Monthly exams' first day.

A not-so-important day for students who don't study. A barely passing grade was already good for them. However, not wanting to look stupid, they would try to study for a bit and get a higher score.

Let's face it, students who say they don't study are just making excuses so that once they get low scores, they will not look stupid to others.

Fortunately, the school allows them to bring notes even on exam days. They can look at it and study when they are outside their respective rooms. As obvious as it is, they cannot bring their notes once they are inside their rooms.

Enduring the outside without an air conditioner, a lot of students formed groups. They are having a group study.

Those who are inside their classroom, enjoying the cold and silence, were either truly smart or truly lazy.

Teren was not one of them. On exam days, he had to get a good score or he will fail. His participation in class is the closest to zero. His attendance is decent but that is not enough to make him pass the school.

'Why am I doing this?' he thought to himself while flipping some pages.

'I've already used the Mind-Altering Spirit twice. It's a Great Spirit, I'm tired already. The first time I used it before, it got out of control and even affected me. The SSDA will surely pick it up soon... or not. I have no idea. But either way, I should really get out of here.'

Although he thought of that, he didn't budge and continued to study. Nick stood by him as if minding his own business. But the truth is, seeing the elder gangsters, the tough ones bow to Teren was planted in his head. He felt he doesn't deserve to sit beside Teren.

He didn't know though, the rumors about him being in a dangerous gang had already spread. Since Nick turned a new leaf and no longer acts arrogant and obnoxious, others who heard of this rumor were only amazed instead of just being wary.

That was why with him around, no one bothered Teren. With that, a certain person took this a chance.

While Teren was sitting on a step of the stairs, far from other groups, someone sat beside him.

He looked at her and saw it was Iesa.

"S-sorry, can I sit here?"

'This girl...' Teren wanted to palm himself but not wanting to embarrass Iesa in front of everybody, he just nodded.

'Does she remember what happened yesterday? I made sure to alter it so that she and others forget about it though... why is she suddenly getting close?'

But soon, he just shrugged it and just steeled himself. Unfortunately, it was not as easy as it seems.

Teren kept remembering what he did yesterday, making him cringe.

'I'm glad I stole the Mind-Altering Spirit or I don't know how to act around her right now!'

Other students saw this and were shocked. When did Iesa Hun study?

Those who knew her before in junior high school knows that she doesn't study but still kept claiming the number one spot on the exams!

So why is she studying and why is she sitting next to a nobody!?

I want her to sit besides me too! Many thought.

This made them angry to Teren but somehow, this was not an addition to their anger. It was as if this was the original reason why they were angry at this nobody. They couldn't explain how but who cares about the reason? One thing is important and they are envious!

'Oh, the malice around me heightened.'

Teren thought but soon forgot about it.

"Why is Iesa Hun with that guy?"

"Yeah, but why do I feel like this is not the first time they're together?"

"Huh... me too, but I don't remember any of it."

More and more attention was being given to them as more people saw them. There were girls who were jealous too but not as much as the boys.

"Yuck, Iesa is too much for that guy."

"What's his name?"

"I don't know but he looks ordinary. The only thing different about him is that Nick, the gangster, is hanging out with him."

"Oh..."

The students just conversed about the rumors instead of studying. They were just forcing themselves to study anyway, now that there is an interesting topic, their eyes were no longer focused on their notes but on Teren and Iesa.

Nick looked around and saw people's eyes.

'That's Iesa Hun for you...' he thought.

His stare scared them a little but they peeked again.

Meanwhile, Teren just ignored this and was fighting against his inner self so that he can focus when suddenly he felt something on his shoulder.

His face froze while his head turned and saw that Iesa was leaning on him and was focused. At the same time, he felt everyone's malice towards him increase exponentially.

"..."

Silence enveloped most of the school. Even those who weren't originally looking at them got curious about what everyone was looking at.

One group, in particular, was also speechless. It was the "popular kids" group that Mike and Catherine were in.

"What?" Mira, one of Catherine's girlfriends, was stunned when they saw this scene.

Coincidentally enough, Teren sat on a place where it was fairly visible by the whole school with a few blind spots.

"Iesa..." Teren whispered.

Iesa turned her head up, "Hm?"

"Umm..."

She looked at what Teren was trying to point with his eyes and saw that she was leaning on his shoulder. With a jolt, she came back to her original position.

'What happened to me!? I just felt the urge to lean on him! This is so embarrassing!' her face cutely clenched before she stood up and ran into the room.

If there's a gamma exposure there, the boys would've turned big and green before they jump to smash Teren.

Even Teren himself was confused.

'Why does she like leaning on me that much?'

Although he asked that inwardly, a slight curve curled at the edges of his lips. He raised his notes to hide it.

'She's really testing me!'