The morning sun had already spread over the city. The sky was clear, and the air carried a light warmth. Calm on the surface, chaos underneath.

  Today was Monday — Result Day.

  One by one, cars stopped in front of Lumynara High’s gates. Every step carried hope — or fear. Shiny black, blue, white — students stepped out from cars of various colors.

  A muted excitement was on everyone’s faces — some were silent, others spoke quietly with friends, but in every eye, the same question lingered:—"How did I do?"

  No one dared to say it out loud. Passing through the gate, everyone headed straight for Aurum Hall, where, in a few moments, the screen board would display the second-year students’ results.

  The hall’s doors were already open, with soft lights glowing inside. Students entered slowly, some taking seats, others standing and waiting — the atmosphere filled with a silent sense of anticipation.

  The kind of silence that presses on the chest. Inside, a gentle murmur spread — some spoke quietly, others stood completely still.

  There, ready to check their results, stood Rayn, Yuqeen, Haarun, Mayya, Sa’ut, Hinnah, Riyy, Satsuqy, and Rinah.

  On their faces, there was no sign of worry or fear, as if they already knew they would score higher than everyone else.

  Confidence — or quiet certainty. After a while, the screen board lit up. Fates began to surface. It displayed:— "All subject scores consolidated. Individual breakdowns delivered to registered devices."

  As everyone matched the text, the names slowly began to appear — along with scores and their respective ranks beside them.

  The students watched the board in silence. Some smiled lightly upon seeing their names, while others furrowed their brows, calculating quietly in their minds.

  Slowly, the marks for all twelve subjects started appearing on everyone’s phones. Digits that could rewrite futures. One by one, the students began checking their scores on their screens.

  The hall was filled with a muted stillness — no cheering, no tears — only the board’s results shimmering gently in the soft light, and in front of it stood a group of weary yet expectant faces. Even breathing felt loud.

  The results from below up to rank 11 were displayed. Rank 11 showed: Rinah Amatsuq: Rank 11 – 86.74%

  Pride mixed with quiet disappointment. Seeing Rinah’s rank and score, everyone nearby immediately began congratulating her. Yuqeen, in a gentle voice, said to Rinah:—“Congratulations, Rinah, you did really well.”

  Rinah, feeling nervous, replied softly:—“These are good marks, but I couldn’t make it into the top 10.”

  Expectations weighed heavier than scores. Hearing this, Hinnah said playfully:— “Are you upset about that? Don’t you see how far ahead you are compared to so many other students?”

  Rinah realized from Hinnah’s words that although she was just outside the top 10, she was still ahead of many others. She lowered her head and gave a peaceful, subtle smile. Acceptance settling in.

  Seeing Rinah smile, Hinnah laughed mischievously and playfully said:— “And surely, the 3rd Year President will be very happy to see such high marks from you.”

  Rinah blushed deeply at Hinnah’s comment and covered her face with both hands. Mayya, smiling lightly, added:— “Stop now, or poor Rinah will start trembling with embarrassment.”

  After a short while, the Top 10 results were announced. The room held its breath. Everyone was astonished, and Riyy was the most surprised of all.

  Seeing the results reminded Riyy of something Ymraan had said a few days ago — that he needed to be ready to secure 4th place. A prediction turning real.

  The Top 10 results were:

  1. Saamyn Siddarik: Rank 1 – 100.00%

  (Perfection, without effort.)

  2. Ymraan Sarqaan: Rank 2 – 99.99%

  (Almost flawless—by choice.)

  3. Yuqeen Aev Hanabirah: Rank 3 – 94.32%

  4. Riyy aev Kazahaya: Rank 4 – 94.16%

  (Relief and disbelief collided.)

  5. Satsuqy aev Aokam: Rank 5 – 92.03%

  6. Mayya Shizqar: Rank 6 – 90.56%

  7. Rayn Taqeesh: Rank 7 – 90.11%

  8. Sa’ut aev Raidanji: Rank 8 – 89.74%

  9. Hinnah aev Yumayqah: Rank 9 – 87.82%

  10. Haarun aev Inazum: Rank 10 – 87.01%

  Seeing the screen board, Mayya said to Yuqeen in a surprised voice:— “Congratulations, Yuqeen! Today, for the first time, you didn’t come 1st but still secured 3rd place.”

  Hearing this, Yuqeen just shook his head in disbelief, staring at the board with wide eyes. The throne finally felt distant.

