August 22 (Thursday)
The morning arrived, but the vibe was completely wrong.
Thursdays were supposed to be sacred. In the grand, chaotic architecture of their college schedule, Tuesdays and Thursdays were the established safe zones—the legendary T/TH immunity buff. It was the designated time for the future educators to rest their HP, avoid the Raging Road, and hide from the unpredictable academic system.
But today? Today felt entirely cheated.
The scheduling gods had deployed a massive, unskippable server event: The KSU Taytay Re-orientation. Every single freshman was mandated to attend. No excuses. No skipping. And the worst part of all? The dress code was strictly the complete official uniform.
While the physical deployment was secretly underway, the digital realm experienced a minor blip. Surprisingly, the KSU TAYTAY BEED 1-A main group chat wasn't buzzing with its usual chaotic morning energy. Instead of a massive digital party, it was a completely silent, niche celebration.
At exactly 6:54 AM, a lone notification broke the quiet.
Deanne Parina: "Hbd @Brittany Bausta!"
Just four minutes later, at 6:58 AM, the celebrant herself chimed in to claim the greeting.
Brittany Bausta: "Thankyou @Deanne Parina"
And then... absolute silence. No flood of cake emojis. No digital confetti.
Why the radio silence? It was the harsh reality of the Thursday server event. Stealth mission. No one was chatting because everyone was currently busy fighting for their lives on the Raging Road, desperately trying to get to the campus as early as possible.
Brittany Bausta was officially another BEEd 1-A cohort hitting Level 18—just a few days after Mekayla Sano—leveling up into adulthood. But the celebration had to wait.
Meanwhile, Jiro Sanata hadn't even bothered to open his phone to witness the dead air. He wasn't scrolling on his mattress. His absolute focus was channeled into the physical preparation phase.
He ate his breakfast in a rush. He took a cold shower, brushed his teeth with practiced mechanical efficiency, and finally wrestled himself into the complete official blue uniform.
Once dressed, he checked his inventory. He grabbed his packed lunch, secured his heavy insulated tumbler, and shoved them both deep inside his infamous "Hulk" backpack.
He hoisted the massive bag onto his shoulders with a quiet grunt. He didn't have time for digital greetings today. He stepped out of his house and immediately joined the rest of his silent classmates on the commute, navigating his short but mandatory route toward the Taytay campus.
But the brief, silent celebration couldn't mask the looming dread of the day. The server event was waiting. Every freshman in the campus—the entire College of Education (BEEd, BSED English, and BTLED ICT) and the College of Nursing (BSN)—was required to attend the mandated re-orientation.
It was time to face the cheated day.
Just right after his tricycle successfully dodged a chaotic swarm of anklebiters on the narrow road—the silly, loud neighboring elementary students clinging to their parents just a few meters away from the shared entrance—he finally made it.
At exactly 7:28 AM, Jiro arrived at the KSU Taytay campus.
He dug into his pocket, paid the driver with cold, hard coins, and headed straight for the open gate. He offered a quick, polite nod to the guard stationed at the mini guard house and stepped onto the ground floor concrete.
Then, he stopped.
His eyes widened slightly as he surveyed the corridor.
Oh... wow.
The hallway was completely choked by the pristine white faction. The College of Nursing students were queuing up, and the line was absolutely absurd.
That line... so long and they are too many, Jiro noted, his internal Shonen radar scanning the sheer volume of the crowd. It feels like this line is longer than the Titanic. The queue stretched aggressively from the attendance tables stationed near the gymnasium all the way to the extreme right wing of the building, terminating somewhere dangerously close to the Girls' Restroom. It was a massive, unified army of white, though clearly tiered by level. The freshmen were equipped in simple white polo shirts and denim jeans, while the second, third, and some fourth-year veterans proudly wore the crisp, official student nurse uniforms.
Jiro kept his head down, maintaining a stealthy pace as he walked past the endless wall of nursing students. He navigated the open hallway that led straight toward their gymnasium, finally spotting his own people.
The Education students. The faction of the uneven shades of blue polo uniforms.
He let out a quiet sigh of relief. Compared to the massive white faction, their queue was mercifully short. The COE player base was significantly smaller, which meant less waiting time to clear the mandated side quest blocking the entrance: The Attendance Check.
