Chapter 20: FESTIVAL AND THE MYSTERIOUS WOMAN

Phoenix Academy was getting ready to welcome its most anticipated annual event—the Sports Festival. This event was held every year to commemorate the school’s founding anniversary, and all students from every class were required to participate. This festival wasn’t just an ordinary competition; it was a showcase of skill, a place where each class demonstrated their unity and fighting spirit. The entire school would be filled with colorful decorations, small flags fluttering in every corner, and a sports field that had been carefully prepared. The sounds of cheers and shouts of encouragement would echo throughout the area, creating a festive and energetic atmosphere.

The Sports Festival at Phoenix Academy consisted of various competitive events. There was the relay race that tested speed and teamwork, where each runner had to pass the baton to their teammate without any hesitation, and one small mistake could ruin the entire team’s effort. There was basketball that required agility and strategy, where every move had to be carefully calculated and every pass had to be on target. There was volleyball that relied on unity and quick reflexes, where the ball always had to be kept from hitting the ground and every point was fought for fiercely. There was archery that demanded extraordinary calmness and focus, where every shot had to be precise and even the slightest wind could change the arrow’s direction. There was chess that tested intelligence and the ability to think several steps ahead, where every decision could determine victory or defeat. And there were also traditional events like tug-of-war and sack races, which were always favorites because they brought laughter and joy amidst competitions that could sometimes get too serious.

Every class would compete against each other in the spirit of friendship, although it wasn’t uncommon for the competition to get heated and spark conflicts. Teachers would act as referees and supervisors, ensuring everything ran fairly and according to the rules. Students from other classes would be enthusiastic spectators, cheering for their favorite teams with full excitement. And at the end of the festival, there would be an announcement of the overall champion—the class that accumulated the most points from all competitive events. A large trophy would be awarded to the winning class, and their names would be engraved on the school’s honor board as recognition of their hard work and fighting spirit.

But for Class IX-9, this festival had always been a recurring nightmare every year. In previous years, they had always been the target of systematic injustice. Unfair referees always gave them lower scores for every effort they made. Their opponents often played dirty without facing any consequences. The festival committee often ignored their protests, as if their voices didn’t matter. They always lost and were marginalized, sitting on the sidelines watching other classes celebrate their victories. They had almost lost hope of ever tasting the sweetness of victory. But this year was different. This year, they had Kai. And Kai wouldn’t let them suffer again.

Kai sat at his desk in front of Class IX-9, his eyes scanning the sheet of paper containing the training schedule he’d just painstakingly put together. His pen-holding hand stopped moving, and he let out a long sigh that carried all the weight of his thoughts. The schedule looked packed—maybe too packed—but he had no other choice. There were only two weeks left before the festival began, and they had to make the most of every second available. He couldn’t let them lose again. He couldn’t let them be disappointed again. He had to make sure they were ready, both physically and mentally.

"Alright, everyone," Kai said in a voice loud enough to get the attention of all the girls in his class. His eyes moved from one face to another, making sure everyone was listening. "I’ve made a training schedule for the next two weeks. I want to hear your thoughts on this schedule."

The girls turned to him with various expressions. Mira smiled enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with excitement she couldn’t hide. Rin raised her eyebrows with curiosity, her hands stopping their tapping on the desk. Ella sat up straight with a serious expression, ready to listen to every word that came out of Kai’s mouth. Nora remained silent with a calm face, but her eyes showed deep attention. Luna stared at Kai from the corner of the room with eyes that were no longer empty. Aria stopped biting her nails and focused on listening. Iris smiled mysteriously, as if she already knew what Kai was going to say. Eve lifted her head from her laptop, showing she was truly paying attention. And Fay smiled to herself, as usual.

"The schedule is like this," Kai continued, his eyes reading from the paper in his hand with a clear and firm voice. "Every day after school, we’ll train for two hours. Monday and Wednesday for basketball and volleyball. Tuesday and Thursday for archery and the relay race. Friday for chess and tactical training. Saturday and Sunday are rest days, but I suggest you still do light training at home to maintain your fitness."

"Two hours every day?" Rin asked with a slightly protesting tone, her eyes narrowing with disbelief. "That’s too long. We also have schoolwork to do. We can’t just focus on sports."

"I know," Kai answered calmly, unfazed by Rin’s protesting tone. "But the festival is only two weeks away. We have to make the most of the time we have. I don’t want you to regret it on competition day because you weren’t prepared enough."

