August 17 (Saturday)
8:12 AM.
The tension in Room 406 was thick. The dreaded "Introduce Yourself" session was looming like a boss battle.
Suddenly, the doorway was breached.
"Ay, excuse me po, Sir," a breathless voice echoed.
Jiro turned his head. It was Ivyn Giron. She stood at the door, her chest heaving, clutching her bag like a lifeline. She had finally arrived, surviving the Saturday morning gauntlet just seconds before the ritual began.
Mr. Shono nodded, gesturing for her to find an empty seat.
As Ivyn scrambled to sit down, Jiro's phone vibrated against his desk. He glanced at the screen. The Circle of Friends (COF) group chat was still a warzone of commuting updates.
Mira: "Ay, I am stuck in the traffic around the new public market eh! Pity me!"
Cosma: "Uy, mine is worse. I am still on the raging highway of Manila East Road coming from Cainta. It is moving so slow!"
Jiro sighed. The Raging Road was merciless today.
At the front of the room, Mr. Shono cleared his throat, commanding the floor.
"Okay, before we start," Mr. Shono announced, leaning against his desk. "For our next meeting, please bring a one-half index card and a 1x1 picture ah. We will use that for our official class records."
Ah. The classic college starter pack requirement. A side quest added to the inventory.
"Alright," Mr. Shono continued, scanning the room. "Let's begin the introductions."
Jiro did a quick headcount. Including Ivyn and the late tricklers, they were currently at 30 out of 35 students present in BEEd 1-A.
The stage was set. The players were assembled.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE BEED 1-A COHORT!!! LET'S GO!!
Mr. Shono pointed to the very first row, starting with the chairs lined up right beside the doorway. "We will start here. Just state your name, your age, and where you live."
The first student stood up. The roster reveal had officially begun.
Aprille Bolente "Hello, everyone! I am Aprille Bolente, 18 years old," she began, her signature bright smile on her face. "I actually live in Binangonan, specifically in Talim Island po. But I have a dorm here in Taytay, and I am with Princess and Windy there. We only go home to the island once a week eh, and ay, we are going home later today!"
Jiro nodded internally. The Island Dweller. Commute Difficulty: Maritime Level.
Jachie Marello The next girl stood up, her posture practical and grounded. "Hi, my name is Jachie Marello, and I am 19 years old. Uh, I sell vegetables in the market po."
The Market Merchant. Hardworking stat maxed out. Respect.
Jesper Arufe Then, the guy who saved the TV setup stood up. He was tall, wearing glasses, and his hair was styled with a distinct brown-red highlight fading into black. "Ay, what is up guys, madlang people!" Jesper grinned, instantly shifting the room's energy with a quirky, chaotic tone. "I am Jesper Arufe, 20 years old. Single, ready to mingle, just kidding! I live way up in the mountains of Angono eh! Like, literal mountain guys, sometimes I ride a horse going down, just kidding! So, my fare is so expensive, it costs more than 100 or 200 pesos roundtrip! It is like... 70 pesos for the tricycle going down, then 15 pesos for the jeepney, and then another 15 pesos for the tricycle to the school! And then repeat going home! My wallet is crying every single day! Ahuy! Also, I am the Escort of our class po, thank you, thank you, vote for me!"
The class erupted into genuine laughter. The Mountain Comedian. The Vibe Guy. The Class Escort. Commute Difficulty: Extreme Elevation.
Lindsey Soliko The class treasurer stood up next. "Hello, I am Lindsey Soliko, 18 years old. I am also from Binangonan, but on the mainland po. I always face the heavy traffic, especially in Tayuman, it is so congested every morning eh."
Hearing the word Tayuman, Jiro's mind instantly flashed back to his own traumatic commute going to KSU Morong back on August 5.
It gasped through Binangonan, choked by the sheer volume of students flooding into the elementary schools at Tayuman and Bilibiran. They swarmed the streets like ants attacking a sugar cube.
Jiro shuddered. The Mainland Survivor. We share the same battle scars.
