Chapter 1 - Professor Santobal

K.H.U (or more collectively known as King Harris University) is one of the most prestigious schools in S City. It is founded by the former chairman, Winston Harrison, in 1974 and is now co-owned by Ezrael King Harris. The territory of the campus covered 21.5 hectares of land or 215,000 square meters. According to the Yearly Best School Nomination Magazine, King Harris University was the dream school of almost 75.5 percent of the country's population. Lush green fields, clear and beautiful lakes and rivers, small ranges and mountains, who would not dream to be in this kind of school? You will feel like you entered a world of magic and fantasy for lost kings, beautiful princesses, and charming knight-in-shining armors. 

Inside this magnificent institute, were a marble-made floor, spacious and wondrous views, exquisite classrooms, and of course, the well-off students with different, yet jaw-dropping backgrounds. Even though they have been studying in K.H.U. for years, it still shaken them how they were able to be in this kind of place. The hallways are filled with students, seemingly roaming around or having a conversation with their friends. Their constant chatter livened up the atmosphere and exuded a warm and joyful scenario. 

There was a young woman, bent over the table, and focused in writing down several jargon words that could make a normal person's mind ached. She wore a white coat, gloves, and a protective eye gear. Her handwriting was neat and comes with a perfect cursive. It was like, she was typing words with the usage of computer. One would think that she would be distracted because of the boisterous voices of the students from outside the lab; however, she remained unmove and looked like she didn't hear them at all. 

Before, the laboratory was placed at the West Wing, along with the library, Dean's office, the faculty room, the infirmary, and the counselor's office, but because they planned to expand the library, the Dean has decided to place the lab in the East Wing. If the West Wing is quiet as a grave, then, the East Wing resembles a zoo. To be fair, the East Wing had the canteen, the theater, the indoor gymnasium, and the lobby. 

Aleya wrote down the results of the experimentation stage, put it inside a folder, and locked it with the rest of the files in the locker. But before that, she signed it at the bottom right: In-Progress. This was a splendid breakthrough since she had been stuck with failures of her experiment for a month. For her fellow researchers, her speed of progression was already heaven-defying, but Aleya was a perfectionist, she wouldn't settle for anything more than a week. 

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The door opens and a middle-aged man with eye-glasses peeks in. He smiles when he sees Aleya, "Dana, how's your research? Have you solved your problem?"

He was really impressed with Aleya's mind. She was the youngest professor in the country, yet she wasn't arrogant. She was pretty docile, quiet, and polite. He has always seen her as his child because she could not fit in with the rest of the people for her odd 'quirks' and way of thinking, and the fact that she reminded him of his own daughter. 

Li Wei is 30 years old and the professor at the Music Department. His family dabbled in politics and his older brother was a well-known politician, his father - a retired governor, his mother - a famous prosecutor, and his younger sister, being the chairwoman of a fundraising organization.

"Yes, it's in the progression stage," she answered as she pulled off her white coat, gloves, and eye-gear.

Professor Li: "....."

He stares at her stupidly. 

Aleya notices it and says it with a bland tone, "Professor Li, you look stupid."

Professor Li: "....." Her bluntness strikes again.

Seeing that he still gazed at her with that expression, Aleya thought of something and said, "I will order a bag of wallnuts for you." She felt a bit of satisfaction, knowing that she helped him. Professor Li was getting older and older each day, his brain would start to slow down, and in the future, it would be as fragile as a glass. Eating wallnuts is for the best.

Professor Li, who was merely 30 years old and still looked like he was in his 20's: "....." If he was a mind reader, he would probably be choked to death by her thoughts of him.

"What's with the wallnuts? Nevermind that. Come with me, let's tell this wonderful news to them!" He beckoned her to follow him and she did. She and the rest of the professors in the university hanged out in the mini hotel room during their breaks most of the time. There, they talked about random things or if they wanted to voice out their grievances toward the other professors. 

Once they got there, they immediately saw Professor Taylor, Professor Kim, and Professor Nana. These professors, along with Professor Li, had a strong backgrounds. Aleya was the only exemption.

"Dana, my dear, look at you with those horrendous, black circles under your eyes!" Professor Taylor's tone was distressed and his weird Chinese accent showed up.

William Taylor, 28 years old, and the American professor in the English Department. In the group, he's the emotional one and also a homosexual (however, this knowledge was only known by them). His family handled the food and beverages industry, hence if you saw a five-star restaurants, there was a ninety percent chance that his family owned it. 

"Li Wei! Why didn't you force Dana to take a rest? Look at the poor child, pale and weak! Do you want her to get sick?" Professor Kim pushed Professor Taylor away and hugged the emotionless woman. 

Kim Soojun, 32 years old, and the Korean professor of the Business Management Department. She was the eldest daughter of the Kim family, which had stood for generations to generations. She was supposed to be the next president of their company, but she chose to become a teacher. There were rumors saying about her that she was disowned and she could only live by teaching. However, rumors were rumors, there were no evidences, so not many people believed it. Besides, if she was disowned, her father wouldn't want to see her at all.

"Hey, why are you blaming me? Why don't you try to force her?" Li Wei huffed.

"Now, now you guys, don't fight. Let's settle this issue in a calm and rational way," Professor Nana intervened before Professor Kang could argue back.

