Carvalle: School of Psychopaths PART 1: “The Caste Game” (Patreon)

Disclaimer: Each Upload contains at least 5 original chapters. Everything is explicit and uncensored.

Would you take the biggest opportunity of a lifetime, with the price of your possible death?

"Hello, Mr. Taylor. Welcome to your first day in Carvalle."

That's what 24-year-old Miles Taylor felt upon arriving in Manchester, England. Where he is assigned to teach, after graduating Carvalle Institutes, California Division, and is now choosing a career in Criminal Psychology.

Carvalle Institutes is an empire of schools. It is everywhere, but not everyone gets to study in it. Carvalle Institutes are located in more than a hundred locations, housing only the best and richest students. With tuition of 45k per semester, it is guaranteed that only the wealthy get to taste the scented air of Carvalle Schools.

Carvalle Detention Institute, however, is another story. It houses the worst, criminally insane delinquents from all around the world. The delinquency covers attempted murder and 2nd-degree homicide, too. A case of juveniles who committed crimes as minors cannot be punished as an adult. And since the world-famous company Levough Empires is funding the housing and education of these delinquents; countries all over the world are happy to hand them over to this school where the kids will no longer be their problems. If a Carvalle student commits a crime before they graduate, then they will be put in CDI to finish their education before getting sent to jail, or if they prove their change in behavior they can rejoin society depending on the crimes they have committed. A delinquent who beat people in the streets has a chance to graduate a free man; however, someone who has murdered an entire bus of people will stay in jail after graduation.

The theory is; that teens' and young adults' brains are still developing therefore the criminally damaged ones can still be given a chance to develop and learn what is right. For those who stay in jail after graduation, at least they will finish their sentence as educated people who still have a chance to turn their life around after release.

Miles Taylor is a perfectly good Carvalle student, under a scholarship. One condition of the scholarship is to work under Carvalle Schools for the same duration of the scholarship. Since Miles was on the scholarship for 6 years, he will have to work for Carvalle for the same amount of time.

This is awesome, he thinks, because the minimum monthly salary of a Carvalle teacher is 10k. And since he graduated Magna Cum Laude, his skill is worth the salary of double. The only problem is; that he is assigned at the all-boys academy of Carvalle Detention Institutes, which is a nightmare for a freshly graduated Miles.

"You're about the only male teacher here," says the Principal, peering at Miles through her red-framed glasses. He tries so hard not to disrespect her by looking at her multiple inches of cleavage since this Principal has the breasts of erotic models, and smiles at her.

"It's a wonder, but also a pleasure," Miles answers. "I have yet to learn many things from this school."

"Oh, there is much to learn." Principal Victoria Paris slapped a thick file onto her desk. "Here is the map of the school, including the schedules and the RAM card of the computer in your bedroom containing students' information. It consists of 15 terabytes of data, but do not pressure yourself with learning all of them. Just know they're all shitty."

Colorful. For a woman so intimidatingly beautiful, she is quite vulgar. It seemed like this Detention Institute isn't that obsessed with formalities; Miles can see a tattoo on the Principal's collar.

"Also familiarize yourself with the culture of this school," the Principal leans back onto her chair as she says, "The students have their own hierarchy and are categorized by dorms."

"Ah yes, I've known about the four dorms of Carvalle," Miles states. "The uhm... Wyner, Ford, de Vera, and Levough."

"Brilliant. Well, are you aware of what's inside them?" Miles merely blinked in response. She explains, "The Wyner dorm houses students as tame as domestic cats, but they are considered passive domestic wildcats. They have no history of violence, most are very tame. Their crimes are... light, but by no means are they innocent. Think, harmless pranks that would've been a charge of disorderly conduct."

"...in the Ford dorm are students sentenced with a tougher punishment. They most likely have been expelled for bad behavior or mistakes that still count as crimes. Students in that dorm are known to be at least serious, but are by no means passive..."

Miles finds himself listening attentively.

"...the De Vera dorm is where chaotic neutrals reside. They have done crimes worthy of getting them sentenced as adults. Those are where the emancipated gangsters are gathered with some happening to be aggressive..."

"...finally, the Levough dorm." She was silent for a bit. "You know, there was this one student who bombed a community festival in the Philippines and killed a whole, 37 attendees? The massacre of that year?"

Miles shakes his head negatively since he didn't keep up with worldwide news, but he does admit that's horrific.

"He isn't even the worst student who lives in that dorm." The shocked Miles reacted by widening his eyes. Principal Victoria leans in, "The students in that dorm are those we can barely control. Some of those kids could have life sentences if it wasn't for the Levough Empires taking responsibility of them. That is where your skill in Criminal Psychology comes in, and that's why you're teaching here. You're meant to investigate the Kim brothers."

"Brothers?" I wasn't informed of that. I thought I was here to teach about Psychology...

"Yes. Special students from the Levough dorm. You are here to talk to them and find out about why they did what the hell they did, how they function, and what their name even is."

"What do you mean; you... don't know their names?"

"They are emancipated gangsters from Korea, so they found no certificates of birth. School records were vandalized and destroyed, wiping their identities off the map," Principal Victoria says, her eyes boring no emotion other than blank. It seems as if she has confirmed their lack of knowledge over these students. Miles had to wonder, What's wrong with them?

A moment later, she pursed her lips before sighing. "You'll find out what we know with their files. Now that I've briefed you on your purpose here, you may use the map of the school to direct yourself to the teachers' dorm. I expect your lesson plan after you've settled in."

Miles' heart beats a little faster and heavier than usual. Still, he confidently smiles, "Thank you, Ms. Paris... I'll be sure to submit my lesson plan."

later on,

TEACHERS' DORM, KANG BUILDING

Of course, Carvalle can afford fancy security. The entrances are filled with security cameras and the doors are perfectly maintained with locks. As Miles was inserting his key card into the fancy dorm door, someone exits from the room beside his.

"Oh, hi!" says a lady, to which Miles stops to look at. "You must be the new teacher. I'm the nurse, you can call me Ally. Aliyah Laghari."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Ally," Miles takes her hand to shake it. Ally is a beautiful, petite girl with a dark complexion that managed to highlight how her brown eyes stood out and sparkled.

"You're from...?"

"California," Miles answers as his door opens. "And you?"

"New Delhi," she giggles. Ally was pretty short in an adorable way, with her long black hair straightened to perfection. She looks and acts innocent, but her edge and creativity contrasted her aura with a piercing on her nose and a tattoo on her neck.

It seems to be normal here. Carvalle has no physical standards for students and employees, Miles thought. I wonder if I should get the tattoo I've been wanting since I was 14...

"Want me to help you settle?" She offers. "I don't mind."

"Yeah, sure... thank you so much."

When they got inside the room, Miles was impressed at the un-dorm-like structure of his assigned bedroom and office. It is a full-on apartment with a single bed, an average office desk, a small kitchen, a bathroom, and a computer with a file cabinet. The walk-in closet, though small, is still a tiny bit bigger to house the clothes Miles brought.

"This is a dorm room?" He gasps.

"Yeah. You're even lucky to have a room on your own. I have a roommate named Brenda, and she's nocturnal so it gets annoying when she's working the whole night. Being the first male teacher must be overwhelming."

Miles starts unpacking with Ally checking the locks, water, and cabinets for any malfunctions. "Carvalle is really... overwhelming."

"Yeah," Ally laughs, then jokes, "The biggest Mafia in the world runs it, so it's expected to be the most lavish."

Miles gives her a look. "Really? A Mafia?"