Hidy Medona "Good morning, I am Hidy Medona, 18 years old," the President announced smoothly, carrying her usual aura of responsibility. "I also live in Binangonan po, and I am the president of this class."
The Commander. The late-night meeting survivor.
Zherel Diman "Hi, I am Zherel Diman, 19 years old," she said softly. "I just live near the campus po... but ay, I was a bit late earlier eh."
Jiro smirked. The Proximity Paradox. The closer you live, the later you arrive. It is a universal law.
Rechele Eve A girl with long, flowing hair and a visibly fit, decent body structure stood up. "Hello, I am Rechele Eve, 17 years old. I live around Taytay po. And uh, I am a dancer, and the SGT or Peace Officer 1 po."
The Performer and the Enforcer. Agility stats are definitely high.
Cristel Basha Next was a girl wearing glasses and a cute headband. "Hi everyone, I am Cristel Basha, and I am 20 years old po. I live here in Taytay, and I am the Business Manager of the class."
Jiro squinted, analyzing her features. Twenty? No way. She surprisingly looks younger than her age. She looks like she is 13 or 14. What kind of youthful magic is this?
But beyond the youthful visuals, he sensed something else. She carried an aura of intelligence and organization. She looked like a smart girl—competent, compliant, and now officially the Business Manager. The exact type of student who always sits quietly but destroys exams.
Jiro's inner instinct flared up. Ohh... maybe she is my rival...
Nica Rosa The familiar, energetic face stood up. "Hi guys! I am Nica Rosa, 18 years old, and I live around Taytay po!"
Jiro recognized her instantly. The Trash-Bin Encounter. Falcon Group Member. High energy.
Mekayla Sano Finally, the last person in the first row stood up. She was sitting at the very end, just beside the window with the backyard view. She was Nica's bestie and the class secretary. "Hello everyone! I am Mekayla Sano," she smiled brightly. "I am 17 years old right now, but ay, I will turn 18 tomorrow! And I also live around Taytay po."
The Birthday Girl. Falcon Group Member. The Creator of the "MMW" Group Chat.
Mr. Shono nodded, satisfied with the first wave. The invisible spotlight shifted across the room.
"Okay, thank you, Row One," Mr. Shono said, gesturing to the next line of armchairs. "Let's move to the second row. Start from the front."
Jiro's breath hitched.
The first row was done.
It was time for his row.
Tiffany Diez Sitting directly in the next side of him, Tiffany stood up. "Hello po, I am Tiffany Diez, 19 years old, and I live here in Taytay. I am also the PIO 1 of the class po."
She sat down. The silence hung in the air.
My turn.
Jiro stood up, feeling his legs stiffen. He kept his posture straight, channeling his inner calm, even if his heart was doing jumping jacks.
Jiro Sanata "Uhh, good morning everyone," Jiro said, his voice level. "I am Jiro Sanata. I live in Taytay. And I am... 17 years old."
A wave of hushed whispers swept through the room.
"Seventeen?" someone murmured. "Hala, he is so young."
Jiro sat down quickly. Status assigned: The Youngest in the Cohort. Great.
Princess Cleria His seatmate, the Vice President, stood up smoothly. "Hi guys, I am Princess Cleria, 18 years old. I also live in Talim Island, Binangonan po. Like Aprille, I stay at the dorm here." Windy Viyago Next to her was a remarkably cheerful girl with a short, golden-brown bob cut. She was petite, standing around 153 cm. "Hello! I am Windy Viyago, 18 years old, and I am also from Talim Island!"
The Island Trio is complete, Jiro noted.
Right as Windy sat down, the back door of the classroom—which had been left open for ventilation—suddenly creaked wider.
Five figures ducked inside, panting and laughing quietly. It was Mira, Cosma, Alpha, Sherline, and Sayra. They had finally survived the traffic. Mr. Shono paused, letting the latecomers quickly scramble to the back rows before continuing the ritual.
The invisible spotlight moved to the third row. Jiro's radar went into overdrive, quickly categorizing the new players as they spoke.
