As she laid weakly on the bed, with her eyes once again bandaged, Sofony took a deep breath.

It was truly the largest expenditure she would have in case she consented to the system's healing. Nevertheless, it was not like she had another choice. The doctor Gio contracted in the last few hours before the one-week shop-ban penalty only managed to transplant an eyeball to each of her eye sockets. Usually, even with this operation done, she still wouldn't be able to see as there was just no way to reconnect severed optic nerves. But she was getting her hopes high, wis.h.i.+ng this doctor could do her miracles and exempt her from the fate of draining her points. Sadly, her hopes were betrayed, and right now, the system was her last chance for true recovery.

Sofony sighed and scolded herself for being too greedy. She should not ask for more. It was already very amazing that within two hours of their reconciliation, Gio had arranged this seemingly senseless operation for her. He didn't even ask why she suddenly requested for this transplant. He only wordlessly brought her to another hospital own by his family and even found her a doctor proficient in eye surgeries. This doctor said he never had this kind of surgery as his expertise laid in transplanting cornea, but since Sofony honestly didn't understand much, she just decided to trust Gio with this.

Now, the operation was completed. They promptly transferred her to a private room and no one else was inside since everyone a.s.sumed that she was asleep and that she should not be disturbed. Gio was out, dealing with the people and properly warning them of her anonymity because just like no one was allowed to know that she became blind, no one was also allowed to know that she underwent this surgery.

A minute before twelve o'clock, Sofony finally breathed a sigh of relief and even if her eyes were still bandaged, that didn't stop them from tearing up. She could only remove the bandage tomorrow which means she would have to let the darkness would accompany her for another twelve or so hours, but even so, the happiness she could feel right now was so overwhelming. She could finally see again. Her points were down to 400s even though she did not request a full treatment from the system, but it didn't matter because she could see again.

'... My eyes and life could be back to normal again.' She muttered to herself in the middle of her cries.

'I hope to not hear from you in a week as well. But okay, just do it.'

Before she felt some warmness enveloping her head, she heard some discontented grunting from the system, but she was just too tired to care. Eventually, she fell asleep. Sofony no longer managed to hear the official announcement of her failure and the commencement of the shop ban.

....

On the first week of October, the School Fest finally began. After two consecutive scandals, the academy had now begun to shed away its gloomy sh.e.l.l. Stalls were literally everywhere. The whole school was celebrating and everyone, be they students, teachers, or visitors, was having a carefree and happy expression.

Sofony went back to school as if nothing happened. Right now, Sofony and Wendy, together with Clea and her gossipmonger friends, were sitting in the lowest layer of the bleachers on the west side of the stadium. A basketball match between the players of the eleventh grade and twelfth grade was ongoing. Sofony and the others were naturally cheering for their grade's team. Sadly, their team's blue jersey wearing opponents had more supporters. Their grade's red jersey wearing players were also not doing well in this match.

Wendy sighed in frustration when she saw one of their players losing the ball to a steal from the captain of the twelfth grader's team. The girl couldn't help but barrage their players with bad words and curses.

"We're lagging behind," Wendy was furrowing her brows, her tone showing displeasure.

Sofony turned to look at the scoreboard. It displayed 57-71, in favor of their seniors. She looked around them and noticed that many of the people from the west side were hurling insults towards their ow players. Actually, some were even traitorously cheering for the two most handsome blue players.

"I think our captain is very frustrated. He's receiving so much pressure from the opponents and here we are, adding more to it."

Wendy acted like she did not hear Sofony and went on with her 'encouraging cheer'. It was a mystery how she managed to maintain her great image, when normally if a girl acted the way Wendy did, she would be labeled shrew or vulgar.

Pretty girls really have an advantage in situations like this. Sofony shook her head and just repeated her statement to Clea who was in her left side.

The music girl did not ignore her and enthusiastically replied, "Girl, I feel you. But it can't be helped. Do you see who the blue captain is?"

Her gaze went to the impossibly good-looking player wearing a blue armband. She then once again sighed, perfectly aware of the reason why eighty percent of the girls in the mini-stadium was cheering for their school's seniors. The eleventh graders in the court must be feeling so sad on how more than a thousand girls were siding with their opponents.

"Girl, that's our very own Student Council President, Wilfred Gonzaga," Clea wryly added. "That guy is like our grade's Wendy, except he's probably much more popular, especially to the girls. It's kinda hateful, but who ask him to be his grade's Mr. Number One? He's also the basketball club's captain, not to mention, our SC President. When you think about it, it's really unfair."

She laughed. "Unfair? Not admirable?"

"It's unfair because he has everything. Brain and body. Then add that delicious face of his. Gosh. Even I can't sometimes help but feel inferior. You know, I only have some face value and gift in piano, but IQ and sporty body, sorry, my white flag is already raised high in the air."

Sofony watched as Clea raised both arms and then giggled.