Jiro lined up. As he got closer to the tables, he observed the chaos. The org officers managing the sheets were completely frantic in trying to accommodate the rush of students from different year levels and courses. Papers were scattered everywhere.
When it was finally his turn, Jiro stepped up to the cluttered table. His eyes rapidly scanned the messy piles of printed paper.
BEEd II... nope.BSED English II... nope.BTLED ICT III... BEEd III... BSED English III...Where is the freshman sheet?
His eyes darted across the messy table until he finally saw something familiar scribbled on a piece of paper near the edge.
Hidy Medona | 7:23 AM
Jiro smirked. Ah. The Commander's signature. It was very recent. She had literally just passed through this checkpoint five minutes ago.
He quickly checked the header of that specific sheet. BEEd I.
Target acquired. He grabbed the nearest ballpen, quickly writing his name down in the empty column. He reached the 'Time of Arrival' section and paused.
He wanted to check his phone for the exact time, but his arms were currently strapped into the heavy "Hulk" bag. Digging his phone out of his pocket while wearing the massive backpack was too much of a hassle, and the queue of blue uniforms behind him was already pressing forward.
"Ay, excuse me po," Jiro asked, looking up at one of the frantic org officers managing the table. "What is the time now po?"
The officer quickly glanced at his own phone screen. "7:31 AM."
"Thanks," Jiro muttered. He scribbled 7:31 AM beside his name, dropped the pen, and officially cleared the side quest.
He stepped away from the chaotic tables and finally walked into the arena.
The KSU Taytay Gymnasium.
It wasn't a standard, enclosed indoor gym. There were no glass doors, no concrete walls boxing them in, and absolutely no bleachers to climb. It was a sprawling, open-air covered court. The morning breeze flowed freely through the open sides, and a single, massive industrial ceiling fan spun lazily overhead, trying to fight the rising humidity. The floor beneath his feet was just bare, painted concrete marked with faded basketball and volleyball lines.
But what really caught Jiro's attention was the visual layout of the battlefield.
Hundreds of monobloc chairs had been arranged in neat, facing rows, perfectly dividing the massive covered court into two distinct territories.
On the right side of the court: The White Army. The College of Nursing. On the left side of the court: The Blue Army. The College of Education.
It was a literal Blue vs. White standoff.
Jiro adjusted the straps of his heavy bag, his eyes scanning the sea of uneven blue shirts on the left side of the concrete floor. The enthusiastic endeavors were about to begin.
Time to find a seat.
He walked toward the front of the blue section. Since the spawn rate of the students was still relatively low at this hour, there weren't many people yet. Dozens of empty monobloc chairs were just waiting to be claimed.
He moved past the third row and aimed for the second. As he approached his desired coordinate, he noticed the front row was a mix of different factions. Sitting on the aisle seat directly in front of him was an unfamiliar face—a third-year BSED English student. But right beside that senior, on the second chair from the aisle, was Hidy Medona.
"Oh, you are early ah," Hidy greeted him, looking back as he approached.
Jiro just smirked, shifting his heavy bag slightly. "Nothing, just to get a good seat eh."
He dropped into the second-row aisle seat, right behind the senior student. Prime real estate secured. They waited. The boredom began to tick upward, slowly replacing the early morning adrenaline.
"Ah, Pres," Jiro leaned forward slightly to tell Hidy. "These four seats on my left are reserved for Niewi, Mona, Cicille, and Mira ah."
With the territory successfully claimed for his Circle of Friends, Jiro decided to fully unpack. He unzipped his bag, pulled out his heavy insulated tumbler, and retrieved his phone. Then, instead of placing his bag on his lap or by his feet, he plopped his massive "Hulk" bag firmly onto the empty monobloc chair right next to him.
I do not trust the dirty bare concrete floor of this gymnasium, Jiro reasoned, eyeing the dust. Plus, this is the ultimate totem for reserving a seat. As simple as that.
With his defenses up, Jiro took a glance around the environment. A bit further away, near a mini station controlling the sound, speakers, and laptop for the projector, two other nursing student officers were stationed, busy monitoring the equipment.
