Ch. 8
The following week arrived without much incident.
After her encounter with Ethan in the library, nothing noteworthy happened.
For her, that counted as a victory though she remained on guard every day.
Yuna twirled her ballpen between her fingers, listening attentively to the professor discussing the lesson.
"Alright, class. Would you mind if we do a short and fun activity today?" the professor asked with a grin.
The students immediately groaned. Several of them exchanged suspicious looks, already assuming a surprise quiz was coming. Hearing the chorus of complaints, the professor quickly raised both hands in defense.
"It's not what you think it is! We're not having a surprise quiz, alright?" he said with a laugh. "I just want us to do something productive. Aren't you all curious?"
"Prof! Stop talking in circles and just tell us already!"
"Yeah, Prof! Spill! What's the activity?"
Several students chimed in, their curiosity instantly piqued. The professor smiled at their enthusiasm and clapped his hands together.
"Now that's the reaction I wanted." The class quieted down.
"This activity is graded," he announced. A collective groan echoed through the room.
"But," he quickly added, "it won't be graded individually. You'll be working in groups."
That immediately earned a few relieved sighs.
"I want all of you to split yourselves into two groups. Make sure the numbers are even, no one left out." The professor glanced at the attendance sheet.
"There are thirty students in this class, correct? That means fifteen students per group."
He pointed toward the left side of the classroom.
"Everyone on this side will be Group One." Then he pointed to the opposite side.
"And everyone over there will be Group Two."
Almost instantly, the classroom erupted into movement as students began rearranging their seats. Some students immediately gravitated toward their friends, already deciding which group they wanted to join.
Yuna reluctantly stood from her seat and watched the classroom descend into organized chaos. At least it made choosing easier.
Then she spotted Lina making her way toward Group One. A moment later, Ethan joined the same group. The two of them exchanged a few words before breaking into easy laughter. Yuna narrowed her eyes slightly.
So they really do know each other already.
And judging from the timing, this was probably the scene.
The debate class.
The very event that had fueled Selene's resentment toward Lina in the original novel.
A wave of caution washed over her. Without hesitation, Yuna headed toward Group Two.
The farther she was from the protagonists, the better.
Seeing Ethan and Lina safely placed in the opposite group filled her with a surprising sense of relief.
All she had to do was survive this scene without drawing attention to herself. She should have no villainess behavior. If she could get through today unnoticed, then there was no reason for the story to follow the original plot.
Satisfied with her decision, Yuna quietly took her place among the students in Group Two. Certain that she had successfully avoided the problem.
"Alright! Now that you've settled into your groups," Professor Alden said cheerfully, "choose who among you will be presenting in front. I need two representatives from each group."
The students immediately looked around at one another. Some scanned their classmates, searching for potential volunteers. Others were already trying to avoid eye contact altogether.
"No. Don't you dare choose me. I hate speeches," one girl immediately said.
"Me? Absolutely not. I'm terrible in Professor Alden's class," a boy replied.
"So who's going to do it?"
"Why don't you do it, Riri?"
"What? Why me? You do it, Hillary."
"We need two, right? Fine, I'll do one. We just need one more volunteer."
The discussion continued without reaching a conclusion. Meanwhile, Yuna remained completely uninvolved. She sat quietly in her seat, absentmindedly admiring her nails as if the conversation had nothing to do with her.
Nothing at all.
Which was exactly why Yuna failed to notice several pairs of eyes gradually turning toward her.
When Yuna noticed that her groupmates had suddenly gone quiet, she slowly lifted her head and looked around. Only to find every single one of them staring directly at her. The classroom noise seemed to fade into the background. Yuna blinked once.
A bad feeling immediately settled in her chest.
...Why are you all looking at me?
"No. I won't participate." Yuna said it firmly before looking away, making it clear that the discussion was over.
Or at least, she thought it was. Her groupmates immediately protested.
"Come on, we need one more representative."
"Yeah, there are only two presenters."
"You don't even have to do much."
Despite their objections, none of them sounded annoyed. If anything, they sounded careful, almost cautious. The rumors surrounding Selene still lingered in their minds, and no one wanted to risk offending her by pushing too hard.
So instead of arguing, they found themselves trying to persuade her as politely as possible. Meanwhile, Yuna stubbornly refused to look at any of them.
Nope. Not happening, find another victim.
But a few minutes later, Yuna found herself standing at the front of the classroom. Beside her was the other representative from Group Two. Across from them stood Ethan and Lina, the representatives of Group One.
Yuna stared blankly at the situation.
...How did this happen?
The answer was simple.
The professor had noticed that Group Two was taking far too long to choose their presenters. So he had stepped in and chosen for them. And without a second thought, Professor Alden had pointed directly at Selene.
Yuna could have refused, probably but she didn't.
Partly because she didn't want to drag out the discussion over something as trivial as a group presentation. And partly because, at the end of the day, this was still Selene's grade. Not participating would only make things more complicated.
So, despite every instinct screaming at her to stay invisible, Yuna found herself reluctantly agreeing. And now she was standing face-to-face with both protagonists. Exactly where she had been trying not to be.
Amazing! Three weeks of avoiding the plot. Destroyed in under five minutes.
Once both groups were in position, Professor Alden began explaining the mechanics of the activity.
"This will be a debate," he announced. The classroom immediately grew more attentive.
"The rules are simple. Each group will take turns presenting their arguments and responding to the opposing side. However, if a representative fails to answer a question or provide a counterargument within five minutes, their team automatically loses the round."