Nana Ayumi, 27 years old, and the Japanese professor in charge at the Computer Science Department. Being the second youngest among their group, it is unexpected of her to be quite mature, one would think that she would be a bit more childish since she looked like she was a cheery-type of person. In addition, with baby fats in her cheeks, she looks so young, as if she's only 17-18 years old.

"I'm okay," Aleya stated.

"You? Okay? Your self-care ability is too low! And you're still being stubborn, what did I tell you about this attitude of yours?" Professor Kim berated.

"To not be stubborn."

"Yes, that's it. Now, you sit down. We ordered a lot of food," she pushed her down to her own seat. She said, "You're allergic to shrimps, right? So, this is not for you," she placed the plate far away from Aleya.

"Eating vegetables is healthy, you must properly nourish yourself, Dana!" Professor Taylor swiftly piled up a bunch of green leaves in the youngest's bowl.

Professor Li snatched the bowl and poured it in Taylor's bowl, "You're just making excuses. You don't want to eat vegetables."

"But, I don't want to -"

"Don't fuss. This is for your own good," he pulled Professor Taylor with him, and the both of them sat down in front of Professor Kim and Aleya. Professor Nana, on the other hand, took a seat in Aleya's left side. 

Aleya saw that Professor Taylor was refusing the vegetables, and said, "Eating vegetables had health benefits. It decreases inflamation. Chronic inflammation is linked to obesity and insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease metablic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, psioriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis -"

"Stop! No scientific words or any of the word related to science!" the slag science professor exclaimed.

"You should upgrade your brain, Professor Taylor," Professor Kim chuckles, "You're looking pitiful."

"How did you pass your science in your high school, much less middle school?" questioned Professor Nana.

"Cheating," he stated bluntly.

Professor Nana: "....."

Professor Kim: "....."

Professor Li: "....."

Aleya, who had an I.Q. of 180, said, "Why do you have to cheat? It's too easy."

"A genius has no right to talk."

"Right... let's start eating -"

"I had a good news!" Professor Li suddenly exclaims.

"What? Did that arrogant woman finally meet her misfortune or did she get suspended again? Either way, it's her karma," Professor Kim smiles in schadenfreude.

"You sure know how to hold your grudges," he stared at her, warily.

"The moment she looked down on Dana because of her status, was the moment I knew that I wouldn't let her off. She should be glad that I let her off," Professor Kim said indignantly.

Aleya was confused. 

When did someone look down on her? Was she that short? Her height was 5'3", it should be acceptable, right? 

"Let's not lose our appetite. So, Li Wei, what are you talking about?" Professor Nana asked.

"Our Little Aleya's research had finally progressed. She made a breakthrough!"

"That's good!" Professor Taylor claps.

"It's not enough. I barely fused the water to the other six nutrients. Now, it's in a semi-fluid state. The composition should be solid," Aleya quietly says.

"Well, it has water, after all. Why don't you remove the water component?" 

"Can't be. The water is an important ingredient to the recipe. It will serve as a catalyst in the disgestion of the pill," she explains.

Professor Taylor hesitated, "Well, if you say so. I don't think we will be much of help though. Science is not really my forte, even back then."

Aleya agreed, "Yes."

Professor Taylor: "....."

Professor Li: "???" Why do I get a feeling of deja vu?

"Enough about your research," Professor Nana intervenes, "Let's eat. Here, Dana, open your mouth," she holds up the spoon.

Aleya: "....."

Aleya was embarrassed. She knew that she couldn't function like any normal people, but she still knew what embarrassment was. She didn't want to be fed like a baby. 

With a reddish face, she speaks timidly, "I c-can do -"

"You can't properly hold your spoon and fork, what more with the chopsticks?" Professor Nana shoves the noodles into her mouth. The food they ordered was a variety of Korean and Chinese food.

Aleya has no choice, but to swallow the noodles. The sauce splashed into the corners of her lips, hence Professor Kim took the initiative to wipe it with a paper towel.

"Announcement: Attention to all teachers, staff, and students, please go to the Ceremony Hall in twenty minutes. Please go to the Ceremony Hall in twenty minutes. Thank you."

"Twenty minutes?! We barely ate!" Professor Taylor cried out.

"An emergency meeting?" Professor Li glanced at them.

"Must be. The dean personally spoke through the P.A. system," Professor Nana replied.

"No, it's not. It's the Sports Festival today," Professor Taylor said.

The others look at him in disbelief, "Really? Today?!"

"Yeah. That's why none of the students were in class. Did you guys forget that the Sports Festival usually held in the afternoon?"

Them: "....."

"We have to go. Now. Going to the Ceremony Hall takes 15 minutes, we'll continue to eat later," Professor Kim pulls up the reluctant Aleya, and they quickly walk out of the mini hotel room. 

Like what Professor Kim said, they did take fifteen minutes in getting to the venue. The Ceremony Hall was already packed with half of the students and the teachers as well as the dean were standing on top of the stage. The five of them headed over to the stage too.

Meng Yi, professor of the Logistics Department, saw them and a polite smile automatically makes it way to her lips. Her appearance was beautiful and elegant, so when she smiled, it seemed like the light was placed on her head, giving her the spotlight. 

"You guys are just in time. Go to your places because the Dean will start the event," she ushered them.

"Thank you, Professor Meng."

Once the hall was crowded with all of the students, the Dean showed himself.