"Speculation. The Levough Empires runs every Carvalle School in the whole world, but since there are a lot and all of them have the budget of a whole country, people doubt that even the richest company in profits can manage to run schools like this." Ally sits on Miles' bed. "So they started rumors about Mafias funding the whole place. But, I don't really believe the Levough company is a mafia, I mean that company has profits of billions and they don't need help from any Mafias to run schools."

"Ahh... I guess the rumors doubt the validity of Carvalle, then?"

"Yeah."

Miles stares at her as he sets up his bed with coverings. "Are they scary? The students?"

Ally shook her head as she pulls from the other side of the bed. "If you let them scare you, maybe. But they're just kids. I mostly handle classes from Fords and Wyners and they're cool. Which classes are you assigned?"

"U-uhm..." Miles recalls his schedule. "Class 3-C. Wyners and De Veras."

"Ah yes. You'll be fine. De Vera won't be paying attention and most Wyners only eat during class. The worst classes are those with Levoughs, who will actively throw you out of classrooms," she laughs. "Poor Samantha..."

"I'm..." Miles licks his lips in his nervousness. "I'll also be evaluating the Kim brothers from the Levough."

For a minute, it was silent between them. Ally stops fluffing the pillows and stares at him in pure horror, eyes wide and mouth slightly gaping. Miles got more nervous thinking, Oh no... are they really that terrible?

Two words from Ally confirmed that. "Oh, dear."

I, Miles Taylor, am  fucked.

One school morning,

CLASS 3-C, JOHNSON BUILDING

"Good morning," the loud voice coupled with the bang the book dumped on the desk woke up some delinquents who were sleeping. Miles Taylor breathes in the fresh (albeit some nicotine) air of finally being a teacher since graduation. His uniform is clean, his loose curly hair groomed and gelled, and his face looking delighted in this new day. His audience was not happy, though.

"Wait, a guy?"

"It's a guy."

"Why's a dude here?"

"Is he a police?"

Unfortunately, there were also bad words being targeted toward Miles and he can hear everything.

"Tch, not that tough."

"...why's he here, we have enough  pussies  as teachers."

"...weak."

The class was filled with De Vera and Wyner students. However, the majority either has tattoos like a typical gangster or spinning a knife around their fingers like bored serial killers. Some even created a fort using chairs and a rearranged bookshelf. Is that legal? Are they allowed to carry weapons?

Oh my god, that guy just slit his own arm in boredom!

"Uhm," Miles clears his throat, avoiding the questionable behavior these students are displaying. "My name is Miles Taylor. I'm here to teach you... Psychology III so some of you can at least be aware that insulting people is not nice."

Miles hears snorts and scoffs all around.

Still, he remains with a kind tone, "Though I am inexperienced as of now, be assured that I will not tolerate any of you degrading me. I am still a teacher and I intend to guide you as one. You guys don't look like children, so let's not act like immature brats, shall we?"

They seemed to detest the low-key insult, but one particular student laughed wholeheartedly.

"First time?" A voice rang out throughout the silence. Miles looked at a blonde, cleaner boy with no piercing and tattoo sitting with his arms across his chest. He doesn't seem to be looking down on him, as his eyes held a friendly look.

"Uhh... yes, I just graduated. Magna Cum Laude from Carvalle California Division; as a Bachelor and Master of Science in Psychology."

The students scoffed, unimpressed.

"...this a joke?"

"...they gave us a virgin."

"Excuse me?" Miles doesn't know what to think of that conclusion.

The boy earlier was kind enough to apologize. "They mean teachers who haven't taught yet. We have vulgar slang here, please consider."

"Ah..." Miles stares at the boy, wondering why he ended up here when he looks the least dangerous and even has an undamaged book on his desk. He seems kind, but then again, the cover of a book is too clean. "Okay, I will. Thank you."

The boy, as kind as ever, responded with a sweet smile.

after class,

THE TEACHER'S LOUNGE,  KANG  BUILDING

"They call him Nougat," Ally answers Miles' question about the kind boy. "He really is nice. He's from the Wyner dorm."

"He's so different among all of them," says Miles as he ate his lunch with his neighbor at the teacher's lounge. Both of them are eating Kimbap with chopsticks; the crab-filled rice with mango.

"Oh, he is. He's considered the princess here, with a lot of admirers around the school. Mainly because he's the most good-looking and effeminate. Boys who don't see girls their age that much will start to get horny and Nougat is a good fap material. Or more."

Miles widens his eyes. "Wait... I don't understand...? A what material?"

Ally snorts at his cluelessness. "Nougat is openly gay, and he is very charismatic. In a school where boys have a lack of sexual attention, he's really popular. Put the pieces together."

Miles had to think about it for a moment before he nods, swallowing the rice he was chewing. Nougat is definitely attractive, and very delicately feminine, his innocent charisma even won Miles over. And then comes the revelation of him sleeping with students here.

"That earns him respect and popularity," Ally adds. "He's nice to teachers too. Just... be careful. Teachers are the reason why he got here."

"Why did he?"

"He seduced a lot." Ally leans in. "While underage. Since 13. Mostly men."

Miles thought about the soft smile the boy gave him, definitely something that teachers would be drawn to. But damn, was it disgusting to imagine a young kid seducing older men.

"The men are arrested, but Nougat was sent here at 16 because he just keeps doing it. So be careful," Ally giggles. "Since you're the only male teacher, you might fall victim."

"Thanks for telling me. I know I won't, then." Miles continues with his lunch but then thought about the seriousness of students' crimes in this school.

If the Kim brothers are the worst, what did they do? Miles will have to check the records, which he hasn't yet because he was busy with the lesson plans. Since he had submitted them to the Principal, now is a good time to study his assigned patients.

"I'm about to have my first session with one of the Kim brothers," Miles says, eyes cast down to express his nervousness. Ally listened attentively. "I don't understand why they don't just hire a professional therapist to talk to them."

"They have."

"Really?"

Ally nods. "Carvalle has gone through a lot of therapists and detectives. All professional. They're betting on someone who's not."

Miles didn't understand that logic. "What do you think I should do? What if I fail? I haven't gotten any experience other than work immersion with community jails."

"Just be you then," Ally replies. "Don't act like a professional. Maybe the brothers can relate to someone close to their age, so keep being you. They probably want transparency."

"No, that'd be vulnerability."

"Smart," Ally agrees, finishing her lunch and now cleaning her side of the table. "You'll have to see for yourself, then. So who's the brother you'll be going through first?"

"Uhm..." Miles turns to open his schedule, along with the basic Bio-data of the first brother, which was mostly "??".

There, he sees the two photos containing males of Asian descent. One of them has small eyes covered with white-haired bangs and small but plumped lips, geared for a frown. He wasn't looking at the camera at the first photo, instead of staring at the side wondering when the shoot would be over. At the boy's second photo however, Miles has his body hair standing up at how fiercely the second boy glared at the camera. With his small, almond-shaped eyes he was able to murder through the lens. Maybe it's the flash or the damage in the photo, but the top of his head looked like it had very light roots that almost matched the background of the photo. Like, the growing hair of an elderly person. But, this was a very handsome young man despite the glare.

"Zeus," Miles read the label on the photo.

Hearing the name, Ally sighs in relief and tries to smile to lighten up the scary mood, "Oh uhm... he's pretty easy. He's not aggressive at all, in fact... he never talks."

Miles looks at her. "He doesn't?"

"Yeah, most investigators skip him. He just stares at one speck of air for the duration of the interview. If he looks at you, he probably doesn't like the question."