"Rin, don’t complain," Ella cut in with a firm voice, staring at Rin with an undeniable look. "Mr. Kai worked hard to make this schedule. We should appreciate it. He’s not doing this for himself, but for us."

Rin let out a long sigh, but didn’t argue. She just gave a small nod as a sign of agreement, although her expression still showed a hint of dissatisfaction. "Alright. I’ll try."

"I agree with this schedule," Mira added enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with excitement she couldn’t hide. "Mira is ready to train every day! Mira will be the fastest runner at this festival!"

"I agree too," Nora said in a calm voice, her eyes looking at Kai with full determination. "I need a lot of practice for archery. I don’t want to let the team down."

"I’ll manage my time," Eve added without lifting her head from her laptop, her fingers still dancing across the keyboard. "As long as training doesn’t interfere with my study time, I don’t mind."

"I agree," Iris said with a confident smile. "I’ll prove that I can be a reliable runner."

"I agree too," Luna whispered from the corner of the room, her voice soft but clear. "I’ll practice with Nora."

"I’ll prepare drinks and food," Aria said with a smile starting to appear. "I’ll make sure none of you get thirsty during practice."

"Alright," Kai said with a small smile he couldn’t hide. "If everyone agrees, we’ll start training tomorrow. Make sure you come on time and bring the necessary equipment."

The girls nodded enthusiastically. The sound of conversation started filling the room, and Kai felt relieved that everyone agreed with his schedule. He looked at them with a sense of pride he couldn’t hide—pride because they were willing to try, pride because they hadn’t given up, pride because they believed in him.

"Alright, today’s lesson is over," Kai said as he stood up from his chair, packing his books with neat movements. "You can go home. Don’t forget to get enough rest. Tomorrow’s training will be tiring."

The girls started getting up from their desks, slowly packing their things while chatting about the training they’d be doing tomorrow. Kai also started packing his books, but before he left, he decided to meet Reina in the principal’s office. There was something he wanted to ask—something that had been bothering him since he heard the girls’ stories about previous years’ festivals. He couldn’t let that happen again. He had to make sure this year was different.

Kai walked down the corridor toward the principal’s office, his steps slow but purposeful. The school atmosphere was starting to get quiet because dismissal time had arrived, and only a few students were still visible in the corridor with casual steps toward the exit. The sounds of laughter and conversation started fading, replaced by peaceful silence. He climbed the stairs to the third floor, and not long after, he arrived in front of the principal’s office door, made of dark brown wood with a small plaque above it.

Kai knocked softly on the door, waiting for an answer from inside.

"Come in."

Reina’s voice came from inside, firm and calm as usual, without a hint of hesitation. Kai opened the door and entered, closing it softly behind him. Reina sat behind a large wooden desk covered in stacks of files, her eyes focused on the document she was reading seriously. She looked up when she saw Kai, and her eyebrows rose slightly with undisguised curiosity.

"Kai?" Reina greeted with a slightly surprised tone, setting her pen down on the desk. "What’s up? Why didn’t you go straight home? Usually you’re already gone by this hour."

"I want to ask you something," Kai said in a serious voice, his eyes looking at Reina with full attention. "About the sports festival."

Reina set down her pen and leaned back in her chair, her eyes looking at Kai calmly and understandingly. "What do you want to ask?"

"My students," Kai continued, his voice starting to tense slightly, his hands clenching at his sides. "They told me about the previous years. About the injustice they experienced. About unfair referees, about cheating opponents, about the committee’s neglect. Is that true? Did all of that really happen?"

Reina let out a long sigh, her eyes looking down for a moment before looking at Kai again with a more serious expression. "It’s true. I know about all of that. I’ve heard reports from students and other teachers. But I couldn’t do much. There was pressure from some teachers and parents who didn’t like the existence of Class IX-9. They considered those children unworthy of being in this school."

"You couldn’t do much?" Kai stared at Reina with eyes starting to burn, his voice rising. "You’re the principal, Reina. You have the power to stop that. You can reprimand them, you can impose sanctions, you can do something!"

"I know," Reina answered in a soft voice, her eyes looking at Kai with full understanding and patience. "But I also know that unilateral action would make the situation worse. I tried to resolve it diplomatically, but not everyone was willing to listen. Some of them even threatened to report me to the foundation."

Kai fell silent. His eyes were still looking at Reina, but the fire in them started to subside little by little. He let out a long sigh, trying to calm himself down.

"Reina," Kai said in a calmer voice, his eyes looking at Reina with full determination. "This year’s festival will be different. Because now they have a homeroom teacher. And I won’t let injustice happen again. I won’t let them suffer again."