The elevated stage at the front of the gym was decorated simply. Colorful banderitas—flaglets—crisscrossed the ceilings, giving the venue a festive, almost fiesta-like aesthetic. Below the stage, a line of VIP monobloc chairs was arranged for the faculty and guests.
8:20 AM.
The spawn rate of the students suddenly spiked. More people began flooding into the open court, and other members of the BEEd 1-A cohort finally arrived to claim their spots in the front rows.
Jesper Arufe, Lindsey Soliko, Jachie Marello, and Princess Cleria marched down the aisle, happily taking the empty seats right beside Hidy Medona to complete the BEEd 1-A front row bloc.
Jiro's own COF members were still largely missing in action, but finally, Mona Patori arrived. She navigated through the rows and gratefully took the seat right beside Jiro, forcing him to shift his heavy bag one seat further to the left to maintain the remaining reservations.
Just behind them, the third row began to fill up with the rest of the recognizable cast: Windy Viyago, the ever-poised Cristel Basha, the agile Rechele Eve, and a few others. The blue section was slowly consolidating its forces.
8:30 AM.
The exact time the orientation was scheduled to start.
Jiro stared at the stage. No one was speaking. No one was even ready. In fact, a few frantic org officers and utility staff were just now starting to fully set up the equipment. They were hauling the white projector screen onto the stage, plugging in speakers, and testing microphones.
Jiro watched the chaotic setup, quietly noting the reality of the situation while his thumbs scrolled lazily on his phone.
Filipino time at its finest, he mused. The event starts at 8:30, which means the preparation starts at 8:30. We are probably going to sit here for another hour.
So, they waited again. The morning humidity began to creep in, mixing with the overlapping chatter of hundreds of students.
9:10 AM.
Finally, the rest of his inner circle breached the gates. Niewi, Mira, Ivyn, and Cicille scurried down the aisle, breathless but relieved to find Jiro guarding their turf.
As they quickly occupied the remaining reserved seats in the second row, Niewi casually leaned over while dropping her bag.
"Ay, Cosma won't attend today eh," Niewi mentioned casually to the group.
Jiro heard the update perfectly clear, but he made absolutely no comment. He just stared straight ahead.
So, Cosma is out. The Magnificent Seven is down to six today. A six-man party it is.
"Hala, the traffic!" Mira complained instantly, fanning herself, completely shifting the topic away from the absence.
The volume in the gymnasium continued to rise as more students packed into the blue and white sections. The ambient noise was deafening—a chaotic, overlapping hum of conversations, laughter, and complaints about the heat.
9:20 AM.
Still no official start. The noise level was practically echoing off the high ceiling.
Suddenly, a massive figure stepped up to the center of the floor. It was a CON faculty member—a very tall, big woman with an intimidating presence that felt almost European in descent, her hair styled with fierce, bright highlights. She grabbed the microphone with the authority of a raid boss.
"Everyone, stop talking! Okay?!" she barked into the mic, her voice booming across the speakers like thunder. "Do not make any noise yet, because we are about to start ah."
Critical Hit.
The entire audience—hundreds to thousands of freshmen and other years from both colleges—went into absolute shock. The deafening hum of the gymnasium was instantly muted, replaced by a terrified, pin-drop silence.
Wow. The White Faction's boss is terrifying, Jiro thought, shrinking slightly into his chair. Silence debuff effectively applied.
9:35 AM.
After the terrifying display of crowd control, the event finally kicked off.
The projector was fully set up, though the image on the screen was painfully blurry—completely washed out by the morning sunlight glaring against the open sides of the gym. Sunlight debuff. Technology loses again.
The student emcees took their places at the podium. They officially welcomed everyone and began calling out the university's full-time faculties to take their designated VIP monobloc chairs near the stage.
As the names were called, Jiro perked up.
"Please welcome, Dr. Ricky Manazaki..." the emcee announced.
The Red Hair. The Idol. Jiro nodded internally, watching Doc Rick claim his VIP seat.
"...and Mr. Jimmy Brackin!"
The Ghost Adviser. Jiro smirked as the highly approachable mentor took his spot. The VIP seating area was quickly filled with the academic elite.
"Please all stand," the emcee instructed.
