Afterlife Department

A deafening silence fell upon them after Luren left. Only the sound of water in the pool can be heard. 

"You!" Mandy finally can't hold back and hissed at Huo Ling. 

… bro, are you a snake? Huo Ling thought and made a wronged expression. "What did I do now? I am only explaining myself. Because I didn't do anything wrong!" he said before he pulled on the hem of Yi Bing's uniform to 'cry'. He even made his shoulder shake as if he is really crying. But, the truth is, he just can't finally hold back his laughter so he buried his face on Yi Bing's clothes to hide his smirk. 

Don't look at Huo Ling's youthful and sunny face. Yi Bing knows that he is very mischievous and poisonous. But, for Hierre who never met Huo Ling so he doesn't know Huo Ling's true personality was moved by Huo Ling's acting. 

"Mandy, stop it." Hierre told Mandy. "You don't have to go too far. I know that you also see that Prille slipped and fell on his own." He said. 

Mandy turned to him. "And whose fault that Prille slipped?!" he asked. "If this *** didn't insult him, Prille wouldn't have been startled – " 

"It's his." Huo Ling answered, cutting Mandy off. "Am I holding his brain that contains his nervous system and controlled the auditory nerves to hear me and his synapses to send it to his brain, making him react as startled?" he asked. 

Everyone. "…" what nervous system? What audi something nerves? What synapses? How did it enter in the conversation? 

"Student Howee Jackson is a new student that received the Iris Scholarship." Luren spoke. They didn't notice he returned. 

Before Mandy, Hierre and Prille could react from his return, they were startled and then froze when they heard what Luren said. Iris Scholarship? Isn't this the scholarship given by the principal himself – Iris Hudgeson?! They thought, stunned. They looked at Huo Ling with a complicated gaze. 

Huo Ling who doesn't understand what is Iris Scholarship. "…" whatever it is, I just need to act. The show must go on. He thought and 'innocently' blinked – his ultimate weapon of looking smart, but also acting dumb. 

Yi Bing's shoulder shook once before he suppressed his emotions. He almost broke into a laughter when he saw Huo Ling covered up his ignorance. 

"Teacher Evan Glace is the teacher that will be replacing Teacher Sandro." Luren continued when neither Prille, Hierre nor Mandy spoke. "He was personally picked by Principal Hudgeson." He added. 

If the news about Huo Ling as a 'scholar' of Iris Scholarship is like a bomb hitting them, then Yi Bing being handpicked by Iris Hudgeson is like a nuclear weapon smashing them. How can this be?! They all thought, shocked. Even though Iris Hudgeson's altruism is an open secret, but to personally handpick a student and a teacher… even though they are 'poor', but this hasn't happened before! 

The poor students of the Fughlia High School managed to enter and study in the Fughlia High because of various scholarships. Prille is one of the examples. But, this Howee Jackson?! This 'naïve' child?! However, no matter whether they accept the fact or not, but they have to believe it since Luren said it. 

Luren Gregor, the only son of the second largest shareholder in the Fughlia High – Alvin Gregor. His power is just second to Iris Hudgeson. Luren has been trained by his father to be respectful to everyone and to not look down on one's social class. That's why Luren is impartial in the Fughlia High and respects the teachers, as well as students who speaks using their strength. 

That's why he doesn't like Prille who only knows how to use Mandy and Hierre to pull him. As for how a poor and average student like Prille knows Mandy and Hierre, it was because of Rhyan – Iris Hudgeson's third son. Rhyan met Prille when Rhyan was attacked by a thief, and Prille called him a taxi since even Rhyan's phone was taken away by the thief. 

Rhyan, in order to show his gratitude to Prille, asked Harris – Iris Hudgeson's eldest son, who is responsible for the overall management of their father's businesses, to find Prille an appropriate scholarship that is affiliated with Fughlia High to help Prille, who's dream is to enter the Fughlia High. Rhyan also asked Mandy and Hierre, who are friends with their elder brothers, to take care of Prille. Thus, Prille managed to enter Luren's clique. 

