Run away like a coward.

For I would rather be comforted by a blissful lie,

Than be slapped by the hurtful truth.

In Chess.

the King must be protected at all times, for its death means defeat.

the Queen is considered to be the most powerful piece of the game.

the Rook and Bishop have a straight path of attack.

the Pawn has a limited power but it has the capability to become any piece it desire.

But a certain piece is unique to them all.

It has the ability to conquer a path that is a complete deviation.

It has the unpredictability wherein one should be cautious and vigilant.

The whimsical Knight.

The complete embodiment of Lalisa Manoban.

Lisa crumpled the paper given to her by their disciplinary officer. It was the first time she was given a warning for being late for their class.

Due to the strict school policies of the school. Students are given two warnings for being late in their classes. After these warnings, students are automatically suspended for a week. This policy is monitored by their disciplinary officer namely, their principal, Yang Hyun Suk himself.

Thus, students are rarely late in their classes, not because of the disciplinary action they would undergo...

But due to the fear of having a long lecture from the intimidating principal.

“I expect more from you Lalisa. You should be a student role model.” Lisa recalled the principal’s statement. His tone of disappointment was still vivid in her memory like a broken tape in loop.

She hates how she can recall every single detail in each interaction she makes.

Their voices. Their words. Their expressions.

A gift she desperately wants to throw away.

No wonder Jennie was absent in the morning class. She knows she’s gonna be late.

She then stopped her tracks when the sudden thought about Jennie came up to her mind.

Since when did...that...

It was still unknown to her...she doesn’t know how to act on these unfamiliar feelings.

Her once composed and organized mind was turned into an utter mess.

And whenever she was confronted by it.

She has no choice but to back away.

A retreat.

For she can’t afford to lose to an uncharted territory.

A place she couldn’t conquer.

With a heavy sigh, she continued making her way to her class and started clearing her thoughts. It all started when she met Jennie. It was Jennie’s fault for making a turmoil in her mind.

But she won’t let it affect her. She couldn’t afford to be blinded on what she feels. She would rather feel the emptiness of a void than these unnecessary thoughts.

This is stupid. She concluded in frustration while turning the doorknob of their room.

The loud banters and chatters of her classmates greeted her. Most of the students of class 3-1 are idly chatting with their seatmates while some of the boys are loudly laughing at the back of the classroom.

This just made her mood turn into a worse one.

Lisa silently walked to her seat and ignores the rambunctiousness of her classmates.

Only to be greeted cheerfully by the last person she would like to talk with.

“Good Morning.” Jennie said with a kind smile as she pauses from reading her book.

“Yeah.” Lisa replied flatly.

Despite her cold reply, Jennie continued and pointed to the board.

“Sir Daesung took a leave. He’s sick. So he just left us with an activity.”

“I see.”

“It’s noisy, right? It’s just rare for us whenever our teachers are absent.” Jennie coughed awkwardly to continue their conversation. “So it’s like a blue moon. No tests or recitation...well at least for a subject.”

Lisa nodded at her head as a reply. She turned her attention to her book to finish the activity given to them. She wasn’t in the mood to talk anyone.

Especially the person who is the main reason why she’s late for their class.

It’s like her brain involuntarily made a recording on the times she’s been together with Jennie. This made her mind to wander as she tries to come up with a logical reason on what she’s feeling.

And before she knows it...it’s already 3 a.m.

“Did you finish answering our homework?” Jennie questioned her again.

“I did.”

“Did you…sleep well?” Jennie asked hesitantly. “You...don’t look good.”

“Yes.” Lisa replied while closing her eyes, silently hoping for Jennie to stop bothering her.

But it seems like...Jennie won’t let her.

“Problem 4 sure is difficult huh?”

Please stop. Lisa inwardly thought as she tries to control her temper. She could feel her patience wearing thin with each passing second.

“I think so.” She replied calmly.

“Are you...okay?”

Stop.

“I’m okay.” Lisa uttered in slight irritation.

“Have I done something wrong?”

Lisa just ignored the question and turned her attention to the activity at hand.

It was then when Jennie whispered with a soft yet dejected tone.

“Answer me...please?”

Hearing Jennie’s voice, Lisa immediately paused from reading her book. She doesn’t know why but a part of her hates it whenever Jennie is helpless and weak. She can’t help but protect her, to assure her that everything will be alright.

She wants to be her knight in shining armor, like the ones being told on old tales.

But she can’t be her knight.

Because there’s no such knight.

Who is a coward like her.

