Chapter Text
Roan Academy.
An academy that focuses and prioritizes pupils' talents over academic results. It is a place where someone like Cale Henituse can slack off peacefully.
Talents? He’s basically trash at that. However, he can’t say he’s trash when it comes to perfecting exams.
At the age of 16, Cale Henituse is a gold medallist known throughout the country he previously lived in.
A prodigy and a genius recognized for acing every prestigious school entrance exam prompted other universities to come knocking on his door, inviting him to teach at their school at such a young age.
A student who is extremely popular across their school. And a well-respected one at that.
A gifted son of the Henituse family, who was rumored to be the driving force behind the success of their company.
Many tried to have a contractual marriage with the oldest son of the Henituses, but the head of the family was too overprotective of their oldest son.
And thus, he was forced to travel back to his home country and transfer to an academy where he could lay low and enjoy his high school life without having to worry about his grades standing out because of the fact that the academy focuses on talents.
Cale Henituse's former school mourned the departure of their mysterious Cale-nim, who had helped students improve their grades by reintroducing the lessons better than their teachers.
"I think I'll be able to sleep soundly in this academy."
Cale stood outside the big gates of the academy, oblivious to the gazes he was receiving from the other students passing through the gates.
As he stared carefully at the large building, the corners of his lips raised slightly. This is where he will spend the rest of his academic career.
Roan Academy.
A place where he can slack off.
Cale sighed as he looked down at the small lunchbox wrapped in the handkerchief he was carrying. Even though he had already urged his mother not to make anything for him because he doesn't eat much at lunchtime, Violan persisted in doing so, fearful that he would pass out in the middle of his class.
As he approached the school gates, he spotted the school guard staring at him. He has lengthy, unkempt brown hair that has been compared to a lion's mane. He has a dangerous appearance and appears to be capable of sending him flying back to his previous homeland with a single flick of his finger.
However, the small glare that was fixated on him disappeared, and it was replaced with a wide smile.
“Hey! Are you a transfer student?”
Cale nodded slightly as he blinked at the unexpectedly loud voice.
"Kahahah! You seem weak, but you look like a genius!"
The students around them all turn to look at the redheaded student, and all Cale wants to do is get away from the situation.
Now, the students studying at Roan Academy know their school guard very well. He had no little regard for students and would often challenge the talented ones coming from the Martial Arts Club.
To this day, they still don’t know why that guard hasn’t even been fired for trying to pick fights with talented students like Choi Han, the president of the Martial Arts Club.
Cale simply stared at the guard, his face expressionless. However, after hearing from the other man that he appeared feeble, he smiled inwardly. Wouldn't that reduce his chances of being recruited by different clubs? No one wants a talentless and weak student to join their clubs in the first place.
He replied with a gentle nod, "Thank you."
Thank you for letting everyone know that I'm weak.
Toonka was the next to blink in surprise at the unexpected response. From Cale's perspective, he appeared perplexed for a little period, and he scratched the back of his neck while still staring at the redhead.
He's weak— but he's also gentle and polite!
"I'll teach you how to be strong, kid! Come back here after class!"
The students around them gaped at their guard’s statement as they turned to look at the redhead, waiting for his reaction.
He sighed, nodded, and turned around to continue on his walk. He does not want to prolong their conversation for fear of being compelled to move around again as he has in the past.
However, he grimaced slightly when he heard the next comment.
"I'll be waiting for you right here!"
It was widely known in his previous school that he was someone who could memorize everything with just a glance, as well as the fact that he had no sense of direction. Even if he tries hard to familiarize himself with the directions, his brain can’t just comprehend what the hell it is.
Perhaps this is why the principal of their previous school literally produced a map and handed him a compass particularly for him to use. Unfortunately, that principal is not working in his current school right now.
After nearly half an hour of circling the school, he finally discovered where the lockers were located.
Cale looked down at his lunchbox before carefully opening his locker and placing it inside.
Unbeknownst to him, a certain black-haired student was staring at him in a perplexed manner.
Why is the redheaded student stuffing a lunchbox into his locker?
Choi Han, the president of the Martial Arts Club, was completely baffled as he peered discreetly at the gorgeous redhead.
"Is this what they call a secret admirer? I remember the student council president having plenty of them."
His heart raced wildly, and he couldn't figure out why his cheeks were suddenly so warm.
It was the first time anyone had given him their lunch, and it had even been wrapped in a lovely handkerchief the same color as that student’s hair.