Maybe he's mute, from birth or from trauma. Miles laughs, though it stems from nervousness. "You're scaring me. I mean, he already looks scary looking at the camera..."

"But he's gentle," says Ally.

"How do you know that?"

"He doesn't hurt people. He just intimidates them too much to the point where they leave themselves. You get no work done with him," Ally finishes her lunch. "But, I prefer him to his brother."

Miles stares back at the files, shifting Zeus' Bio-data to that of the other Kim brother. There, Miles saw the eyes of complete insanity. There were black spots in the photo courtesy of him probably attempting to break the camera prior to this photo being taken. He had dark hair; messy and insane. His eyes bore no subtlety as they scowl at the camera. Compared to Zeus who just glared blankly, this one had vowed to assassinate the cameraman. There were tattoos on his neck, and one tiny symbol below his left eye. His nose is long and sharp but not as prominent as Zeus, in fact, he has softer features with a sharp face. Only that, the way he looks at Miles is harsh and nerve wrecking.

"You mean... Heidi?" Miles again reads the mark on the photo.

Ally clears her throat, now growing uncomfortable to the discussion of this particular brother. "Well, n... nobody talks about him. And uhm... I don't think I can help you with him... he's... well, he's..."

Ally sighs, finally finding the appropriate though underestimating words. "The devil."

Monday,

AT THE LEVOUGH DORM

Miles stares at it. The unvandalized door in the Levough dorm building. Everyone else had horrid drawings of genitalia and terrible words, but this one is crisp clean for some reason. And; it has a different lock than anyone else's. The lock can only be opened with a key card instead of the traditional doorknobs.

KIM  001

The room of a man who's, according to the file, murdered. Worse, it's a lot of his classmates, because 4 of them bullied him, according to theories. Accompanied his brother in committing arson on a residential home. Vandalized school properties. Lead to the death of a family of four.

How can somebody do such a thing? What else has he done?

"Don't be professional," Miles reminds himself of Ally's advice before raising a shaking hand up for a knock, twice.

He hears chains gently rattling on the ground in response. They chained him up as a precaution. Now fully opening the door, Miles enters to a room lit by nothing but a purple lava lamp.

The person sitting on the bed was none other than Zeus, his back against the wall, long legs bent because his feet is planted at the edge of the bed. His arms are propped on his knees. His broad shoulders were enough to earn him the title of a man, and his long legs indicate he's reached the height of 6ft. According to the files, he is about 21 years old. As expected, Zeus is staring at a speck of air right in front of him.

"H... hi." Oh no, I stuttered. "Can... I come in?"

No answer, so Miles let himself in. He drags a desk chair and sits, taking note of the neat and clean surroundings. This guy must be a perfectionist, it's not dirty at all. Miles observed those small papers with scribbles and a little clock with a dinosaur.

"Hello Zeus," he greets. "My name is Miles Taylor, your new psychiatrist. If you don't mind, I'd—"

No, too professional. "Uhm... could I speak to you? Uh... how's life here in Carvalle?" Since his eyes didn't move, Miles figured maybe he needs a little casual discussion. "Oh wow! You... have a pretty dorm room..." Miles had looked around to sell his acting, but then he spots the multiple glow-in-the-dark stars in the walls, ceilings, and even cabinets. It made him genuinely stare at the prettiness this dimly lit room has to offer. "Wow... so pretty."

Miles shakes himself out of it, offering his patient a nervous smile. "Uhm, it's my first day on the job so... sorry if I mess it up. I'm a... what they call, virgin. Haha."

Awkward. But he gets it, right? That's what the kids say nowadays. Zeus was still staring at nothing in particular, so that little reference probably didn't reach him. His face reminds Miles of a cat, because of his soft features but still fierce look. He is good looking... the silent kind... His silver hair created bangs around his eyes, and Miles just noticed that his eyebrows and eyelashes are also silver-white.

"Whoa, are you albino?"

Just then, Zeus' eyes snapped to Miles and his soul almost left his body at the intense blank stare that also qualifies as a death glare.

"Oh... I'm sorry! I'm... I didn't mean to offend," 'If he looks at you, he doesn't like the question.' "I mean, you look good with y-your white hair uhm—"

Apparently, the intimidation worked because his files flew off his lap. "Ah, crap..." He bends to retrieve them in haste, embarrassing himself by being messy in front of a possible perfectionist. He's probably degrading me like the students earlier.

In his retrieval of the files, however, he notices a toy... a stuffed dinosaur under Zeus' bed. He hesitates, thinking that Zeus might get angry if he touches anything, but then Miles remembers he is chained up. And so, Miles brings the toy up to show the patient. "He's cute."

Zeus' glaring eyes switched from Miles to the toy, and back to Miles in a parsec. He seems to be affected.

"Does he have a name?" Miles faces the dinosaur to Zeus with a soft smile. There was no answer, but the chain did create a tiny noise.

"Oh, I'm sorry... this is yours and..." Miles stares at the chains. "You probably dropped it and... can't get it back."

Zeus keeps staring. With an awkward but genuine smile, Miles slowly stands up and walks towards the bed, his knees slightly shaking. He doesn't know what it is about the silent boy, but with a track record like this, it's hard not to get fearful. Still, Miles managed to place the dinosaur in line with Zeus's hands. Miles' own limbs were slightly shaking, realizing how long Zeus' legs really are, so he must be very tall.

"There..." Miles awkwardly laughs but is very cautious still. "Your friend is back with you now."

I can't believe I'm talking to a damn murderer like he's a child.

Zeus did not stop staring blankly at Miles. He's probably waiting for him to leave, as Ally says, intimidation makes them leave.

But I'm not going to give up. "I have a toy, too. It was a stuffed lion, and I named it Simma. It's supposed to be Simba but my baby lips couldn't pronounce Ba. I sleep with it every night until I was like, 8 and..."

And so, Miles managed to use up the one hour he was given; a very rare occurrence. Zeus did nothing but stare at him the whole time, this time softly.

the day after,

013, TAYLOR

"It's a fail!" Miles slams his head on his desk, Ally sitting on his bed and proofreading her notes for her class.

"Yeah, but you spoke lots. The maximum someone has stayed inside that room was 15 minutes. You managed to stay for... the whole time."

Miles kept on whining. "And I was dying the whole time. Zeus is so... ugh."

"Hey, maybe the Principal made the right decision this time. Hiring a virgin."

"And this virgin didn't get him to speak a word."

"He never has, stop expecting him to be chatty after one meeting."

"I already want to quit after one meeting."

"What did you do anyway?" Ally asks, genuinely curious since Miles had reached a milestone. "I mean, an hour in there is pretty unbelievable if you just asked him questions."

"I..." Miles sighed. "I bored him with stories of my childhood. I was talking to a wall."

"And he listened?!" Ally gawked in disbelief.

"I think he was asleep but... yeah, he was staring at me. My brain was shaking in the corner of my mind because of that."

"Hold on!" Ally drops her notes. "You got Zeus to listen to you rambling about your childhood?"

"The guy probably learned how to fall asleep with his eyes open, Ally. He didn't move a muscle, I thought he was a statue."

"You got him to listen." Ally insisted. "That has never been done before."

"Because no other person is stupid enough to do what I did."

"And none of them had progress except you!" Ally excitedly laughs. "Did you find out about anything? What did you learn?"

Miles thinks about the peculiar way Zeus' room works. "He's into... dinosaurs and stars, I think."

"That's totally different. Others had findings of, possible unknown psychological traumas causing unwillingness of speech, but you have the findings of, possibly likes dinosaurs."

