On the 7th of August, Wednesday, the alarm didn't ring. Or maybe it did, and Jiro just killed it… or maybe… nah, he didn't even set an alarm today!
For the first time in what felt like a paleotic era, Jiro woke up to a sun that was already high in the sky. He lay in bed, staring at the wall, listening to the morning sounds of Taytay—roosters, tricycles, neighbors yelling—that didn't involve the roaring engine of a Morong-bound jeepney.
He walked to the kitchen, scratching his head. His mom looked up.
"Let's go to the private college nearby," she announced, casual as anything. "We will inquire about the units and available Education courses there later."
"Ahh… alright," Jiro said simply, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "What time will we get there?"
The resignation letter isn't just drafted; it's printing.
"Hurry! We will get there at 10 AM! Eat now and then shower, hoping we can do it before break time!" His mom screamed, hurrying him along as reality kicked in.
Instead of the usual 21-kilometer marathon to Morong, they traveled a mere 3 kilometers.
They visited a nearby private Catholic college. It was quiet, pristine, and the corridors filled with fresh air. They asked about the Education courses in the Registrar's Office.
"We offer BSED English, Math, and Science," the registrar smiled, looking like she actually enjoyed her job.
Jiro's eyes lit up. English. Math. Science. The holy trinity. It was perfect. It was close. It was... expensive? Maybe. But the luxury of being minutes away from home was a price he was willing to pay.
He went home that day feeling lighter. He wasn't a tired construction student anymore. He was a guy with options.
On the 9th of August, Friday, it had been three days since Jiro went AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave). Three days of peace. Three days of sleeping past 4:00 AM.
Then, the phone rang.
His mom answered it, spoke for a few minutes in hushed tones, and then told Jiro about their phone call conversation.
"That was a staff member from KSU Taytay Campus," she said.
Jiro blinked. Taytay Campus? The satellite?
"They said you can process your transfer requirements on Monday," she explained. "Your student portal needs to be moved from Morong to Taytay."
Jiro's brain did the math instantly.
KSU Morong: 21 kilometers. 1 to 2 hours travel time. Traffic hell. KSU Taytay: 2 kilometers. A five-minute jeepney loop and a five-minute tricycle ride.
2 kilometers.
He could practically walk there and still be early.
"What courses?" Jiro asked, hope rising.
"BS Nursing, BTLED ICT, and BEED (Bachelor of Elementary Education)," his mom listed. "BS Psychology is phasing out, so that's gone. And... BSED English."
BSED English.
That was it. The golden ticket.
"I'll take BSED English," Jiro decided right there. "I'm shifting. Monday. Done."
Throughout the weekend, Jiro lived in a weird limbo. Technically a dropout, theoretically a transferee.
He thought about it. I'm a STEM graduate. Engineering was the dream. But Education? English major?
It's safer, he reasoned. I can write. I can speak. And most importantly, I can sleep.
He spent the weekend preparing his documents. The "False Foundation" of Construction Tech was crumbling behind him, and he was ready to build something else.
On the 12th of August, Monday, Jiro returned to the scene of the crime—KSU Morong Campus—at 9:24 AM.
He walked through the gates, keeping his head down. He hadn't told his classmates he was leaving. To them, he was just absent. To him, he was a spy on his final mission: Extraction.
But the campus felt... different.
It wasn't the usual morning grind. The air was festive and vibrant. Loud music thumped from massive speakers, vibrating in his ears.
Banderitas (colorful flaglets) crisscrossed the sky, waving in the wind. Food stalls and booths were scattered everywhere—selling shakes, barbecue, popcorn, and merch. Students weren't in their stiff uniforms; they were in colorful shirts, running around, laughing, and playing some games.
School Fest.Foundation Week.
The campus was alive. It was happy.
They are celebrating the foundation, he thought. And I am here to leave it.
Jiro navigated the maze of aromatic food stalls and noisy booths, dodging students to reach the Construction Technology building.
He entered the classroom. It was quieter here, a shelter from the festival. He dropped his bag on the table and sank into his monobloc chair.
"Hoy! Jiro!"
His Circle of Friends ambushed him instantly.
