My Rival Turn Into Lover

Chapter 4: The True Identity Of Sebastian Del Castro

"Oh, good. You are all ready and early," James noted with an approving nod, adjusting the collar of his uniform as he walked into the living room.

Sebastian glanced up from his notes, slinging his bag over one shoulder. "Yeah, well, we have a quiz today, so I really don't want to be late."

James smiled, checking his watch. "Alright then, shall we head out to school, everyone?"

"Let's goooo!" Sebastian, Harry, Edward, and Jacob chorused enthusiastically, heading out the door together.

The morning sun filtered beautifully through the tall windows of Section 1's classroom. As soon as Sebastian walked through the door, a soft, familiar voice called out to him.

"Good morning, Sebastian!" Evelyn beamed, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

Sebastian blinked in surprise, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. "Good morning, Evelyn. Wow, I'm shocked. You're incredibly early today."

"Well, we have a major quiz, you know," she replied with a playful shrug, clutching her textbook to her chest. "I didn't want to risk being late. Did you study?"

Sebastian rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit sheepish. "Yep... but only a little bit."

Evelyn raised an eyebrow, amused. "A little bit? But did you memorize everything?"

Sebastian paused, letting out a soft chuckle. "...... No, not at all, hahaha."

Evelyn let out a sweet, melodic laugh that echoed softly in the quiet room. "You honestly make me laugh, Sebastian."

"Sorry, sorry," he muttered, his cheeks warming slightly. He glanced over his shoulder as the heavy classroom door swung open. "Oh, look, here comes the teacher."

The room quickly quieted down as our adviser stepped up to the podium. "Good morning, students."

"Good morning, Teacher," the class responded in a rhythmic chorus.

"Today, we are shifting gears slightly," the teacher announced, setting her lesson plan down. "We are introducing a major performance task, and you will need a partner. This integrated project will cover chemistry, physics, and biology."

The classroom instantly erupted into a frenzy of low whispers. Students scrambled across the aisles, desperate to secure a partner before the options ran out.

"I'm going to ask Evelyn since she doesn't have a partner yet," one student whispered quickly to another.

Within seconds, a small crowd gathered around her desk.

"Evelyn, can we partner up for this project?"

"Evelyn, please be my partner!"

Meanwhile, Sebastian stood up and calmly walked up to the front desk, an intrigued expression on his face. "Excuse me, Teacher. I thought we were having a quiz today?"

The teacher smiled gently. "Yes, we are still having the quiz, Sebastian. But once everyone has secured their partner, we will move directly into the test. The partners you choose now will be for your long-term performance task project."

"I get it now. Thank you, Teacher," Sebastian said, bowing his head politely.

He turned around and walked straight through the crowd surrounding the top student. The other classmates went quiet, watching him curiously. Stopping right in front of her desk, Sebastian looked down into Evelyn's wide eyes.

"Evelyn Montreyo," he spoke, his voice clear and steady. "Can you please be my partner for this project and the quiz? I know... I know I probably don't deserve to be your partner because I'm not a certified genius like you. But I promise I will try and try. I'll give my absolute best and put all my effort into this. So... will you be my partner?"

Evelyn’s face flushed a delicate shade of pink. She looked down for a second, a shy but beautiful smile gracing her lips. "Sure, Sebastian. To be honest, I was actually going to ask you myself, but I was way too shy. I'm really glad you asked first. I'll be in your care, Sebastian."

Sebastian’s heart did a strange flip. "Thank you, Evelyn."

"You're welcome!" she cheered.

Once all the pairings were settled, the teacher tapped her marker against the whiteboard to get everyone's attention. "Alright, now that you've chosen your partners, I am going to assign your specific topics. Evelyn and Sebastian—your project and quiz focus will be advanced physics and biology."

"Thank you, Teacher," Evelyn and Sebastian answered in unison.

The written quiz was intense, but the real shockwave hit the classroom an hour later when the teacher finished checking the papers. She stood behind her desk, looking at the grading sheet with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"Evelyn and Sebastian... scored a 95 out of 95," the teacher announced, her voice trembling slightly. "A perfect score."

The room fell into a stunned silence, which was immediately broken by a bitter scoff from the back.

"Excuse me, Teacher!" the loudest bully in the class stood up, pointing an accusing finger at Sebastian. "Sebastian only got that score because his partner is Evelyn! Without her, he'd get a zero. He's just a loser from Section 4, Teacher. It's completely unfair."

The teacher frowned, looking between the two. "Can we test this theory, Sebastian? Just to prove if it's true?"

Before Sebastian could even answer, Evelyn stood up, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. Her eyes flashed with protective anger. "But Teacher, that's not true! He was the one who actually taught me the concepts! He guided me through the hardest questions, and that's the only reason we got a perfect score!"

The entire class gasped, whispering furiously. The top genius of Section 1 was claiming a Section 4 transfer student taught her?

Sebastian gently placed a hand on Evelyn's shoulder, signaling her to sit down. He looked directly at the teacher, his expression entirely calm and unbothered. "It's okay, Teacher. I accept your request. Give me the test."

