II: Intro
Nocturne Academy
"Welcome to Nocturne Academy," a woman speaks on the podium. "Today will be your first day as the official students of Nocturne Academy."
The students clap their hands calmly. They are standing in lines, divided by their programs and majors, attending the opening ceremony in the academy auditorium.
"Please let me introduce myself," the woman gives them a warm smile. "My name is Cho Nami. I will be the one who responsible for all freshmen here this year. For all first year students, you can meet me as your advisor in my office."
"Nocturne Academy, which is derived from 'Nocturne' that means 'a piece written for the night', is established in 1999. All of you here are the special selected students who have passed the entrance examination," Miss Cho speaks. "We are welcoming all freshmen who have passed the latest entrance examination two days ago. I can see all of you have worn your new uniforms we sent to you yesterday."
"For all sophomores, we will ask you politely to guide your juniors since they are new here," Miss Cho examines the whole auditorium carefully. "Please note that we have warned you beforehand."
Miss Cho then introduces one by one staff of Nocturne Academy, which consists of more than fifty professional staffs.
The last one to be introduced is an old woman with glasses. She was sitting in the end of line before goes up on the podium.
"My name is Kim Risa," she says with deep voice. "I will be the one who responsible for the discipline in Nocturne Academy. Hereby I want to tell you the general rules of our academy."
She snaps her fingers and then a white screen appears from nowhere, showing all of the students the general rules of Nocturne Academy including the academic rules consist of courses, attendance, examinations, grading, and classroom behavior.
After all the rules were read, Mrs Kim snaps her fingers again and the white screen fades away, "Those are the general rules. The rules apply for all students and staffs of Nocturne Academy. We have warned you beforehand."
She walks down from the podium, letting Miss Cho to return with the microphone, "Now, your attention please, we're going to tell you the student rules. The rules will be announced by Ryu Hin, the current President of Nocturne Academy Student Council Association."
The students applause again but now their eyes are watching the girl in black uniform who steps up to the podium. Looking from her uniform, even the freshmen know that she comes from Special Dual Degree Program.
In Nocturne Academy, students can be differentiate from their uniforms.
Students from Bachelor's Program wear brown uniform while students from Master's Program wear gray uniform. The white uniforms are the uniform sets for students from Talented Artists Education Program.
The ribbons are used to differentiate their majors. Classical Music Major students will wear silver ribbons while Modern Music Major students wear black ribbons.
Special Dual Degree Program students are the only students who wear black uniform sets and white ribbons. If the student wears maroon ribbon instead of other colors, that means the student is a part of Nocturne Academy Student Council Association.
"Good night," Hin greets without any special expression. "Please let me introduce myself first. My name is Ryu Hin, the fourth President of Nocturne Academy Student Council Association, also known as NASCA. I am a second year student of Special Dual Degree Program."
She closes her eyes for a second and then the exactly same white screen from before appears again, this time with different rules to be read by the students.
"These are the rules designed for all students of Nocturne Academy," Hin speaks without even taking a glance at the screen.
"First rule," she has her eyes on the students, as if the rules are well-written in her mind, "the rules apply for all students of Nocturne Academy. There is no exception."
Silence fills the auditorium. No one dares to speak or even whisper.
"Second rule, all students will be treated equally in Nocturne Academy," Hin continues without hesitation, "no matter what their races are."
"Third rule, all students will be under the management of NASCA. There will be no exception," Hin reads over the rule, making sure all students are listening to her. "Fourth rule, NASCA has the exclusive right to organize the students of all departments, majors, and programs."
Hin reads one by one rule until the screen shows an organizational structure of NASCA.
"I will introduce the current representatives of NASCA who work along with me," Hin says calmly while three persons just left their lines to get on the podium.
She steps back and gives the sign to the man who stands right next to him.
He is wearing black uniform with maroon ribbon, emphasizing that he is also a student from Special Dual Degree Program.
"My name is Lee Joon, the fourth Vice-President of NASCA. I am the second year student of Special Dual Degree Program," he says with a smile on his face.
Even without microphone, all the students in the auditorium can hear his voice. He turns to the girl who is standing next to him, giving her a sign to speak.
The girl straightens her black thick-rimmed glasses and bows slightly to the students, "My name is Lee Jieun, the sixth Secretary of NASCA. I am the second year student of Talented Artists Education Program. I am under the Classical Music Major."
