Online Friend:
…
You really have no filter between your brain and mouth. I'd be a fool to visit you.
Ava rolled onto her back, kicking her legs lazily.
Ava:
Whatever. Your loss. I already have a crush.
Her fingers moved quickly.
So handsome. So cute. I want to hug him, kiss him, and keep him all to myself. He's adorable when he pretends to act calm.
The reply came quickly.
Online Friend:
Take a deep breath and calm down.
I don't need to know your thoughts. Too much information.
Ava smirked at the screen.
Ava:
Oh? Are you jealous?
Online Friend:
Jealous of what? I pity him. I'll pray for him to escape you.
Ava laughed softly.
Ava:
You were so cute when you were little. I even used your cat form as my profile picture.
The reply came instantly.
Online Friend:
Because you're a pervert.
Ava gasped dramatically.
Ava:
Hey! How was I supposed to know the cat I picked up at age six was a hybrid? It's unheard of for hybrids to fully turn into animals.
She kept typing.
You were tiny. Small. Cute. Who would've known?
A new message appeared.
Online Friend:
I've grown up now. Want to see?
Ava grinned.
Ava:
Ohhh, flirting? Damn.
My heart belongs to my handsome crush, but I can take a peek.
She paused, then continued.
Are you big now? Huge? Or can you not turn into a cat anymore? If you turn… would you be naked in cat form? Half human? Half cat?
A long silence followed.
Then finally—
Online Friend:
That is NOT what you should be asking.
Do you even attend class? Don't you know what you should never say to a hybrid?
Ava laughed while typing again.
Ava:
I can already imagine you blushing.
Are your ears red like tomatoes? Can I bite them?
The screen suddenly changed.
You have been blocked.
Ava blinked.
Then burst into laughter.
In the dormitory
Matthew slowly lowered his phone.
His ears were bright red.
He placed the phone on the bed and rubbed the back of his neck.
The girl he had been texting… was someone he had known since childhood.
She was the first person who had ever seen his true form.
Before his parents took him away.
Before anyone else knew.
They hadn't seen each other since then.
But years later they met again online.
he had recognized her instantly because she was still using the picture of his cat form as her profile.
Only three people knew about that form.
His parents.
His sister.
…and her.
Since then they had kept talking online.
They never exchanged photos.
Never revealed where they lived or name or school they attended.
Both of them preferred staying anonymous.
Matthew exhaled slowly.
Then he lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
The Next Day – Classroom
Philip stood proudly at the teacher's podium.
He clapped his hands once to get everyone's attention.
"Everyone! It is I—your class monitor."
Several students groaned immediately.
Philip ignored them.
"I have an announcement."
He lifted a sheet of paper.
"I'm giving everyone five days to submit the club you want to join."
He started pacing slightly.
"You can choose things like cooking, singing, dancing, swimming, basketball, business group, science group, computer maniacs, tennis, language clubs—there are a lot of options so why are guys delaying."
Students began murmuring among themselves.
Philip raised a finger.
"Oh, and another thing."
The room went quiet.
"As for the class competition, participation is mandatory."
Groans filled the classroom.
Philip continued calmly.
"There are two hundred students in Grade 12, and every single one of you must participate."
He shrugged.
"The only way to escape is if you get expelled before then."
More booing erupted.
Philip grinned.
"This competition is to prove which class is the best a friendly rivalry."
He tapped the desk.
"This month it's sports."
"Next month it might be academic competitions."
"So no running away."
He leaned forward slightly.
"You can decide during this break time ."
Then he added calmly,
"Otherwise I'll ask the class teacher to assign activities for you."
The classroom exploded.
"BOOOOO!"
Philip simply smiled.
"You all know I'll do it."
He walked back to his seat.
"Now stop complaining and study."
Class Three was louder than usual.
At the very back of the classroom, in the last row near the wall, Ava leaned her chair against the wall with a book covering her face.
The textbook rested over her eyes like a shield while she lazily tilted the chair back.
Anyone who saw her would think she was sleeping.
She wasn't.
Jane walked toward her with Jordan trailing behind.
Jane slid into the seat beside Ava while Jordan casually sat on the edge of Ava's desk.
Jane poked the book covering Ava's face.
"So," she said, "which school group are you choosing?"
The book didn't move.
"What school group?" Ava replied lazily from under it.
Jordan rolled his eyes.
"Sometimes I wonder if you live under a rock," he said.
He leaned back slightly on the desk.
"Everyone already chose their groups."
Jane began counting on her fingers.
"Jake joined the language group, the computer group, and the archery club."
"Luna joined the business group. You know, the one for future CEOs and rich kids."
Jane added.
"She also joined cheerleading. Actually, you have to take dancing classes first if you want to be a cheerleader."
"And she signed up for tennis too," Jordan added.
Jane tapped her own chest proudly.
"As for me… cooking, horse riding, and instrumental music."
She then turned toward Jordan.
"And what group are you in again, baby? I forgot"
Jordan roughly patted her head.
