"[A FEW MINUTES LATER – SCHOOL MAIN HALL]"
"The students are ushered into the large hall, which is a bit dim due to one of the lights having been out since two semesters ago."
"In the middle of the hall stood a single white plastic chair, facing the wall. Mr. Publius sat there, his back to the entrance.
The atmosphere was silent.
His aura... felt like the intro to a final boss battle. But the school version."
—
—
Student A (whispering): "Why's he sitting like a rival character?"
Student B: "His aura... like he could crack the sky... with motivational words."
Student C: "…Or just with his stare."
"(A bird lands on the school speaker, glaring at everyone who enters.)"
Mr. Publius, still facing away from them, begins giving instructions.
Mr. Publius: "Sit down."
"(EVERYONE IMMEDIATELY SITS DOWN, INCLUDING THE TEACHER WHO WAS PEERING IN.)"
—
Mr. Publius: "Starting today... there will be training.
Because monsters don't just come from the outside...
They come from within.
...From your vulnerable hearts."
Bird: "OR FROM YOUR TRAUMA POSTS ON YOUR TUMBLR. HA-HA-HA."
-
-
Aryuhoewqe (softly): "I don't know whether to be scared or just laugh."
Qumuwaki (flatly): "If it talks more than Mr. Publius, it's definitely copying the former history teacher.
And... I swear I smell leftover coffee from last year's national exam on that bird. Maybe it's hiding secrets."
Mr. Publius stood slowly, his calm presence commanding attention.
"First exercise," he began, his voice steady.
"Dare to face chaos... without losing your direction.
Now, everyone stand up."
"(All the students stand. The bird also stands, somehow.)"
Mr. Publius paced slowly between the rows of students, his voice calm but deliberate.
"Now, imagine this... You see your friend vanish right before your eyes...
But you still have to finish your answer sheet."
-
-
Aryuhoewqe: "Wait, seriously, is this training or like... the CBNE apocalypse simulation?"
Semuqu: "Perfect for a reality show: 'Mental Breakdown: School Edition.' I can already picture the drama, the tears, and the awkward moments between exams."
Mr. Publius stopped and fixed his gaze on a random student.
"You," he began, "If a monster were to appear while you're in the bathroom, what would you do?"
Hasan Sha (panicking): "I-I... flush, sir?!"
Bird: "—WRONG. YOU STRIKE UP A CONVERSATION. WHO KNOWS, MAYBE THE MONSTER WANTS TO VENT TOO."
"(A few students chuckle quietly. The atmosphere lightens, but the tension remains.)"
"The training will continue... until you're ready," Mr. Publius says softly.
"Ready doesn't mean fearless.
Ready means... knowing what to do even if you're scared."
"(He sits back down, this time facing forward. The sunlight from the window falls directly on his shoulder and the bird.)"
Bird (whispering, almost wise): "…And if you doubt... pretend to faint. Sometimes, that's a strategy too."
"(EVERYONE IS SILENT. THEY AGREE. THEY FEEL SEEN. THEY... START TO CHANGE.)"
—————" "—————
"[STILL IN THE MAIN HALL – 17 MINUTES LATER]"
"(The students are starting to get restless. Some are sitting on the floor. The hall is still dim. But the atmosphere... it feels like a secret training room from a spy movie, but, you know... school version.)"
Mr. Publius steps slowly in front of them. His voice is calm but full of pressure.
"Now, we move on to the Situational Tension Test," he says.
"(He snaps his fingers. The spotlight completely goes out. The hall is dark for a moment.)"
"[When the lights come back on, somehow a small blackboard has appeared behind him with the words: 'MENTAL TEST: YOU VS YOURSELF' written on it.]"
Mr. Publius: "Each group, I will give you a terrifying situation... and you have to stay logical."
The bird spoke softly, its voice laced with a subtle threat,
"If you panic... you'll have one extra remedial session."
Semuqu (whispering): "Every time he talks, I feel like I'm being gently threatened."
Aryuhoewqe: "I feel like I'm on a cooking show... but they're cooking our sanity instead."
——————" "——————
"[MENTAL TEST BEGINS – CLASS DIVIDED INTO SMALL GROUPS]"
Mr. Publius read aloud from a worn piece of paper, his voice steady and calm.
