In a society where status is determined not by how much money one has in their bank account, how skilled they are at something, nor even how famous they are—but by their biological classification such as if they are an Alpha, Beta, or Omega.

The law becomes a commandment for the Alphas who sit atop the hierarchy. They usually are the ones who assert dominance, and they can be territorial and aggressive.

The Betas occupy the middle ground; they are neither at an advantage nor at a disadvantage side of society. They actually have the most peaceful way of living.

Now, for the unfortunate souls, the Omegas; who hangs at the lowest rank of the hierarchy. They are like innocent lambs who were always subjected to the alpha's aggressions. What's worse, the law was never really designed to protect them but rather to oppress them. Discrimination and prejudice against Omegas make it even harder for them to be independent.

The summer vacation ended in the blink of an eye, and the second semester has started. The last room on the fourth floor has its windows opened, and a male student could be spotted sitting comfortably on the windowsill, glancing down the ground below, his ocean-colored eyes scanning every girl he sees.

When he finally heard a reply to his question, his gaze shifted back inside and to the person who was sitting at the round table with a serene expression. The golden strands of his hair swayed gently along the cool breeze wafting inside the room, and when he raised his head, his sea green eyes sparkled just like how the ocean waves glimmered under the sun.

"You ranked second again!?" the person on the windowsill said. His name was Cloud Evans, and he was a beta. Cloud pouted when his friend just chuckled nervously as a response. 

Luke Park is Cloud's childhood friend and the most admired student on campus. He won the president role in the student council because of his popularity, not just among the girls but also among the guys.

Luke is an alpha; however, he does not look nor even smell like an alpha. In fact, he looked and smelled like an omega. Everyone would describe him as a queen bee: his blonde hair shimmered like a bee's golden stripes, his pheromones exuded a sweet honey scent, his face was delicately small like a bee, and he has a petite frame compared to any other alpha students—like a bee.

So why a queen and not just a worker bee? Because everyone who happens to be around him would attend to him like servants and would go even as far as wiping his sweat during PE hours.

Cloud bend his head backwards, squeezing the carton for the last drop of banana into his mouth. He said, "What a bummer, I thought you'd finally succeed on dethroning that angel devil but I guess evil always triumphs over good."

Luke replied. "You know I really don't care about that."

Cloud knew that his friend was kind to a fault, and that he was admired not only for his looks and brains but also for his outgoing personality. 

However, his kindness would sometimes let others take advantage of him, just like today. "And you must also not care about doing the secretary's job either, huh?" Cloud asked with an annoyed look. He knew Luke's answer would be a timid 'yes.'

After the last drop of banana milk went into his mouth, Cloud straightened up and squinted to carefully measure the distance between him and the garbage bin at the corner of the room. "If I shoot this, I won't go to the study room tonight," he whispered before launching the empty carton like he was shooting a ball on the net. It hit the rim, dancing slightly, before it rolled down to the floor. "Dang it."

Luke, who kind of guessed that it wouldn't go in, sighed in relief. If he was the diligent type of student, then Cloud was the opposite—he was apathetic. When Luke would ask why, Cloud would just answer that he would study abroad anyway, so he wouldn't have to study hard just to get into college.

"That guy always ranks first, yet he can't even handle his job as secretary properly?" Cloud was back on the subject again. He had seen how people befriended Luke just to get something from him, and even when they acted offensively, Luke never seemed to get angry. Except for the fact that the guy who actually asked something this time never really acted friendly with Luke.

Luke held the papers and tapped the bottom edge against the table to align them. "He really didn't order me to do this."

Cloud hopped off his spot, walking towards Luke with a you're-doing-this-again look on his face. "You're being a pushover again. I told you to stop acting like that. If you're going to be his errand boy, you might as well get something out of it, like trading his ranking spot?"

Hearing that, Luke shook his head in disagreement. Knowing that person, he would certainly raise hell if he dropped down a rank. Being observant as he is, Luke could tell that Aries was the most serious person when it comes to grades. 

Luke casted a wary glance at the door before whispering, "Keep it down." If those words were to reach that person's ears again, it would certainly spark another round of roasting session.