"Cooking with you," he said. "Drama club and swimming."
Jane instantly pouted.
"Why swimming?"
Jordan blinked.
Jane crossed her arms.
"I don't want other people looking at your abs."
Jordan chuckled softly.
"Baby, the abs belong to you. It doesn't matter."
"Nope," Jane said stubbornly. "Change it, baby pudding."
The two began arguing softly like a ridiculous couple.
Meanwhile, Ava slowly lowered the book from her face.
Her eyes stared at them with pure judgment.
She watched the couple for a few seconds.
Then—
"Ahhh stop it!"
Ava suddenly shouted.
The chair legs slammed back onto the floor.
"Gosh, I feel like vomiting listening to you two! What are you? Elementary school lovers?"
Jane immediately fired back.
"Why are you jealous? Not my fault you're a single pringle."
Ava glared at her.
"I don't want to choose any group," she said bluntly.
Jordan shook his head.
"It's mandatory, Ava. Besides…"
He smirked.
"Jane already signed you up for the cooking class."
Ava's eyes widened.
"You did WHAT?"
Jane smiled sweetly.
"For some weird reason."
Jordan added helpfully,
"Even though you suck terribly at cooking."
Ava looked like she might throw something.
Jordan continued casually.
"So you still have two more activities to pick."
He smirked.
"You could always choose something that puts you close to your crush."
Ava, who had been about to sleep seconds ago due to finding his talking boring, suddenly sat upright.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh right. I forgot about that."
She giggled.
Jane sighed.
"You're hopeless."
Jane leaned forward slightly.
"Even if you're not in the same class or club, you could join the night lessons."
Ava tilted her head.
"Night lessons?"
"Extra classes and activities," Jane explained. "Day students can join them too. That's where day and night students mix."
Ava waved her hand dismissively.
"No thanks."
She thought for a moment before speaking again.
"Add art club for me."
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
"I'll leave the last one empty."
Jordan raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
Ava smirked.
"So I can spy on what he joins."
Jane looked at her carefully.
"So you really like him?"
Ava simply shrugged.
Then suddenly—
She jumped up from her seat and rushed out of the classroom.
Jordan sighed.
"She should really stop running out like that every time."
Jane giggled.
Meanwhile…
Matthew stood in front of the club registration board.
Without hesitation he wrote down his choices.
Drama Club.
Basketball.
Brainiac Club — the group that represented the school in national and international academic competitions.
Then he added one more.
Dancing.
Felix stared at the list.
"Wow."
He turned toward Matthew.
"Everyone thinks choosing three clubs is already too much. You picked four."
Matthew shrugged calmly.
"I can handle it."
Felix shook his head in disbelief.
Just then the bell rang.
Students began flooding toward the cafeteria.
The dorm group gathered at one table.
Philip was already eating when they arrived.
"I already chose the class competition activities for us," he said proudly.
Philip pointed at him.
"For Felix: swimming, horse riding, and gaming."
Felix narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
Philip then pointed at himself.
"For me: archery, running, and basketball."
Rick leaned forward.
"Basketball?"felix asked
Philip grinned.
"I need to win my crush's heart somehow."
The table burst into laughter.
Philip finally turned toward Matthew.
"For you I picked running and basketball since you're good at them."
He continued thoughtfully.
"You could also choose archery, shooting, or long jump."
Matthew continued eating calmly.
"I'll think about it," he said.
And kept eating like the conversation wasn't important at all.
The bell rang for practice.
Students from different classes slowly gathered around the outdoor basketball court meant for Class Two's training.
But today, the crowd wasn't here for Class Two.
They were here for Matthew.
The video of yesterday's match had already spread across the school. Everyone had seen the moment he took control of the court and scored again and again like the other players weren't even there.
And to make matters worse—
He was ridiculously good-looking.
That combination alone was enough to drag half the school here.
Girls stood in small groups whispering while boys leaned against the fences pretending they were just passing by.
Soon the crowd became too large.
The basketball coach, who had originally come just to observe, ended up waving his whistle sharply.
"Alright! Move it! Move it!"
He pointed toward the other courts.
"This is Class Two practice, not a show! If you're not practicing here, go to your own training area!"
Groans filled the air, but students slowly dispersed.
Still, many of them lingered nearby, pretending to stretch or drink water while secretly watching.
The game started.
For nearly half an hour, the ball moved back and forth across the court.
Shoes screeched against the ground.
Bodies bumped and collided.
Sweat ran down players' necks as the pace refused to slow.
Matthew moved smoothly across the court, his steps light but precise. He wasn't rushing. He wasn't showing off.
But even while holding back, it was obvious he was far better than the others not even breaking into a sweat or breathing loudly.
The coach blew the whistle.
"Break!"
Players immediately dropped onto the benches or the ground, grabbing their water bottles.
The coach walked directly toward Matthew.
"You're good," he said bluntly.
"You joining the main basketball team?"
"Yes," Matthew replied calmly.