"[SIMULATION 1]
You and your friend are trapped in a classroom, a monster is lurking outside.
But... the monster is actually your friend.
What do you do?"
Rima: "Umm... talk to them first?"
Student A: "I... I open the window and jump out?"
Bird (screaming): "—HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING FROM FAIRY TALES?!"
Mr. Publius sighed, pausing for a moment before speaking. "No.
The correct answer is:
Ask them... if they really want to be a monster.
Because sometimes... all they need is to be reminded that they're human too."
Qumuwaki (flatly): "...That's a really philosophical answer for a question like that."
Semuqu: "Or... maybe it's his own experience."
————" "————
Mr. Publius: [SIMULATION 2]
You're tasked with guarding the school perimeter.
Suddenly... you hear whispers from the teacher's lounge.
The whispers... are a song that describes all the sad things you thought about yesterday.
What do you do?"
Aryuhoewqe: "…Unplug the sound system?"
Bird: "WRONG. You face it. Enter the room... and say: 'Hey, I'm tired too. But life keeps moving. So, take a break.'"
"The hall grows quieter. Some students reflexively look down. Then..."
Student C (softly): "…Sir... is this training or therapy?"
Mr. Publius turned his gaze calmly across the room, his voice steady as he said,
"There's no difference."
—————" "—————
"[END OF SESSION – MR. PUBLIUS STANDS IN FRONT]"
Mr. Publius: "Fear exists.
But you're still here. Still human.
And as long as you know that being human is something you choose—day by day...
Then no, you haven't lost."
(The bird looks up at the ceiling with a low voice... almost poetic): "…And if you must cry...
Cry after running. Don't do it while being swallowed by the monster. You'll be embarrassed later in the afterlife."
"(The students are silent. But this time... not because of fear. But because they understand. Or at least... feel understood.)"
—————" "—————
"[LEAVING THE HALL – EVERYONE WALKS THROUGH THE SCHOOL HALLWAY, SILENT BUT STEADY]"
-
-
Aryuhoewqe: "…Did we just… get trained? Or saved from a collective existential crisis?"
Semuqu: "Both. Also… we might've accidentally joined a cult."
Qumuwaki (flat): "…I still smell exam coffee on that bird. But now… there's a hint of lavender too."
—————" "—————
"[STILL IN THE HALLWAY – HEADING TO EACH CLASS]"
-
-
Student A: "…I almost cried earlier. But it felt wrong… because the parrot was staring at me."
Wlein: "Yeah, his eyes were like CCTV. But the kind that can read your mind."
"(Suddenly the parrot glides past them slowly, then speaks—)"
-
Parrot: "…Don't hold back your tears. But also don't cause a flood."
Aryuhoewqe: "Was that advice… or a roast? 'Cause I did actually cry."
Semuqu: "If he flies to the cafeteria and says 'don't waste your lunch money', then we're 100% being monitored by the system."
—————" "—————
"[ENTERING CLASSROOM – TEACHER ISN'T HERE YET]"
Qumuwaki (sitting calmly): "We just had a mental resilience training… but why do I feel like I need a nap and an emotional hug?"
Aryuhoewqe (laying on desk): "I feel like… I just became a season two anime character. But I'm not ready for the finale."
Semuqu reached into her bag and pulled out a small notebook, flipping it open with a calm, almost ceremonious air.
"I wrote down the one line from Mr. Publius that hit the hardest,"
she said, eyes scanning the page.
Then, with the same tone one might use to quote ancient wisdom, she read aloud,
"If you can't defeat the monster, invite it to break fast with you."
Aryuhoewqe: "…He never said that."
Semuqu: "Yeah. But he looks like someone who would say that when he's hungry."
—————" "—————
"[MR. PUBLIUS SUDDENLY ENTERS CLASS 11-D]"
Mr. Publius (stands silently at the front… then looks at the wall clock):
"…Time keeps moving. But sometimes, you stay still. So… I'm taking over this free period."
"(EVERYONE: HEADS DOWN. WHOEVER WAS GONNA FAINT, FAINTS FOR REAL.)"