The massive sea of blue and white uniforms stood up in unison. The crackling speakers began to play the sequence: the opening prayer, followed by the National Anthem, the recitation of the KSU Vision and Mission, and finally, the university hymn.
The enthusiastic endeavors had officially begun.
First to take the elevated stage was the Campus Director. She was a newly appointed official, having just taken the reins after the former director departed the previous school year (2023-2024). Standing tall, she was the only official who wore the crisp, complete official KSU uniform. She carried the distinct, commanding aura of an Education major who held an EdD degree. More interestingly, she was also a major Filipino instructor. She spoke with precise, articulate words, welcoming the freshmen into the fold.
Next up were the two pillars of the campus: the Deans.
The COE Dean stepped forward first. Jiro recognized her immediately from the glass office on his enrollment day. Despite her older age, she radiated an aura of kindness and absolute calmness. She seemed incredibly approachable, speaking to the Education students like a proud grandmother welcoming her flock.
Following her was the CON Dean. She was noticeably younger than the COE Dean but older than the Campus Director. Wearing sharp glasses, she possessed a slightly stricter facial expression—a fitting visage for the head of the medical field. Yet, as she spoke to her Nursing students, a subtle warmth broke through, showing she was strict but still approachable for her white-uniformed faction.
Then, before the crowd could even settle back into their seats, the emcees grabbed the mics again with a sudden burst of hype.
"Alright! Before we proceed, let's get that energy up! Please welcome our campus dance group, the Apex Grooves Entertainment, or AGE!"
Jiro blinked. Wait, what? A dance break?
The AGE dancers flooded the gym floor, taking their positions while an upbeat Zumba track blasted from the speakers. At the exact same time, the faculties, the Deans, and even the Campus Director repositioned themselves on the elevated stage, ready to lead by example.
"Everyone, stand up and let's dance!" the emcee shouted.
The entire gymnasium stood up again. Hundreds of freshmen were suddenly thrust into a mandatory Zumba session.
Jiro stood in the second row, trapped in the aisle seat. Because he was right on the edge of the walkway where everyone could see him, he couldn't just stand perfectly still like a frozen NPC. He had to move.
Well… I just forced myself into this crappy rhythm mini-game, Jiro groaned internally.
He moved his arms and swayed side to side, executing the moves effortlessly but with an energy level hovering right around 1%. He maintained his deadpan expression, doing the bare minimum required to not look completely out of place while the rest of the gym jumped and grooved to the music.
Physical exertion at 9 AM. I did not sign up for this cardio event.
Once the sweaty, high-energy Zumba sequence concluded, everyone collapsed back into their monobloc chairs. The program shifted gears to the technical rules.
The emcee took the center stage again. It was the Campus Registrar—the exact same millennial-looking staff member Jiro had encountered behind the glass counter. But today, he wasn't wearing glasses, nor was he dressed in a casual patterned jacket. Like the rest of the staff, he was sporting the official KSU Taytay campus shirt—the standard Thursday uniform—paired with denim jeans and trendy runner shoes.
"Alright, freshmen!" the Registrar announced, gesturing to the blurry projector screen behind him. "Let's dive into the University Handbook."
He began navigating through the slides, explaining the school semesters, the required units, and the dropping dates. The crowd listened with half-attention, the morning heat slowly lulling them back into a trance.
And then, a new slide appeared on the screen.
REQUIREMENTS FOR LATIN HONORS
Jiro's posture instantly straightened. The Shonen strategist inside him fully awakened. His eyes locked onto the screen. Endgame achievements. The ultimate stat requirements.
The Registrar dictated the mechanics clearly.
"To graduate with honors, here are your target GPAs," he explained.
Cum Laude: 1.69 to 1.50. "And you must have no grade lower than 1.9 in all academic subjects."
Magna Cum Laude: 1.49 to 1.20. "No grade lower than 1.7 in all academic subjects."
Summa Cum Laude: 1.19 to 1.00. "And no grade lower than 1.5 in all academic subjects."
Jiro stared at the numbers. He didn't write them down. He just silently processed the data, letting his mental memory absorb the specific decimal points. Passive skill: Perfect Retention activated.
After tackling the heavy handbook rules, the Registrar decided to spice things up.
