The hallway erupted into chaos.
"Kairo! ...Stop! ...Someone please get a tutor!"
Students poured from every classroom, lining both sides of the corridor as Kairo marched through the crowd with Morri still clutched tightly by the front of his shirt.
Morri stumbled helplessly after him, "K-Kairo... please..." His voice trembled.
"Please let go..."
Kairo never answered, his expression remained unreadable as he continued down the hall until he reached the final classroom at the end of the block.
BANG!
The sliding door slammed open against the wall, every conversation inside the room died instantly, dozens of students turned toward the entrance. There stood a 14-year-old boy with a low man bun, the white tip of his tied hair hanging behind him. One hand gripped the trembling Morri by the shirt.
Silence spread through the room.
Kairo's eyes swept across the classroom, searching.
Then...
He found them...
Four older boys lounged carelessly around a cluster of desks near the center of the room, laughing amongst themselves, their laughter stopped.
The leader slowly leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow, the two locked eyes, without hesitation, Kairo began walking.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The entire classroom watched him approach, Morri's feet dragged across the floor as he was pulled along, Kairo finally stopped before the leader's desk...
BANG!
His palm struck the tabletop hard enough to shake every notebook resting upon it.
The room jumped.
Kairo stared directly into the older boy's eyes,"...Apologize!"
The leader blinked, "...Eeeeh?"
Kairo pulled Morri forward, "I said ...Apologize!!"
Morri's face had gone completely pale, "K-Kairo... P-Please stop..." The leader stared at him for several seconds.
Then...
He burst into laughter, his friends joined immediately, the entire group laughed so loudly that several students began exchanging confused looks "Kid..."
The leader wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, "...You lose your way or something?"
His friends chuckled, "You've got some guts kid. Barging into another class like you own the place."
Kairo simply exhaled, a tired sigh escaped him, the leader's smile slowly faded.
His eyes narrowed, "...Get lost!!" His voice turned cold, "Before I make you crawl out of here on your knees."
Outside the classroom, more and more students crowded the windows and doorway, whispers spread through the corridor, "What's happening? ...Who's that kid?"
Meanwhile...
One student casually walked past the commotion with a thick textbook open before his face, he wore his short, dark wine-colored hair in a neat curtain hairstyle, the fringe framing calm, unreadable eyes. He paused for only a second, glancing into the classroom then, as though the entire disturbance had nothing to do with him...
...he continued down the hallway without the slightest interest, never once lowering the book in his hands.
Back inside....
"K-Kairoo..." Bobo finally forced his way through the crowd "Kairo!" He hurried to his friend's side.
"Please stop... This isn't worth it." Kairo didn't even look at him his eyes remained fixed upon the older boy.
The leader smirked, then his gaze shifted toward Morri, "Look at him." he pointed mockingly "Our poor little slave!" His classmates laughed again, "He did exactly what we told him... Passed information to our class ...and gave us the advantage."
He leaned back proudly, "We weren't going to pass anyway ..."But if our class finishes with the highest score... those bonus points might save us." His grin widened.
"So I guess. ...thank youuuu" The classroom laughed once more.
Morri lowered his head, tears streamed onto the floor "I-I'm... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!"
The leader stood, he stepped close enough for Morri to flinch, "Do you know why we used you?"
His smile disappeared "...Because you're so weak." The final word had barely left his mouth...
CRACK!!
Kairo drove his forehead straight into the leader's face, the sickening impact echoed through the classroom, the leader's head snapped backward. Blood burst from his nose as his body collapsed into the desk behind him.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Every student froze.
Morri covered his mouth.
Bobo's jaw dropped.
Even the leader's own friends stood speechless.
Then—
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
Three older boys lunged at Kairo simultaneously, the first punch slammed into his cheek before he could react, his head whipped sideways.
Another boy wrapped both arms around his waist, trying to wrestle him to the floor, Kairo planted his feet, the third fist shot toward his face.
This time... he moved, the punch sliced harmlessly past him.
His own fist answered instantly.
CRACK!
The counter struck squarely across the boy's jaw, launching him backward into a row of desks. The student gripping Kairo's waist tightened his hold.
Kairo reached beneath him.
Tried to lift.
Nothing.
The older boy was too heavy.
His muscles strained.
Kairo with one final roar...
"HAAAH!"
He heaved the bully over his shoulder, the body crashed into several desks behind him, wood exploded across the floor, another student grabbed a nearby chair, and he hurled it, but Kairo ducked, the chair sailed over him...
WHAM!
...and smashed directly into Bobo.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
"...Oww!" Bobo staggered backward.
"You little—!" More bullies rushed in, one seized Kairo's right arm, another locked onto his left, Kairo pulled, neither grip budged, his body finally stopped moving.
The leader slowly rose from the floor, blood trickled from his nose, his expression had become murderous.
Without a word... He walked toward Kairo.
Kairo struggled against the others, only then... he noticed it; A faint green vein spread across the leader's right arm.
His eyes widened, "What...?" The punch came like a cannon.
