Imaginara: Beyond the Known — Chapter 1
The morning bell rang, but the hallways were already buzzing. Students crowded the corridors, backpacks swinging, some racing to class, others dawdling. Lockers slammed, laughter bounced off the walls, and the scent of toast from the cafeteria drifted in.
Inside Class 2-B, the teacher had begun attendance.
"Alright, boys first," she said, flipping through her list. "Fang?"
"Here!" Fang raised his hand casually, eyes already scanning the room. Top student, confident, the kind of guy who didn't need to try to stand out.
While the teacher continued down the list, Shael leaned toward Amzar. "Dude, lift your face from the table or you're gonna miss it."
Amzar groaned without moving. "I don't care… not feeling it today."
The teacher's pen moved steadily, names being called one by one. The chatter between Shael and Amzar floated in the background, unnoticed.
Suddenly, the door slid open. A late arrival.
"Present!" Asher's voice echoed in the classroom.
The teacher froze, then burst out laughing. "Woah… our king has arrived!" she called, mockingly. "Class, give him a round of applause!"
Hands clapped and some snickered as Asher sauntered in, hands raised as if greeting fans, making his way to his seat with all the exaggerated flair of a celebrity.
"Seriously, Asher," the teacher said, still smirking. "Why do you keep coming late? This time, no attendance for you!"
Asher blinked. "Wait… but I came exactly when my name was about to be called."
"Mister!" she snapped. "That was the girls' attendance! The boys' list ended a while ago."
Laughter rippled through the classroom.
One girl near the window muttered loud enough for Asher to hear, "Clown." Her name was Mira, rolling her eyes at his theatrics.
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Lunch Break — Rumors and Friends
The cafeteria was buzzing with chatter. Groups of girls laughed and whispered in corners, some casually watching the boys.
"You heard the rumor?" one whispered.
"What rumor?" another asked.
"That Asher and Mira are dating," said a girl near the window.
"Me? Dating that clown?" Mira scoffed, crossing her arms. "Not in a million years!"
Meanwhile, Asher sat with his friends at their usual table.
"I should just bunk school and go home," he muttered, poking at his food. "There's no proof I was even here."
"Then start waking up earlier u lazy ," Fang teased.
Shael grinned. "Hmm… I heard some rumors going around… between you and Mira." Our class girls thinks u have a crush on her and the other class thinking u both dating or even broke up
Asher's poking at his food, shaking his head.
"Bro I swear, this isn't even the first time. Before Mira, people thought I was dating Joei. Now mira also thinks I had a crush on her. I don't even know how I keep ending up in this mess."
Fang leans back in his chair, smirking.
"Nahhh, I'm pretty sure you do something that makes people think you like them. No way this keeps happening for free."
Asher threw up his hands. "Guys, you know I rarely talk to girls. Like, literally only when I need to."
Fang leaned back, crossing his arms. "Yeah, but we don't know what you do in… you know… that chat world."
Asher raised an eyebrow. "Chat world?"
Fang rolled his eyes. "Messaging, apps… whatever you call it."
"As if," Asher grumbles, already pulling out his phone. "Look. Look at my chats with Mira. "See? We only talk here for school stuff. Notes, homework… nothing else."
Fang and the others lean in. Asher scrolls through the old messages — timestamps, screenshots of notes, a couple reminders about homework.
Then Fang freezes.
"Hold up. Scroll back."
"What?" Asher frowns.
"There." Fang taps the screen. "You sent her a song."
Asher waved his hand. "So what? I shared it with everyone. She just happened to get it—its just a song so I didn't unsend it
Fang drags his hand down his face dramatically.
"You absolute menace. The song is literally called 'One Love.'"
Asher blinks.
"…Okay and?"
Fang drops his chopsticks. Shael starts wheezing.
"Asher. Bro. My brother in creation," Fang says, "she probably thought you were dropping a hint."
Shael points at him.
"It will totally make sense if she thinks u like her."
Asher slumps back in his chair, defeated.
"Man… that's why girls thinks i am some weirdo
Fang pats him on the shoulder.
"Too late, champ. Reputation already built."
Asher groans.
"And now mira thinks the same thing. Great. Amazing. Perfect."