  While the entire hall of students stood astonished, Saamyn and Ymraan slowly stepped forward from the back. The students in front of them moved aside instinctively, people made space. as they passed.

  Reaching the front to look at the screen board, Saamyn remained completely calm, but Ymraan pressed his lips together, slowly smiled, and Victory amused him. and in a joyful voice said:— “As they say, Riyy… even for 4th place, I’ll have to have a party with him.”

  All the students’ eyes in the school were on them, but Riyy hid himself, glancing at Ymraan. Gratitude disguised as fear.

  Seeing everyone’s attention on them, Saamyn and Ymraan left the hall, as if the results were nothing special to them. Legends don’t celebrate numbers. Even after they stepped outside the door, everyone kept looking toward the entrance.

  Rayn whispered to Haarun, Sa’ut, and Riyy beside him:— “These two are doing something new every day. Silver Days start tomorrow, and I have no idea what bomb they’ll drop next.”

  A warning wrapped as a joke. The next morning. The morning felt different. The sunlight shimmered softly on the glass walls of the school building. The sky was clear — not a single cloud in sight.

  Today was Silver Day.

  Not just a celebration — an omen. The Assembly Hall seemed more vibrant than ever before. Excitement hummed in the air. Gentle light spread across the walls, and a faint hum of wind came from above.

  At the front stood a moderately high stage, where the Principal, a few senior teachers, and the three Presidents of the Council of Crown were seated.

  Just below the stage were three long rows of neatly arranged seats — on the left, sat the First Year students, in the middle, the Second Years, and on the right, the Third Years. Everyone was talking among themselves — some laughing softly, others sitting quietly.

  A distinct excitement filled the air —as if the arrival of Silver Day had awakened the entire school into celebration.

  In the front row sat the Top 10 students from yesterday’s results.

  Since Saamyn and Ymraan had topped the list, they were seated right in the front. All eyes gravitated toward them. The Principal stepped toward the lectern at the center of the stage.

  As soon as he arrived, the entire hall fell silent — In an instant, Authority commanded without effort. every sound disappeared. The Principal began speaking in a calm, warm voice:— “Hello, my dear students. I know all of you are very excited about today’s Silver Day.”

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  He paused for a moment and looked across the hall at the students sitting before him. Then, with a gentle smile, he continued:— “I know your results were announced yesterday.”

  He paused again before speaking softly:— “Many of you passed, some didn’t, and a few of you achieved results that were truly remarkable. But let me make one thing clear — those who failed, don’t be disheartened. Failing today doesn’t mean you’ve lost. It means you’ll do even better next time. And those who passed, aim higher next time.”

  Failure was reframed as fuel. As soon as the Principal finished speaking, murmurs filled the hall, and then the students broke into applause.

  When the clapping faded, he spoke again:— “So, after today’s assembly, you’ll all enjoy yourselves around the school. With that, I’ll end my speech here. Now, please welcome your 3rd Year President to the lectern.”

  Hearing that, Nazar rose from his seat and slowly walked toward the lectern. Confidence shaped by experience. Standing before it, he spoke in a calm voice:— “Hello, my friends. I am your 3rd Year President, Nazar aev Kurgaan.”

  He took a deep breath and continued:— “Today marks the first day of Silver Day. You’ll make new friends, share sweets, and celebrate together. So, I won’t say much — I just want to wish all of you a very happy Silver Day.”

  A leader who didn’t overstay words. As soon as Nazar finished, the hall once again erupted in applause. When the clapping died down, Nazar smiled and said:— “Alright then, now please welcome your 2nd Year President, Riyy aev Kazahaya to the lectern.”

  Hearing Nazar’s words, Ymraan whispered with a smirk:— “Now it’s going to get fun.”

  Chaos enjoyed anticipation. After Nazar stepped down, Riyy slowly walked up to the lectern. With a calm, polite smile, he said:— “Hello, students. I’m your 2nd Year President, Riyy aev Kazahaya.”

  As soon as he finished speaking, Ymraan spoke up in a mocking tone:— “Hey, the 3rd Year President just said you were coming up next — no need to announce it again and torture our ears.”

  Disrespect delivered casually. Some students looked at him in surprise, while others tried to hold back laughter.

  The Principal leaned toward a nearby teacher and whispered:— “Why is this student speaking to his year’s president like that?”

  The teacher replied softly:— “He’s a friend of the 2nd Year President, sir. They often joke like this.”