Choi Han was too preoccupied with trying to figure out why his heart was racing so fast. While all of this was occurring to the other man, Cale slid away from Choi Han's gaze and decided to seek out the gardens so he could begin to relax comfortably. Due to the fact that it is the first day of school, pupils can either walk around or go to class.
Choi Han is adamant and unwavering in his decision. He will surely recruit that beautiful person with a kind heart into his club so he can protect him! He can think of it as payment for the lunch he provided him.
Cale sighed contentedly as he lay down on the nice patch of grass. Except for what happened at the school gates, his day has been remarkably wonderful. Transferring to this academy may have been the best and smartest decision he's ever made. He should've studied here in the first place, and then he could've been slacking in the heavens ever since.
He yawned tiredly, allowing the grass to envelop his little frame. He started to feel weary after a minute and chose to close his eyes as sleep drew him in.
After an hour had passed, a random student from the gardening club entered the grounds and discovered a lifeless person in the midst of the field.
And is that a red color?! Is that blood?!
"There— There is a dead body!" The student cried in fear and panic, rushing out of the gardens as fast as lightning to report the tragedy she had just witnessed.
Cale remained asleep and motionless despite the fact that the entire school had devolved into turmoil as a result of the discovery of a supposedly dead body which is his.
Cale had no idea how he ended up being brought into the infirmary and the principal's office so suddenly. He also doesn't understand why the vicious-looking principal in front of him is giving him a benign smile that sends shivers down his spine.
After all, he hasn't committed any wrongdoing.
He yawned tiredly, covering his lips with the back of his palm, and blinked the drowsiness away.
When Ron observed the male student was sleepy, he gave him a sinister smile. To be honest, the sight of the student yawning in front of him with little to no concern for the fact that he's literally in front of the principal can be regarded as cute.
What a fearless and fragile-looking puppy.
He set a teacup in front of the redhead, who looked at him in astonishment, while Ron disregarded his stare and poured tea into it.
"Drink it. It should wake you up," Ron said, motioning to the teacup while continuing to smirk at the redhead student. He's aware of the transferee in front of him, a little prodigy and genius. In fact, he is known in nearly every school in the world. Having this student in his school is already a blessing, and he wishes to become well acquainted with the child.
If Cale Henituse finds out, he will undoubtedly drop out and choose to homeschool himself instead.
Cale shuddered slightly as he delicately held the teacup and drank it, the principal's eyes gleaming with amusement.
So sour!
His face scrunched up and it was true; he felt like his soul had just been shaken up by how disgustingly sour the tea was.
As he watched the redhead's student face tighten, Ron's smile broadened with delight and satisfaction. Who would have thought that the rumored prodigy with a laid-back demeanor towards everyone could create such a lovely and cute expression?
Cale shot the vicious principal an accusatory glance, and Ron returned with an even more benign smile.
To be honest, Ron had no idea that messing with this child would provide pleasure for his old and dull existence as a principal. Maybe his day will be better now that he has this kid running around his school.
“You’re dismissed.”
Cale inclined his head, looking all confused. Did this wicked principal just summon him to torture him with this horrible tea?
"Find a better place to sleep the next time."
And with that, Cale was then escorted out of the principal's office.
Ron's grin remained fixed on his face. As he dialed a number, he kept his gaze fixed on the door.
“Replace all beverages in the vending machines with lemonade.”
"Would you like to be a part of the student council?"
Cale almost clenched his eyes hard when he saw how dazzling the blond student's smile was. His lovely blond hair was sparkling, and his perfect white teeth were visible.
"Pardon?" Cale asked, feeling his slacker life receding away in the distance.
"Would you like to join us?" Alberu responded with a calculative glint in his eyes.
The student council president, known as Alberu Crossman, is at the top of the academy with straight A's on his card and is currently the most respected student in the school. With his attractive appearance and exceptional abilities, he is to die for.
But no one knows that he lost to Cale in the international competition. Cale Henituse was the gold medallist, and Alberu was the silver medallist. It was unexpected for him to face such a crushing defeat, given his high level of confidence in his abilities.
Instead of feeling bitter towards the other man, he went out of his way to find him and make him a friend before returning to his homeland. The resentment he was expected to feel for his adversary morphed into a deep admiration for the other man, possibly even a small obsessive crush.
Before returning to his native nation, he discovered a pen with the name Cale Henituse in his bag. Just as he was about to leave without any remembrance of the man he admired, he was ecstatic when he discovered it was the pen he had used in their competition.
But no one knows it just rolled off the table and went straight to his bag.
He tried to find the redhead on social media by searching for his name, but all he found were articles and fanfiction about Cale and a fansite dedicated to the redhead named White Star on the websites. He eventually found out that Cale Henituse didn’t have any social media accounts.