"You told me not to be professional."

Ally shrugs, "And it works. Keep it up."

AT THE CLASSROOM,

Miles stares at his schedule with the Kim brothers.

I have 4/5 weekdays with Zeus... And only one day with Heidi. Miles finds it strange. Isn't Heidi the worst? Don't I need to evaluate him more?

The bell rang. "Class dismisse—" in ten seconds, the room was empty as everyone had rushed out. Miles sighs muttering, "Delinquents."

However, one particular student stood in front of the teacher's desk with a cute smile. It was Nougat.

"I heard you're the new therapist for SaLu," he says, his charming smile illuminating the room.

SaLu? Therapist? "Uhm, I'm a criminal psychologist and uhm... what's SaLu?"

"Satan and Lucifer," Nougat answers. "Everyone here is afraid to even say their name. That says something because everyone here is also terrible."

Miles appreciates how Nougat attempts to socialize with him.

"Are they really that feared here?" If dangerous criminals fear them, they must be the worse, right?

"Even the Principal's afraid of them." Nougat takes a seat and sits across Miles on the teacher's desk. He puts his cheek against his hand and softly looks at Miles. "They have their own rooms without roommates, mainly because Satan is such a hothead."

"Who's Satan?"

"The one with the dark hair. Crazy one?"

"You mean, he's a pyromaniac?" Miles asks.

Nougats laughs. "Hell yeah. He burned some of the fifth floors the first week he got sent here. Now everything in his room is fireproof. Even his clothes. The school spent a lot just to accommodate him. Plus, fixing his damages."

I feel like my heart is on flames in a nonromantic way.

"What do you know about him?" Miles asks. Nougat then smirks, leaning down to return the files but discreetly letting Miles smell a whiff of beauty.

"We don't talk about him here," Nougat says. "I have more to say to you though, so let's probably meet at the rooftop. I'll bring snacks, you bring a notebook."

Miles grins at this. "You're a big help, Nougat. Thank you."

"I never do this for anyone but you," the boy kindly replies, waving his hand goodbye as he exits.

Outside the classroom, Nougat's friends smirk when he exits. The blonde decides to join the group.

"You really chatting up the virgin, Nougat?" One asks. All of them were from the Wyner dorm.

He genuinely nods. "Yeah, he's pretty nice. A refreshing change for the ladies enslaving us."

They laugh in agreement, but a couple of boys clicked their tongue.

"Aye, but isn't the virgin kinda cute tho? Like if that curly hair of his is untied, won't he look like a freckled girl?"

"I'd tap that virgin, honestly..." Nougat feels uncomfortable hearing this.

"Yeah, he looks good... pretty small waist too."

"Don't you feel like he's too handsome for a nerd, Nougat?"

The boy snapped out of his trance. "Huh? Uh... yeah. Handsome. Mr. Taylor is handsome."

"Aye he lookin' prettier than 'andsome. That ass though."

Nougat clicks his tongue. "Look, if you want to tap him, go ahead and tap him. But don't discuss gay shit to my face."

He walks out of the group in a hissy fit.

KIM  001,  LEVOUGH  DORM

Miles stares at him, a strange yet fascinating young man who seems to be a hollow soul. He is back at the lava lamp lit room, this time colored orange. He's less fearful right now, mainly because this guy never actually makes a single move all week.

Zeus, the silver-haired silent wall still staring at nothing in particular, and didn't budge when Miles visits him for the fourth time this week. The chains remain idle around his wrist.

"Hello, Zeus. I'm back again. Haha. How were you?" Miles, again, received no answer. Not even a glare.

And so, he resorts to pulling out something from a bag.

"I got you something other than a story." Zeus didn't look up. "It's a Brachiosaurus."

The stuffed toy was presented in front of the blonde wall, making the man slow, this time not snapping, slowly raise his sight up to look at the doll.

Miles gasps. I got his attention. So he indeed likes toys. "Do... you like it...?"

Zeus didn't take his eyes off the doll.

"Uhm, I'll give it to you if you tell me your first name."

No answer.

"Uhh..." Throwing all his professionalism away, Miles raised his voice to a pitch similar to a cartoon's while shaking the dinosaur. "Hello! I'm your new dinosaur friend, Brachio! What's your name?"

No answer.

Stupid, Miles calls himself, amused by his own actions and disguising his cringe with a bright, toothy smile. To which, miraculously, Zeus' eyes shifted from the toy to Miles' dumb grin.

"Brachio is just as awkward as I am," Miles laughs in his own voice, looking back at Zeus who is, surprisingly, not staring at him blankly. This time with bigger, and softer eyes. Whoa, he doesn't look angry this time.

"Uhmm.... you're not gonna tell Brachio your name? Don't you want to be friends?"

No answer, just staring. Miles sighs, regarding this as a usual session without any changes. At least he's listening. "Well, this just reminds me of a friend I have in high school that..."

that night,

I was in my dorm room. Silent, dark... safe, I believe. Carvalle has the best security for a high-maintenance detention institute.

I'm safe.

Am I?

When I opened my eyes, the room is lit up by a red tint. It's from the lava lamp at my side table.

I don't have a lava lamp.

Suddenly, the door opened.

"Hello, baby..."

Oh no.

This is a nightmare.

The room is no longer silent and dark. It is, in the most malicious way. I felt hands around me, and I can hear sirens but at the same time I don't.

I woke up. But I didn't.

I couldn't move. I wanted to wake up. I wanted to.

But I pretended to sleep. Why did I pretend to sleep?

Oh yeah. I was afraid of the crack of the belt. But instead of the pain, I felt disgusting hands on me.

Stop. I swear. These hands... big ones. They feel disgusting.

Disgusting like me.

STOP.

Disgusting.

I still feel them, and I still can't move as I was still in a pretend sleep. It's either this or the belt.

WAKE UP.

"Gh!" Miles did, jolting up breathless from his sleep paralysis. He turns on the light, thankful there isn't a lava lamp on his bedside table.

The room is silent, lit up by the regular lamp on the side of his bed. Just then, he realized he forgot to close his window. The wind blew away some paperwork, including "Heidi" Kim's file.

Miles' heart drummed against his chest, his memory purposely beating it relentlessly.

the next  day

J OHNSON  BUILDING

Miles is on his way to class. All while passing over students who are either smoking, tackling each other to the point of attempted murder, or like Nougat, leaning over some vandalized lockers talking to a friend.

The blonde sunshine jumps to his feet at the sight of Miles walking down the hallways.

"Mr. Taylor!" Nougat had a very beautiful smile to greet him with. "The class wanted me to tell you that none of them did homework. But I did."

"That's sweet of you, Nougat."

The boy giggles, walking with Miles so the other delinquents are staring. Miles is a little cautious of him, but he shouldn't just be mean to a student who is currently doing something harmless.

"I finally did what you told me to," Miles says discreetly. "I gave Zeus a toy."

"Did he like it?" Nougat asks.

"I don't know, he didn't say a word."

"That's Lucifer for you. The Levough guy I hooked up with was the one who told me about gifts. Good thing you thought of a toy he likes," Nougat gets in the classroom with Miles alone. "Today's Friday so... it's Satan then, huh?"

Miles sighs and Nougat can see that this is nerves taking over him.

"Don't be worried, Mr. Taylor. Can I call you Miles?" Nougat sits on the desk, and Miles never bothered to ask him to get off. It's a little awkward for the teacher, though.