  Hearing that, the Principal chuckled quietly — He understood that kind of playful banter between friends. Rules bent for familiarity

  Meanwhile, Riyy stood there with a faint trace of irritation on his face. Once the hall calmed down, Riyy spoke again in a composed tone:— “I won’t take much of your time.

  I just want to wish you all a happy Silver Days. And one more thing — don’t hold any grudges or sadness in your heart. Keep your mind clear, and enjoy these days fully.”

  Peace offered despite pressure. As soon as Riyy finished, Ymraan called out again in his usual mocking voice:— “Like what — installing an anti-virus?”

  Mockery hit like a perfectly timed punchline. The entire hall instantly burst into laughter. Authority cracked under humor. Students couldn’t stop laughing; even Satsuqy was trying to hide her smile.

  The Principal and Nazar struggled to suppress their laughter, while Rayn, Haarun, and Sa’ut were practically rolling in their seats.

  Now clearly annoyed, Riyy clenched his jaw, closed his eyes, and muttered in his mind:— “Now I’m starting to doubt… am I really the President of the Council of Crown?”

  Power felt fragile. When things finally settled, Nazar, sounding slightly irritated, announced:— “Now, please welcome your 1st Year President, Zavian Aev Raif.”

  Damage control mode. Riyy stepped down from the stage, and Zavian slowly walked up to the lectern. He looked a little nervous. Confidence hadn’t arrived yet.

  Once there, Zavian glanced at Ymraan and thought to himself "Fear learned fast:— “Better not mention my name… Otherwise, he’ll make fun of me too.”

  But before Zavian could say anything, Ymraan shouted loudly in his teasing tone:— “Hey, little one! Where’ve you been all this time? Didn’t see you after the last Council meeting— What happened, I got scared?”

  Cruel humor dressed as teasing. Ymraan’s words made the entire hall erupt with laughter once again. However, many of the 1st graders looked shocked, staring at Ymraan — their minds filled with the same question:—“Did he just call our president ‘little one’?!”

  Respect shattered in seconds. Meanwhile, Zavian, visibly annoyed, said in a deep, firm voice:— “I don’t want to say anything.”

  And with that, he stepped down from the lectern and returned to his seat. Defeat without words.

  A few moments later.

  The assembly ended, and all the students began leaving the hall. Some were laughing, some were joking around, and others were still buzzing with the excitement of Silver Days.

  But in one corner, near the stage, the 1st Year President sat quietly. Silence hit harder than laughter. His face looked heavy, his eyes filled with disappointment.

  A few students from his batch sat beside him, trying to comfort him. He whispered under his breath:— “Why did I even come here... No one has ever humiliated me like this before.”

  A wound carved publicly. Meanwhile, Saamyn and Ymraan were standing off to the side. Just then, Yuqeen and Mayya walked up to them. A little farther away, Rayn, Sa’ut, and Haarun were still struggling to stop laughing.

  In a calm tone, Yuqeen said:— “Sarqaan, you were wrong. Morals clashed with ego. You shouldn’t have insulted the president like that.”

  Hearing that, Ymraan smirked confidently and replied:— “Even if the country’s president stood in front of me, I wouldn’t spare him. And this was just the school president.”

  Power meant nothing to him. No sooner had he said that than they noticed — Riyy was standing right behind them. The storm entered quietly. His face had turned red with anger.

  The students nearby quickly backed away, sensing tension in the air. Shaking with rage, Riyy growled in a deep voice:— “Ymraan, you’re dead! I’m not letting you go this time!”

  Anger took control. And the moment he said it, Ymraan bolted. Chaos chose motion. Running out of the hall, he looked back laughing and shouted:— “Catch me first, Mr. ‘Anti-virus’!”

  Fuming with anger, Riyy ran after him, shouting:— “You bastard, Ymraan! You humiliated my honor in front of everyone!”

  Egos collided at full speed. Still running through the corridor, Ymraan laughed and yelled back:— “Honor? You gotta have some for me to insult!”

  A little later.

  Tension dissolved into color. The corridors, classrooms, and gardens of the school were bursting with color and life. Students carried small sweet boxes, sharing them with one another. Someone laughed and said:— “Happy Silver Days!”

  While another smiled, playfully feeding sweets to a friend. Some joked: — “Try this one, but mine tastes better!” And then both of them burst out laughing.

  Tables near the hall were lined with rows of sweets, and teachers chatted warmly with students. The air was filled with the soft, sugary scent of happiness, Joy became contagious — as if this day had become the brightest in all of Lumynara High.