Well, it’s because Cale Henituse is someone who is good at hiding from people.
Nobody knows that he merely changed his social media account name to Bob and that he only posted photographs of pillows with ratings ranging from 0 to 10.
And now that the ‘Cale Henituse’ he has been trying to find for years is now in his school, there is no way in hell he will let the opportunity to become friends with the man pass.
Alberu tried his luck again and smiled, even more, when he received no response from the redhead.
"I'd like you to be a member of the student council."
The students around them gasped in surprise. It was exceedingly unusual for the student council president to recruit members on his own. The student council requires someone who has been a student at the academy for at least two years. But, given the redhead student in front of them, wasn't he a transferee?
Cale was at a loss for words.
“I’m sorry but I—”
Choi Han, the president of the Martial Arts Club, suddenly came running towards the redheaded student and stopped him from making any response.
"You," Choi Han stated, a determined expression on his face.
Alberu grimaced as he observed the exchanges. Is it possible that they've met before just like them?
"Me?" Cale asked, blinking and pointing at himself.
"You are kind," Choi Han said again, nodding and smiling at the other man.
“...?”
Cale was at a complete loss for words at this point. He tilted his head to the side, and a bunch of invisible question marks appeared over his head.
Him? Kind? What kind of nonsense is this student spewing?
"Would you like to join the Martial Arts Club?"
The students' jaws dropped open even further in response to the unexpected announcement. The two presidents of their respective clubs and councils in the middle of the crowd appeared to be vying for the heart of the transferee student.
“But I’m weak?”
Alberu nodded in agreement as he assessed the redhead's stature. And it is for this reason that someone like Cale Henituse should join the student council instead.
"Your response?" the blond interjected.
"I'll think about it," Cale answered nonchalantly with a blank expression and bowed promptly, not allowing the two a chance to respond as he turned around and walked away to the vending machines just around the corner.
He had already decided that he would not join any clubs.
Choi Han clutched the cute handkerchief tightly in his hands as he watched the redhead student walk away with a sleepy expression.
Alberu sighed, returning to his office with a dejected expression and fiddling with the pen he had gotten years ago.
Maybe if he can figure out what Cale's preferences are, he will be successful in convincing him to join the council.
Cale's eyes widened as he stared at the vending machines. Why— Why are all of the beverages lemonade-flavored?
Somehow, he has the feeling that he is being bullied indirectly.
"How strange, the principal abruptly changed all of the drinks to lemonade," a student said quietly to another student friend.
Cale mentally cursed the principal while attempting not to toss a can of lemonade juice when he discovered a CCTV pointed at him from the ceiling.
That vicious principal—
As a result, he sighed in defeat, inserted a few coins, and collected his drink. He'd never drink it in front of the school's cameras, though.
The garden is the best location for him to enjoy his free time.
When he entered the school gardens, he completely forgot about the lemonade can he was holding and headed straight to the grass field, where he laid down once again.
He's a little hungry, but whatever, he will completely embrace his slacker life at this academy.
His tiredness drew him back into his dream state, fully oblivious to the fact that a student had just screamed about another sighting of a dead body on the grass field.
And when he awoke, he found himself in a new different room, and a man with blond hair welcomed his view.
Cale patted the spot where he was lying down, and his eyes almost dilated with delight at how comfortable it was.
"You are in my office if that is what you wanted to ask." Alberu stared at the redhead in amusement, completely disregarding his work and watching the other student instead.
"Student council students have offices?" Cale was taken aback and stared at the blond in astonishment. The couch he was lying on was even more comfortable than the one he owns at home. Where the hell did the school acquire it?
He would even rate the pillow beside him as a 100 out of 10.
"Indeed. If you want one, why not join the council?" Alberu grinned in a mischievous way, crossing his arms and putting one leg on another on his seat.
In Cale’s view, he can compare the blond male to the brilliant and gorgeous princes he once saw in a webtoon.
The offer seemed tempting, but he doubts he will be able to get any decent and quality rest after joining the student council, which is a big no for him.
When he saw the president's humorous smile, he smiled back brightly as he decided to fuck with him in order to acquire a free access permit into the student council president's office to sleep in.
"Who knows, maybe I will after a couple of visits here," Cale responded with a dazzling smile, the same as Alberu's, but it didn’t faze the blond, not even a bit. It simply gave him a million ideas on how to successfully woo the redheaded student into his arms.
And the next day, Cale found out that the comfy cushions and soft blankets that he had grown to love in just a day had just multiplied in the student council president’s office with small boxes of cookies on the table.