"Where have you been?" Jessa demanded, hands on her hips. "You were gone for three days! Three days, Jiro!"
Jiro kept his face neutral. The script was ready.
"Ah, flu," he lied smoothly. "I got sick. The commute killed me. Lack of sleep plus the long travel... my body just gave up."
Lies. I was sleeping until 8 AM, thinking not to attend this course anymore and reading manga.
The group's expression softened into harmony of sympathy.
"Ay, that makes sense," Mina nodded. "You're really far, eh. Taytay to Morong everyday? That's really draining. Get well, ha?"
"Thanks," Jiro mumbled, feeling a tiny pinch of guilt.
"By the way," Jessa added, brightening up. "We had class officer elections last Wednesday." She pointed a thumb at Mina. "Meet our new Treasurer."
Mina flashed a peace sign. "You'll pay for me soon, hehehe."
"Congrats," Jiro said, offering a small smile.
"We regret that… uh…," Dana said, looking disappointed. "We were going to nominate you! Maybe for Secretary or even President. You look smart kasi. But you were absent, so... disqualified."
Jiro's internal thoughts screamed.
Nominate me? For an officer position? In a course I am actively escaping?
Saved by the flu—I mean, the portal.
Wow, congrats, he thought. But... ughh the heck, I'll leave this place later. Sorry guys.
After the chit-chat, the group dispersed. Jiro pulled out his phone to read a manga—Ao No Orchestra—and plugged his earphones in. He queued up Paramore's All We Know Is Falling, letting the angst block out the classroom chit-chats noise.
He was just getting absorbed when a hand waved in his face.
It was Janna.
"Jiro," she called out, pulling him back to reality. "Let's roam?"
Jiro looked at her blankly. "Ha?"
"No class today," she explained, gesturing to the empty platform stage. "It's Foundation Day. Let's buy food outside. Food trip. Come on!"
Jiro sighed. He looked at his manga. He looked at Janna.
I am here to process my transfer papers. I am technically a spy.
But spies need to eat too.
"Fine."
He pocketed his phone and grabbed his wallet.
Adventure Time 3: Food Edition.
They stepped out of the building. The sun was angry again, beaming down with zero mercy.
"Jiro, umbrella!"
Automatic reflex. Jiro deployed his tactical umbrella, and the girls huddled under it like it was a lifeboat.
Outside, in front of the Registrar's Office, the area was a bazaar.
"Uy, look! Corndogs!" Jessa pointed excitedly.
There were stalls for fries, popcorn, burgers, and even a booth offering free SIM cards if you signed your soul away.
"Let's buy!" Mina suggested.
They bought corndogs for P35 to P40. Reasonable prices for festival food.
"Jiro, you want?" Dana asked, offering a stick.
"Pass," Jiro shook his head. "I'm full."
Lies. I'm just saving money for a cause… or for other things.
After the snack run, they retreated to the classroom. His friends migrated to the kitchenette to chat and eat, leaving Jiro inside the room with a few other classmates.
He sank back into his chair. With the room filled some students, he relaxed. He put his foot up on the table—woah, bad Jiro—and dove back into his phone.
He ate his packed lunch in solitude, washed his tupperware in their kitchenette, and returned to his spot.
1:30 PM.
Still no professor… not even a single shadow or a soul.
Jiro took a break from Ao No Orchestra and hopped onto Reddit for some amusement. He laughed internally at the memes. Then he switched to Blue Lock. He needed some egoist energy.
The countdown began to shallow him.
Tick. Tock.
2:38 PM.
He hadn't even finished Chapter 1 when his phone vibrated violently. A call.
Mom.
He answered. "Hello?"
"Jiro," her voice was urgent. "The transferring process is ready. Go to the registrar. ASAP."
Boom.
The time bomb exploded.
Jiro moved with sudden speed. He unplugged his earphones, coiled and then put into the red pouch, and threw everything into his bag.
He stood up, slinging his backpack over one shoulder.
Dana looked up, startled. "Where are you going?"
Jiro paused. He couldn't say, 'I'm dropping out.'
"Emergency," he blurted out.
He rushed out of the classroom. He hit the corridor running, like a hero in an anime opening dashing toward the final battle.