"Okay, guys! Wake up!" the Registrar grinned, pulling something out of his pocket. "Let's have a mini trivia game! I will give away three pieces of P100 discount coupons for a coffee shop nearby! Who wants one?"
A murmur of excitement rippled through the crowd. Free stuff always works.
Jiro stared at the stage. He was ready.
"Alright, for the first coupon!" The Registrar held up the colorful piece of paper. "What are the exact grade requirements to become a Latin Honor?"
The entire gymnasium went dead silent.
The students looked at each other, blinking. No one had memorized those decimal points. It was too much math for a hot Thursday morning.
Jiro checked his surroundings. Not a single hand was raised in the sea of blue and white.
Opportunity detected.
He slowly raised his hand high in the air.
"Oh! We have one there!" the Registrar pointed excitedly. "From the Education side!"
Boom.
In an instant, hundreds to thousands of eyes shifted toward the left side of the court. Jiro felt the sheer weight of the crowd's gaze hit him like a physical blow. His social battery instantly plummeted from 100% straight down to negative 100. His heart hammered against his ribs.
Why did I do this? he panicked internally. I hate attention! Ahhh!
But he couldn't back out now. He was still confident in the data.
The Registrar stepped off the stage and approached the front row, extending the microphone toward Jiro.
"Alright, what is your name first?" the Registrar asked, holding the mic out.
Jiro took a breath. He grabbed the mic, his hand shaking slightly. He cleared his throat to force the words out.
"I... I am Jiro Sanata from BEEd 1-A po."
"Okay, Jiro!" the Registrar smiled. "What is your answer?"
Jiro closed his eyes for a split second, accessing the mental screenshot. He dictated the exact requirements into the microphone, stuttering just a tiny bit due to the massive crowd staring at his soul.
"For... Cum Laude po, the grade must be 1.69 to 1.50, and no grade lower than 1.9 in all subjects. For Magna Cum Laude, it is 1.49 to 1.20, with no grade lower than 1.7. And for Summa Cum Laude... 1.19 to 1.00, with no grade lower than 1.5 in all academic subjects po."
He lowered the mic.
The Registrar's eyes widened slightly in genuine surprise. "Wow! He got it exactly right! Let's give him a round of applause!"
The entire gymnasium erupted into loud clapping and cheering.
Jiro felt his face heat up. He had successfully claimed the spotlight. He was literally the Enthusiastic Endeavor of the morning.
The Registrar handed him the crisp P100 coffee shop discount coupon. "Congratulations, Jiro!"
"Thank you po," Jiro muttered quickly.
He immediately sank back into his monobloc chair, desperately trying to shrink out of view. But his faction wasn't going to let him hide.
From his 360-degree view, the entire BEEd 1-A cohort was celebrating his loot acquisition.
Right in front of him, Hidy turned around with a proud smile. From his left-front, Lindsey, Jesper, and Princess flashed him thumbs-ups. From his direct left, his squad—Mona, Ivyn, Mira, Niewi, and Cicille—were giggling and patting his arm. And from behind, Cristel, Windy, and the third-row crew were clapping his back.
"Uy, nice one Jiro!" Mona praised him, leaning over to inspect his prize. "What is that for?"
Jiro looked down at the colorful coupon in his hand. He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Honestly... I don't know eh," Jiro admitted with a dry smile. "I haven't even tried to order anything from that coffee shop yet."
Mona just nodded, highly amused by his blind competitive spirit. Won the prize without even knowing the lore. Classic Jiro.
After his triumphant moment, the mini trivia continued. The remaining two discount coupons were quickly snatched up by two eager CON students on the right side of the court.
With the hype settled, the program transitioned to the final speaker.
"And now, let's welcome our Campus Librarian!" the emcee announced.
A woman walked onto the stage. She was much smaller in stature, with long, highlighted hair. She radiated a calm, extremely approachable aura. She looked exceptionally kind—exactly the type of NPC you'd trust to guide you through a confusing quest.
She took the mic and began explaining the mechanics of their academic sanctuary.
"Good morning, students," she smiled softly. "Our campus library is located on the third floor, at the extreme left wing of the building. We occupy two spaces: Room 301 and Room 302, right beside the Computer Laboratory in Room 303."
