No Time

Team A:

It has been over an hour and a half, and we still don't know how to get out.

Whoever said math wasn't needed after you finish school... come out!

We just want to get out already...

Team B:

We were bombarded by flour every door we pulled open.

Not a pleasant feeling or look.

Just by breathing, we puffed out flour. It was that caked on us.

Why was this happening???

Team C:

We've got the brains, we've got the brawns, no lock can ever stop us!

With Shui Yu here, who's already powerful even when his capabilities were reduced to a normal human's, we were set to be out of this place the first!

But really, Shui Yu, please go easy on the zombie actors... I think they aren't even approaching us now...

Team D:

We were doing extremely well!

We had a lot of smart people in our group, and if we were one of them, we helped to find any clues!

We have such great teamwork!

Ah. But when zombies appeared, we all ran away screaming...

-----------

I watched the show that Yu Ge was participating in and laughed occasionally.

These contestants didn't seem that qualified to date my brother.

I doubt they knew a thing about wooing somebody.

Even I felt that I was more mature than the people on the screen.

Being a mere 14-year-old, one would expect only puppy love and schoolwork, but it wasn't like that for me.

I was an assassin from young, and I had seen many targets' lives.

Many were "bad guys", those that extorted, cheated money, ruined others' lives. That's why I was requested to kill by the people who had been ruined by them.

But others weren't always like that. Some were only requested to be killed because they were the rightful heir, the CEO of so & so businesses, business partners, allies, or were regular people who didn't know they even offended someone.

As a rule, we had to tell our targets who had requested to kill them. Some would be resigned, others angry. A few were disappointed.

Since this was a money making business, we offered chances so that if the target could pay more than what was initially offered, they could live and we could even kill the requestor for them.

If they were both rich, the price would soar up, and everyone but the final victim would be happy.

It was a dog eat dog kind of world, and if both of them were adamant about getting back at each other, the business would go splendidly well.

But if the victim didn't have enough money, too bad for them.

Assassins had a job, they couldn't be weak-minded. 

Of course, I pitied a few of the victims, but I still killed them so I have no right to feel bad for them.

I'm no longer in that field, it's illegal in the base. It was even before when we lived under the government, but now I'm just listening to my brother.

From my days of being an assassin, I knew people's minds very well. Their hidden desires, hatred, love, all kinds of emotions.

I thought with seeing such dark parts of humanity, I would never come to love outsiders. That is, people outside of my family members and long-time friends. I could make friends, but I would never be able to trust them fully until I knew them for a couple of years.

But I realized, there are good humans. Ones that are either innocent or know of the bad things but do their best to not be bad.

At school, there were many kids of my age that didn't know a thing. They were raised up preciously and were spoiled with love and affection. They thought I was cool and made me their boss.

Those were the good times.

After the apocalypse struck, many of my friends transferred over to the base. They lived well even here. They had lost most of their status and possessions because of the apocalypse, so they had to live like normal people.

But they actually wanted to live a normal life, stay in school, make friends, be looked after by their family. They didn't want to be like me, already going outside to hunt down zombies, teaching others how to stay alive outside, how to fight, what to do in emergency situations.

They didn't know that much anyways.

So without even meaning to, they cut off contact from me.

We weren't on bad terms.

They were thankful that they could come here with connections to me.

But they wanted to live as normally as they could while it lasted.

Anyways, I was talking about love.

Love isn't easy. Even if you want to deny, it's not possible sometimes.

You get angry at yourself for liking a person. You think it won't work out.

You know what type of person they are, their flaws, their talents.

You want to know even more and even when you can't memorize math equations, you memorize everything about them.

You say you got over them but when you see them again, the feeling comes back instantly.

You can't stop it even if they reject you.

...I wasn't rejected. It's just a theory.

I was losing sleep over this thing called love.

It was probably just "like", it's not that strong to call it love and it's not even reciprocated.

Yet.

...I don't think I'll confess though.

It won't work out.

My "crush" has low self-esteem.

He knows Yu Ge. He's quite afraid of him still.

He had a bad mental state, but he's a lot better now. He had lots of therapy done, and he's mostly cured.

Even if he isn't completely cured, I'm pretty sure I can stop him. He's not as strong as me.

The fact that he has technically dated several girls before, does bother me.

But it doesn't matter, they're probably all zombies now anyway.

Here's a hint: My crush used to go to school with Yu Ge. He was his dorm mate actually.

It's not Shane or Andrei.

Even if I liked Shane, he's gay. Also, he's shorter than me. No prejudice against short guys, but if I get a boyfriend, I'd prefer someone with a similar height or taller. He's fast but his jabs and punches aren't as good as his kicks.

Andrei's too... he's too stiff. He's like one of those ascetic monks. Also, he looks tough, but he's not really that strong. He only knows how to fight, but in a real fight, he doesn't adapt well.

I'm their teacher though, so I've got to drill in techniques to them.

My crush is also my student.

I'm too young to be considered a date, but I look mature.

My past assassination jiejies said I'd grow up to be a hot sexy lady.

I think I did.

Not to be narcissistic or anything, that's Lai Ge's role.

I don't look old for my age. Mature? Yes. But old? No.

I was taller than many boys of my age, I had good proportions and was fit.

I also had an abundance of, you know what.

...Chest.

So, I was confident in my looks.

Everyone in the Shui family had good looking faces.

That's the only good thing our ex-parents left us.

My crush liked pretty girls. So, I should be in his range?

Or am I still too young?

I knew Yu Ge would disapprove if I had a relationship with this guy.

Plenty of people had asked me out, but this guy interested me.

Jack Larson.

Yes, it's the guy that killed and tortured pretty girls to see what expressions they made.

But he's turned for the better.

...Well even if he hasn't, I'm strong enough to take him down a thousand times.

Sigh, this was probably a bad idea, but I couldn't help it.

I'll ask him to reject me.

Would that work?

I hadn't slept properly because of these recurring thoughts... I should get it over with soon.

I finished sorting out my thoughts and stretched.

Time for class.

-------------

I ended class early and told Jack to stay behind.

Shane wanted to eavesdrop with a mischievous smile and eyebrow wiggling look, but thankfully Andrei dragged him out with an excuse.

Holding a clipboard with a blank sheet of paper attached, I said, "I'm going to do a survey on everyone. You're the first."

"...Alright?" the confused look was really cute...

No slacking off!

"Anyways, family members?"

"Mom, Dad, and a pet dog." A dog? Cute.

"Are you going to school?"

"Yeah, I'm majoring in Photography."

"Do you have social interactions with anyone?"

"Friends, teachers, and neighbors."

"Have you had any relationships in the past few years?"

"...No. You know my situation." Yeah, perfect for getting close to you while everyone else stays away!

"Do you plan to get married?"

"Is this part of the survey?"

"Just answer it. No harm done."

"I hope to, but I don't think I can."

"Why's that."

"A lot of people know what I've done. I've killed and tortured. I wouldn't ever do that again, but there might be a possibility..."

"Hm, considering that I was an assassin, you aren't really anything."

"Ha, are you trying to console me? You're doing a terrible job. But thanks." When he looked up to smile, god, that's the cutest thing ever.

"So, do you have anyone you like right now?"

Jack laughed and asked, "I really don't think this is a part of the survey!"

"I'm just curious. I won't tell others! I swear! I'll even sign a contract and stamp, sign, thumbprint, whatever!" Desperate times for desperate measures.

"No need, I don't have anyone in mind currently."

"Really?"

"Really." Alright, Plan Get Rejected is in the trash bin now.

"Then, would you consider me?" I asked with a roguish smile.