Today's the day. The day of the announcement of Guevarra Academy's Submission Results. Every student who sent a submission gets a free pass to enter the school today. Later on, we'll be in the Auditorium, anticipating for them to call our names. 

 I was running out of breath, my legs sore after running through a flight of stairs. But at last…

 In front of me was the one and only, Guevarra Academy... and as an artist myself, I couldn't help but to start analyzing the building in detail...

 In a world obsessed with simplicity and modernization, this school defies norms with its Victorian and castle-like structure. The aging of this centuries-old building enhanced this aesthetic, and this shows an artist's capability to have their work stand through time. Although the school clearly embraces its ongoing legacy, it doesn't ignore the importance of ecofriendliness in the modern world. Lush foliage, vibrant flowers and majestical trees surround the campus, creating a natural atmosphere. 

 ..For a school dedicated to the arts, the average person would expect beauty, solely focused on visuals of the architecture. But as an artist, I tend to focus on other things as well, such as its impact, history, purpose...

 And I have to say, Guevarra disappoints in absolutely none of those! This school is amazing!

 I raised my head, getting chills up my spine. The warm sun shining this morning made me break into a sweat. My breath also wasn't getting any better, I was incredibly pumped – My dreams were finally going to come true! A stable, passionate future was about to be in my hands! 

"Grace…" A familiar voice called out to me, my excitement reaching its peak upon hearing it.

"..Are you alright?—" 

"Brielle!" I turned around, looking at Brielle with a wide smile and starry-eyes. To her, I must've seemed utterly thrilled, perhaps like a maniac. I mean, why wouldn't I be excited? Our achievements and skills were about to get us into our dream school! However, she wore a worried expression, as usual. She was concerned, maybe doubting that we might get accepted, though she chose not to let her negative thoughts ruin my mood.

 I decided to take a few deep breaths, calming myself so I wouldn't overwhelm her any further.

"Have you eaten yet?" I asked, "Perhaps we should explore the school before they announce the results."

 As I talked to Brielle, her eyes trailed onto the distance. The worry in her face was becoming clearer. I turned in that direction, and found the source of her worries—Aria Chikamoto.

 Aria Chikamoto is Megan's best friend. And… you've guessed it, she's also from a wealthy family. Much like Megan, she also has an interest in the arts though… Unlike Megan, she isn't the most talented. Her paintings are mediocre and she's never been qualified to join any competitions. However, one thing she does have is passion, a quality that Megan lacks. I say that because from what I've seen, Aria is more enthusiastic about painting classes and puts effort in improving her skills. Megan, on the other hand, looks bored whenever she's in painting class and skips very often. 

"Well, I'm not surprised Aria's here." I commented, "But what's to fear? Her skills aren't all that, though she'll most likely be somewhat of a Queen Bee."

 Aria strutted by, her aura of confidence and beauty captivating everyone in her path. People's eyes glued onto her, acknowledging the wealth and beauty she clearly holds.

"Sino yan? Ang ganda, mukhang foreigner…" 

"What a show-off, we're in a school…"

"Who is that beautiful, young lady?" 

"Nakakainggit… I should've worn something nice today!"

"Look at her dress… she must be damn rich."

 She wore a designer-branded dress. The same one celebrities have worn, as the students around us recognized her trending dress. Her high heels clacked as she strutted, it accentuated her height and gave her the appearance of a runway model. To further complement her wealth, she wore gleaming golden jewelry which caught the light, showing its legitimacy. Overall, she was incredibly polished; with make-up that highlighted her features, and her hair being well-groomed.

 In our school, she was not only popular for being one of the wealthiest, but also for her good looks. Being born mixed as a Japanese-Filipino, Aria was always praised for her appearance. She had both sharp and delicate features from both races, such as a slim nose and big, round eyes. Her hair was long, curly and dark. Her body was well developed, which a lot of girls our age envied her for. Lastly, her skin was naturally pale, a rare yet desired feature in this tropical country. 

 Winning the genetics lottery, she stood out from most Filipinos as she fitted well into the beauty standards. At the young age of 16, boys fawned over her while girls envied, yet wanted to be her. I'll admit that I find Aria beautiful as well. Despite her genetics playing a big part, she does take good care of herself. I would often see her retouching in restrooms and fixing her hair, she's always putting an effort to be polished. 

 If only she wasn't one of those students who would pick on us, then Brielle and I would respect her. As Megan's best friend, she remains loyal to her and carries her every command without question. She dislikes us just because Megan does, and it's not like Megan has good reasoning either. We're just talented at arts! I can never forget the moment she called Brielle an "Four-eyed Tomboy" just for wearing glasses and preferring to have short hair.

 It seems like we're about to deal with her once again. Although I'm not surprised, I will admit that it might be an annoyance.

"Kuya!" She shouted to a man nearby, stomping her foot in frustration. 

The man hurried over, Aria seizing his hand as soon as he caught up to her.

"You have to walk faster, we can't make her wait!" She scolded, pulling him away in a grumpy manner.

Aria was accompanied along with an older man, the way she yelled and acted like that made me wonder…

"Hold on…" I brought it to Brielle's attention, "Does Aria have a brother?"