Reina looked at Kai with sharp eyes, trying to read what was behind his words. "What are you going to do?"

"I’ll oversee every match," Kai answered firmly, his voice full of conviction. "I’ll make sure there’s no cheating. I’ll make sure all referees act fairly. And if anyone dares to cheat, I’ll handle it my own way."

"Kai—"

"I won’t tolerate cheating," Kai cut in, his voice growing firmer and heavier. "They’ve suffered enough. They don’t deserve to be treated like that again. And I won’t let anyone hurt them. No matter who it is."

Reina let out a long sigh, looking at Kai with an unreadable expression. She saw the anger in Kai’s eyes, but she also saw sincerity and deep care. She knew Kai was serious about what he said, that he wouldn’t back down from his promise.

"I understand your anger, Kai," Reina said in a soft voice, her eyes looking at Kai with full understanding. "But I want you to stay calm. Focus on training your students. Make them strong, both physically and mentally. That’s the best thing you can do for them."

Kai fell silent, his eyes still looking at Reina with full attention.

"You’ve already become a great teacher, Kai," Reina continued in a gentler voice, her eyes sparkling with pride. "Your students believe in you. That’s the most precious thing. Don’t let your anger ruin that. Don’t let them see your dark side."

Kai looked down, processing Reina’s words. Slowly, the tension in his shoulders started to ease, and he let out a long sigh that carried all the weight of his thoughts.

"I just want to protect them," Kai said softly, his voice barely audible. "I don’t want them to get hurt again. They’ve suffered enough."

"I know," Reina answered with a warm small smile. "And you’ve already done the right thing by becoming their teacher. Trust the process, Kai. Everything will be fine."

Kai nodded slowly, feeling a little calmer and more confident. "Alright. I’ll focus on their training."

"That’s better," Reina said with a wider smile. "Now, go home and rest. You also need energy to face the next two weeks. Don’t let yourself get exhausted too."

Kai smiled slightly and turned toward the door. But before he left, he paused for a moment and looked back with a softer expression.

"Thank you, Reina."

Reina just smiled and nodded in return, her eyes following Kai until the door closed behind him.

Kai walked down the stairs with lighter steps than before. The conversation with Reina made him feel calmer and more ready to face the next two weeks. He knew this journey wouldn’t be easy, but he also knew he wasn’t alone. Reina was by his side, his students trusted him, and he had a clear goal to fight for.

But when he reached the ground floor and walked toward the exit, he saw someone standing near the school gate. Someone he knew well, someone who always made him alert with her sharp gaze.

Ella Virel—the class president of IX-9, a girl with long black hair always tied neatly at the back of her head and sharp eyes always full of suspicion—stood near the gate with a notebook in her hand, already filled with scribbles. Her eyes looked at Kai with a serious expression, and Kai could feel that she had been waiting for quite a while.

"Ella?" Kai greeted with slight surprise, his pace slowing down. "You haven’t gone home yet? Shouldn’t you already be at home?"

"I was waiting for you, Sir," Ella answered in a calm voice, her eyes unblinking. "I want to discuss something about the training. There are a few things I want to ask."

Kai nodded and walked closer to Ella with casual steps. "What is it? What do you want to ask?"

"I want to discuss more deeply about the strategy we’re going to use," Ella said in a serious voice, opening her notebook filled with neat handwriting. "Are there any tricks or specific methods we need to learn? I want to make sure we’re really ready. I don’t want us to lose again."

Kai smiled slightly, impressed by Ella’s initiative. He sat down on a garden bench near the gate, and Ella sat beside him with careful movements.

"There are a few things you need to pay attention to," Kai said in a soft voice, his eyes looking at Ella with full attention. "First, in the relay race, the most important thing is the baton transition. Many teams lose time because of poor transitions. Practice the receiving and passing movements quickly and accurately. Don’t let the baton fall."

Ella took notes seriously, her pen moving quickly across the paper, her eyes focused on every word that came out of Kai’s mouth.

"Second, in basketball," Kai continued, "the key to victory is ball control and movement without the ball. Don’t just focus on one player. Make short, quick passes. And most importantly, never give up on defense. Hold on until the last second, because one second can determine victory."

"What about volleyball?" Ella asked, her pen continuing to move across the paper.

"Volleyball requires good communication," Kai answered. "Every player needs to know their position and role. Don’t let the ball fall between you. And don’t be afraid to take risks. Sometimes, bold attacks are the key to victory."

