Kaisei High: Not So Ordinary School [EDITING]

KH 5

"Computer is an electronic device that manipulates information or data. Software is the..."

Blah, blah, blah.

I sighed as I slouched in my chair. The teacher's voice droned on, repeating the same boring definitions I've heard countless times before. Why couldn't they teach something new for a change? I get that some students might need the review, but could they at least add a little more depth?

"Who knows the keyword cipher?"

The sudden change in the lesson snapped me out of my daydream. I raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at my lips. Now this was interesting. I didn't expect this to be covered here. It was a pleasant surprise.

I raised my hand confidently.

"Yes, Ms. Grey?" the teacher acknowledged.

"The keyword cipher is a type of substitution cipher where the alphabet is shifted using a keyword. It's similar to the Caesar cipher, but instead of a uniform shift, the keyword determines the substitution pattern," I explained, keeping my tone casual.

"Very good. Can you come up and show us the format or formula?"

I strolled up to the board and wrote:

➡️ ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
➡️ KEYWORDABCFGHIJLMNPQSTUVXZ

"Excellent!" the teacher exclaimed. I returned to my seat, unfazed. This was basic stuff, practically child's play.

"Sir!" A girl named Farrah waved her hand enthusiastically.

"Yes, Ms. Farrah?" he responded.

"Why don't we let Ms. Grey represent us in tomorrow's competition? The topic chosen by the principal is codes and ciphers, after all," she suggested.

"Are you willing, Ms. Grey?" the teacher asked, turning to me.

"Why me?" I shot back, frowning. "I've barely been here a week."

"Because you're the first person to answer correctly about codes and ciphers. The principal's been asking about it for weeks," Farrah said, folding her arms like she'd just solved a case.

I sighed in resignation. "Fine, I'll do it. But why ask about the keyword cipher now?"

The teacher grinned. "Good question. Codes and ciphers can be used for sending secret messages. We thought it would be useful for students to learn. You never know when a little secrecy might come in handy."

Some of my classmates nodded in agreement, while others looked utterly lost. I guess they weren't as intrigued by secret codes as I was.

"Wait, sir! Bakit may quiz about codes and ciphers?" I pressed further, curious.

"It wasn't planned initially. Each club was supposed to suggest a topic, and we have ten clubs in total. But the topic drawn by the principal came from the YSD club."

YSD club? That name rang a bell.

"Why is the YSD club so popular?" I asked again, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"Ah, last year, there was an unsolved crime here at the university. Even the police and professional detectives were stumped. That was when the president of the YSD club, Ace Christian Walter, stepped in. He solved the case and helped catch the culprit, earning widespread recognition. Since then, many students have tried to join his club, but he only accepts a few."

Ace's club, huh? I should've known. That guy always seemed to be at the center of everything interesting.

"Did the Secret Agent get involved too?" I asked.

"The legendary Secret Agent?" The teacher chuckled. "We all know the Secret Agent hates attention. The president even invited them to join the club, but they declined. However, Ace was happy to have met someone who valued skill over recognition."

The ringing bell interrupted our conversation, signaling the end of class.

"Okay, that's all for today. Class dismissed," the teacher announced.

As soon as the bell rang, the room erupted with whispers, mostly coming from the girls.

"Ang guwapo niya, ano?"

"Ano  kayang ginagawa niya rito?"

"Is he waiting for someone?"

"Why is that gorgeous, smart guy here?"

I rolled my eyes at the last comment. You'd think they'd never seen an attractive guy before.

"Ms. Grey?"

I turned to see Ace standing at the door, looking as cool and confident as ever.

"Can I have a word?" he asked.

I got up and walked over to him. "Anong ginagawa mo rito?"

"I just wanted to grab a snack with you," he said casually.

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? You've got plenty of admirers to choose from, yet you're asking me?"

"I just thought we should get to know each other better," he replied with a shrug.

"Uh-huh. Last night you seemed indifferent, and now you suddenly want to be best buddies. May kung ano ka bang nakain kaninang umaga?"

He smirked. "I haven't even had breakfast yet. Besides, we need to get closer since you'll be joining my club soon."

I crossed my arms. "Correction, I haven't agreed to join yet."

"Oh, really?" His eyes sparkled with amusement. "Your face says otherwise."

I scoffed. "My face? When did faces start talking?"

He just raised an eyebrow at me, his expression annoyingly smug.

"Fine, give me two days to decide," I said, exasperated. "Can I visit your club in the meantime?"

"You mean OUR club?" he corrected. "Of course, why not? But first, let's get some food. I'm starving."

I reluctantly followed him to the cafeteria, where we both ordered snacks. I went for fries, a burger, and a cola. We walked together down the quiet hallway, the only sounds being our footsteps echoing off the walls. The YSD clubroom was apparently at the far end, where it was much more secluded.

"Naandito na tayo." Ace stopped in front of a door marked 'YSD Club'.

The room was surprisingly neat. A large whiteboard at the back was covered in scribbles and pinned-up photos. A long table occupied the center, surrounded by six chairs, and a tall cabinet stood to the right, presumably storing important documents, given the padlock securing it.

"Take a seat," Ace gestured toward a chair, so I sat down.

"So, what do you think of our club?" he asked, leaning against the table.

"Well, you sure like the color white," I said, glancing around. "Not exactly my favorite. It gets dirty easily."

He chuckled. "You prefer black, don't you? I noticed all your things are black. Don't worry, we're planning to repaint. The room's not finished yet."

"Good to know. What does 'YSD' even stand for, anyway?" I asked.

"YSD stands for Young Secret Detective club," he replied with a grin.

~