"I think... it's Asahi!" Brielle responded, her tone changed as if she had a great realization.

 I tilted my head, thinking to myself. "Asahi… The name sounds familiar…"

"Look!" Brielle brought out her phone, displaying an instagram profile with the username "asahi.artist". The profile was popular, boasting over a million followers.

"No way, you're telling me this is Aria's brother!?" 

 I was shocked, I was seeing this man everywhere on social platforms thinking he was just another artist. Turns out, I underestimated how popular he was all along… and the fact that he's literally our classmate's brother. Our bully, of all people...

 Sure of this information, our curiosity grew. Brielle and I continued scrolling through his page, even going as far as searching him up, all in this very moment. 

 To summarize, the man's name is Asahi Chikamoto. He is one of the notable alumni of Guevarra Academy. Currently, he is enrolled in one of the country's top art universities, and works as a well-paid painter. However, he is mostly known for his social media presence, where he uploads pictures and videos of himself while painting. With his calm and collected demeanor combined with his artistic prowess, he gained traction in the hearts of females, for they couldn't help but notice how charming and attractive he was. Every post of his racks up hundreds of thousands of likes, and his comments are filled with fangirls. 

"Ouuu…" I cringed while reading the comments, some of which were… lustful, I'd say. I don't even want to describe them.

 I looked at Brielle, who was still scrolling through his page and admiring his posts. She remained quiet and focused, as if she forgot I was there.

"Brielle…" I spoke, my voice hesitant, "I never knew you were such a…"

 I trailed off, not knowing what to say next, even though I felt the urge to reveal my thoughts. 

 There's no way she would be like those types of girls, right? Those "boy-crazy" girls. I mean, there's nothing wrong with liking boys! That's normal for our age! It's just… ugh… I don't know… 

"What do you mean? I'm analyzing his paintings." Brielle replied, tucking her phone back into her pocket.

"Oh!" I stood there, flustered. 

 Part of me was somewhat relieved, as if I was happy that she was only analyzing the paintings instead of… you know. 

 I mean, OBVIOUSLY she was just ANALYZING the paintings! She's a really good painter, y'know! You know that she wants to be a painter when she grows up, so OF COURSE she would try to learn from one! GET IT TOGETHER, Grace! GEEZ!

"A-Anyways…" 

 I began to change the topic, hoping she didn't notice my inner-battle just now. And I got an idea to stray away from that…

"Brielle, let's follow them." I said with a mischievous smirk, "I'm really curious if her brother's just as much of a brat as her."

 Brielle furrowed her eyebrows, finding me odd and suspicious. However, she decided to go along with it.

 The siblings carried on walking, unaware of Brielle and I trailing them. We maintained a good distance behind them, far enough to be unnoticeable but ensuring we wouldn't lose them. 

 Little by little, everything was going according to plan… or so I thought. I turned around and found Brielle all the way back. I guess I must've rushed myself a little, making her unable to keep up with me. Her legs were trembling as her teeth were clenched, it was clear she was feeling anxious and pressured. Aria and her brother were still visible, so I decided to slow down, hoping Brielle would catch up soon.

 I sat under a tree, shadowed and hidden, gesturing to her to come towards me.

Come on, Brielle… You can do this!

 She sneaked with her eyes fixed on the two siblings, carefully timing her steps to avoid detection. At the same time, she was tip-toeing, going through the area without making a sound. Eventually, she gained her rhythm, and was coming towards me with ease until—

Her sandal slipped off her foot, catching her off guard.

"N-NO!—" She whispered harshly, resisting the urge to yell.

"B… Brielle!" I gasped, just as surprised as her, but covered my mouth to muffle the noise.

 In a panic, she snatched her sandal from the ground and made a break towards me. Her quick footsteps and rapid breathing ruined our efforts of silence throughout the plan, making me wonder if the siblings saw us or not.

 Brielle arrived, heavily panting as she sat next to me. She covered her face, hiding in guilt and thinking her carelessness ruined everything.

"I-I'm sorryyy!" She whined in silence.

 "It's fine." I patted her on the shoulder, reassuring her. After all, there might still be a chance we could retreat even if they saw us.

 I peeked at our targets, turns out—They were walking far ahead of us, leaving less chances that they would've heard the ruckus. 

"I don't think they saw us." I mentioned, "Let's press on."

"S…Seriously?!" Brielle's eyes widened, she was either shocked about not being caught… or about me continuing this plan. Most likely the latter.

 We weaved in silence, skipping through pillars and trees, remaining out of sight. The siblings stopped in an area, shadowed and void of people. They stood there, waiting in front of a backdoor.

 We hid behind a tree, peeking at them from a distance.

 "Perfect!" I grinned, rubbing my hands together. "We can get a glimpse of their true colors this way…"

 "Heh…" Brielle chuckled, she was starting to have fun as the thrill was getting to her.

 The backdoor opened, a silhouette coming out from it then it closed. We could only make so much of whoever it was, as Aria and Asahi blocked them from our sights.

 "NO WAY!" The mysterious person yelled in surprise.

 …And at that moment, the smiles on our faces faded, knowing exactly who that voice belonged to.