  Some were making new friends, others were patching up old misunderstandings with laughter and sweets. Today, there was no anger, no sadness — only smiles, celebration, a rare pause from reality and the sweet fragrance of joy filling the entire school.

  Yuqeen took out one sweet box after another from her bag and began handing them to her friends — Mayya, Hinnah, Haarun, and the others.

  Finally, she pulled out one special sweet she had made herself and, with soft eyes, offered it to Rayn. Feelings wrapped in sugar. Meanwhile, Mayya was also giving sweets to all her friends — except Haarun. Haarun, a little confused, asked:— “You’re not giving me any sweets?”

  Mayya smiled sweetly and replied in a gentle voice:— “Not now. I’ll make one myself and feed it to you later… just wait.”

  Promises are sweeter than sweets. Hearing that, Haarun smiled faintly and thought to himself:— “How am I supposed to wait now? Just thinking about Mayya’s handmade sweets is making my mouth water…”

  Anticipation turned childish. At the same time, Sa’ut and Hinnah were also exchanging sweets with their friends, laughing and joking around.

  Riyy, looking a bit nervous, handed a sweet only to Satsuqy — though he himself had received sweets from quite a few girls. Satsuqy immediately noticed that Riyy was behaving a little differently than usual today. Emotions slipped through cracks.

  Elsewhere, in Nazar’s office, Rinah brought a handmade sweet and gave it to Nazar. As she handed it over, her cheeks turned red, and her heartbeat suddenly quickened.

  Courage disguised as kindness. Nazar noticed it but said nothing. Instead, he took out a small box from under his desk — inside it were rare, beautifully arranged sweets.

  He handed the box to Rinah. Silent acknowledgment. She looked at it in surprise, eyes wide, and slowly, a gentle smile bloomed on her lips. She didn’t say a word — she simply looked at Nazar with soft eyes, as if saying:— “Thank you.”

  Meanwhile, Saamyn and Ymraan were coming down the stairs from the rooftop.

  The corridor was filled with students— laughter, greetings, and the sparkle of colorfully wrapped sweet boxes everywhere.

  Saamyn and Ymraan walked together, the same old confidence in their eyes.ccepted

  As they walked, a few girls suddenly stopped in front of them. One of them stepped forward shyly and offered a small box:— “Happy Silver Days, Siddarik!”

  Then another girl, and then a few more — one after another began giving sweets, some with cards, some blushing lightly.

  Saamyn said nothing, just nodded slightly and accepted the boxes quietly. Attention never shook him.

  Right then, four or five girls approached Ymraan. Some were smiling mischievously, some looked down shyly as they said:— “Happy Silver Days, Sarqaan!”

  Ymraan said nothing, just gave a faint smile and started walking past them. Indifference came naturally. Seeing that, Saamyn gave him a sharp, serious look. Silent discipline.

  Ymraan froze for a moment, turned back awkwardly, and took the sweets from the girls. It was clear from this that Saamyn didn’t want anyone’s feelings to get hurt.

  The two of them walked together toward their classroom — girls standing along the corridor waved, some greeted them sweetly, others held shiny gift boxes.

  As soon as they entered the classroom, the girls in the front row suddenly stood up together and shouted:—“Happy Silver Days!”

  They all reached out sweets toward the two of them at once. Overwhelming admiration. From behind, Ymraan smirked and said in a mocking tone:— “I’m telling you, let’s take them all. I’ll sell these and buy a video game.”

  Chaos couldn’t stay quiet. All the girls immediately turned to glare at him in annoyance. Saamyn said nothing.

  He simply took the sweets and walked toward his desk. Affection in excess.

  There, he saw dozens of sweet boxes already neatly arranged — some tied with colorful ribbons, some with names, some without, and inside were tiny letters saying things like:—“Happy Silver Days,”.... “Don’t eat all at once,” and more. The school felt alive

  A little later, Saamyn opened his locker and found even more sweet boxes inside. Among them was a small note that read:—“Keep shining, topper.”

  Expectation became a burden. Saamyn sighed and rubbed his forehead.

  Meanwhile, Ymraan, seeing him, laughed and opened his own locker — only to find the same scene inside. Sweets, tiny cards, and a note that said:—“Don’t tease too much, you troublemaker.”

  Infamy had fans too. The two of them looked at each other, a hint of amusement in their eyes.

  Outside, the classroom was still filled with laughter and the colorful sweetness of the day. With a fake smile, Ymraan muttered:— “Should I bring a truck to carry all these sweets?”

  Trouble never retires.