Mr. Publius: "Write a letter… to your future self."
Parrot (pops out of nowhere, standing on the teacher's desk drawer):
"…If the letter gets a reply, run.
That's not you."
—————" "—————
"[STUDENTS BEGIN WRITING]"
Aryuhoewqe (writing): "Hey, future me. What's it like paying taxes?"
Terisha sat at her desk, her pen moving with a certain seriousness despite the color of ink—pink.
She glanced up for a moment, then wrote with quiet conviction.
"You'll be okay. But if not, just pretend you are."
Semuqu (staring at blank paper): "…If this letter gets sent back to the past, it means I've been through a lot of plot twists."
"[MR. PUBLIUS READS ONE LETTER OUT LOUD – NOT SAYING WHO IT'S FROM]"
Mr. Publius cleared his throat and began to read aloud, his voice echoing through the quiet classroom.
"Dear future me, I hope you can eat instant noodles without thinking about your diet.
You deserve happiness."
"(THE WHOLE CLASS: SILENT. THEN… NEARLY BREAKS INTO TEARS TOGETHER.)"
Parrot (softly, filled with feeling): "…And I hope you have enough chili sauce stocked."
—————" "—————
"[AFTER EVERYONE FINISHES WRITING – MR. PUBLIUS STANDS AGAIN AT THE FRONT]"
Mr. Publius spoke calmly, his voice carrying a quiet weight.
"Fold your letters," he said. "Keep them in your notebook, or... in the drawer of your heart.
Because someday, you'll read them again—
maybe while laughing...
or maybe while crying alone in the school bathroom, when the lights go out."
Parrot (gently haunting): "If the lights are out and you cry, that's cinematic.
If the lights are on and you cry… that's drama."
"[THE BELL RINGS – CLASS IS OVER BUT NOBODY MOVES]"
"(Everyone stays seated. No one rushes out. As if time needs to settle first.
As if… they just came out of a confessional disguised as a national curriculum.)"
—
—
Qumuwaki (raises hand slowly):
"Sir… can the letter be censored before I read it?
Because… I wrote, 'I'm tired of being strong."
Mr. Publius (smiles faintly for the first time):
"That… is the strongest line you could've written."
"[MR. PUBLIUS AND THE PARROT VANISH INTO THE MIST—uh, construction dust.
But the vibe is mist.]"
"(Some students begin to rise. But their steps feel… slower.)"
"(More grounded.
Like they know their direction now.
Or at least… know their favorite seat in the cafeteria.)"
—————" "—————
"[OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM – HEADING TO THE CAFETERIA]"
Semuqu: "…If that bird shows up in my dream tonight, I won't be surprised."
Aryuhoewqe: "If he starts a motivational YouTube channel, I'd subscribe.
But with goosebumps."
Qumuwaki paused, his gaze lifting toward the sky, eyes distant.
"…I feel like we're not just students anymore," he said quietly.
"We're students of life now. And our two main teachers…"
He let out a dry breath. "A parrot, and a man with a plastic chair."
Aryuhoewqe: "…I honestly don't know if that was school… or a spiritual retreat."
Semuqu: "…Maybe both. But also kinda like an indie film with an open-ended ending."
Qumuwaki: "…And I still smell exam coffee.
But now… it has an aftertaste of hot chocolate."
"(They chuckle softly. Not loud laughter.
The kind that heals.
The kind that knows things might get heavier later.
But right now, they can still laugh about it.)"
"[SCENE TRANSITIONS – QUMUWAKI, ARYUHOEWQE, AND SEMUQU AT THE CAFETERIA]"
Aryuhoewqe took a slow bite of his bread, his eyes vacant as if his mind had drifted somewhere far.
"I had a dream about a corpse last night," he murmured. "But... get this. The corpse was writing poetry. With its own blood.
'I have no head, but still so many thoughts
Qumuwaki (drinking a carton of milk): "Maybe its spirit got stuck to you because it's confused:
How could that chest survive a frontal attack?"
Semuqu (flat): "...Seems likely."
"[IN THE OFFICE — PRINCIPAL PAK PUBLIUS' ROOM]"
Mr. Publius leaned forward, his tone serious.