Jiro nodded, mapping the coordinates in his head. Third floor, left wing. Safe zone identified.
"Please take note of our strict rules," the Librarian continued. "Right outside the library, there is a bag rack. You must leave your bags there. You are only allowed to bring your wallet, notebook, paper, pen, and your phones inside."
She pointed gently toward the audience. "If the library is full, don't worry. There are tables and chairs provided outside in the hallway. At least you can enjoy the fresh air there ah."
She broke down the room designations next.
"Room 301 is strictly a Reading Room. That is where you mostly read or study in complete silence."
"Room 302 is the Main Library. When you enter, there is a scanner. You must scan your library ID first. Then, you can find your books. However, once you are done reading, do not return the books to the shelves yourself. Just place them in the designated drop box. I will be the one to return them properly to avoid misplacements."
A highly organized system. And no heavy lifting required. Perfect.
"And yes," she added with a small smile, knowing exactly what college students cared about. "The Main Library has two ACs. It is fully air-conditioned."
A quiet hum of appreciation echoed through the crowd. A cooling zone. Confirmed.
Finally, she explained the registration process.
"For all freshmen," she instructed, "you need to register to get your Librarian Borrower's Card. That card contains your barcode, which is required whenever you enter or borrow a book. Just fill out the registration form, attach a 1x1 picture, and wait. After a week, you can claim your card and have it validated so it can be scanned on our screen."
Jiro mentally logged the quest requirements. Form. 1x1 picture. One-week crafting time.
The Librarian thanked the crowd and stepped down from the stage.
11:50 AM.
The emcee took the mic one last time. "Alright, everyone! That concludes our morning orientation!"
Jiro sighed in relief, stretching his stiff legs. Finally. Three hours of sitting on a monobloc chair. Time to go home.
"However!" the emcee shouted, cutting through the rising noise. "You are not dismissed for the day! You will have your lunch break now, but everyone is required to return here at exactly 1:00 PM for the afternoon session!"
The entire gymnasium froze.
A collective groan echoed across the blue and white territories.
Jiro stared blankly at the stage. His COF immediately started complaining beside him.
"What the hell, I thought it was 12 PM!" Niewi groaned, crossing her arms in disbelief.
Mira looked visibly annoyed and irritated, firmly nodding in agreement with Niewi's frustration. "We can't go home yet?! They scammed us!"
"So how do we eat, I did not bring any lunch eh," Ivyn whined, realizing the terrible reality of an unplanned lunch break.
Jiro shook his head, a dry, cynical laugh escaping his lips.
The ultimate bait-and-switch. A mandatory afternoon extension.
He looked down at his heavy "Hulk" bag sitting safely on his lap. While the rest of the class was panicking about where to buy food and how to survive the extended hours, Jiro found his silver lining. Though he was deeply disappointed about not going home early, he was at least relieved.
Luckily, Jiro thought, unzipping the compartment to check his heavy insulated tumbler and his packed heavy glassware lunch pack. I brought my own food. But then, a new logistical error popped up in his strategic mind.
Wait. With this many people suddenly stuck on campus, the cafeteria and all the outdoor benches are definitely maxed out right now. I literally have no other choice but to eat right here. In this monobloc chair. In the middle of the gym.
The survival games immediately meant searching for a safe zone.
They stood up and began to wander. Jiro trailed behind his COF, lugging his "Hulk" bag on his back while gripping his heavy insulated tumbler in his right hand. He despised every second of it.
So, we walk again, he grumbled internally, feeling the weight pull at his shoulders. Encumbered state. Movement speed reduced by 50%.
They walked aimlessly around the campus, joining the massive swarm of white and blue uniforms doing the exact same thing. Every table was taken. Every patch of shade was occupied. The campus was completely overwhelmed.
"Uy, let's just go home eh!" Mira suddenly declared, leading the group straight to the main campus gate.
They approached the guardhouse.
"Kuya Guard," Mira asked hopefully, batting her eyelashes. "Can we go outside to eat po? Or can we just go home?"
The guard shook his head firmly. "Not allowed. You all have to stay inside the campus. The afternoon session is mandatory."
Quest boundary locked. Invisible wall activated.