The Unique Guild (Row 3):
First was Jiyah Guil (19), a Muslim student wearing a beautiful hijab. She looked like she was 16. "I am also a shoes and sandals seller in the market po, in Taytay," she shared softly.
Next was Anila Bakuda (19, Binangonan). She wore a headband and had her hair tied in a neat bun. She possessed a loud, authoritative voice that screamed 'future disciplinarian', and she was also a dancer.
And then, Brittany Bausta. "I'm 17, but I will turn 18 in five days! I am also a dancer from Taytay, and the class Auditor po," she announced. Then, she added the magic words: "And I was a STEM student po."
Jiro's eyes widened slightly. A fellow STEM survivor! A rare gem! In a field dominated by Humanities students, finding another science-and-math refugee felt like discovering a lost comrade.
During this time, since the back door of the classroom was already left widely open for ventilation—a classic public school standard to combat the heat—the five latecomers finally came ducking inside. They were Mira Palida, Cosma Ibana, Sayra Bresa, Alpha Agane, and Sherline Reyna. They had finally survived the Raging Road. Mr. Shono paused, letting them quickly scramble to the back rows before continuing the ritual.
The BEEd 1-A cohort is now officially complete. 35 out of 35.
The Window Faction (Row 4):Hurd Onasa (20, Binangonan) stood up. He was the PIO 2, possessing a flawless, remarkably young-looking face. Wait, Jiro realized. Jesper... Me... Hurd. That's only three guys so far.
Next was Gracie Masado (18, Binangonan). She was petite at 157 cm, but when she mentioned she was a "High-Honor Academic Achiever," Jiro's internal alarms blared. Another rival acquired. The competition for the top spot was getting crowded.
She was followed by Francine Cenia (18, Binangonan), a girl with short hair who looked like she could be a class model with her highly decent appearance, and Aira Berdez (18, Binangonan), a very quiet girl who kept her intro brief.
Then, Jayter Celda (20) stood up. He had a mature, grounded aura. The fourth boy, Jiro tallied. And the last one. Just four guys in the entire cohort. We are literally a dying breed here.
Then, the spotlight shifted to the other side of the fourth row. Jiro's own Circle of Friends.
The Bisaya Alliance (Row 4):Mona Patori (20) introduced herself. "I live here in Taytay with my older sister who already has a family. My own family is far away in Masbate. And I work night shifts at the Pasig market po." The Hardworker stat is off the charts.
Her bestie, Cicille Masha (20), was next. "I am from Ormoc originally, but I moved to Angono po." Then, the latecomer Ivyn Giron (19) stood up, catching her breath. "I am from Bacolod po, but I live in Taytay now." The trio of Bisaya speakers, Jiro mapped out. A strong, loyal faction.
Next was Mira Palida (18, Taytay). She flipped her long hair confidently. Jiro looked at her as she stood. She was easily 166 cm, and she happily announced that she was elected as the Muse of the class. She is literally taller than me, Jiro grumbled internally, his 17-year-old male ego taking a minor critical hit. Well, she definitely fits the Muse title. Her bestie, Niewi Voeliè (18, Taytay), stood last for that row, showcasing a decent height and hair with a trendy blend of black and brown highlights.
Finally, the back row. The ultimate rearguard.
The Backline & The Lore Master (Row 5):Sayra Bresa (25, Taytay) introduced herself calmly, wearing glasses. She casually mentioned she already had a child, instantly gaining the 'Mother of the Class' aura. Alpha Agane (18, Taytay) spoke very softly through her face mask. Extremely shy and introverted, but radiated kindness. Cosma Ibana (19, Cainta) flashed a confident smile. "I'm also a working student po!"
On the window side of the back row: Deanne Parina (19, Antipolo) spoke with the confidence of an active org officer for the FEC. Besties Jerline Rama (19, Taytay) and Sherline Reyna (18, Taytay)—who was indoors wearing tinted shade glasses and blonde-golden-brown hair—went next. Cristy Michiya (18, Binangonan) followed, another student with highly decent visuals and smart-looking glasses.