A wave of murmurs spread through the room. Five minutes was more than enough time to think of a response. Which meant the challenge wasn't the time limit. It was defending your position under pressure. Professor Alden smiled as he looked around the classroom.
"And today's debate topic is..." He paused for dramatic effect.
"Social Status: Privilege or Responsibility?"
The room instantly became lively. Some students looked excited, others looked nervous. Yuna, meanwhile, felt a familiar sense of dread.
Of course it had to be this topic. Why do I suddenly feel like the universe specifically chose this to mess with me?
Professor Alden glanced at both groups before stepping aside.
"Alright. Since everyone is ready, we'll begin." He gestured toward Group One.
"Group One, you may present your argument first. Once you're finished, Group Two will have the opportunity to respond. Keep your arguments clear, stay on topic, and most importantly, respect the opposing side."
Ethan nodded and stepped forward. He glanced briefly at Lina beside him before facing the class. Unlike the nervous students earlier, he seemed surprisingly comfortable standing in front of everyone.
"Good afternoon, Professor Alden and everyone." He paused for a moment, his usual easy smile still on his face.
"Our topic today is Social Status: Privilege or Responsibility? And our position is simple." His expression became slightly more serious.
"Social status is a privilege, but it is also a responsibility." The classroom grew quieter.
"People who are born into wealth or given opportunities that others don't have are already standing on an advantage. They have better access to education, connections, resources, and opportunities that can be difficult for others to obtain."Ethan glanced briefly toward the other group.
"So if you have that privilege, shouldn't you also use it to help those who were not given the same opportunities?" A few students nodded in agreement.
"Having more doesn't mean you have to give everything away. But if you have the ability to help someone who has less, why shouldn't you?" He paused, letting his words settle.
"Social status shouldn't be something we use to separate ourselves from others. If anything, those who have more power and resources should use them to create opportunities for those who have less." Ethan stepped back slightly.
"That's what we believe."
Professor Alden nodded.
"Good, group one is responsibility then I guess the group Two is for privilege?"
Yuna slowly lifted her gaze. She glanced briefly at her partner, but the girl seemed to have frozen, still trying to figure out what to say. Yuna let out a quiet sigh.
Guess I'm doing this.
She stepped forward, facing the opposing group.
"Your argument is reasonable. But I disagree with one assumption..."
The room grew quiet.
"That having social status automatically means you owe something to everyone who has less than you."
A few students exchanged glances. Yuna continued, her voice calm and steady.
"Yes, people with wealth and influence have access to opportunities that others may not have. And yes, using those opportunities to help others is a good thing." She paused.
"But should helping others become an obligation simply because someone has more?" Her gaze briefly settled on Lina.
"I don't think so." Yuna folded her arms loosely.
"Not everyone who becomes successful was simply handed their position. Some people worked for years to get there. They sacrificed their time, their comfort, and sometimes even their relationships just to reach the position they have now." Her expression remained composed.
"So... why should they be expected to give something back simply because they succeeded?" She let the question hang for a moment.
"Helping others should be encouraged, of course. But it should come from choice, not guilt."
Yuna's voice remained even, but there was something firm underneath it.
"If we keep telling people that those at the top are responsible for pulling everyone else up, then what happens to the people who are still trying to climb?" She looked around the classroom.
"Shouldn't we also encourage people to work toward creating their own opportunities?"
The room fell noticeably quieter. Yuna took a breath.
"Social status shouldn't be treated as something shameful just because someone has achieved it. And success shouldn't automatically come with a debt to society."She stepped back slightly.
"Privilege may give you an advantage." Her eyes flickered toward Ethan and Lina.
"But what you do with your life after receiving that advantage is still your choice."
Lina remained quiet for a moment, seemingly gathering her thoughts. Then she slowly stepped forward.
"I understand what you're saying, Miss Valen." Her voice was soft, but steady.
"And I agree that success doesn't always come from privilege. Some people really do work hard for everything they have."
She glanced briefly at Yuna before
continuing.
"But I think there's something we're forgetting."
The room became quiet again.
"Not everyone starts from the same place."Lina clasped her hands together in front of her.
"Some people work just as hard, if not harder, but still don't get the same opportunities. They may not have the money for proper education. They may not have connections. They may not even have enough to support themselves while trying to reach their goals."
Her voice remained gentle, but her words carried weight.
"So when someone who already has those opportunities chooses to help someone who doesn't, I don't think that's about guilt." She shook her head slightly.
"I think it's about understanding how fortunate you are." Lina glanced toward the other students.
"For example, scholarships."
A few students turned toward her.
"Some of us are only able to study here because someone decided to give us an opportunity." Her gaze briefly lowered before she continued.
"I wouldn't be standing in this classroom today without that kind of help." She looked back at Yuna.
"So yes, people should work hard for their dreams. I completely agree with that." A small smile appeared on her face.
"But sometimes, hard work isn't enough when you don't even have a chance to begin."
The room fell silent.
"That's why I believe social status shouldn't only be seen as a privilege." Lina took a small breath.
"If you have the power to open a door for someone who has been standing outside it their entire life..."
"Why wouldn't you?" Her voice softened.
Lina stepped back, allowing the silence to settle. Yuna remained still for a moment.
.... Damn. That's actually a good argument. Why does the protagonist have to be so reasonable?
She had expected Lina to say something predictable, something easy to counter. Instead, she had brought up something Yuna couldn't simply dismiss.
Yuna almost sighed.
Of course.
Even in a debate, Lina had to make things difficult.