The teacher pulled out a specialized, highly advanced comprehensive exam—one that covered topics they hadn't even touched in class yet. Sebastian took the paper, walked to an empty desk in the front row, and picked up a pen.

The entire classroom watched in breathless silence as his pen flew across the paper without a single pause. Ten minutes later, he slid the paper back across the teacher's desk.

The student who had insulted him sneered. "So, what's his real score, Teacher? Did he even pass?"

The teacher stared at the answer sheet, the paper shaking in her hands. She looked up, completely pale. "Sebastian... got a perfect score. On every single subject I just gave him. But... how is this even possible?"

Evelyn stared at Sebastian, her mind reeling. How...? How did he know all of that?

"He's cheating, Teacher!" the bully shouted, panicking. "Check his pockets! Search his bag! He has to have a cheat sheet hidden somewhere!"

"He is not cheating," the teacher corrected sharply, her voice full of awe. "We all watched him the entire time, and he answered everything directly from his head. But Sebastian... how?"

Sebastian stood tall, a cold, majestic aura radiating from him as he dropped his humble act. He looked around the room, his eyes sharp and commanding.

"The truth is, I’m not dumb, Teacher," Sebastian said, his voice echoing off the walls. "Everyone was shocked by how a student from Section 4 suddenly transferred to Section 1. In my previous school, I was placed in Section 4 simply because James del Naira ordered me to go there. But the reality is, I perfectly aced every single exam before I ever stepped foot in that room."

The teacher’s jaw dropped. "James...? You mean the James? The prodigy of this school who is the only one capable of tying with Evelyn Montreyo's grades? How do you even know James's full name?"

Sebastian let out a low, dangerous chuckle. "James and I are rivals. In our previous academy, there were five people who held the title of the ultimate geniuses. Sebastian, James, Edward, Jacob, and Harry. Those are my rivals."

The teacher gasped. "Even the four elite transfer students who can tie with Evelyn... they are your rivals?"

"Yes," Sebastian said, a chillingly handsome smirk playing on his lips. "And in fact, I'm not just on their level. I can easily surpass them all if I choose to. Right, James?"

Right on cue, the classroom door clicked open. James stepped into the room, leaning against the doorframe with a knowing smile. "Good morning, Teacher. Sorry to interrupt. But yes, everything he just said is absolutely true. Sebastian is the most brilliant among us. He can surpass absolutely anything, but he chooses to secretly hide his true intellect."

Evelyn gripped the edge of her desk, her voice barely a whisper. "But... why? Why did he hide it?"

James walked into the room, his expression turning serious. "Do you remember last year, when your school and our previous school participated in the regional competition? Evelyn was the sole representative for your side, while Mondraco and Xavier represented ours. When Evelyn lost that match, Sebastian hated the outcome. He didn't like how Mondraco acted so arrogant about it. So, Sebastian hid his genius. Whenever Mondraco tried to test him or ask him anything, Sebastian would simply say, 'I don't know,' just to avoid giving him the satisfaction."

James’s eyes narrowed. "But two nights ago, we ran into Mondraco and Xavier at a sushi restaurant. They insulted our school, and they insulted Evelyn. Sebastian was furious. He wants to destroy them now—one by one."

Evelyn’s heart pounded violently against her ribs. He did all of this... because of me? "Why is he so mad about that?"

Edward, who had been quietly sitting in the back row, chimed in. "Because Sebastian can't stand seeing a true talent get mocked. When Mondraco bragged about defeating you and making his favorite old professor fail a question, Sebastian completely snapped."

James nodded. "There is another massive event starting next month, and Mondraco and Xavier are leading the enemy team. They think they can destroy us, but they can't. Because they aren't even on the same level as we are."

"What do you mean by that?" both Evelyn and the teacher asked simultaneously, completely bewildered.

Jacob, who was leaning against the side wall, simply pointed a finger toward the front of the room. "Look at the whiteboard."

Evelyn, the teacher, and the entire class spun around. Their breath caught in their throats.

While everyone had been talking, Sebastian had silently moved to the board. In a matter of minutes, he had filled the entire surface with complex, high-level university mathematical theorems and advanced physics formulas—concepts that hadn't even been discussed in their curriculum yet. And right below them, he had written out the perfect, flawless solutions to every single problem.

James smirked, looking at the masterpiece on the board. "See? He answers everything without a single second of hesitation."

"H-how... how is a human brain even capable of keeping up with that?" another student stammered, trembling in shock.

Harry grinned, walking over to slap Sebastian on the shoulder. "His mind can process and retain anything instantly. And on that note, we're going to head out. Bye-bye!"

Sebastian turned around, his piercing gaze locking onto Evelyn’s stunned face. The coldness in his eyes softened just a fraction. "Do you believe me now?"

Evelyn, the teacher, and every single classmate who had ever whispered about him lowered their heads in absolute awe. "Yes... we're so sorry for doubting you, Sebastian."

"It's fine," Sebastian replied quietly, stepping back into the ranks of his friends.

The teacher swallowed hard, trying to regain her composure as she adjusted her papers. "Ahem... right. Regarding the grand event, it officially begins next month. Everyone, please prepare yourselves. Good luck to you all, and that is all for today. Class dismissed. Bye-bye."