"Sure. And; intimidating names don't really scare me. It's the lack of information that does." Miles stares at his files. "They don't even know Heidi's height. At least they know Zeus to be 6'2."

"Bold of you to say their names."

"They're not Voldemort."

"No," Nougat hops off the desk as the bell rings, flipping his hair like the goddess he is. "Because they're real people. Dangerous people that exist are more dangerous than fictional villains."

Miles stares at boy who gave him a comforting smile, as complaining students enter the room. The desks Miles worked so hard to align was once again rearranged by these delinquents.

"So glad we don't have homework today..."

"What even is that word?"

"Hah, the dude just invented it."

"It's alien language."

"My tongue can't even pronounce it."

The remarks made Miles chuckle. "Okay smart-asses, you're not getting out of this one. Those who made their homework will have additional points, but those who didn't will take this quiz."

They all grumbled.

"Boo!"

"I didn't bring a pen!"

"What even is a pen?"

"What even is a quiz?"

"Another alien word."

Miles sighs, These kids will be the death of me. But then, Maybe not. Maybe Heidi will be.

later on,

at the Levough Dorm

Miles just walked into the gates of hell.

KIM  000

It was at the end of the hallway, standing intimidatingly to those that dare approach it. The door isn't vandalized like the others. Unlike the others, though... this one is metal. Heidi was dangerous enough that they'd install a metal door. Possibly because he burned his previous doors. Miles can't even knock. He has to ring an intercom.

How bad is this guy?

"Uhh... M... Miles Taylor here...? Criminal Psychologist." Why did my stutter come out? "I'm here to speak with you... Heidi. Can I?"

BANG. Miles jumps as far as one foot back at the loud hit on the door. He stood back, terrified. Doesn't he have chains?!

Sounds like he's unfriendly... With slightly shaking fingers, Miles pressed the button. "Heidi Kim, please calm down. I need to come in to..."

BANG. Miles gasps. Why doesn't he have chains?!

Chickening out, the terrified teacher turns on his heel and ran away from the end of the hallways where the big metal door is at.

Nope. Nope. Nope.

later on,

Miles paces back and forth in the teacher's lounge with Ally holding back her laugh on the couch.

"Why isn't he chained up?! Did the school expect me to walk in and get killed?! The door was thick and metal and he shook it to its hinges!" Miles stresses out while pacing, loosening his necktie. He then spots Ally holding her laughs. "What are you laughing for, I'm dying here!"

"Miles sweetie, relax. No one has been killed yet." Ally attempts to calm him down. "W-well three had been.."

"Three had been what?!"

Ally shrugged and awkwardly says, "Two had broken bones and the third one was burned so..."

"Oh hell no."

"You can talk to him via intercom."

Miles stares at Ally, considering it. The intercom. "M-maybe, but I'm not going back there now. I'm too shaken and I need to chill."

"So, what are you gonna do?"

Miles thinks about it. "Maybe I'll interview Zeus instead."

"Ironic, since you're the one telling him your whole life story," Ally snorts. Miles gives her a look. "Which is good, I mean... you're a refreshing change from all who gave up on Zeus. But you're giving up too easily on the other guy."

"Zeus didn't threaten me with death the first time we met." Miles sighs, now finding himself grateful for the silent brother for not endangering his life. "I'm going to Zeus'. I have a new story to tell him and it's all about his brother."

"Wait, I don't think-" Ally wasn't able to stop Miles from rushing out since he already wasted 15 out of 60 minutes of his interviewing schedule being a chicken.

Alone in the teacher's lounge, Ally mumbles, "Hmm... do they chain Zeus during Fridays?"

at the Levough Building

KIM  001

Miles straightens himself out as he raises his hand, knocking on the common wooden door of Zeus' room. He then uses his key card to open it, entering the dimly lit room. "Zeus? It's Miles. Are you up for a talk?"

He expected no answer. The room was lit a dark blue, making it darker than the previous sessions. Files and lasagna from the canteen in his hand, Miles enters the darkness with less fear than before.

However, there was no Zeus on the bed, and the chains are laying messily on it. He halts in surprise at Zeus' absence.

"Oh my go-" before Miles can gasp, muscular arms wrap around him from behind, startling the teacher to oblivion. He instinctively thrashed around, but the strong arms held him in place despite being gentle and exerting no force at all.

"L-let go-!"

"Miles."

That was even more of a surprise than a sudden hug. Miles stopped thrashing, letting Zeus' arms embrace him like a stuffed animal. It was warm, soft, but still suffocating. Did he just...

"Z-Zeus...? You spoke..." Miles breathes out but received no reply. Gently this time, he turns around to meet the sharp but soft eyes of what everyone called Lucifer. Yet he doesn't look or act like a devil. "You said my name."

Zeus did nothing but stare at him, and tightened his hug.

"O-ow, okay... loosen up, I'm... I'm not b... big on hugs..." Zeus didn't care and instead bent his head down to rest beside Miles'.

Why isn't he chained up?

Oh wait. It's not his session.  He's not supposed to be.

Are you stupid, Miles? He breathes deeply. No, but lucky. If he was violent, I'd be needing stitches right now...

Zeus looks like he has no intention of letting go, nor does he look like he's about to murder this teacher. That doesn't mean Miles is any less uncomfortable.

"Okay, Zeus..." His voice is shaken, especially after inhaling the clean scent coming from Zeus. It wasn't perfume, but it smells really nice.

With shaking hands, Miles raises his arms up and hesitantly hugs the big man back. He looks like he's a foot taller than me when I'm just 5'8 and a half. But, he is definitely bigger and can crush me with a grip.

Not wanting that to happen, Miles offers the lasagna he brought. "I... I got you food. Are you hungry?"

It looks like he is, since Zeus' arms dropped. He slowly walks and sits on the edge of the bed staring at nothing in particular. There he was again, back into staring at a speck of air.

But he said my name. Miles couldn't believe it. He hugged me and said my name.

During the short 45 minutes inside the dimly lit room, Miles successfully enjoyed lasagna with Lucifer, sans attacks.

When he got back from the session, he couldn't write anything in his notes as this criminal psychologist was too stunned. Three recorded years of not talking... five days with me and he says my name. Could he even write that down?

Initiated a tight embrace, then proceeded to utter the consultant's na- Miles blushes so hard he had to stop writing and considered trashing the record.

TEACHERS' LOUNGE, MAIN BUILDING

"He did what?!" Ally freaked out in the conference room after Miles told her what happened inside Zeus' room. "Don't you tell me fairy tales, Miles Taylor."

The only male teacher paces back and forth in the lounge, overwhelmed by what happened. Ally is typing out her curriculum guides on one of the school's computers and was halted when Miles revealed what Zeus did.

"It's true! Damn, it must really be a miracle if we're struggling to believe something happened as tiny as a hug." Miles jokes, "I wonder what happens when he kisses me."

"Now that's just a death wish."

Miles slumped over at the couch, ashamed that he even thought of that possibility. Ally doesn't even know I'm gay. I shouldn't even be imagining that from a student killer.

"So what's he like unchained? Huggable?" Ally snorts.

Miles exaggerates his hands trying to describe Zeus' broad shoulders and tall frame. "He's like this big, scary Teddy bear. Literally, since he doesn't even talk."

"He said your name."

"In three years, that's his first word? My name?" Miles stares at the ceiling in disbelief. He already wrote, first word was the first name of the consultant, in his report. He still doesn't know if he should write down the hug because it was a bit too intimate.

Maybe, "initiated contact via light embrace"? Miles scoffs. Too cheesy.