"For archery," Kai continued, "focus is everything. Practice your breathing and concentration. Don’t let your surroundings distract you. And most importantly, believe in yourself. The arrow will follow your belief."

Ella kept taking notes seriously, absorbing every word that came out of Kai’s mouth.

"For chess," Kai added, "Eve needs to learn to read her opponent’s game. Don’t just focus on your own moves, but also think about your opponent’s moves. Find their weaknesses and exploit them. Every move should have a purpose."

"And for traditional events like tug-of-war," Kai continued, "team strength is everything. Work together, pull with the same rhythm. Don’t blame each other if a mistake happens. Work as one unit."

Ella stopped writing and looked at Kai with wide eyes. There was something in her eyes—something like admiration, but also deep gratitude. She didn’t say anything, but her expression spoke louder than a thousand words. Her usually sharp and suspicious eyes were now soft and full of appreciation.

Kai looked at Ella, and he could see that the girl was processing all the information she’d just received. There was silence between them, but it wasn’t an awkward silence. It was a meaningful silence, a silence that showed they understood each other.

"You really pay attention to us, don’t you?" Ella finally said, her voice soft and full of emotion. "You don’t just teach us, but you also think about the best way for us. You know our abilities without us having to say them."

Kai smiled slightly, feeling warmth in his chest. "That’s a teacher’s job. A teacher should always pay attention to their students."

Ella looked down, hiding her expression. But Kai could see that her shoulders trembled slightly—maybe because of emotions she couldn’t hold back, maybe because she wasn’t used to receiving this kind of attention.

"I... I’ve never felt like this before," Ella whispered, her voice barely audible. "I’ve never felt like a teacher actually cared about us. Never."

"Now you have me," Kai said in a soft voice, his eyes looking at Ella with full sincerity. "And I’ll never leave you."

Ella nodded slowly, quickly wiping the corner of her eye. Then she stood up, closed her notebook neatly, and looked at Kai with a small smile rarely seen on her face.

"Thank you, Mr. Kai," Ella said in a firmer voice. "I’ll pass all of this on to the others. We’ll train seriously."

"I believe in you," Kai said. "You can do it."

Ella smiled wider and turned to leave. Her steps were light and full of spirit, different from her usual tense and alert demeanor. She walked toward the gate with steady steps, and Kai watched her with a smile on his face.

But when Ella was almost at the gate, she accidentally bumped into someone who had just entered.

A woman stood in front of her, her entire body covered in black clothing from head to toe. A long black jacket covering most of her body, tight black pants, and shiny black boots. A black hat with a wide brim covered most of her face, only revealing a sharp chin and thin lips. The woman didn’t move when Ella bumped into her, like a statue made of stone that couldn’t be shaken by anything.

"Sorry, I didn’t see—" Ella started to say, but her words stopped mid-sentence.

Suddenly, Ella felt something strange she’d never felt before. Her body trembled violently, like a cold wind had suddenly struck her from within, like ice was spreading through her veins. That coldness spread from her back through her entire body, making her hair stand on end and the hair on the back of her neck prickle. Her usually sharp and alert eyes widened, and she felt her heart beating faster, harder, like she was running from something invisible.

Something’s wrong, Ella thought, and her mind started to race. There’s something strange about this woman. There’s something dangerous behind that hat.

The woman looked at Ella with eyes hidden beneath the hat, but Ella could feel that gaze—a piercing gaze, a gaze that felt like it was reading her mind, a gaze that felt like it was judging every corner of her soul. The cold grew stronger, and Ella felt like she was standing in the middle of a raging blizzard even though the weather was clear and warm.

"Careful," the woman said in a low, deep voice, a voice that felt foreign yet oddly familiar. "You almost fell."

Ella couldn’t answer. Her mouth was open, but no sound came out. She could only stare at the woman with wide eyes, feeling the cold spreading further through her body, feeling a fear she couldn’t control.

The woman didn’t wait for an answer. She walked past Ella without looking back, walking toward the school building with calm, graceful steps, like a shadow moving in broad daylight. Ella still stood in place, her body still trembling, her mind still in chaos.

Who is she? Ella thought, and curiosity started slipping in between her fear. Why do I feel this way? Why does she feel... dangerous? Why do I feel like I’ve seen her before?

She turned around, trying to see the woman again, but the woman had already disappeared behind the building’s door, as if she had never been there. Ella still stood in place, feeling the cold slowly starting to fade, but leaving a trace she couldn’t forget.

Something is happening, Ella thought, and determination started appearing in her eyes. Something is about to change. Something big. And I need to find out who that woman is.