And then, the final boss of life experience stood up.
Reo Bairo She was the woman Jiro had asked for directions earlier. "Hello everyone," Reo said, her voice carrying the weight of actual life. "I am Reo Bairo, and I am 29 years old. From Binangonan po."
The class fell dead silent, listening intently.
"I actually graduated high school way back in 2012," she explained with a proud, unbothered smile. "But I had to help my siblings graduate first. I took on many jobs, went abroad to work, got married, and now I have two children. I am also the SGT or Peace Officer 2 of our class. But since all my siblings have finally graduated... it is my turn to continue mine."
The room erupted into spontaneous, genuine applause.
Jiro clapped along, his respect for her shooting through the roof.
The Lore Master. The Veteran. The Peace Officer. Her backstory is already a completed anime season, and now she is just doing the college DLC.
Mr. Shono smiled, clapping his hands together. "Alright! Very diverse class we have here. We have islanders, working students, dancers, and even parents."
Jiro sank back into his chair, synthesizing all the data he had just gathered.
The reality of BEEd 1-A.Mostly HUMSS graduates.Mira is the lone rogue ABM student.And Brittany and I are the only STEM anomalies.Only four guys.Multiple academic rivals.
After the roster reveal wrapped up, the real academic battle commenced.
Mr. Shono turned back to his laptop, shifting the class's attention back to the Smart TV where the main title slide of their first subject had been waiting all along: Diskurso sa Filipino 1.
Jiro stared at the screen. His brain immediately buffered.
Diskurso? Discourse? Wait, what does that even mean?
Is that like... Discord? Are we making a server in Filipino? No, that's impossible. But why is Filipino suddenly so deep? Filipino subjects in high school were just reading stories about monkeys and turtles. Now we have... Diskurso. My brain cells are already sweating.
Mr. Shono began his discussion, navigating through the slides with the energetic ease of a seasoned part-timer. He threw deep Tagalog vocabularies left and right. Jiro tried his best to absorb the knowledge, nodding occasionally like a true academic protagonist.
And then, the instructor dropped the ultimate college bomb.
"Okay class," Mr. Shono announced, leaning against his desk. "For our subjects in Filipino and Art Appreciation, we will be having a Reporting session. I will send the list of topics and the assigned groups later. Pres Hidy, kindly create a separate group chat for our subjects so I can send the files there."
"Noted po, Sir," Hidy replied instantly.
"The presentations will start next meeting," Mr. Shono added casually, as if he didn't just sentence them to public execution.
Jiro froze. His eyes widened.
Wait. What???
Reporting?! Does it mean... we, the students, will be the ones to teach and present the topics in front? While the teacher is just... hanging out at the back? Listening? Maybe throwing killer questions?
A cold sweat formed on Jiro's neck. This was a critical debuff. He had absolutely zero experience in class reporting. During his entire Senior High School era under the STEM strand, everything was about solving equations, lab experiments, and writing practical researches. Standing in front of a class to lecture about Discourse in Filipino or Art? That was uncharted territory.
But then, the gears in his brain started turning. His energetic protagonist instinct flared up again.
He thought back to the group breakdown from Doc Rick yesterday.
Wait a minute...
Alpha, Beta, Charlie, Delta, Enigma...
And my group is Falcon.
A slow, villainous smirk crept onto Jiro's face.
Hehehehe. I am in the last group on the list.
I have the ultimate tactical advantage! I can just sit back and observe my predecessors. I will analyze their reporting flaws, study Mr. Shono's questioning patterns, and farm points by raising my hand to recite. By the time it's Group Falcon's turn, I will be fully prepared.
Master plan: Complete.
"Alright, to wrap up our introduction," Mr. Shono's voice cut through Jiro's evil plotting. "Get a 1/2 yellow pad paper, crosswise. We will have a short activity."
Ah, the legendary 1/2 crosswise. Jiro snapped back to reality. Reflection time again?
