Episode 3

Ah, school society, the worst place on earth, ironically a place meant for people to learn ends up being more of a factory, where students are forced to raise their hands to speak, forced to get along with others. That's what I find the worst part about school. School society is arguably the most diverse place on earth, being more diverse than a zoo is a perfect way to describe it."

Daniel bats an eye towards a group of girls sitting around their table casually talking and chatting about their weekend with big smiles and laughter.

"Ah the good girls, a common trait of asian school society. On the outside they appear to be the most well-behaved and elegant ones who always listen to the teacher and do as they're told. Homework is a must to be handed up on time for them. Any person on the outside looking at them would be envious, but in reality, many hide dark sides of themselves that they never want others to see.''

"Why're we still talking with Yu, didn't she just talk bad about us to her other group of friends?"

"Speaking of Yu I heard last week she......."

"It's exactly like I said. They're already revealing that part of themselves, as long as you watch carefully you will see it all unfold."

Daniel thought to himself, lying on the table with his ear piece on, with his music at lowest volume. This is how he spends most of his days in the morning in class, observing others around him.

"Hey Daniel."

"Yea? What is it Tomoe?''

"A group of the guys are going out later, you wanna come?"

"No thanks I'll pass on this one maybe next time?"

"Sure thing."

I'd rather avoid social interactions with guys like these. I don't particularly like them nor do I dislike them but when you're the most unfit and ugly one in the hangout group, you wouldn't want to be there.

"Yo! Having another observation session?"

"Yes. And you? Overslept again and got to school barely on time?"

"Got me again man haha!" Michael exclaimed, laughing.

I grinned with a smile preparing for the first lesson of the day

"Sigh... another boring day huh?"

"Well, can't complain about it. Just work through the day i guess."

"Work through the day, a common way to encourage students to persevere through boring hours of school filled with uneventful lessons with useless concepts. Just like factory workers."

"Take your seats! It's time to start! Morning class, and Daniel....."

Looking up surprisedly, Daniel sees Ms Koto with the most pissed off look on her face.

"See me in my office today after school immediately!"

"What did I do again!?"

"Well... pretty famous among the teachers eh?" Michael's sarcastic tone made me frown in irritation.

6 hours of school flew by quickly. I proceeded down the school stairs to the office and wasn't careful of where I was going.

"Daniel! Watch out!"

"Arghhh!" A pile of books fell on me as I lay on the floor cursing myself. "Jeez Rosalia, what was that for?"

"Heh sorry about that"

Rosalia is 15 years old, class 3-F, and is one of the two girls in my friend group. She's not really attractive and unfit, basically in the same boat as me. She's pretty loud and obnoxious but one of the more tolerable ones at this school.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh I'm heading to the teachers office, I have to see one of the teachers about something."

"OHH what did you do this time? Oh wait, crap! It's already this late?! I have extra classes to attend, gotta go see ya!"

That's Rosalia for ya, obnoxious,loud and always focusing on other things.

"Excuse me.."

"Oh Daniel, come here."

"What is it Ms Koto?"

"It's about your essay, I wanna talk to you about your views you've written here. Is there any problems at home, did something happen to you recently?"

"No, nothing at all. I merely stated my opinion in an essay, is there a problem?"

"Problem?" Picking up my essay, she reads the concluding paragraph responding to the guiding question "Are youths are spoiled nowadays?"

"Youth is merely a phase of life, most consider it to be the best time of their lives where irreplaceable memories are made. However, in reality, youth and teenage life is nothing but an illusion. A forced time where we are supposed to discover ourselves. In reality, we are merely doing stupid things in the name of self discovery. People are reduced to slaves of their emotions and rational thinking is non-existent. Those with looks and popularity as well as fitness are regarded as living their out their joyful youth, whereas those who don't possess such things are regarded as trash, outcasts who don't fit into the preconceived bubble of youth. To conclude, youth is the worst time of life."

"I don't see anything wrong with it?"

"You sound like you don't have any friends but yet you act and behave so normally. I didn't expect someone like you to write like this. Your pessimistic nature needs to change, you can't go on this miserable."

" Who says I'm miserable, I'm doing great. Unlike the rest of my peers, my eyes are open to the truth, the reality of the situation of school society and all this."

"Whatever, anyway I want you to rewrite this essay. Understood?"

"Yes"

Walking out of the office, Daniel trudged his way back home. At least it was finally over, the day and the trials of school are done. He can now go and relax at his favourite spot and enjoy a good book with some intense character development.

Walking up the stairs to his favourite spot, he couldn't help but curse at Ms Koto for giving him that lecture still formulating arguments he wished he had said before.

"Lesson learnt Daniel, don't ever state your real opinion in an essay like this ever again."

Sighing, he walked to his favourite bench and sat down, cracking open a can of juice.

"Fancy running into you here again?''

"Woah!" Daniel fell to the ground in shock as he saw that familiar flowing black hair and blue eyes, the slender figure.

"Oh, it's you Jasmine, didn't expect to see you here."

"Well I grew rather fond of this place and decided to come here."

"See, what did I say? Eventually you'll grow emotionally attached here too."

"I merely got interested in the calm environment, don't get ahead of yourself."

Daniel felt a bolt of lightning hit his heart as his words fell on deaf ears.

" Yes yes got it ma'am"

"You look like you've had a rough day."

"Oh, how considerate of you, you're such a caring one, aren't you?"

"I'm merely greeting you with a simple gesture, how much did you of it?"

"Please don't go on, you're making me want to go home and cry in a corner with those hurtful words."

"Sensitive aren't you?''

"I'm not!"

"Yes yes whatever you say sir." A smirk formed on her face.

"Did she just...."

"What's that piece of paper in your hand?"

"Oh, my essay with my views on it which got rejected."

"I see, you do look like a guy with strong views about certain subjects."

How did she know? Damn, she's good at reading people, maybe even better than me.

"Let me see that?"

Daniel hands the paper over. Jasmine takes a quick read of it.

"I see, you're an extremely pessimistic guy aren't you?''

"I'm not. I'm simply being truthful on what the reality of school society is."

"Yes yes very wise."

Daniel turned to her as she went silent, staring at the ground, her bangs covering her forehead swaying down as she remained silent.

"But on that view of school society and youthfulness, I don't disagree with what you wrote." Jasmine softly whispered, blushing slightly with embarrassment.

No way did those words just come out from her mouth! An attractive person believing in the values of a loser like me. Impossible.

Daniel smiled and looked at her trying to react and make sense of the situation.

"Well thank you very much for the compliment."

She reverted to her previous icy gaze . "Don't get so full of yourself. I merely agreed with a few of your views and it wasn't a compliment, merely my opinion."

"Ouch. Alright I guess, way to kill my little sense of joy. Man you are one hard person to read."

Don't you worry, I promise that I, Daniel shall one day read you like an open book, I can't call myself best observer without the ability to do that.

Daniel cunningly planned in his head his nefarious plots.

And that's how my school life began to look a tad bit more interesting, and day by day become something that I never expected at the start of the year.

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