Episode 8
Scene: School Auditorium – Morning
There was unusual excitement in the school that morning.
Banners hung everywhere —
"Welcome, His Highness Prince Adrian!"
Students stood in lines, cameras ready,
and the principal, Mr. Han, was personally checking every arrangement.
The Prince's visit had a special purpose —
he was there to meet the school's top five students,
selected for the upcoming National Sports Event.
And these five were no ordinary students —
Aiden, Rafael, Serena, Tara, and Mira.
But when the Prince entered through the gate…
none of those five were present.
---
Scene: Classroom
The principal asked the teacher,
> "Miss Jang Na-Ra, where are Aiden and his friends?"
The teacher nervously looked through her files,
> "Sir, I thought they went to the assembly."
The principal shouted,
> "The assembly is already over! Their attendance isn't even marked!"
Prince Adrian, in a calm but sharp tone, said,
> "Let's go to their class. I'd like to meet them personally."
The reporters got their cameras ready.
Everyone began walking toward the class —
the sound of footsteps echoed through the silent school.
---
The Rooftop Prison
Far above, the sun burned hot against the school rooftop.
Five figures sat lazily near the railing — Aiden, Rafael, Serena, Tara, and Mira.
They laughed, smoked, and scrolled on their phones, unaware of the storm below.
The rooftop door was thick, soundproof — and locked from outside.
Locked by Elira herself.
> Aiden smirked. "Guess we'll skip the royal circus today." Serena chuckled, lighting another cigarette. "Let them wait. The Prince will always protect us."
She blew a cloud of smoke toward the sky.
> "Even if we kill someone, he'll still smile for the cameras," Rafael added darkly.
They all laughed.
Scene: Class Visit
When the Prince entered the classroom, every student stood up.
But the moment he looked ahead —
Aiden and his group were absent.
The atmosphere turned tense.
Camera flashes went off.
The principal gave a nervous smile,
> "Maybe they're preparing for the event—"
But the reporters didn't stay silent.
---
Scene: Media Chaos
One reporter raised his mic,
> "Principal, it's such a special day and your top students are missing?"
Another added,
> "These same five students are always in the news — bullying, harassment, fights — and now they're missing again. Is that just a coincidence?"
A third reporter shifted his camera and said,
> "Looks like you're trying to cover for them, sir. Why? Because one of them is related to the Prince?"
The entire class went silent in shock.
The color drained from the principal's face.
The reporter continued,
> "We know Aiden is the Prince's son, and he's one of the top five selected for the sports event!"
All the reporters began shouting at once:
> "Is that why they get special treatment?"
"Is that why bullying reports are always buried?"
"Is that why no action is ever taken against them?"
Another reporter grabbed the mic,
> "This is the same school ranked 'Second Best in the Country,' isn't it?
Is that ranking maintained by money and power?"
Another slammed the desk,
> "The Prince himself is here — and yet his son's scandals are being hidden. How ironic!"
A female journalist added,
> "A year ago, a student committed suicide, and you closed the case calling it 'mental pressure.'
Now five students missing again? Are you hiding the truth?"
The class was completely silent.
Sweat dripped from the principal's face.
Prince Adrian closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
His face remained calm,
but disappointment and guilt glimmered in his eyes.
---
Scene: Elira Steps In
Miss Jang Na-Ra tried to calm the situation,
> "Please calm down, I'm sure this is just a small misunderstanding—"
Then suddenly, Elira raised her hand.
Everyone's attention turned toward her.
> "Miss… may I say something?"
Her voice was soft, but filled with quiet confidence.
The principal snapped,
> "What do you want to say?"
Elira looked straight into his eyes and said,
> "Sir, I saw them going toward the rooftop."
A quiet stir spread through the class.
The reporters immediately became alert.
> "What did you just say?" one asked.
Elira calmly replied,
"Their group often skips class whenever they want and hangs out on the rooftop."
> "So today's the same — the Prince's son is skipping class?" a reporter asked sarcastically.
The principal yelled,
> "Stop it! This is all nonsense!"
A senior reporter smirked,
> "Then let's go and see for ourselves. The truth or the lie — we'll find it on the rooftop."
Prince Adrian said firmly,
> "Let's go. I want to see for myself."