"Create your reflection and understanding about our topic today, Diskurso sa Filipino 1," Mr. Shono instructed.
Jiro reached into his heavy bag and pulled out his thick pad of yellow paper.
Well, since this is just a Filipino subject, I can just pour my soul out in Tagalog. This is fine. I can survive this.
He started to fold the paper to tear it perfectly in half.
Riiip.
The sound effect activated the nearby scavengers instantly.
"Uy, Jiro!" Princess Cleria whispered from his left. "Can I have a piece of paper, oh! Hehe."
"Ay, me too, Jiro! Can I have one too eh!" Windy Viyago chimed in, leaning over from her seat.
Jiro stopped. He looked at Princess. He looked at Windy. He looked at his freshly torn paper.
The charity begins.
He let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Okay, okay," Jiro muttered, handing over the pristine yellow sheets to the two girls.
"Yay! Thank you!" they giggled.
With the tax paid, Jiro finally grabbed his black pen, hunched over his desk, and began to compose his very first reflection activity in the world of Education.
"Okay, time is up! Pass your papers to the front," Mr. Shono instructed a few minutes later.
The rustling of yellow paper filled the room. Jiro handed his output forward, a minor victory secured.
"Since it is already 9:30 AM, let's take a quick break before we move to our next subject, Art Appreciation," the professor announced, checking his watch.
The tension in the room instantly evaporated. The class officially entered 'Chill Mode.'
Some students immediately stood up and migrated downstairs to the cafeteria or the gates. Jiro, however, stayed planted in his seat. He reached into his heavy bag, pulling out his tumbler for a long, refreshing sip of water.
Then, he initiated a stealth mission.
He had a single biscuit tucked in the pocket of his bag. Knowing the relentless 'charity' culture of his seatmates, he executed a covert operation. He carefully unzipped the wrapper inside the bag, broke off small pieces, and sneaked them into his mouth while pretending to rest his chin on his hand.
Target secured. Zero casualties to parasites.
He looked around. The room was a peaceful portrait of a morning break. Some classmates who didn't go down were already eating their heavy packed lunches—at 9:30 AM. Others were slumped over their armchair desks, catching up on lost sleep. The gamers of the class clustered together, tapping furiously on their screens. It was just a chill environment.
By 9:45 AM, Mr. Shono started calling out to the students near the door. "Ay, kindly call the others downstairs now. We will resume shortly."
A few minutes later, the wanderers returned, breathless from climbing the stairs again. At exactly 9:51 AM, the class was complete, and the second round began.
Mr. Shono switched the presentation on the Smart TV. He introduced his next subject, Art Appreciation (HUM 1), clicking through his slides and explaining the details and contents with the same energetic, part-timer efficiency.
And then, the moment of truth arrived.
"Okay, class," Mr. Shono announced, pausing his presentation. "Pres Hidy has already created our GC, right? I just sent the class list Excel spreadsheet there. It contains your assigned topics and groupings."
He pointed to his phone. "You can check your topics now. The first group will be the ones to report next meeting."
Jiro's instinct radar pinged. The roster drop.
He instantly turned on his phone, toggled his data, and opened the newly minted GC. He downloaded the Excel file and opened it.
The spreadsheet had two separate sheets at the bottom: FIL 1 Diskurso and ART APP.
He tapped the FIL 1 sheet first.
He scrolled down the list, analyzing the party compositions. Topic 1... four members. Topic 2... four members. The standard squad size was four. This was normal. This was manageable.
He kept scrolling down to the end of the list.
Topic 9... Wait. He blinked. Only two members? Niewi and Windy. Oof, a duo run. Tough luck for them.
Then, his eyes dropped to the final row.
Topic 10: Pagninilay at Pag-unlad sa Diskurso
Reporter: Sanata, Jiro
Jiro froze. The text on his screen mocked him.
Wait.
Am I alone??? WHAT??
His brain short-circuited. Everyone else has a four-man squad! Why am I a solo player?! And then he read the topic title again. Pagninilay.What the hell is 'pagninilay'?! Another deep alien vocabulary! Reflection? Meditation? My brain cells are crying!