The coach nodded.
"Good."
Then he turned around.
"Follow me. I want to test something."
They walked deeper into the sports building.
Soon they reached the inner basketball court — the one used by the main school team.
Twelve players were already there.
Among them—
Rick.
The moment Rick saw Matthew, his eyes lit up.
"MATTHEW!"
He immediately ran across the court and grabbed Matthew's arm.
"You're here! Finally someone in our dorm who can actually play with me!"
Rick slung an arm around Matthew's shoulders like they were best friends.
Behind them, the coach rolled his eyes feeling forgotten.
He was already used to Rick's personality.
"Rick," the coach said.
"Introduce him."
"Okay coach!"
Rick straightened proudly.
"So Matthew," he said while dragging him forward.
"Our team currently has ten main players, but coach wants to recruit five more."
He grinned.
"You're the third new player being brought in before the official selection."
Rick leaned closer and whispered excitedly.
"That means you're special."
He pointed toward the rest of the players.
"But joining the main team isn't guaranteed. You still have to prove your skills."
Rick then pulled him toward the group.
"Tsk."
A voice suddenly clicked their tongue.
"Only you would treat everything like sunshine and rainbows, Rick."
Several players looked over.
One of the new recruits leaned back lazily on the bench, arms folded.
His eyes swept over Matthew from head to toe.
"He's just another pretty boy like you."
The boy smirked.
"At the end of the day, he'll probably just end up warming the bench."
Three boys sitting nearby laughed.
Two of them were older team members.
But their laughter died instantly.
Because something flashed through the air.
WHOOSH.
A sharp object flew past their faces so fast they barely saw it.
Then—
THUNK.
It stabbed into the wall behind them with terrifying force.
The metal blade vibrated slightly.
A throwing knife.
Silence fell across the court.
Rick was still smiling.
But his eyes were warm like it never cried before only happiness.
"If I were you," Rick said lightly,
"I'd watch my mouth."
The boy who mocked them felt his legs go weak.
"Or you might not even realize how you died." Rick said his voice too sweet in the moment.
Several other players chuckled quietly.
They looked amused.
Anyone who thought Rick was just some cheerful idiot clearly didn't know him.
The handsome boy sitting near the center of the group slowly stood up.
He was tall, calm, and carried a natural authority.
The moment he stood, several players straightened.
He walked forward slowly.
"My name is Aiden," he said.
"I'm the team captain."
He gestured slightly toward Rick.
"Rick is the assistant captain."
His eyes shifted toward the mocking boy.
"So watch your mouth."
Then he glanced toward the three older team members who had laughed earlier.
The look alone was enough.
Their smiles vanished instantly.
Aiden studied Matthew for a moment.
Then he smirked slightly.
"If you think sticking close to me means you can carry your weight on this team," he said calmly, "then you're wrong."
His gaze shifted directly onto Matthew.
Rick suddenly stepped forward.
With a joking grin, he wrapped an arm around Matthew's neck like a lazy friend leaning on another.
But the movement placed Rick directly between them, blocking Aiden's line of sight.
"You should go start practice Aiden," Rick said casually.
Aiden watched him for a second.
Then he chuckled under his breath.
"So this is the guy," he thought glancing around the court, "the one my lackey couldn't beat."
His eyes flicked back toward Matthew.
"He came back in a sorry state. Covered in dirt. Smelling like garbage."
"And he still refused to tell me what happened.Even after I had them tortured." Aiden thought.Aiden clicked his tongue.
One of the new boys leaned toward the older team members sitting beside him.
"What's with those two?" he whispered.
"And… did you see what Rick just did?"
One of the older players chuckled quietly.
"You'll get used to it."
He leaned back against the bench.
"Just don't let Rick's cheerful personality fool you."
The boy frowned.
"What do you mean?"
The older player lowered his voice.
"A lot of students made that mistake."
He glanced toward Rick.
"Some of them ended up in the hospital."
"Some were expelled."
"Some had their legs broken."
"And some…"
He shrugged lightly.
"…just disappeared."
The new boy swallowed.
"Rick is dangerous," the player finished calmly.
Then he tilted his head slightly toward Aiden.
"And you already heard about him."
The boy nodded slowly.
"Aiden," the player continued, "is the school bully."
"His father owns this school."
He paused.
"And several companies that could probably build a country if he wanted."
The new boy blinked.
"So why—"
"Why are Rick and Aiden like that?"
The older player smirked.
"Because they're like fire and water."
"They hate each other."
"But they also understand each other."
"Weird relationship."
He shrugged again.
"You'll get used to it."
Matthew glanced toward Rick.
Rick casually pulled a small knife from his pocket.
Then flicked it across the room it was hard to see from the speed but he did.
Rick turned back to Matthew.
"Alright," he said cheerfully.
"Let me introduce the team."
He pointed across the court.
"Aiden is the captain."
Then he tapped his own chest proudly.
"I'm the assistant captain."
He gestured toward three players standing near the free-throw line.