She finally turned her attention to Jennie and snappily said. “Will you shut up?”

Staring straight right through Jennie’s eyes, She added apathetically.

“You’re annoying.”

She was in her own world. Devoid of the existence of any person. Her unapproachable and cold aura was like a barricade against her and the people who wants to have a passage through it. Wherein one would just give up before conceiving the thought of attempting.

It was an abyss no one would dare step into. For they might see through fury beneath those dark eyes.

But the Queen’s resolve is unwavering.

She won’t let her knight wander restlessly through the bewildering path of confusion.

But can she...break through that armor?

An armor of cowardice and grimness.

Days passed by but Lisa continued her mission on completely shutting down the world around her. The world for her...was dull and grey. Contrary to the bright and jubilant colors it actually shows.

Her days consists of monotonous lectures and faint chatters between the four walls of her classroom.

She was back to her own her world.

And she doesn’t mind the desolation that accompanies it.

“I’ll now give the results of your examinations.” Dara announced to her class while perusing the scores of the test papers. With a slight pout of her lips, she pondered in confusion. “I’m even amazed that Miss Manoban got a perfect score. I was sure it was hard.”

“It was really hard!!” the majority of the class chorused in unison. Countering their teacher’s statement by complaining that Lisa is the exception to the general rule of Academics.

“Now now. You should just...study well?” their teacher teased while pointing out to a certain group of the class. “Some of you should follow her example.”

“Yah! Why are you looking at me Mam?” Jisoo instantly reacted from the back row of the class, drawing laughter from her seatmates.

“Oh, I don’t know...” Dara shrugged mockingly.

“You’ll see Mam! I’ll ace your next exam!” the president bragged while crossing her arms. “I’m just...busy with the student council.”

“Yes yes.” Dara conceded with a playful nod. “Now. Please get your test papers when I called out your name.”

Students soon stood one by one and took their test papers from Dara. Their crest fallen looks were enough for one to know the results.

It wasn’t new for them to have these difficult examinations. After every lecture, students are given a post test that consists of advanced level problems or questions. Some of these items are the comprehensive items of the basic lecture. Thus, most of the students fail these examinations. For how can one answer a complex question when your teacher only gave an easy example of the topic.

Hearing her name, Lisa stood and took her paper.

“I’ll make sure to give a more difficult test.” Dara smirked at her, seemingly taking it as a challenge for her to make a single mistake in the exams.

Lisa just mutely nodded and walked back to her seat.

“Hey, Congratulations.” Jennie smiled warmly. “I’ll beat you next time.” She continued while raising her paper with a score of ‘98%’.

Lisa just pulled her chair and took her seat. She silently stared at the front wherein their teacher continued on distributing the test papers, completely ignoring Jennie.

Pretending like Jennie doesn’t exist was her new habit. It’s as if she was a plague in which Lisa would steer clear from.

It was easy for her. She was used to the silence that isolation institutes.

It was her home.

Her comfort zone.

Classes soon turned into a blur, passing by in a fast-paced momentum. And before she knew it, the loud sound of the school bell rang throughout the school.

After waiting for their teacher’s last announcement, Lisa walked out from their room. Having no friends or rather...not even attempting to make one, her routine became like this. A normal high school life for her merely consists of attending her class and comply with each subject’s requirements.

She was about to leave their department’s building when a sudden downpour of rain made her stop. It was only then when she realized that she left her umbrella at their classroom.

Splendid. she sighed while turning her heels to retrieve the item.

“Hey. You forgot this.” Jennie called out to her from the hallways.

Of all people...she’s the one who just needs to find it. Lisa sarcastically pondered.

“I’ll give this to you...on one condition.”

I’m getting blackmailed? Lisa wondered in mirth. “What is it?”

“Answer all my questions.” Jennie ordered commandingly.

Lisa could only smile at her classmate’s persistence, finally conceding to this tiring chase.

“Ask.”

“Why are you avoiding me?”

Already expecting the question, Lisa advances her body towards Jennie. “I hate you that’s why.” she coldly stated. “You act like some kind of saint...” Loudly smacking her hands against the walls, she entrapped Jennie in between her arms. “It’s beyond stupidity. I can’t take it.”

“You’re l-lying.” Jennie quivered in a small voice as she fails to hide her fear.

Lisa traced Jennie’s jawline with a finger, her touch lingering at the Jennie’s chin. “Oh..But I’m not.”

“T-then why are you so kind to me?” Jennie asked in confusion, her lips slightly trembling from Lisa’s touch. “Back then? In the a-auditorium...the c-clinic...”