Yi Bing could see the outrage on their faces and he inwardly laughed. He turned to Luren and faintly smiled. "Student Luren speaks so well. I'm just an ordinary teacher." He said. 

Huo Ling almost snickered when he heard Yi Bing's humble tone. He bit his lip to prevent himself from laughing. Then, he saw Prille's loathing gaze and Huo Ling's expression became pensive. 

Luren nodded at Yi Bing. "Teacher Evan and Student Howee now have seen the recreational area of the Fughlia. Please, let me show you around to see the rest of the school campus for the remaining time of the day." He spoke. 

When they saw Yi Bing and Huo Ling earlier, because they were new faces, so they guessed that they are new to Fughlia High School. Luren's father happened to tell him last night that Iris Hudgeson is welcoming two guests – one student and one teacher, so he figured they were Yi Bing and Huo Ling. Although the two were labeled as 'poor', but Luren wouldn't mistake their extraordinary aura. He isn't blind, unlike his 'friends' who managed to headbutt with Huo Ling. So, he invited them to watch Prille's 'audition' for the team. 

Actually, there's no need for an audition since he doesn't like Prille in the first place. He could see that the other is two-faced. A hypocrite. But, the reason why he said that there's no need for an audition for Prille isn't because of his dislike for him. It's because he could see that the other is only average in skill – if there is any skill. He only let him have the audition because of Mandy's insistence. 

"Sure. We'll be troubling Student Luren, then." Yi Bing spoke as he pushed Huo Ling's wheelchair, finally ignoring Mandy, Hierre and Prille. 

"Bye-bye! See you tomorrow!" Huo Ling waved at them, looking very childish, which actually only made their expressions turn worse. 

Mandy, Prille and Hierre watched Luren left with Yi Bing and Huo Ling without looking back nor leaving any words for them. 

"That bastard!" Mandy cursed when the door leading to the poolside area closed. He is cursing Huo Ling, of course. 

But, Hierre looked pensive. "I think their names are familiar…" he muttered. 

"What is it?" Mandy asked as he turned to Hierre. 

Hierre looked at him. "Last night, my father told elder brother about the principal's two distinguished guests coming from a very far place." He said. "Elder brother told me that they are a teacher and a student. He told me that I shouldn't offend them, even if I don't befriend them." He explained. 

Mandy's expression immediately changed. "You don't mean…" he said. 

Hierre nodded. "I think the names my elder brother told me are 'Evan Glace' and 'Howee Jackson'." He said as he lowered his gaze. "They are the only ones who have arrived in Fughlia… and when Luren introduced them, and saw Luren's polite attitude towards them, I finally remembered…" he explained. 

Mandy's expression started to turn pale. "They… the principal's…" he stammered. 

Hierre nodded. "Or else, why would Luren act like that towards them?" he asked. 

Mandy was about to speak when they suddenly heard a thud beside them. They turned and saw Prille sitting on the ground. His whole body is trembling – whether it was because he was cold or for other reason, they don't know. Prille was only wearing a swimming trunk and so they could see his pale and lean body shone because of water. 

But, they don't have time to admire his appearance right now, because they were still shocked about what they learned of Yi Bing's and Huo Ling's identity. 

"Ouch…" Prille, when he saw that there was no reaction from Mandy's or Hierre's faces, he sneered before he cried. 

Finally, the two men seemed to woke up from their daze and then turned back to Mandy. This time, they saw Mandy was clutching his leg that was trembling. Then, they saw that bluish-green hue on his pale skin. 

"Prille!" Mandy finally reacted and he immediately picked up the towel on the side then wrapped it around Prille's body. "What happened?" he asked as he looked at the bruise on Prille's leg. 

"I must have hit it on the handrail earlier before I fell…" Prille said. 

Hierre also remembered what happened earlier. "That's right. I was wondering why you didn't emerge from the water earlier, considering you can swim…" he said. He was still looking at the closed door where Luren left with Yi Bing and Huo Ling earlier.

Prille hid his ugly expression and forced a smile.