Really, Jiro? Really? Are you gonna save the world or save your portal?
He navigated the buzzing maze of students and booths, breathless by the time he reached the Registrar's Office.
He approached the counter.
"Excuse me," Jiro panted. "I received a call... an email… about the KSU portal transferee request?"
Technically, there was no email. Just a mom-mail.
The registrar asked and nodded. "Sanata? Go inside."
"Yes, sir."
Jiro slipped past the counter and entered the office.
It was freezing inside—a blessed break from the afternoon heat.
The room was busy. Students were everywhere, filling out forms… or simply waiting.
Jiro lined up. Two minutes later, a female staff member approached him. "What's your request?"
Jiro explained the situation—the transfer, the portal needs.
"Ah, okay," she nodded. "You need to find your envelope first. The one you submitted during enrollment."
She walked to a shelf, grabbed a massive stack of brown envelopes, and voila… dropped them on the floor.
"Find yours there," she commanded.
Jiro squatted down—the L posture making a comeback—and sifted through the pile. Names flashed by. Courses flashed by. Industrial Tech... Industrial Tech... But the majors were wrong.
"Ma'am, it's not here," he said, looking up.
"Year and course?" the female staff asked.
"BIT CT. First Year."
"Ah." She moved to another shelf, grabbed a significantly dustier pile, and dropped it on the floor.
Thud.
Jiro dove back in. He scanned the names like a machine looking for a serial number.
Found it.
He clutched his brown envelope tightly, treating it like rare loot. He stood up and moved to place it on a nearby desk to secure his grip on his bag.
Wack.
It happened in slow motion. As he turned, his elbow clipped the cage of a desk fan. The fan wobbled precariously and started to tip.
Reflexes activated.
Jiro's hand shot out, catching the neck of the fan just inches before it smashed onto the tiled floor. The blades whirred angrily against the sudden movement.
The staff member's eyes went wide.
"Hala! Oh my, Kuya!" she scolded, though a laugh bubbled underneath her tone. "You almost broke my fan! You might really break it!"
"Sorry! Sorry!" Jiro apologized profusely, setting the fan back upright with the care of a bomb disposal technician. Clumsy. Minus 100 aura points.
The staff laughed, shaking her head. She grabbed a small piece of scratch paper and scribbled a note on it. It was a manual request for the IT Administrator.
"Here," she said, handing it over. "Go to the IT office nearby. Give this to the admin. Tell him it came from me."
"Okay. Thank you!"
Jiro decided to leave his heavy bag and envelope in the registrar's office to move faster. He walked out the door.
Next Quest: The IT Office.
Jiro sprinted to the IT Office near the clinic.
Inside, the atmosphere was a bit different. It was quiet, the hum of another… AC. Not that tech-heavy, but still an average IT room. He saw two students waiting on a bench, but he bypassed them, heading straight to the main desk where the IT Administrator sat behind a fortress of monitors.
"Good afternoon, sir," Jiro greeted, trying to hide his panting.
He handed over the crumpled scratch paper.
The admin took it, glanced at the scribble, and started typing without a word. He pulled up Jiro's portal on the screen.
"Why do you want to transfer?" the admin asked, his eyes glued to Jiro's portal.
Jiro hesitated. He couldn't say 'I hate cement or I don't like CT'.'
"I'm being asked to shift courses," Jiro answered carefully. Technically the truth.
The admin nodded.
"What course are you transferring to?"
This was the moment. The critical ticking-time bomb.
Jiro's brain was screaming: BSED Major in English.
But his mouth, perhaps tired from the running, simply said:
"Education. In Taytay campus. Just because it is near."
Education.
A vague word. A dangerous word.
The administrator didn't ask for specifics. He didn't ask "Secondary or Elementary?" He just heard "Education" and clicked the first thing that matched the query.
Click.
BEEd.Bachelor of Elementary Education.
Jiro couldn't see the screen through the monitors. He didn't notice the extra 'E'.
"Okay," the administrator said, hitting enter with finality. "Done. Your portal is transferred."
"Thank you, sir!" Jiro beamed.
He walked out, feeling lighter than air.
Success.
I did it. No need to wait for a year. I am free.