---
Scene: Hallway
Reporters, teachers, and the Prince moved quickly toward the rooftop.
Camera flashes lit up the hallway.
The principal's steps were trembling.
And Elira —
stood a little behind them, calm and confident,
a faint mysterious smile on her lips —
as if she already knew what they'd find.
The moment they opened the rooftop gate, a thick cloud of smoke burst into the air.
Camera flashes flared brighter.
As the reporters stepped in —
their faces froze in shock.
There they were — the top five students —
Aiden, Rafael, Serena, Tara, and Mira —
sitting in the corner, surrounded by cigarette smoke.
Music played on Rafael's phone, and Serena was laughing loudly.
The Prince's face turned pale.
The media team beside him fell silent,
but the cameras continued recording — every second, every reaction.
The principal screamed,
> "What the hell is going on here!?"
But his voice was drowned out by the flood of microphones.
Reporters began firing questions like lightning.
---
Media Attack Begins ⚡
1️⃣ "These are the top students the Prince came to see?"
2️⃣ "Are these your school's future leaders?"
3️⃣ "Where are your rules now, Mr. Han?"
4️⃣ "Has your 'Second Best School' become a cigarette lounge?"
5️⃣ "Is this why they never get detention — because they're 'royal blood'?"
6️⃣ "Principal, is this the 'discipline' you wanted to show the media?"
7️⃣ "Prince, are these your son and his friends — the same ones who bully others?"
8️⃣ "Are you all so blinded by power that you've forgotten student safety?"
9️⃣ "Your son Aiden — didn't he send a student to the hospital last year?"
10️⃣ "And Rafael — the principal's own son — he's part of this group too.
So you've turned the school into your family business?"
11️⃣ "You cover every mistake because when cameras turn off, money talks!"
12️⃣ "Is that why every bullying case is silenced?"
13️⃣ "You destroyed my daughter in this very school!
She lost her sanity — she's still in therapy!"
14️⃣ "You call this a 'safe environment'?
Where's the safety — under smoke and corruption?"
15️⃣ "And now we hear this school is run by the Prince's relatives?
Is that why these kids are untouchable?"
16️⃣ "Serena — she's the Minister's daughter, right?
So this school is for the royals —
where poor students get punished, and the rich have full freedom!"
Another journalist said sarcastically,
> "Prince, these are the same students you came to personally meet —
and they welcomed you with cigarette smoke!"
---
Prince's Reaction
Prince Adrian stood still.
His eyes were lost behind the haze of smoke.
For a moment, even his royal calm shattered.
He spoke softly,
> "Stop recording."
But no one stopped.
In that media frenzy, every second was being captured.
Aiden panicked, threw his cigarette to the ground, and looked at Rafael.
> "Dad... this was planned! We were framed!"
Rafael shouted angrily,
> "Mice! Shut up, Aiden!"
The word slipped out of his mouth in panic and anger,
and instantly, all the reporters turned toward him.
> "Did you just call him 'Mice'?" one asked, zooming the camera in.
Serena quickly added,
> "It was just a joke!"
But nothing could be hidden now.
The entire rooftop scandal was being broadcast live.
---
Elira's Entry
Suddenly, a faint sound came from behind the gate.
All the cameras turned toward it.
Elira stood there — calm, confident, and completely fearless.
The Prince looked at her.
The principal yelled furiously,
> "What are you doing here!?"
Elira answered firmly,
> "Sir, I told you… they were on the rooftop."
A reporter moved the mic closer to her,
> "Miss, how did you know?"
Elira smiled faintly,
> "Let's just say… I know their habits.
And when habits are dirty, they always go where no one can see them."
Camera flashes lit up her face.
Her calm expression and the fire hidden in her eyes —
held everyone's attention like a spell.
It was as if Neesha's soul herself was looking through her eyes.
---
Scene End: Public Explosion
The principal tried to stop the reporters,
> "Enough! Everyone get out!"
But the reporters shouted back,
> "The public wants the truth — not another cover-up!"
Prince Adrian looked at Elira again —
and in her eyes, he recognized something…
that courage, that calm, that fearless truth.
He softly asked,
> "Miss... what's your name?"
Elira looked straight at him and said,
> "Elira. Elira Albert — the girl who won't stay silent."
The media captured that line instantly —
and those words spread like fire through the entire system.