Standing next to the girl who wears the white uniform set and maroon ribbon is a man who is wearing the white uniform set and a maroon ribbon as well. He bows politely and introduces himself properly, "My name is Jung Yonghwa, the seventh Treasurer of NASCA. I am the third year student of Talented Artists Education Program. I am under the Modern Music Major."
"As you can see in the organizational structure, NASCA also has two representatives from both Classical Music Major and Modern Music Major. The representatives of each department also will be chose within a month, so please feel free to send a proposal for the position," Hin explains briefly.
A sudden coldness fill the auditorium. The atmosphere is making all students shiver for unknown reason. For the first time, the students start to talk to each other, wondering about what is happening.
Without any command, the four students step backwards cautiously. They bow until they eyes meet the floor.
"What a beautiful night," a deep voice laughs.
A man with black suit is already standing in the center of the podium, coming from nowhere, while all staffs of Nocturne Academy have bowed to him, not even dare to look at him. He must be not older than forty years old, judging from his face and his appearance.
As if they are forced to do it, the students kneel on the floor, turning their heads to the floor. Some of them are sheding tears silently for the unspeakable reasons while the others are wiping away their cold sweat.
"Ah, the freshmen," he looks at the students. "I see that we have more than 80 new students this year."
He turns to Hin, "Is that right, Hin?"
"86 new students to be exact, Mr Song," Hin answers without looking up. "31 are taking Bachelor's Program. 19 are taking Master's Program. 30 are taking Talented Artists Education Program. 6 are taking Special Dual Degree Program."
"Lessen than last year," the man hints his disappointment with his face. "I wonder if the results will be better than last year."
He turns his head again to the students and smirks, "Now I want to congratulate all of you, the freshmen of Nocturne Academy. Welcome. And welcome back to all sophomores."
He laughs as if something is really funny yet the others are keeping silence. He stops his laughter and has his eyes on the students.
"Last year I called Hin and Joon up to the podium. Thanks to their incredible entrance examination results," the man mutters. "But this year I heard there are two students who scored the best in entrance examination. More surprising, they are not from Special Dual Degree Program. Is that right, Hin?"
"Yes," Hin answers, still having her eyes on the floor. "They are from Talented Artists Education Program."
"Call them up to the podium," the man demands, "now."
Hin straigthens her body and calls up two names, "Yang Yoseob from Classical Music Major and Lee Gikwang from Modern Music Major. Please come up to the podium."
Even though the students are curious about the two students, they don't dare to raise their heads up. While Yoseob and Gikwang stand up slowly and head to the podium in silence.
"So these two are the best students in entrance examination this year," the man laughs again when Yoseob and Gikwang have stood in front of him. "You two are something special to make Hin had her eyes on you."
Yoseob tries not to look away from the man's eyes while Gikwang is clenching his fists silently, trying to fight over his fear.
"Are you scared?" the man hisses. "Are you scared with me, your own headmaster?"
The man looks at the students who are still kneeling again, "I, Song Heuk, the second headmaster of Nocturne Academy, is officially welcoming you to Nocturne Academy."
As if something has been lifted from their shoulders, the students stand up slowly from their knees and stand properly again.
"No matter who you are, how old you are, or what you are, there is no exception allowed in Nocturne Academy," Mr Song announces. "You have the warning beforehand."
"Hin," Mr Song takes a glance at the hazel-eyed girl, "this is the first time in the history to have a human and a vampire from Talented Artists Education Program as the best students of entrance examination."
"Yes, Sir," Hin answers with the expresionless face.
"No matter though," Mr Song laughs happily. "I called up a human and a vampire as well last year. Time flies."
Mr Song makes a curve on his lips once again when his eyes stop at Yoseob and Gikwang.
"Well then, I shall go now. I return the ceremony to your hand, Hin," less than five seconds, Mr Song has disappeared from their sight, leaving them without the uneasy feeling anymore.
"Please do return to your stands," Hin says to Yoseob and Gikwang. "We shall continue the opening ceremony."
Yoseob and Gikwang exchanged looks for seconds before they step down, back to their lines. Hin continued with a short explanation of NASCA before returning to her lines with Joon, Jieun, and Yonghwa.
"The opening ceremony is officially closed," Miss Cho announces. "Please meet Miss Lee and Miss Baek in the academy hall to take your book sets and schedules. Thank your for attending the opening ceremony and please remember the rules."
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Glossary #2
Intro: opening section
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Glossary #2
Intro: opening section
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