: "Exactly. And after that rooftop stunt, the Council's watching — especially the Vice President."
Sam: "What's their motive? Why follow their rules?"
Ashi: "Simple. You pay to live peacefully."
Moco: "Pay?"
Sam: "Classic bullies."
Tom: "Not exactly. It's not bullying. It's… protection money."
Sam: "Protection? From what?"
Ashi: "We don't know. We've never paid it. But people who don't — things start getting weird. They're treated differently."
Tom: "People grow cold, distant… hostile. It's like the school itself turns against you."
Moco: "So the Council's behind it?"
Ashi: (serious now) "No. If they wanted us gone, we wouldn't even be here. You don't know what kind of monsters walk these halls."
Tom leaned forward, his voice low.
Tom: "You caused chaos today — but don't mistake that for fame. The eyes on you… aren't from fans."
Ashi: "They're from the ones waiting for chaos to return."
The café's faint music seemed to fade as silence swallowed the table.
Max's eyes lifted — calm, deep, unreadable — and for a split second, Tom met that gaze again.
That same quiet understanding.
The one that said —
The storm's already moving.
---