Sooman Academy had always had an air of prestige about it, perhaps from its regal architecture, inspired by the French baroque of Versailles, or maybe from the sprawling campus itself with its gardens and trees standing in the center of metropolitan Seoul. It might even have simply been the imposing iron gates at the entrance that almost seemed to elevate the school to a mysterious realm, out of the reach of regular people. Whatever the reason, the academy since its birth had always exuded wealth, power and knowledge.

The boarding school was world-renowned for turning out some of the best and brightest. Their graduates were the ones who went on to do great things, make names for themselves, and come back to the school as accomplished alumni overflowing with endowments. It only made sense then that the student body president would have a similar powerful presence.

It was Monday morning, and he walked down the hall with a sort of pomp and circumstance. He waved at people he knew as students cleared a path for him, and his posse followed him to the courtyard for morning announcements. Students flooded the paths from the refectory, from the dormitories, from all over campus, all headed to the courtyard.

Morning announcements had been a tradition since the founding of the academy, and no one was allowed to miss it. Teachers and dorm masters and senior students took charge to make sure no one lagged. Missing morning announcements without a valid excuse was the easiest way to earn a ticket to the Principal Kim Youngmin’s office.

Not even the bravest, stupidest or most rebellious students missed it when the student body president stepped up to the podium with a bright smile on his face as he stared at the sea of faces before him like he did every morning.

“Good morning, Sooman Academy. I’m Kim Joonmyun, your student body president.”