Lisa answered with a sneer. “It’s because you look so pathetic.” Cupping Jennie’s cheek in a painstakingly slow manner, she softly whispered against Jennie’s shaky lips. “It was out of pity.”

Jennie clutched Lisa’s uniform as tears started to fall from her eyes. She weakly placed her forehead at Lisa’s shoulder...drenching Lisa’s uniform for the second time.

“Is that...what you really feel?” Jennie murmured silently. “What are you thinking? Please...tell me...”

“I want you to leave me alone.” Lisa confessed as she pushed Jennie’s shoulders.

“You’re the worst.” Jennie growled, her eyes gleaming with tears.

“I don’t care...my Queen.”

Jennie closed her eyes. “I hate you...No...” She looked up to Lisa and hissed angrily.

“...I loathe you.”

Lisa was about to give a reply when she was harshly pushed away by the brunette. Jennie angrily threw Lisa’s umbrella to the side and ran away from her.

It was at that moment when Lisa’s armor finally crumbled to pieces.

Her knees suddenly gave up, causing her to kneel uncharacteristically against the floor. She placed a hand on the wall to support her trembling figure.

She couldn’t contain it…

The lies.

The deception.

The hypocrisy.

With a shaky breath, she tried to compose herself, but the image of Jennie’s pained expression was burned in her memory. Haunting her like a nightmare.

Her plan failed.

Of all the scenarios she came up with, this was the one she hadn’t expected. She thought that she would finally regain her lost peace by avoiding Jennie, but it backfired against her.

It made her realize things she kept denying to herself.

It was there all along, but she doesn’t want to accept it.

She refuse to believe in it.

Because deep inside her knight’s gallant armor...

She was just a damsel in distress.

She knows she’s too late to take back her words, but she finally voiced out her thoughts.

The words she wouldn’t let Jennie ever hear.

Smiling sadly, she mumbles silently as a single tear falls from her eye.

“I think...I’m inlove with you, Jennie.”

May 2012 (12:15 pm)

The midterm examination for the first semester is just around the corner. Students in YG high only have a few days left to study for their upcoming examinations. In contrast to other schools, YG High has two semesters with each semester having two major examinations: midterms and finals.

These examinations comprise the major part of their grade in each subject. As a result, students treat these like they are in a dire situation.

For them, It’s a matter of life and death.

For the Juniors and the Freshmen, having a failing grade on any subject means they are to be kicked out in the school. It was one of the reasons why YG high is infamous of, it’s strict retention policy. Wherein, students are only qualified to enroll for the next academic year if they’ve passed all their subjects.

However, the seniors have it worst when they’ve failed. Not passing these examinations means that they won’t be allowed to attend the graduation ceremony for the recent school year, forcing them to change schools and to take another year.

It was lunch time but the once rowdy cafeteria was now filled with silence. Almost all of the students are in the library or in their respective classes reading and studying for their midterms.

Well...almost.

“Miss. One chocolate drink and an apple please.” Lisa groggily said to the old lady at the counter. With the way she looked – bloodshot eyes, messy blonde hair, and ruffled uniform – she looked like a studious student who just pulled an all-nighter from studying.

But in her case, studying was the least of her problems.

“Is this your lunch Miss?” the lady asked in mild curiosity while placing Lisa’s order at the countertop.

Lisa nodded her head as a reply and covered her yawn with a hand. The consecutive nights full of overthinking and self-pity was taking toll on her. She’s afraid that one day, she’ll just collapsed due to the fatigue that is slowly building up in her system.

And it was the last thing she wants to happen because she knows that her Mom would panic exaggeratedly whenever she’s sick.

“Agh. you don’t have to stay on diet. You look y already!” The old lady huffed while placing her hands at her hips. “And you shouldn’t be stressing out too much! Look at your eyebags! Health should come first before studies!”

“Pffftt – ” Lisa muffled her laugh with a hand at the sudden outburst. She knows that it’s rude, but she can’t help but crack up at the old lady’s petulant expression.

“What’s funny?”

Finally pulling herself together from her laughs, Lisa apologetically smiled. “I’m sorry. You kinda...reminded me of my Mom. She would always worry about me. And I a lot whenever I see her restless face.”

The old lady smiled and nodded in concurrence to Lisa’s statement. “I guess...I’m like the mother of this school. I know that the school’s standards are really high...and most of the students here might look like they’re easy going but they’re really hardworking. And I know this is just a little thing but I want to support