"So... Neoma—my parrot—must've seen something last night, didn't she? About who snuck into the school."
Parrot (staring): "Yes, I SAW. There were four kids. One was wearing a black jacket, handsome face with—A COLD GAZE. One—WORE A LAB COAT, with blackish-green hair. The rest? No visible sight."
Mr. Publius offered a faint smile. "Alright then… I know who I need to speak with."
"[SCENE CONTINUES – NIGHT, IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL GATES]"
"Qumuwaki walks alone on the sidewalk. The street is quiet."
-
"The streetlights flicker as if trying to get attention but fail miserably."
"(He just left the school, claiming he "forgot to go home." But clearly, he had been sitting in the school garden staring at the empty sky all this time.)"
"[From a distance, the sound of footsteps slowly echoes. It's as if the sound only appears when ignored. But Qumuwaki doesn't turn. He knows who it is.]"
-
-
Mr. Publius (calmly, but with depth):
"Qumuwaki."
Qumuwaki came to a stop and turned halfway, his voice dry with subtle sarcasm.
"Mr. Principal, who also doubles as a guidance counselor... and apparently a nighttime investigator?"
Mr. Publius offered a faint smile, deliberately ignoring the question.
"Are you alone?" he asked, his tone calm but probing.
Qumuwaki (shrugging): "At least visually. But it depends on the definition of 'alone.'"
Mr. Publius steps closer. His voice doesn't rise, but each word seems to carry the weight of the school's historical mysteries.
Mr. Publius:
"This afternoon... Neoma, my parrot, said it saw four kids sneaking in last night. One of them... wearing a black jacket. Handsome face. Cold gaze."
"(Qumuwaki looks at the sky, then toward Mr. Publius.)"
Qumuwaki: "Sir... that description could fit the main character in 70% of supernatural anime."
Mr. Publius (serious): "But I don't watch anime, Qumuwaki. I wanted to watch the CCTV footage. But unfortunately... the recordings are gone."
"(Qumuwaki lowers his gaze, whether thinking or holding back laughter.)"
Mr. Publius (whispering): "Why don't you show up in the CCTV footage, but appear in Neoma's report?"
Qumuwaki: "Maybe I'm a ghost, Sir."
Mr. Publius: "If you're a ghost, you're a ghost with great timing. Do you know why I talked to you first?"
Qumuwaki (softly): "Because I'm the quietest... or the most suspicious?"
Mr. Publius (stepping a little closer): "Because you're the only one who knows when to stay silent. And people like that... usually know too much."
"Qumuwaki says nothing. A breeze suddenly blows, as if the wind itself is getting involved in their conversation."
-
-
Mr. Publius: "If you know something, Qumuwaki... don't make me call Neoma for another live interview. he's the type who... enjoys drama."
Qumuwaki let out a faint smile, his eyes still fixed elsewhere.
"I like birds, Sir. But I'd prefer if we all stayed alive... living peacefully and prosperously, with just a hint of conflict hiding in the shadows."
Mr. Publius (staring sharply, then turning): "That... isn't always a choice in this school."
"[SCENE ENDS WITH QUMUWAKI WALKING AWAY, WHILE MR. PUBLIUS DISAPPEARS INTO THE SHADOWS OF THE SCHOOL GATE]"
—————" "—————
"[THE NEXT MORNING, IN CLASS 11-D – FIRST LESSON TIME]"
"Qumuwaki sits in the corner near the window, as usual. But today, he seems more alive—not like the "mischievous protagonist" who secretly knows the ending, but like someone who's just chosen to have a little fun... even if just a bit."
Aryuhoewqe drags his chair too close to Qumuwaki.
"Bro, bro, bro," he whispers excitedly. "I dreamt last night... the principal turned into a bird. Then Neoma became human. Then they got married. Then—"
Qumuwaki (without looking): "—Then you became their child? I knew it. You have a half-parrot aura."
Aryuhoewqe: "Wow. Wow. You... made a joke? Wait, wait. Who are you and where's the real Qumuwaki?"
"(Qumuwaki just raises an eyebrow with the expression,
'I just made a small joke and look at the chaos it caused.')"
———————" "———————
Next chapter: [Motivational punishment for wlein]