𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃 | 𝐬𝐤𝐳 & 𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐳

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗡𝗘 !

Seoul Private High School wasn't what it looked like in the advertisements. As pristine as it looked in the ads and on the open days where students were forced to be on their best behaviour, there was endless rivalry. Students turned everything imaginable into a competition — even something as basic as wearing a uniform.

The biggest and most popular rivalry was between two groups of handsome boys: Stray Kids and ATEEZ. Both groups were in their senior years and had been sworn enemies ever since their freshman years. Although their hate for one another was petty and unreasonable, other students thoroughly enjoyed the competition. Hell, some even made bets on which group would win in certain categories. To both groups' displeasure, they were tied in pretty much everything.

"Hyung, the results of last week's biology test are coming out today!" Jeongin, the youngest and most rational of Stray Kids, announced to the rest of his friends.

"Yes! Let's see if I beat that hoe, Wooyoung!" Minho cheered, punching the air and ignoring Jeongin's almost silent sigh. Jeongin and Jongho, the youngest of ATEEZ and Jeongin's best friend, were both tired of this rivalry. It was unreasonable, and what was worse was that other students enjoyed their rivalry. It was at times like this—announcements of results—where Jeongin and Jongho really wanted to just leave their friends.

"Like you ever got a good enough score in science to begin with," Felix scoffed. Despite his normally silly and crazy behavior, the boy was the most intelligent and calculated of the group.

"Not like you ever were good enough to begin with," Seungmin contributed, in sync with the older boy. He was in no way involved with the argument, but he never missed the opportunity to shoot a snarky remark at his friends. Unless there was a teacher, then he'd have to be an angel.

"Be quiet, Felix, Seungmin, all that matters is that we beat ATEEZ," Chan snapped at the younger Australian. Chan was probably the most competitive out of all the nine boys in Stray Kids, and was the reason that ATEEZ and Stray Kids were enemies. Not to mention, he played competitive sports.

See, Chan and Hongjoong didn't like each other. From the moment they set eyes on each other, it was on. A competition to see who had better grades, better looks, more popularity, and many more trivial things. Changbin and Jisung were a lot friendlier, though (despite Jisung's active involvement in the petty competition).

"Surely you guys get tired of this competition," Jeongin sighed despite knowing that his opinions would be disregarded with a tiresome scolding from Chan or one of the older members. "I mean, being so perfect just to beat eight irrelevant guys gets exhausting, doesn't it? It does for me." He continued.

"Jeongin, Jeongin, Jeongin," sighed Hyunjin, tutting and shaking his head in disapproval. "We have to beat ATEEZ in order to keep our reputation. That's what this school is basically about." He explained to the younger, sliding an arm around his shoulder.

"He's right, you know," Woojin, the oldest, and most collected one, agreed. "Reputation is everything to this school, keep it up, no matter how annoying it may be."

Jeongin threw Hyunjin's arm off with a scoff and shifted his attention to ATEEZ, who were entering the classroom dramatically and almost late per usual. Jongho locked eyes with Jeongin and mouthed a good luck wish before sitting in his respective seat with the rest of his irrational group.

Hongjoong pushed his slipping, thin rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose with a smile. "We all know that Stray Kids are a group of dumbasses so I'm certain that we'll beat them," he announced, his voice dripping with overconfidence.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Yeosang advised. "Confidence is a good thing until it becomes too much." He recited, always having to remind Hongjoong of that.

"We're obviously going to beat those dumbasses, though," Seonghwa backed up Hongjoong, but his opinion was usually deemed invalid due to the fact that Seonghwa was, according to San and Mingi, a young Karen.

"God, this whole competition thing gives me a headache," Jongho sighed, massaging his temples. Everything usually gave him a headache, but it was this pointless competition was what triggered his headache the most. The only bearable people were San and Mingi because they were too dumb to take this too seriously.

"Nope, not when we know we're gonna win against them," Wooyoung smugly replied, making Jongho's face scrunch up in disgust.

"You're our biggest let down, fuckboy," he snapped flatly. Wooyoung glared at him while Yunho gasped with the biggest smile on his face. Yunho also found these competitions slightly petty, but if there was drama, Yunho was there for it.

"Don't be sad, Wooyoung. Shiber and I think you're a genius, don't we?" San smiled down at the stuffed animal he held fondly, making the doll nod vigorously in agreement.

"I don't need the opinion of a stupid doll to determine how smart I am," Wooyoung snapped, making San pout. Usually, Mingi would halfheartedly comfort the unreasonably upset San, but today there were an increased number of girls staring at him. Unlike Wooyoung, Mingi was anything but a fuckboy. In fact, he was labeled an idiot in Jongho's perspective, but he wasn't special in any way, since Jongho thought everyone was an idiot.

Before Jongho could snap monotonously at Mingi for being distracted, unsettling, echoing footsteps filled the room, rendering everyone silent out of fear and uneasiness.

Standing at the teacher's desk wasn't their usual pudgy biology teacher, but it was their prim principal beaming at the students. His smile somehow held a glint of something that sent shivers down Jongho's and Jeongin's spines, intuition telling them something would go wrong.

"Good day, students, I come here to relay a message to you," he announced. "This year, our male seniors will compete in the game of a lifetime. Whichever team survives the week will win full ride scholarships to the schools of their choice. Once you enter, you cannot back out. You must continue, until the end. Good luck!"

With that, the room was plunged into darkness.