"What about Heidi?" Ally mentions as she types in her weekly input. That name just put a dent in Miles' celebration. "If you have progressed with Zeus, you just have to try Heidi."

Miles stares at her blankly, flooding his own thoughts with war flashbacks when he pussied out just by Heidi hitting his own door.

Miles lifted a finger, "He has to be chained."

"He'll get angrier."

"He'll kill me!" Miles exclaims.

"He's broken out of metal chains twice. Both times ended in the consultants having broken bones." Ally says calmly while focusing on her work. "At least those that interviewed him without chains resigned on their own."

"You're not making me feel better."

Ally giggles. "Reality doesn't have to make you feel better. The school is paying you, Miles. If you tap out of one brother, you'll have to give up both according to the contract. That's 2/3rds of your salary deducted if you give them up."

Miles stood up, hands on his hips. "No. I'll do it. Besides, that salary is enough to fix my broken bones."

"That's the spirit." Ally smiles at him in comfort. "He feeds off your fear, Miles. He likes seeing people afraid. Don't let him get to you, and just play along. Previous psychiatrists reported about how he likes childishly playing around with their questions."

"If you know so much about Heidi, why don't you go yourself?" Miles slumps on a nearby chair because he honestly does not want any broken bones.

"Sure, but additional salary isn't enough to make me risk my life. Plus, I'm a professional," she mocks me, but then laughs. "Tell you what, I'll encode your reports if you get something out of Heidi."

"You will?"

Ally shrugs, wishing Miles good luck. "Better than being there myself."

Evil.

next friday,

AT THE LEVOUGH DORM

"I'm gonna miss Zeus," Miles sighs, despite not having any other improvements after last week. Apparently, Miles accepted his dramatic death in the hands of Friday.

KIM

000

Steel has never been so scary, especially when it's a door keeping in Carvalle's worst student. The air was silent and eerie, with a lone lamp light up the top of the door. It reeks of evil and fear.

Miles presses the intercom. "Hello, Heidi Kim. It's me again."

Nothing came as a response, but Miles was clamping his eyes shut ready for a loud bang. When nothing came, he presses the intercom again.

"Can I come in? Or do you want to stay private, and talk to me through the intercom?"

Nothing. Maybe he's asleep.

"Heidi, please don't sleep on me. Can you answer me? I want to see if it's okay coming in."

Suddenly, a long and winding scratch came from the inside, sounding like metal dragging on the steel door. Miles widens his eyes as his ears cringed. The sound was soft but definitely not satisfying.

Then, the intercom on the outside beeped, indicating someone was pressing the button on the other side. He's about to talk. Miles let out a nervous breath.

"... sleep?... " came a gruff and rough voice from what seemed to be a beast. The voice triggered goosebumps from the core of Miles' spine and he has never heard such inhumanity inside a machine unless it was a video game.

"... with.... me, maybe..."

Miles thinks maybe he didn't understand, and he presses the button. "So you're awake. That's good then. May I come in?"

No answer.

"Do... you promise not to hurt me?"

Nothing.

"Heidi."

The button was pressed from the other side. Miles waited patiently, even after a 30-second pause of nothing.

Nothing but a dark, husky laugh enough to hoard sheep came from the machine. "...little bunny wants to come inside..."

"I'm not a bunny," Miles replies, entertaining the guy with his shaky voice. "I'm a kangaroo."

Another laugh came that rivaled that of an evil villain. To say Miles was terrified is an understatement. He sounds like an animal-human hybrid.

"...let's play a game..."

"What?" Miles was taken back at the sudden suggestion. He presses the button hastily, "Game? What game?"

I didn't come here for toys and games. Yet it seems this is what the previous psychiatrists went through.

"...a game..."

Miles has goosebumps yet again from the deep, dark laugh coming front the other side. Heidi is truly a thousand times scarier than Zeus because of his voice alone. At least Zeus is not batshit Arkham asylum crazy.

I should play along, Miles thinks, finger hovering over the button of the intercom. It could be an improvement. Zeus likes toys... maybe Heidi likes games...

With a deep breath gathering all of his courage, Miles presses it. "Sure. I can play. What game?"

"...." Nothing but deep, animalistic breaths can be heard.

"Heidi?" Miles says to the intercom.

"...hide and seek..."

Miles, though surprised, was more confused. He wants to play hide and seek? What if he pulls a Ready or Not at me and kills me if he finds me?

"...there is..." Miles listens intently to whatever the devil has to say with that deep, gruff, hot voice of his. Shame on you, Miles Taylor. "... a card..."

Silence.

"Heidi? What about a card?" Miles questions. Then, he hears the beast sing.

"...if, if, if you... find... a King...." Miles can hear the insane and demented smile from behind the door. "...and bring... it to me... I will let you in..."

"A King card?"

"...somewhere..." His voice turned up, "...over the rainbow...way up high..."

Now he's just trolling.

I don't know where to find a damn card, Miles sighs. But it's worth a shot. Heidi likes games.

"Okay," Miles replies. "I'll find it. And you're gonna let me in after, right?"

BANG. That made the teacher jump in surprise when Heidi once again hit the door with so much force, it echoed along the hallways. He mutters, "What the hell is wrong with this guy?!"

Everything. Every single thing is wrong. The intercom beeped from the inside.

"...find it... or die..."

What, you can't kill me when you're inside. Still, Miles didn't want to tolerate being terrified for his life so he turns around and jogged to the elevator. While he presses the button for the ground floor, he stares at the nightmare that is Heidi Kim's door from the end of the hallways.

A card. He just wants me to find a card. That's not even hide and seek.

Miles wrote in his report, "Heidi has specific conditions before being consulted" but struggles to explain why. Miles had to explain why, that's his job.

monday,

AT THE JOHNSON BUILDING

Nougat's gang has never annoyed him so much in his entire stay at Carvalle. Miles Taylor is all they talk about, little shits. It's starting to get really annoying.

"Freckles aren't a turn off man, they make him look more fuckable." Gill. Wyner dorm, pulled a senior prank so deadly it burned two teachers, though still alive.

"I ain't gay but I prefer tapping that ass than the old teachers." Lace. Wyner dorm, photocopied the SAT answer sheets and gave one to everyone in school.

"Short too, what is he 4 feet?" says Gill.

"The board is six feet, so the virgin's about 5'7 standing in front of it." Cya. Ford dorm, brought a bomb to school but didn't detonate it.

"Aye, can't get over his waist too, bruv..." Arson. de Vera dorm, put hydrochloric acid in the water tank and disfigured 9 students.

Nougat stood there annoyed as all hell, and one of his friends noticed it. Actually, it's the gang leader who notices everything and witnesses his evident annoyance.

He stares at the boy saying, "N. You look like someone rejected you." Zombie. De Vera dorm... raped a girl because she was married and he couldn't have her.

Nougat squints at the tatted-up man from head to toe. "Yes, and that's you."

"You look like you've been rejected, doesn't mean that's what happened." Zombie can see through Nougat's bullshit, and yet the others still hollered up about Zombie rejecting the beautiful Nougat. Nobody ever refuses him.

"It's nothing," Nougat rolls his eyes. "Stop being all up in my ass if you don't want to fuck it."

The gang made inhumane noise at the reply. "Whoo, Zombie avoiding free tail!"

Gill says, "Ya gotta know Nougat gives good head."

"He's a good fuck, bro," says Cya. Lace went silent and gave Cya, his roommate, a side-eye.

But then, their talk shifted to that of Miles yet again. "That makes me wonder how virgins give head. D'ya have to teach 'em?" Arson scoffs.