"Yeah, keep it down. For someone who's consistently first at the bottom, you sure seem obsessed with rankings." a third voice interjected as the door slid open, revealing a student who was on the same year level as them. He had broad shoulders and a bigger frame than Luke, a jet-black hair that seemed to absorb any light, a hazel eye that shone like jewels, and a cherubic face that made him looked so pure and innocent. His name was Aries, the student council secretary and an Omega—who looked like an Alpha.

Luke, who had just picked up his pen to add the finishing details, was so startled by the voice that he accidentally streaked a line across the paper. "Ah!" he gasped from his seat and then he frowned. It was really uncanny how his instincts were always on the mark. 

Aries, who has earned the title of angel devil simply because he has the face of an angel but the personality of a demon, glared at the both of them. The dark expression on his face clearly implies that he heard every little thing that Cloud has said.

Luke stared at Cloud with a teary eye, like a poor puppy getting caught by its master in the act. 

Cloud just sighed and took a firm stance. He faced Aries with a scornful look and said, "Ah! the top student graces us with his presents!"

The room fell into sudden silence, with only the sound of the wind rustling through the window. Cloud looked proud for a moment because the thought he just rendered the devil speechless, not until he felt Luke tugging at his sleeve. 

"Presence," Luke whispered, but his voice was too soft for Cloud to hear. The latter just replied with a loud, huh?

Luke tried again, but still, his friend was just too deaf that he might suggest waxing his ears after.

Aries snickered and then his face turned back to his resting bitch face. "It's presence you dumb Nimbo." 

Cloud's gray-colored hair really resembled nimbus clouds—not to mention it looked very fluffy, almost covering his eyes. However, he didn't know what the word meant and thought Aries was calling him some diabolical name, which made him furious.

Luke, who had just recovered from the second-hand embarrassment, shrank in his seat, sighing inwardly. He was already down by the fact that he has to rewrite everything on the paper that got ruined, and now he feared he might face Aries's demonic tongue again.

Please, leave me out of it. He pleaded in his mind. Nevertheless, Luke still managed to flash a friendly smile at Aries. "What brings you here?"

Cloud once said to Luke that his smile might cure cancer, but definitely not Aries's twisted personality. It has already been proven and tested every time they encounter each other, and just like in previous encounters, Aries would just glare at him or even curse him out.

"Stop fucking smiling at me. You're making my skin crawl."

See?

Unlike Luke, who radiated sunshine and rainbows, Aries was the complete opposite. His presence was like a storm cloud-intense, brooding, and utterly unapproachable.

"Maybe if you stopped glaring at everyone like a feral cat, people might actually like you," Cloud chimed in, stepping in to defend Luke.

Some might wonder why a top student with an angelic face could be so widely despised. There you have your answer.

His reputation for being prickly and difficult was well-earned; he never hesitated to snap and curse at anyone who dared to test his patience.

Luke's genuine friendliness and kindness would often lead others to suspect that he was just putting up a front. However, once they got to know him better, their doubts were quickly dispelled. But not Aries.

Aries rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed. "I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for being a fake."

Cloud hissed. "What!? Are you calling my friend fake?"

"Uhm," Luke could feel the tension between them escalating, so he decided to step in before the two end up in a brawl. "Aries, I'll give you the document later. The lunch break is almost over, you see." 

Cloud's eyes widened in realization upon hearing the last sentence. "Shit! Shit! I forgot to do the assignment due this afternoon!" 

Luke gave him a I-reminded-you and a don't-blame-me look. Cloud just replied with a good-luck-fighting-this-demon-then look before he dashed out from the student council room.

"The classic 'do later, do later' type. I wonder if he can fucking manage with that kind of attitude," Aries commented, shutting the door behind him.

Luke chuckled awkwardly, as he couldn't really deny it. He was doing his best to save his friend from repeating a year, but although his name was Cloud, his head was as hard as a rock. He scratched the back of his head out of habit when he does not know what to say.

 "Congratulations on ranking first again. Our summer break surely ended in a blink, right?"

Aries, with his signature condescending look, dismissed Luke's commendation with a nonchalant shrug. "It's nothing to be congratulated about."

Luke just ah-ed. For the first time in his life, Luke felt his eyebrows twitched. Ever since he met Aries, he has been experiencing this whirlwind of unfamiliar emotions forming within him. An example would be the overwhelming urge to hug someone's neck, particularly the person in front of him.

"Hah... haha..."