BOOM!
It buried itself deep into Kairo's stomach, his entire body folded around the impact, the air vanished from his lungs, his vision blurred, the leader grabbed a fistful of Kairo's hair and forced his head upward, "I told you ...never to mess with me."
He pulled back his fist again; the green vein pulsed.
Then...
CRASH!!
Glass exploded inward, a figure burst through the classroom window, he spun through the air as he drove his knee straight into the bully restraining Kairo's left arm, the impact launched the older student across the room.
"Neyo!"
The boy landed between Kairo and the others, his face burned with fury.
Almost immediately...
Another figure burst through the doorway, "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Renjirō charged like a battering ram, his shoulder crashed into the second bully's stomach, driving him across several desks before both tumbled to the floor.
Kairo nearly collapsed, Neyo caught him by the shoulder before he could hit the floor.
"Hey! You okay?"
Kairo didn't answer immediately, his chest rose sharply as he fought to draw breath back into his lungs "...Gh..." every inhale burned, his stomach felt as though something had torn through it from the inside.
The room swayed, slowly... His breathing steadied, his gaze drifted toward the older boy standing across the classroom "...That punch..." his thoughts lingered on the moment just before it landed, he had seen it for only an instant, a faint green vein had surfaced along the bully's right arm before the strike connected.
It hadn't looked ordinary "What ...was that?"
"Kairo?" Neyo asked again, tightening his grip on his shoulder.
Kairo blinked, forcing himself back to the present "...I'm alright." though the pain still lingered beneath every breath.
Renjirō stepped beside them, his eyes locked onto the leader, "How dare you ...touch my friend."
The leader wiped the blood from beneath his nose, "So..." he smiled, "These are your friends?"
He laughed, "I could kill every one of you ...right here ...and nothing would happen."
He spread his arms confidently, "You're all nothing but little pests."
His grin widened, "You know why? ...Because you're all too weak."
Silence.
Neyo slowly raised his head
His expression had changed completely, "...Say that again."
Before anyone moved... one of the earlier bullies recovered, still dizzy, he snatched up another chair and swung it toward Renjirō's back.
Renjirō never saw it coming.
CRACK!!
The bully collapsed before the chair could land, Bobo stood behind him, rubbing his knuckles, "...That's for the chair earlier." he stepped beside Renjirō. The four boys now stood shoulder to shoulder.
Across from them... the bullies gathered together once more, neither side moved.
The classroom held its breath.
Then...
"ENOUGH!"
A thunderous voice echoed through the room, the students immediately parted, one of the academy tutors strode into the classroom, his expression darker than thunder itself, his eyes swept across the shattered desks...
The broken window...
The unconscious students...
Then finally settled upon the two groups standing opposite one another, instantly... the fight was over.
Few minutes later....
The office door slid shut behind them, silence settled over the room; on one side stood Kairo, Neyo, Renjirō, and Bobo.
Opposite them stood the bullies, their leader still nursing a swollen nose, behind the large wooden desk, the director of the certification programme slowly removed his spectacles and pinched the bridge of his nose.
He let out a long, exhausted sigh, "...Do any of you have the slightest idea how much trouble you've caused today?"
Nobody answered.
His gaze swept across the room, "Broken desks ...a shattered classroom window, five injured students, and an entire academy thrown into panic."
He folded his arms, "I've seen children behave better than this."
Renjirō lowered his head, "...Sorry."
"Sorry?" the director repeated. "If apologies repaired windows, we'd never need carpenters."
Neyo quietly scratched his cheek, the director pointed toward him immediately, "And don't think I didn't see you jump through that window."
"...It looked cooler at the time."
"It did not."
The director looked ready to sigh again, instead, he reached for a stack of disciplinary reports "As of today ...every one of you has been formally booklist," he placed the papers onto the desk.
"Consider this your first and only warning." his voice hardened, "The next incident and every one of you can say goodbye to this programme." his gaze settled on the boys one by one.
"Two months."
"That's how long you've studied."
"Throw it away again ...and you'll have wasted every single day." Silence filled the office.
Finally, he waved a hand, "Leave." the room quickly emptied, just before Kairo reached the doorway, "You two stay." Kairo and Neyo exchanged confused glances before closing the door once again. The director waited until the footsteps outside disappeared, only then did he let out an even deeper sigh "...Finally." his stern posture vanished.
Instead of sitting properly, he leaned against the edge of his desk, folding one leg casually over the other, "...Now tell me." his voice no longer sounded like an angry administrator.
It sounded like an exhausted adult speaking to children, "What really happened?"
Kairo hesitated only briefly, "They were picking on someone."
The director nodded once, "I gathered that much."
"They threatened him."
"They made him steal."
His hands tightened into fists, "...Just because he was small ...they knew he couldn't fight back."
The director quietly listened, "So..." he said. "Your solution ...was to fight four older boys?"
Kairo frowned, "What else was I supposed to do?"
"You could've reported them."
"They would've denied everything."
"You could've called a tutor."