"That'd be cute, grabbing Taylor's head and fucking that mouth till he vomits," Cya laughs. Lace gives him a look of disapproval.

"Is he a literal virgin?" Gill asks.

Nougat had enough of these fucktards. Rolling his eyes yet again, he walks out of the group, Zombie's speculating eyes following him. Nougat ends up catching up to the only male teacher like a good puppy, opposite to his attitude in the gang.

"Hi Miles!" The boy excitedly jogs up next to the teacher. "How's your weekend?"

The beautiful smile almost made Miles blush given that he is secretly attracted to males. But, he shakes the thought away because Nougat is a red flag. He may be of legal age now, but dating students is still not allowed in Carvalle. "Uhm... busy, but fine. Yours?"

I get to hear the little shits talk about you all the time and it made me want to murder, But Nougat says, "All good! Very good, the Wyner dorm is pretty fun!" you.

Nougat had this underlying darkness behind his eyes but of course, he's not going to show that. Everyone in the hallways was staring at them. Miles didn't notice, and Nougat thinks that this virgin isn't aware of how attractive he really is to these students. Something about his vulnerable kindness makes them want to stain him.

It's threatening, Nougat's eyes lowered down to scan Miles' body and figure out what makes him desirable to these students. He's not even that feminine, since he has a few muscles jutting out from his lean body. Proportions are great, but what sells him is the nerdy, innocent look that might look cute when abused.

"I will not settle for second place," Nougat subconsciously mutters out loud, which Miles almost hears.

"Sorry, what?"

"Nothing, Miles." Nougat kept a forced smile. "None of my classmates did homework but me again."

"It's okay, I'm used to it. But thank you for your efforts, I'll be sure to give you proper grades," Miles says as both of them enter the classroom. Much to his surprise, everyone was already seated.

Much to his shock, everyone was quiet, staring at nothing in particular. Nougat happily skips to his seat and stares at the clock. Miles, weirded out by the unusual behavior, cautiously sets his things down on the table. Are they planning a prank? Why are they so quiet?

"Uhm... you guys are strangely quiet today," Miles says, making everyone's eyes simultaneously go to him.

It was Nougat who spoke with his honey-like voice. "Oh, you haven't known?"

"Known what?"

Nougat smirks at the clock. "It's about to begin. The Game."

Miles, confused, turns his head to stare at the clock. It was 8:55. He didn't know what they were all waiting for.

"Wait, what game?" He questions. To which Nougat was the only one to answer.

"The Caste Game," he smiles, though this smile is as malicious as the frown seen of each student of the classroom. Miles still looks confused as heck, so Nougat leans forward to explain, not needing to raise his voice since the room is so quiet.

"Every semester, 13 cards is hidden anywhere in the school. The game is about 13 lucky shits finding them and getting a place of power for this year."

Cards? Miles' mind flashes to Heidi's rough, animalistic voice. "...a card. The King...."

Could it be that this is the game Heidi is playing?

"The game is about to begin," Nougat grins showing his perfect, beautiful teeth along evil lips.

Miles' day has gotten worse. Satan wants me to play the Caste Game?

CLASS 3-C,  JOHNSON  BUILDING

8:58. Nobody in the classroom dared make a sound, not even Miles who is confused about this whole game. The whole school is in on it, and Nougat didn't even explain further other than the 13 cards they have to find.

All Miles know is that Heidi told him to retrieve the King card.

8:59. The delinquents have never been so tense in their seats. Suddenly, Nougat gets up from his seat and rushes to the teacher in front. Miles was dragged out of the classroom and into the nearby teachers' bathrooms.

"Nougat?! Why are you-"

"You're not gonna like what's going to happen at 9," Nougat says, staring straight into Miles' eyes with a light smirk. "I suggest you stay here if you don't want to get caught in the riot."

"Riot? The school allows riots?" Miles questions in disbelief.

"Only for the duration of this game. The teachers turn a blind eye to it." Nougat's gaze shifted from Miles' lips to his eyes as he breathes out, "It's ugly."

What's going to happen? Miles wonders as him and Nougat stay quietly in the locked bathroom. What happens at 9?

That question was answered when the school's speakers glared a fun tune, followed by an announcement. Nougat's eyes went to the door to listen, as did Miles.

"Attention all students. The 13 cards have been successfully hidden in school grounds. The Caste Game has begun. I repeat, the Caste Game has  begu -"

Not even a second after the announcement, something crashed in the hallways and chairs are being shifted harshly. Miles jumps at the sudden breaking of metal lockers, and Nougat finds this pathetically cute. It did sound like a riot, and the new teacher has never been more worried.

Miles pushes himself away from Nougat and goes to check the chaos. "What is happening?! They shouldn't-"

A chair loudly hitting the bathroom door stops him from unlocking it. He stood back, hearing lockers being opened and students being thrown around as well as the screech of tortured chairs. Looks like he is safe behind the bathroom doors.

"Wh-what..."

Nougat shrugs. "It's the Caste Game."

"And this always happens?" Miles turns around, bewildered that nobody ever talks about it prior to the game. Not even Ally has talked about it. "Why do they allow this?"

"Keiji Levough," Nougat shrugs. Miles stares at him as he adds, "Don't you know him?"

"... Levough who?"

"The Caste Game was created by Keiji Levough years ago, for fun. This school was built specifically for him, didn't you know?"

Miles flinches as another thing crashed from the outside. "I didn't know that!" The Levough Empires are the founders of this school... so if a Levough created this, then it must be why even the teachers can't say anything... "For what, some cards?"

"Those some cards are meant for them to go crazy over. It used to be how Keiji Levough got his own loyal servants, he was always the King back then." Nougat steps near the teacher and unexpectedly pulls on his necktie gently. "You don't need to worry about that. History is history, and the game is a CDI tradition."

Back then... so he's not here anymore now...?

His sultry voice gave Miles goosebumps as his heart beats with negative feeling. He backs away only for his back to hit the walls, his student pressed onto him. "Uhm... Nougat?"

All while chaos is going on in the outside.

"So tell me," Nougat says, pushing a light, feather-soft hand on Miles' chest. "Are you gay, Mr. Taylors?"

"Wh-what..." This is not the time to be doing this! Miles tries pushing him away kindly but that only made Nougat secure him in place with a thigh in the middle of his legs. "Uhm... I'm not gay."

Nougat definitely saw the blood circulating in Miles' cheeks that it made him grin. "Oh but you are, from what I'm seeing."

"No, I'm not. Nougat please, as a teacher I demand you step away." He's trying to seduce me. I don't want to be another one of his victims. Miles also feels disappointed at how a very nice boy could be making things difficult for him, but then again he is a Carvalle student.

"Are you a top or a bottom?" Nougat's fingers 'walked' up Miles' neck and gave him a sensual touch. Of course, he is very uncomfortable even if they're not far in age.

"I told you, I'm not gay."

"You don't need to be gay to feel good." Nougat's fingers hover over Miles' belt and the guy squirms. The vixen stares at those adorable freckles and traces a light finger over them.

A physiological phenomenon demands Miles to be half-hard and he's ashamed that he is. Nougat sexily states, "If you're a virgin, I can just let you fuck me before I do anything else to that cute ass of yours-"

"Enough." Miles held his breath and his kindness to push this student away. "I'm not gay. You really are a beautiful person Nougat, but I am not sexually attracted to males nor do I agree in affairs with students."

Nougat raises an eyebrow. "You're rejecting me?"