Panic flared in his chest. His very first reporting experience in his entire academic life, and it was a solo mission. Wow, crazy. But then, the instinct in him kicked in, analyzing the variables.
Wait. Topic 10. That means I am the very last person on the syllabus. I am the final boss of Filipino 1.
He let out a long, shaky exhale. Okay. I have months to prepare. I can just sit back, observe everyone else, and absorb their techniques. Being the final boss isn't so bad.
Calming his racing heart, he tapped over to the second sheet: ART APP.
The groupings here were totally chaotic. It wasn't an even split. Some topics had five members, some had four, some had three.
He immediately scrolled to the bottom. Topic 10 again.
But this time, he wasn't alone.
Reporters: Viyago, Windy | Voeliè, Niewi | Sanata, Jiro
A trio. Jiro leaned back in his wooden chair, staring at the ceiling.
So, I am in the very last group to report for Art, and I am the very last solo reporter for Filipino.
A sudden, horrifying calculation struck him.
Nightmare scenario: What if Topic 10 for Filipino and Topic 10 for Art happen on the EXACT same day?! A double boss fight!
He shuddered at the thought. But then he checked the timeline in his head.
Topic 10... that's definitely at the end of the semester. That falls under the Finals era. November.
A tiny, villainous smirk returned to his face.
Ah, November. That is months away. No need to worry for now.Current Jiro is safe. Let November Jiro deal with that nightmare.
After the minor internal panic attack about the November boss fight, the class settled back into the rhythm of the orientation. Mr. Shono smoothly transitioned back to his Art Appreciation slides, passionately discussing the essence of arts, aesthetics, and human creativity.
Jiro listened, his instinct energy humming quietly in the background. Okay, Art. Aesthetics. I can handle this.
The time ticked forward, the morning slowly melting into midday.
At exactly 11:10 AM, Mr. Shono clicked to the final slide and clapped his hands together.
"Alright, that covers our orientation for today," Mr. Shono smiled. "Class dismissed! You can go take your lunch now."
Yay, lunch time!
The room instantly exploded into the familiar, chaotic symphony of hungry college students packing their bags and pushing wooden armchairs aside.
Before Jiro could even fully zip his heavy "Hulk" bag, a figure approached his desk.
It was Lindsey Soliko, the class treasurer and his fellow Group Falcon member.
"Uy, Jiro," Lindsey greeted, her tone full of business despite the lunch rush. "After lunch, we will shoot the video for Dr. Manazaki's VMV vlog, ah? I memorized my parts already."
Jiro nodded, his strategist mind instantly pivoting from Art to NSTP survival. "Ay, right. The deadline is chasing us. Give me a sec, I'll inform the rest."
Jiro slung his bag over his shoulder and navigated through the crowded room to round up his squad. He approached Niewi, Windy, Mekayla, and Nica, who were busy discussing their lunch logistics.
"Guys, briefing," Jiro announced, tapping a nearby desk to get their attention. "Lindsey just reminded me. We need to shoot the VMV vlog today. The clock is ticking."
Mekayla groaned dramatically, adjusting her bag. "Hala, true! We only have today to shoot inside the campus."
"Ay, no problem!" Nica chimed in with her usual boundless energy, practically bouncing on her heels. "Let's just eat first so we have energy to project later!"
"Yeah, exactly," Windy agreed, fixing her short hair. "We can't look like hungry zombies on camera, eh. But after we eat, we start shooting immediately."
"Oumm, G!" Niewi nodded enthusiastically, flashing a thumbs-up. "Let's find a good spot later."
Jiro looked at his assembled group—Group Falcon. The vanguard team for their very first real college project. They had the energy, they were all in uniform, and they were about to face the ultimate test of freshman cooperation.
"Alright, deal," Jiro smirked, the Shonen adrenaline finally pumping through his veins. "Eat fast. And then..."
Okay, let the vlog begin!!!
END OF THE REALITY