"They would've escaped."
The director rubbed his forehead, "So you thought you could take all four by yourself?"
Kairo's frustration finally spilled over, "No! ...I knew I couldn't! ...But somebody had to say something!"
"If nobody does ...then they just keep doing it!"
The room fell silent.
Behind him...
Neyo covered his mouth, trying not to laugh, the director slowly looked toward him.
"...And you?"
Neyo grinned sheepishly, "What?"
"The last time I checked ...you weren't even in his classroom, so what's your excuse?"
Neyo shrugged, "I didn't know what was happening ...I just heard Kairo was fighting."
His grin widened, "...I joined."
The director stared at him, "...Of course you did."
The older man shook his head, "Kairo." he pointed toward Neyo, "If you keep following this idiot around ...he's going to influence you."
"What?" Neyo protested dramatically.
"I'm not that bad." he pointed at Kairo, "If anything ...he's way more unpredictable than I am."
The director looked at him with the expression of a man who had long since accepted defeat, "I've already given up trying to understand you."
Neyo laughed proudly, "I'll take that as a compliment."
"...Don't." The director pushed himself away from the desk, his expression gradually softened, "You boys remember why you're here?"
Neither answered.
"When Rina brought the two of you to me .... registration had already closed."
He folded his arms, "The participant list was full."
"I wasn't supposed to accept anyone else." He smiled faintly. "But she asked anyway."
"So ...I made room."
He walked toward the office door and opened it, "Now go, and for once ...behave yourselves."
The boys stepped into the hallway, just as the door began to close... "Oh." the director suddenly looked up, "how's Rina doing?"
His smile became strangely nostalgic "...It's been a long time since I've seen that pretty little face."
Kairo stopped, Neyo stopped too; The two slowly turned toward one another, then looked back at the director.
Neither spoke.
The director froze, realization slowly crept across his face "...That ...came out much stranger than I intended."
An awkward silence followed.
He cleared his throat, "...Just ...send her my regards." the door quietly slid shut.
The hallway remained silent for several seconds, Neyo finally leaned toward Kairo.
"...Was that weird?"
"...Definitely."
The two walked away still wearing identical expressions of confusion.
Few hours later....
The sun hung low above Star Sand City.
Golden light stretched across the streets as the four boys made their way home together.
Bobo enthusiastically reenacted the fight, "So then ...I grabbed that chair"
He swung his arms dramatically.
"....and I was about to knock all of them out at once!"
Renjirō looked at him "...Really?"
"Absolutely."
"You mean right before it hit you?"
Neyo burst into laughter.
Bobo pointed accusingly, " Hey... that doesn't count! ...It was friendly fire!"
Renjirō folded his arms, "Friendly fire? .... When I got there, you were lying on the floor like dead firewood."
Kairo couldn't hold it anymore, a laugh escaped him, Neyo laughed even harder.
Bobo grabbed Renjirō's shirt, "Say that again!"
Renjirō immediately grabbed his collar back, "You wanna go?"
The two glared dramatically at one another.
Then...
"...Kairo." The laughter faded, the four turned; Morri stood several meters behind them, his head remained lowered, his hands trembled...
Kairo stepped toward him, "...What is it?" Morri clenched his fists, then suddenly bowed.
"Thank you!" his voice echoed down the quiet street.
"I ...I couldn't do anything."
"I was scared."
"So scared..." tears rolled down his face, "Even when you fought them ...I hid."
"I couldn't help."
"I'm sorry."
Kairo shifted awkwardly, "...Hey."
"Stop crying ...I only noticed you'd missed class."
"When you came back, you looked terrible ...So I figured..."
"...they'd done something."
Morri wiped his eyes, "... I'm sorry ...I'm weak."
Kairo stopped walking, "...So what?"
Morri blinked.
Kairo slowly turned back, his brow furrowed in genuine frustration, "If someone throws a punch at you, then do something ...If you can't throw one back .... then use your head."
He reached forward and grabbed the front of Morri's shirt, "What does it matter if you're weak?"
"Even if you still end up getting beaten .... isn't that better than standing there and taking it?"
His grip loosened, "At least you tried ...At least you did something."
Kairo let go of Morri's shirt and turned; his voice carried more life than any of them had heard before, "Even if you lose ...at least you stood up for yourself."
"That's better ...than letting people walk over you forever."
Silence.
Kairo turned and walked away.
Morri remained rooted to the spot, the tears hadn't stopped... but something in his expression had changed, the hopelessness was gone, in its place burned the faintest spark of resolve.
Neyo watched Kairo rejoin them before casually throwing an arm around his shoulders
"Heh..." A grin spread across his face, "I'm starting to think ...you're learning from me after all."
Kairo looked at him with complete disbelief "...What? ...I've never said anything like that."
Renjirō burst into laughter.
Bobo nearly doubled over as the four continued down the road together, their voices fading into the warm glow of the setting sun.
Behind them...
Morri stood alone beneath the evening sky, watching until they disappeared from sight, his hand slowly curling into a fist.