That sweet voice has an underlying tone of threat and darkness in them.

"I wouldn't have to if I were gay b... but I'm not..." Miles tries not to sound mean and gives Nougat a little smile.

"Why, do you only enjoy fucking Ms. Ally?" Nougat crosses his arms and all ounce of goodness drains out of his face. This was now a mean, spiteful person instead of the beautiful, sweet Nougat from before.

"What? Ally and I are just friends-"

"But do you like her?"

"No." Miles is getting a little scared for this shorter student of his.

"Do you like anyone?!" Nougat is now coming closer.

"No, I don't!"

Nougat stops his foot like a brat. "Then why does everyone like you?! Why does every see you as someone more desirable than me? You're a damn virgin and not even gay enough to put a dick in your mouth but somehow you're hotter than me?!"

Miles was speechless at Nougat's little outburst. The boy stood there with flaming cheeks and eyes full of rage that even Miles had to step back. He didn't know what to say, because he honestly isn't aware of any of the things that made Nougat's vein break.

"I'm sorry Nougat but... I... I have to go..." Miles rushed to open the door and successfully threw himself out, immediately regretting it after having a book unintentionally thrown to his direction.

He manages to avoid it while panicking over students tackling each other and school decorations being ruined. Miles is concerned about the students' violent fights, but if he lets his teacher's instinct step in, he might die.

Upon trying to avoid the students who are destroying everything in search of the cards, Miles had escaped to the nearest door leading outside. There, more students are beating up each other and digging up the plants trying to find one of the 13 cards.

And I have yet to find the King card. At this rate, with thousands of Carvalle students, the odds are near impossible.

But I have to find it. I have to play the game.

"Attention all students. The 9th of Hearts has been found."

Miles became stuck in the teacher's lounge after hours of discreetly trying to find the King card. He had found a 3rd of hearts, but it wasn't what Heidi asked for so he put it back. Currently, he is moping with his head down and his hands unable to find it.

"Where do I even start. Where the hell do I even..."

And worse, his only student ally seems to be mad at him for a reason he can't really understand. Because people are attracted to him? Can't be, Nougat is a lot prettier than I am... I can't be a competition.

thursday,

AT THE LEVOUGH DORM

The intercom blared some music followed by the 9th announcement. "Attention all students. The 5th of Spades has been found." And there are only four cards left, with the King not yet in anybody's hands.

Miles still hasn't known what would happen to those who find a card. Place in power... what does that even look like?

"Attention all students. The Jack of Hearts has been found."

Miles is now in the Levough Dorm. It was time for Zeus' consultation for the third time this week. The game still isn't over, and none of the teachers are going to class because everyone refuses to stay in the classrooms while the game is happening.

KIM

001

Miles had welcomed himself into Zeus' bedroom, finding the male seated quietly in the bed as usual. He has grown fond of the giant blonde Teddy bear, which he recently found out to have a rare color disorder that drained melanin from his hair alone, making him have natural platinum blonde hair after a severe unknown trauma.

Marie Antoinette Syndrome, as they call it, but that could just be a myth and maybe Zeus' body couldn't really produce melanin for the hair. This is why his pure white hair and skin look aesthetically pleasing with the light red that filled the room.

The lava lamp is lit a light, pinky red. The owner of the room, however, isn't staring into nothingness this time. Zeus is spacing out while staring at his stuffed Dinosaur toy and Brachio who is facing each other in front of him. It made Miles smile because it must mean he was playing prior to him entering.

"Hello Zeus, I'm back!" Miles sat in front of him while putting his files on the desk beside the bed. "How are you? How are they? Have they become friends yet?"

Zeus, ever so slowly, pushes his hand towards Brachio and flicked the toy with his fingers causing it to fall on the edge of the bed.

Miles playfully gasps. "Oh no, Dino knocked out Brachio!"

He retrieves the toy he bought for Zeus with a giggle. He's a refreshing break from all the chaos. Peaceful, but he's still not talking. Still, I'm growing quite fond of him.

"You know, the school is still going crazy, I can't even have classes while this game is happening," Miles mentions, his smile faltering. "Do you know about the Caste Game?"

All of a sudden, Zeus flicks one of his hands while they're propped on his bent knee. There appeared a red and white sheet of plastic, twirled around his fingers.

"Wow, you got a new toy?" Miles became interested in his long, slender fingers with the cleanest natural fingernails as they play with the plastic. Miles looks closer, making Zeus' eyes move to stare at him blankly. While the long fingers are twirling the plastic around, Miles eventually got a sight of what it was.

It's a card. He gasps in shock, and Zeus blinks at his reaction. It's...

The card in Zeus' fingers, is the Almighty King of Spades. The King is plastered on the white side while the red side had a Carvalle logo and crest on it. It was shiny, glossy, and it was an official card.

Zeus has the King card.

Zeus watches as Miles loses focus over everything but the card. After all, it is his ticket to getting inside Heidi's room and interviewing him peacefully.

"Z-Zeus you..." I need that card, Miles thought. How do I get this from him? "Where did you get that?"

Of course, he didn't answer.

"Can I..." Miles hesitantly reaches his hand out, determined to get the thin sheet of plastic. This made Zeus stop spinning the card, to which Miles pauses. He doesn't know what's going on in Zeus' head, but when has he or anyone ever.

"Can I have it?" He finally asks in the gentlest tone he can muster.

Zeus didn't move, only blinking while staring straight into Miles' soul. Still, the teacher has faith in the bond he and this man has, so he reaches out to touch the card. "Can I look at it, Zeus?"

Zeus' fingers were cold, just like the temperature of the well-ventilated room. The touch caused goosebumps crawling up to Miles' neck, and he temporarily stops breathing. The man's stare, though still blank, is enough to shake his heart in fear.

But Zeus is nice. He'll give this to me, hopefully... But when Miles pulls on the card, Zeus' fingers refuse to let go. He still hasn't moved a muscle, so he's not opposed to Miles taking it. Is he teasing me?

No... is he testing me?

"Zeus... can I have the card or not?" Miles softly asks to avoid provoking the very dangerous man in front of him. Silence is indeed deadly, as he still hasn't responded negatively or positively.

Miles pulls on it again, but he couldn't get it. Zeus had a strong, effortless grip on the King card. He didn't want to be rude and forceful so he didn't pressure it. However, with the turn of a minute, the rest of Zeus' cold fingers wrapped around Miles' hand, and, to the shock of all his nerves, the blonde wall of silence pulls his hand up towards the wall.

With an embarrassing squeak of surprise, Miles falls forward and end up between Zeus' long legs. He panics at the sudden whiff of cleanliness and the dangerous scent of him, but he couldn't pull away because the guy is a lot stronger than a mere teacher.

Everything, even time and Miles' breathing, seems to have stopped when Zeus releases Miles' hand and instead wraps both arms around him in a tight, almost scared embrace. Indeed, he can hear the beating of the terrified teacher's heart.

What is he doing?! Miles squirms, but Zeus went on with his strange behavior by resting his head right in the crook of Miles' neck. The teacher however, is terrified no matter how warm Zeus' embrace is.

"Z-Zeus... I'm... I'm not big on hugs... please..." Again, the arms tighten around him refusing to let go. Zeus is as calm as an eye of the storm despite his arms having the strength of steel wires.

Maybe... Miles thought with his inconsistent breathing pattern. Maybe if I play along...? He'll give me the card...

"Okay... you can hug me however you like..." I just hope he doesn't snap my neck... Miles Taylor even shames himself for even enjoying the embrace of a suspected murderer.