"Hala, that is harsh," Niewi groaned as they turned away from the gate. "We are trapped."
Defeated and slowly starving, they dragged their feet back to the only place they had a guaranteed spot. The gymnasium.
They navigated back to their row of monobloc chairs. The girls slumped into their seats, letting their hunger temporarily override their energy.
Jiro, however, had no choice but to initiate his lunch sequence.
Since the monobloc chair was about to become his dining table, he couldn't put his belongings on it. Reluctantly, with a heavy sigh, he dropped his sacred "Hulk" bag directly onto the dusty, bare concrete floor of the gymnasium. He placed his insulated tumbler right beside it.
Minus aura points for the bag. But desperate times require desperate measures.
He pulled out his heavy glassware from the bag, grabbed his spoon and fork from their case, and placed the container squarely on the seat of his monobloc chair.
Now came the physical challenge. How does one eat when the chair is the table?
Jiro stepped back, adjusting his stance. He bent his knees, dropping his center of gravity until he was squatting perfectly over his food. It was the "Gargoyle" pose once again. The legendary L seat from Death Note, but deployed on a dirty gymnasium floor.
He opened the lid. Fried porkchop and a mountain of rice.
As the smell of home-cooked food wafted through the air, his starving friends turned to look at him.
"Wow, he brought lunch," Ivyn sighed, staring at his porkchop with absolute envy.
"True, I wish it too," Mira echoed, clutching her empty stomach.
Jiro didn't say a single word. He just paused his chewing, slowly turning his head to look at them. He locked eyes with them, delivering a flat, emotionless death stare while aggressively biting into his fried porkchop.
Survival of the fittest. Should have packed your inventory.
Unable to handle the torture of watching him eat, the girls finally cracked.
"Uy Jiro, watch our bags ah," Mira instructed, standing up and dusting off her uniform. "We will just go buy some food in the cafeteria. Or maybe at the stalls near the gate."
"Yeah, guard our things please," Ivyn added.
Jiro, with his cheeks completely stuffed with rice and porkchop, simply nodded.
Bag Guardian side quest accepted.
With the girls gone, Jiro enjoyed a few moments of peace in his weird squatting posture. To pass the time, he pulled his phone out of his pocket with his free hand and toggled his data on.
He scrolled through his notifications. Then, his thumb hovered over one specific chat head.
CT 1 NSTP
It was the group chat from his former life. The Construction Technology cohort from the KSU Morong campus.
He tapped it open, curious to see what the other server was doing.
The chat was flooded with photos.
Jiro zoomed in. It was his former classmates—Jessa, Jenna, Mina, Dana, Shelly—all wearing their civilian clothes, holding brooms and dustpans. They were out in the open sun, sweeping the concrete pathways and picking up trash around the sprawling, greenish, and brutalist Morong campus.
They were performing their CWTS (Civic Welfare Training Service). Manual labor.
Jiro stared at the photos. He remembered the anticipated final activities, mixing cement and bending steels. He remembered the oppressive heat of the warehouse. He remembered the grueling almost two-hour commute.
Wow. They are literally sweeping the map right now.
A cold realization washed over him. He wasn't supposed to be seeing this anymore. He had escaped.
With absolutely zero hesitation, Jiro tapped the settings icon on the group chat.
Leave Group.Confirm.
Poof. The chat vanished from his inbox.
He took another bite of his porkchop, feeling oddly satisfied. The past was deleted. He was fully committed to his new life as a future educator... whatever that meant.
But the digital ghosts of the Morong campus weren't done with him yet.
A few minutes later, he received another message. A surprise message from his former inner circle's group chat—the CT COF.
Jessa: "@Jiro Sanata, why did you leave?"
Jiro froze. His spoon stopped halfway to his mouth.
Jessa: "And where are you na ba? Why aren't you attending classes?"
Boom.
Jiro felt his peace shatter into a million pieces. He stared at the glowing screen, his heart skipping a beat. He hadn't told them he dropped out. He hadn't told them he transferred. To them, he was just absent with his emergency.
And now, he had just triggered the alarm.
The past wasn't just a memory anymore. It was actively haunting him right in the middle of his lunch break.
END OF THE ENTHUSIASTIC ENDEAVORS