Suddenly, Wendy spoke, "Miss Clea Luizon, please don't compare me to any random whoever. That's what 'really unfair' is. Give me a few more months. I'll run for the SC Presidency or the publication's Chief Editors.h.i.+p. Then, you do again the comparison."

"Wendy, he'll be an alumnus by then," Clea replied, a sneer on her lips.

"So what? It's unfair considering he's already a senior and I'm just a junior. Okay, let's just do this. How about we compare our number of male fans?"

Sofony laughingly interjected, "Of course you win. But if we do this the other way around, you'll surely lose. Look around to know why."

"Sofie, whose side are you? Don't tell me you'll take that guy's side and abandon me? What? I beg you, don't tell me you're also his fan?"

Sofony shook her head with a wry smile. "No. I'm not. And how did you even arrive at that conclusion? And why did you only ask me? Clea's the one who brought up this comparison thing!"

Wendy shrugged. When the girl redirected her attention to the court, that was exactly when Wilfred Gonzaga, their school's SC President, scored a three-pointer, making the mini-stadium explode in cheers and shrieks. Wendy had to cover her ears as she angrily began to curse the both teams again, the blue for scoring and the red for not scoring.

"Sighs, ignore that fierce girl. Let's go back to what we're talking about," Clea craned her head towards her. "So that's about blue number 4. Next, we look at that another d.a.m.nably good-looking male G.o.d. That number 10!"

Sofony was shocked after her ears were a.s.saulted by Clea's fangirling.

"Sofie!!! That's Franz Jordan!!! That's our handsome transferee! You don't know how many bugs and b.u.t.terflies escaped my stomach when I first laid my eyes on him. He's so handsome, tall, and charming. He's the man I decided to chase after this game!" Then Clea once again screamed like how some idol's brainless fans did. The girl even started to cup her face in excitement, slapping Sofony at the back occasionally.

'How weird for a normal person to easily transform into a dangerous mentally r.e.t.a.r.ded person after saying their idol's name. Just what the heck is wrong with this world?'

Sofony sported a troubled expression and speedily inched away to avoid getting hit by the excited woman. In the end, she also became frustrated. The game increasingly became gloomy for loyal juniors like her. She couldn't help but consider whether to continue watching or not.

The score now was 60-76. Four more and it would become a 20 points difference. Could their grade's team still win? If they want to catch up, they have to score at least six three-pointers or eight two-pointers. It would be hard, if not hopeless. It's not like the blue players would not defend or score for themselves. And say, even if impossible, that they did, why did she feel like their red team would still hesitate to score against the pretty faces of the blue team in fear of getting besieged by thousands of fangirls?

Sofony pursed her lips and then turned around to leave.

'Better save myself from Clea and depression.' She mused as she sneaked out of the place, sighing after exiting from the opened huge and tall double doors.

Outside of the mini-stadium, it was still noisy, but not to the point that she wouldn't hear what a person next to her would be saying without her shouting. The collective cheers could be heard clearly though. People were still chanting the names of the blue players. More specifically, the girls of the mini-stadiums were still chanting the names of Wilfred and Franz.

"I think I heard Wendy's curses amidst the cheering of the crowd. Just how loud can her voice be."

Shaking her head, she began to walk away. She fished out her phone from the red sling bag she had positioned before her skirt and then dialed her sister's number.

"Sis?"

Sofony distanced her ear from the phone when she heard a very loud scream from it. She barely made out Steffy's voice.

"Where are you?"

"Me? Near the pool! I'm watching the swimming contest! Gos.h.!.+ Sister, you won't believe this. I believe the audience here is not any lesser than the ones at the basketball court!"

"Swimming? I thought you joined an event? Aren't you supposed to play for your grade's volleyball team?"

"Hehe, I backed out. Their first match is at the same time as the swimming contest."

"Huh?"

Sofony repeatedly blinked. Then she laughed after her brain processed what happened.

"Steffy. You're good. Did you just leave because you're idolizing someone from the swimming club and that person is currently partic.i.p.ating in that swimming contest?"

The reply came instantaneously. "Yup! It's Julius Gonzaga! One of our school's male G.o.ds!" Sofony raised an eyebrow because the name was very familiar. "I'm currently feasting on my idol's eight pack abs! Sis, wanna join me here? Wait, it's officially starting! Kyaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!"

Sofony was greatly startled by that unexpected shriek from her sister and almost dropped her cheap phone on the ground. For the sake of her sanity, she decided to end the call once done telling Steffy to meet up with her at the cafeteria thirty minutes later, at lunch break.

'People are crazy today.' She thought smilingly after putting her phone back in her sling bag.

Wendy and the others were still inside, but knowing how bright they were, they would probably guess she'd be waiting for them at the cafeteria. For now, she'd probably stroll around a bit and try some foods being sold in various stalls.

She said in her heart, let that be her treat to herself after all the misfortunes she had experienced.