Tangled In The Red String; Stay In The Red Zone

Chapter Four (The Gathering)

"Umm… just—"

I wasn't able to finish what I was trying to say because Leon had already dragged the man away. His hand was on the back of Marlon's collar, taking him away from the music club until they were both gone. Where are they going?

"Don't mind them. One is a stupid coward and the other one is a clumsy guy who likes to run his mouth." My forehead creased in confusion, and I looked at Neri. What did she even mean by that?

"But they're going to attend?" I asked to make sure.

Her grin widened. "Of course. If they don't attend, I will kill them." I swallowed hard but smiled at her a little.

Kill?

Sometimes I really wonder what the bonding of the three of them would be like without me. Do they really enjoy killing each other? If so, then why are they still alive? She's probably just joking. Yeah... she has to be.

The last few hours passed before school ended. I attended four more classes this afternoon, and thankfully, I survived even though I felt like my social battery was running low. But the thought of me going to the company's launch gathering brought my energy back up. The thought of seeing my parents again and my whole family was absolutely the best thing that ever happened to me this whole week.

"Good records, Ms. Feather. Keep it up." My professor, Mr. Hartwell, praised me as he looked at my complete record sheet of performances after his class. He used his entire lecture hours to lecture my classmates about how they should be responsible now and know how to be a good student, and then somehow we ended up in this situation where he praised my record to me.

I smiled a little. "Thank you, sir."

However, behind that praising and all the academic compliments, I could see it—the look that my classmates had on their faces. It only said one thing: they didn't like what was happening, not even the slightest. At Sinclair University, everything should come perfectly; there's no such thing as imperfection. But right now, everyone was looking at me like I was being too perfect and that it was an imperfection to them because it makes me the kind of student who wants to suppress them all, which I didn't want to do. Is it my fault that I studied to maintain my record consistently?

In this university, everything must be in order and have a good record. No one can enter this university if you didn't pass the hardest entrance exam in the country.

Fortunately, some wealthy students use their family's connections to actually enter this university. And that only means for them to actually make an effort to maintain their records. If not, expect the pressure until the university kicks you out as their student.

"She's the perfect student; what do you expect?" I heard one of my classmates hiss in a quiet voice as I walked out of the classroom.

My grip on the strap of my bag tightened, but I didn't turn around to confront them. I didn't want another chaos. What happened earlier was enough.

"I also heard she's planning to be an idol, tss. Of course, she'll get that. She's part of the Feather family. I also heard she has a connection with the Sinclairs."

I bit my tongue harder, to a point where I felt like it was going to bleed. What I didn't understand in this world is why some people always choose to look for the bad on the good side. They don't give any time to just think of the good side; they always give judgment and criticize everything. Being in the Feather family—one of the most influential, powerful, and wealthy families in the country—should make me feel superior to others, or maybe not superior, but give me the confidence to act like I am part of it.

Still, it feels so much harder to actually do it than to say it. I couldn't do both.

Students at Sinclair University know that I have connections with the Sinclair family because my Tita Narrah and her husband own this university, and they're the ones who run it. And unfortunately, students here use it to always criticize me with their eyes; thankfully, they haven't actually caused any harm to me. There's no one bothering me physically. I know that if they did lay their hands on me, they'd likely be expelled or experience the worst.

I didn't ask to be part of the Feather family. If I were to ask, I just want to actually have a peaceful and simple life. But I didn't have it. I was born in this world of influential people. It hasn't always been like this, really. My childhood was too far from what I have right now, according to my Ate Windy.

I experienced enough when I was a kid....that's why being where I am now is something I should be grateful for. I didn't argue with it.

The place where the gathering, the company's launch party, is being held is expected to be grand. I expected it to be, and I was right. When Greater actually sent me the picture of the venue because she was the first to come there, my jaw dropped to see how massive and how absolutely expensive everything looked. I had already seen lots of modern architectural designs before, but the venue where the company's launch party is being held feels more breathtaking. On the top of the high ceiling is a massive, expensive crystal chandelier, and its light makes the whole place reflect the quality and glamor of the wealth of this company's launch party.

I really need to dress up nicely. For the company's launch gathering, I decided to choose and wear a sleeveless rusty rose maxi dress with a corset laced up in the back.

I also carried a black jacket with me because my clubmates and I would still be singing at the gathering. I tied my hair in a high ponytail and put on a little makeup because I knew there would be a lot of reporters and media workers there. I still needed to look presentable for my family's reputation.

When my clubmates and I arrived at the venue, we were using my family's personal full-size luxury sedan. They didn't agree to let us take a taxi. Of course, because there were social media workers and influential people there, everything needed to be in order, even the small details. And luckily, my clubmates' outfits matched the theme of the gathering. I didn't need to tell them, because it would be embarrassing for me if I did.

Because... I don't know how they would react if... they misunderstood what I said.