...It was a bright, sunny day when a young boy arrived at his new school. A cold breeze brushed against his face as he stood quietly, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. After a moment, he stepped inside, completed the formalities at the headmaster’s office, and made his way to the classroom the headmaster had assigned him to....

...The class was called “G1” — short for Genius 1. Just as the name suggested, it was reserved for exceptionally gifted students — whether in academics, sports, or extracurricular achievements....

...As Aaron entered the class, he instantly felt awkward. Every student turned to look at him, their eyes filled with confusion and curiosity. Ignoring the attention, he quietly found an empty seat and sat down. Pulling out a book, he flipped to a familiar chapter and started reading....

...While he was reading, a boy with messy red hair, green eyes, and freckles approached him....

...“Aye, never seen ya here before. You new?” the red-haired boy asked casually....

^^^Standing next to him was another student, who scoffed. “Well, that was a dumb question. Obviously, he’s new.”^^^

...The redhead rolled his eyes at the comment, then smirked at Aaron. “I’m Alex. What’s your name?”...

...Aaron looked up and replied politely, “Um… I’m Aaron. Nice to meet you.” He extended his hand for a handshake, but Alex shoved it aside....

...“Bruh, we don’t do handshakes here. We do fist bumps!” he declared before punching Aaron’s shoulder....

...“Ow! Ugh, that hurts!” Aaron winced and rubbed his shoulder....

...“Bruh, I didn’t even hit that hard. You’re weak,” Alex said with a disappointed look before walking away....

...“Sorry about that—he’s just a little naughty,” the other guy chuckled, then extended his hand. “I’m Akira.”...

...Aaron shook it with a firm grip. “I’m really glad I met someone who’s actually nice…”...

...Akira chuckled again. “So what about the others? If I’m nice, does that mean they’re all devils or something?”...

...Aaron laughed nervously. “Um… no, not really.”...

...Akira flashed a wide smile, and Aaron couldn’t help but notice his buck teeth....

...“Hey, I noticed you have buck teeth. That’s really cute, if you ask me,” Aaron said with an innocent smile....

...Akira gave him a strange look and raised an eyebrow. “Dude. You sound like a creep.”...

...Aaron stiffened, his heart pounding as he realized how weird that must’ve sounded....

...“Oh- uh pardon me. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable…”...

...Akira sighed but then smiled reassuringly. “It’s alright. Anyway, I gotta go. See ya!”...

...He waved and walked away....

...Aaron went back to reading his book when he suddenly felt a poke on his shoulder....

...“Hey!! What’s your name??”...

...Aaron jumped a little and turned to see two people standing behind him. Both had black hair. One was fair-skinned, slightly chubby, and wore glasses. The other, who had poked Aaron, had tanner skin and a thin frame....

...Aaron looked at them, then smiled. “My name’s Aaron. What’s yours?”...

...The excited one grinned widely. “I’m Mirza! And this is Amran!”...

...Mirza threw his arm around Amran’s shoulder, pulling him close. Amran just rolled his eyes and looked away, arms crossed....

...Mirza then looked toward another student. The boy had snow-white, albino hair cut short, with bangs that covered most of his forehead. His eyes were a striking sapphire blue....

...“Oh! Oh! Oh!” Mirza suddenly shouted, running over to the student. He grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him back toward Aaron and the others. “This is Zander! Our treasure! He’s cute, right??”...

...Zander looked at Aaron. He didn’t smile. Instead, his face was filled with a mix of worry, fear, shyness, and nervousness like he could burst into tears at any moment....

...Amran glanced at Zander, then glared at Mirza. “Dude! You’re embarrassing him what the hell!? You know Zander hates talking to people! You can’t just force him to!”...

...Mirza scowled back, clearly annoyed. “He needs to learn to at least talk to new people! He-"...

...Before he could finish, the classroom door opened....

...The teacher walked in, and the room immediately fell into complete silence. Only the soft whir of the ceiling fan could be heard....

...“Greetings, everyone,” the teacher said as he stepped toward the front. “My name is Mr. Tariq, and I will be your new substitute teacher for the next few days. I expect a wonderful experience from… the best class in the school.”...

...Aaron watched him carefully, suspicion rising. I’ve seen this guy before, he thought, narrowing his eyes. But where...? He couldn’t quite place it, so he stayed quiet for now....

...Meanwhile, Alex was slouched in his seat, staring at Mr. Tariq with a bored expression. He yawned repeatedly while the teacher spoke....

...Aaron couldn’t help but wonder, How the heck did idiots like Alex and Mirza even make it into the Genius Class?...

...Mr. Tariq spoke again, this time in a firmer tone. “But sadly, I’ve received a few reports from previous teachers about misbehavior in this class. That is absolutely unacceptable especially coming from a so-called ‘gifted’ class.”...

...He reached into his bag and pulled something out....

...“That’s why,” he continued, voice icy, “you all are going to face the consequences of your actions.”...

...Suddenly, a faint hissing sound filled the classroom. Within seconds, a strange gas began to seep out from vents hidden in the corners of the room. A thick, invisible fog filled the air. One by one, the students grew dizzy lightheaded and disoriented. Some began to slump in their seats, their eyes fluttering....

...Aaron’s eyes widened. "I knew it... I knew something was off about him..." He said to himself....

...He glared at Mr. Tariq, who stood motionless at the front of the class, watching with eerie calm....

...Aaron clenched his fists, trying to stand, trying to fight but his limbs felt like jelly. His knees buckled, and the room spun violently. Despite everything in him screaming to resist, his vision darkened. but he still falls unconscious...

...Aaron's eyes snapped open. He gasped for breath and his heart racing....

...He was lying on a soft bed in what looked like a dorm room. The light outside the windows suggested it was still day, but the air was cold and sterile. Too quiet....

...He blinked several times, trying to focus. Slowly, he sat up....

..."...What happened?" he whispered, his voice hoarse. He looked around....

...The room was clean but bare plain white walls, some small desks with chairs and lots of beds all over the room. There were bars on the windows....

..."...Where am I?"...

...TO BE CONTINUE...