He had no idea he had just enrolled himself into the wrong course. But for now, ignorance was absolute bliss.
He returned to the Registrar's Office. The female staff looked up.
"Is it okay now?" she asked.
"Yes, Ma'am. Done," Jiro replied, reclaiming his bag.
"Alright." She took his envelope again. "I just need to photocopy your requirements for our records. Just wait."
She walked to the photocopier.
While the machine hummed and flashed rhythmic lights, another staff member walked by.
"Oh, what's that?"
The female staff answered casually, "This guy here, he is leaving already."
Jiro stood there, watching his papers being scanned. Leaving. It sounded so final. Marking the end of process.
3:48 PM.
The process was done.
The staff slid the photocopies into Jiro's original envelope to keep for the archives. She handed the original papers back to Jiro—loose and vulnerable.
"Here you go," she said.
Jiro took them. He clipped them into his trusty hard blue plastic clipboard, securing his future.
"Thank you," he said, bowing slightly.
He walked out of the office and back into the heat. The campus was still loud, happy, and vibrant. Bass thumped from the speakers; students laughed in the grounds.
As he rushed through the crowd, a strange sadness hit him.
The campus is so alive today. It's celebrating its foundation. And I'm just... walking away from it.
He reached the gate and exited. Goodbye, Morong Campus.
First order of business: Logistics. He crossed the street to a school supplies store.
"Please, I need a brown envelope. Long."
He slid his documents inside the fresh envelope. Safe.
He began the trek to the jeepney stop. As he walked, he passed a familiar face—a former classmate from Senior High working at a store counter.
Jiro paused for a nanosecond, then looked away. Ghost mode active.
4:01 PM.
He hopped into a jeepney bound for Taytay.
Deadline: 5:00 PM.
As the jeepney roared to life, Jiro performed his usual commute ritual. Phone out. Red earphone pouch out. Plug in.
He queued up Brand New Eyes by Paramore. Careful started playing. Fitting.
He checked the time constantly, watching the minutes tick away.
4:53 PM.
He looked out the window. They weren't even in Taytay yet. The traffic was a thick, bleeding afternoon.
Deadline: 5:00 PM.
Arrival: Not gonna make it.
Jiro sighed, leaning his head against the vibrating metal frame.
Mission Abort.
The office would be closed. There was no point rushing now.
I'll just continue tomorrow, he decided, letting the tension drain out of his shoulders.
He finally stepped off in Taytay at 5:37 PM.
He walked home, tired but relieved.
Tomorrow. 8:00 AM. I will fix this. I will be an English major.
8:20 PM.
Jiro sat on his bed, phone in hand. He couldn't wait. He needed to see it official. He opened the KSU Student Portal.
He was excited. He wanted to see those specific words: BSED English.
To Jiro, BSED meant Bachelor of Science in Education. In his mind, it logically followed his sister's Bachelor of Science in Nursing—studying at the KSU Taytay Campus! He didn't know BSED stood for Secondary.
He logged in.
He scrolled down to the Course Information.
Course:Bachelor of Elementary Education (revised Curriculum 2023)
Jiro froze. He blinked. He wiped his screen.
Bachelor of Elementary Education.
BEEd.
He was doomed.
What is this?
Another typo? Did they forget the 'S'?
Where is the English major? Why Elementary?
The realization hit him like a hollow block dropped from the fourth floor.
He was a STEM student. He failed Civil Engineering. He quit Construction Technology.
And now? He was in Elementary Education.
He also noticed his student number: KSU M2024-06519.
It didn't change at all. It was his permanent scar now. A Morong student code but the portal was in Taytay. It marked him as a silent outsider—not legally irregular... or maybe he was.
It is such a pain in the ass.
From science and math to... teaching kids how to count?
I didn't choose this. And my student number… oh… maybe it's a flex… quirky! But… eh…
Jiro stared at his glowing phone screen, feeling a heavy wave of disappointment wash over him.
This can't be real, he thought, tossing his phone onto the mattress. Maybe I can fix it tomorrow.
He stood up and began preparing his documents for the re-enrollment tomorrow.
Elementary or not... I need a school.
END OF THE FRESHMAN BEED 1-A