Hell

While Ariel had been having the best time of her life surveying her domain and capturing hearts (plus vanquishing an evil witch), Alex was struggling to keep calm.

The more he tried to control his emotions, the colder his face would become.

In the end, he had this look that had earned him the title 'sourpuss' by his own father.

So what was it that had agitated the young boy so?

Well, if anyone knew Kyle when Kyle was growing up, they would know immediately what the reason was.

However, while the father managed to mask his uncomfortableness with gentleness and banter, the son would simply retract into his shell, simmering with resentfulness.

Then again, the father had been an 'old' woman in a young body at that time.

Alex, on the other hand, was a normal eight-year-old child (albeit, a genius but a young child nonetheless).

Thus, having over-enthusiastic classmates that seem to not know the boundaries and the concept of personal space, made his teeth hurt.

Alex had no idea where he first heard that expression but at this moment, he felt it keenly.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that he was clenching his jaw so much that it gave the illusion that his teeth hurt - but Alex didn't really care about the origins of the saying nor the ridiculousness of the concept.

All he knew was, he was in pain.

"Alex," cooed one girl that was on his right, who was holding a pen in her hand with a piece of paper in front of her, "What is your favourite pastime?"

She looked at him with those stupid stars in her eyes, eagerly waiting for his answer and the first words that came to his lips had to be swallowed down.

After all, 'going out to hunt down bad guys with Max' could hardly be said, could it? So he said the next best thing, "Punching people."

He looked seriously at the girl on his right, whose name was Annabel and two years older than him - who was now looking at him weirdly.

But that stupid stars in the eyes did not change.

"Ah, you mean, practising your self-defence," Annabel surmised, writing it down.

Alex couldn't deny that for it was the way he improved his skills but Annabel did not know that he really did punch people. As in, not holding back at all. It wasn't just showing the moves, he did the moves to get the result.

Alex gritted his teeth again while waiting for the next question, which he knew would come from the equally annoying person on his other side.

He silently cursed in his heart - for the umpteenth time - for this stupid 'wonderful' ice-breaking session by the Head Teacher of the Accelerated Class.

As everyone here was regarded as geniuses (or, those above their peers) that tended to either stick to their group or withdraw into themselves, the Head Teacher, Mr. Krauss, wanted everyone to get to know each other.

Naturally, the Fantastic Four had to be split up.

There were 9 of them in the class, so there was one 'extra', which somehow fell onto Alex. Everyone else had only one annoying person to get to know better, but Alex had two.

Alex couldn't help but give a quick glare at the smiling man in the middle of the classroom.

The stared-at-man felt that glare but ignored it.

It was to be expected.

He laughed to himself as he thought of the reaction the little glaring boy would have when he discovered that this ice-breaking session was only the first exercise. Krauss intended to have them slowly get to know each other.

This would be achieved best through working together. So, after this initial ice-breaking session, things would be as normal.

The students would go through the syllabus of the year they were in. The speed of this would be catered for each individual, so it could mean some finished earlier than others.

From this, he would get to know the strengths and weaknesses of each, then pair them up occasionally to do a project together.

Age was not a barrier in this case, so it could be someone from P2 pairing up with a P4 student.

What was important were their skills.

What could be a hindrance, though, was their social skills or lack thereof.

Krauss studied each pair (or, in Alex's case, 3) and noted their expressions and body language. Were they comfortable? Were they getting along? Were they hostile? Things like that.

Krauss had been specially selected for his expertise in nurturing talents. At first, he had been reluctant to do so but was eventually persuaded after seeing the biodata of the first batch of students for the Accelerated Class.

There was so much potential in the little ones and to think that if they were directed properly, they would be able to contribute greatly to the country.

Not to say that they had to work for the government or something, but just creating or doing what they do best, would still have an effect on the economy and wellbeing of the nation.

In addition, Krauss was also insanely curious to see, for himself, how the children of the great Kyle Smith were like. He had heard a lot about how bright they were and if they took after the genes of the father, they could be so much more.

Not 'just' a CEO of a hugely successful international business empire.

Deep down, though Krauss did not deny the fact that the Smith Industries boosted the economy of the country and created jobs for countless people … he still looked down on that a bit.

Tiny bit.

Maybe.

He was slightly prejudiced against such rich people, who seemed to not be 'down to earth'. Kyle Smith grew up with the ultimate golden spoon in his mouth and he made his father's company even bigger.

Despite all the good that the Smith Industries were doing, those were incidental while the main point was them making money.

For themselves.

Krauss hoped there would be people that he nurtured that would be those selfless ones, the silent people behind the scenes. Those that did research in the laboratories and created medicines or vaccines, cures for cancer, cheaper alternatives to life-saving medication.

Things like that.

So, this was the best time to capture and nurture such individuals. Get them interested, and hopefully, they'll go down that virtuous path.

Plus, he only had to stay for three years before deciding whether he wanted to stay longer or not. Ideally, it should have been until the youngest of the first batch graduated, but he had felt it was too long. He didn't want to be tied down so long if the programme was useless.

✿ Author posts on WN and neovel ✿

Alex grimaced as the next question came by and this girl was worse than Annabel.

Annabel, at least, only encroached on his personal space.

Isaura, though, went beyond that.

Like, right now.

She didn't just *ask* the question, she had to lean over and grab his arm to get his attention. As if that wasn't enough, she had to squeeze his arm, too, as if he was not aware that she was holding on to him.

He resisted the urge to fling his arm and, at the same time, her as well.

He could not do so.

Isaura was only 7 years old and most likely the pampered princess of her family. Her actions were not deliberate nor malicious and him being extra grumpy to her could be disastrous.

What if she cried?

As indifferent as Alex was, he still couldn't stand it when girls cried.

He would get all flustered, feel utterly guilty, and then bend over backwards to make sure the person did not cry.

Luckily, his sisters were not the crybaby type.

Well, he would have done anything for them anyway, so they didn't need to cry.

But this one?

He already got the hint that he was in big trouble from the first moment that they had met.

He had, instinctively, jerked and pushed her away when she had come bouncing over and hugged him.

It wasn't a hard push, and even Teacher Krauss didn't reprimand him, but even then, tears were already forming on the little girl's face as she looked at him in total shock.

Her face was all 'how could you?' and aggrieved that Alex swallowed the bile in his throat and rising hackles, barely managing to say 'Sorry'.

She immediately turned bright …

And hugged him again.

This time, Alex did not push her away but he was so stiff that one would be thinking he was a wooden board.

But Isaura seemed oblivious to it, chattering away happily and worse, held his hand to say that they would be great friends.

Alex nearly died.

Did not help that his sister and best friends were snickering at one corner.

Now, as he looked at Isaura - who was still holding his arm - he felt the next 4 years of his life was going to be absolute Hell.