Chapter 153
PUNISHMENT
Ellias instantly seemed to regret speaking. He rubbed his forehead vigorously, leaning back in his chair and taking several deep breaths.
The others glanced at IAM, silently questioning why Ellias had said what he did. Reuel nudged IAM with his elbow, and IAM returned the gesture—a clear,"shut up."
Finally, Ellias exhaled and continued. "It wasn't that difficult to figure out. After all, these three left right after you did and returned to your dorm room. While cameras aren't allowed inside the rooms, we could still see that you all entered the same room. Only when… IAM came back did Henry leave for his own room. It doesn't take a genius to see that they were involved."
IAM felt a quiet, internal smile. Even though Ellias seemed aggressive, he had answered any questions afterwards.
Ellias leaned forward, his gaze sharpening. "Now… I want you to recount everything that led to this incident. Every detail. Don't leave anything out."
IAM and the others exchanged glances before turning to him. IAM faced The Heart and began narrating the story from his perspective.
By the time everyone had finished speaking, Ellias was nodding slowly, his fingers tapping out a steady rhythm on the table.
"I see..." he muttered. "Those fucking bastards—" he paused, correcting himself, "I mean, those bastards are trying to drag our academy's name through the dirt. Not exactly a new tactic. Every academy has its rivals..."
He leaned back slightly, eyes scanning each of them. "But all things considered... you handled yourselves well."
Their faces lit up immediately. Reuel started, "So… does that mean we're free to—"
"No," Ellias interrupted, his tone suddenly serious. "There's still a problem. And I have a bone to pick with you, IAM."
"Me?" IAM asked, his voice blank, almost zoning out.
"Yes, you," Ellias said, voice firm. "You stepped on the civilians of Hope. And regardless of the situation, that was wrong. Using people like that—putting them in harm's way—some may have been seriously hurt.
"These are real people, IAM. With real lives. Real problems. You could've stepped on someone's father—sent him home with a shattered shoulder. Someone's grandmother, with a crushed spine. How do you think their kids, their grandchildren, would feel watching them suffer? Did you even, for a second, think about that?"
"You don't get to treat people like they're nothing. Not here. Not anywhere."
IAM met Ellias's hazel eyes and spoke quietly, but firmly. "I had no choice."
Ellias's face turned red with fury. He slammed his hand down on the table, the crack echoing through the room.
"What the hell do you mean you didn't have a choice!?" he shouted. "Everyone has a choice—it's whether you decide to take it or not! You chose to step on them. You chose not to take the hit. You made a choice, IAM—and I'll be honest with you, I don't respect that choice.
"As a human being… how can you stand there and let others suffer in your place? Even if it hurts. Even if it's hard. You endure it. That's what it means to be decent."
IAM's expression didn't change. It was unreadable—blank. But the tension in the room grew thick, pressing down on everyone.
Reuel, Henry, and Yohan looked between the two of them, caught off guard by the intensity.
Henry suddenly stood up. His voice cracked with frustration.
"How can you say that!? What did you expect him to do?! Do you even understand what they would've done to him if they got their hands on him!?"
His right hand began to twitch uncontrollably again. He clenched it and shoved it into his pocket before anyone could see.
Ellias's face reddened even further as he stood too, the chair screeching behind him.
"Oh, you've got a lot to say, huh? Then answer me this—if you were in that same situation, would you trust someone who'd rather hurt others than take the pain himself? Would you really turn your back to that kind of person and believe they'd have yours?"
Henry frowned, his voice faltering. "That's… that's completely different. I… I—"
Reuel yanked at the sleeve of Henry's blazer, hissing under his breath, "Sit down. That is one of the Vice Principals of the Academy. Are you insane!?"
But Ellias wasn't done. His voice exploded like a thunderclap.
"Answer me! Would you really sacrifice yourself for someone else?! Would you help someone when they're begging for it?! Or would you just turn and run away?"
He slammed the table with enough force to make the walls feel like they shook. "Your actions disgust me! Absolutely disgust me! How dare you treat people like they're less than you!"
IAM's eyes slowly lost focus.
Something cracked.
A shiver crawled up his spine as the room around him fell away.
Darkness swelled.
And from it… memories began to rise—like lost objects.
A trembling, blood-soaked hand reaching for him—fingers twitching violently. The skin pale, the nails caked in black. White hair—now matted and stained crimson—clung to a broken face twisted in pain.
The figure writhed, mouth open in a silent scream.
Help me!
CRUNCH.
Bones.
IAM, please! Please—!
CRUNCH.
Skin tearing.
I don't want to die! I'm not ready!
CRUNCH.
The sound of ribs breaking like twigs.
IAM...
CRUNCH.
IAM.
CRUNCH.
IAM.
CRUNCH.
IAM—
"IAM!"
Reuel's voice snapped him back. A hand gripped his arm. IAM flinched hard, eyes wide as he looked around in a panic.
The room had returned—but colder. Dimmer. As if it knew what he'd just seen.
He stared at Reuel, then at the others. His breathing was shallow. Like he'd just woken up in the middle of a nightmare—except he hadn't fallen asleep.
Ellias was glaring at him. His gaze pressed against IAM's skin.
IAM took a moment, letting the silence breath, then spoke calmly:
"Given your position, I think it's inappropriate for you to ask a student a question like that."
The room froze.
Ellias blinked, stunned—as if someone had slapped him across the face.
IAM turned his head, his voice deep. "Henry. Sit down."
Henry hesitated only a second before obeying, lowering himself slowly back into his chair.
IAM inhaled, brushing his fingers along the side of his neck. His voice was cold now. "I'm guessing you didn't summon us here just to vent your outrage. So go on… What are you going to do?"
His eyes were deep and dark.
Ellias straightened, as if regaining his footing. His cheeks still burned red, but his voice rang louder now, filled with official force.
"There will be no punishment for the others. Their involvement does not warrant disciplinary action." He paused, letting the words hang. Then his gaze cut into IAM. "However, your behaviour was reckless, excessive, and deeply troubling. And for that—you will be punished."
IAM's expression didn't change. "What exactly is this punishment?"
Ellias clasped his hands behind his back. "You're being placed on Council Service for the next two months. You'll be working under the Student Council—assisting with their operations, but without any of the privileges. Expect to be handed the kind of work they'd rather not touch themselves."
Henry shot up from his seat. "No—that's not fair. I pushed IAM into helping in the first place. I share the blame. If he's being punished, then I volunteer to take the same punishment."
IAM turned sharply toward him. "You don't have to—"
"Shut up, IAM."
Henry didn't even look at him.
Yohan stepped forward next, his tone calm but firm. "Then I'll join as well. I was part of it too. I'm not going to pretend I wasn't."
All eyes turned to Reuel.
He cleared his throat awkwardly, eyes darting around as he mumbled, "Well, you know… obviously I… I would… I mean… You get what I'm saying, right? But at the same time… I mean, you know... Like… yeah. You know."
Yohan didn't even blink. His blue eye gleamed with amusement.
"You could build those... connections with the Student Council if you joined in," he said dryly.
Reuel's head snapped up. He stood instantly, slapping a hand to his chest.
"Of course I'll join! I'm just as responsible. In fact, I'd even do—three—no, okay—not three—but I'll gladly do the full two months."
Ellias's jaw clenched. His cheeks flushed even deeper as he turned sharply toward Henry.
"Is this really what you want?" he snapped.
Henry didn't flinch. His voice was steady, his sandy eyes unwavering.
"Yes."
...
After the boys had left, The Heart sat alone in silence.
"IAM Grimm…" he whispered under his breath. "What even are you?"
The silence was pierced by the shrill ring of a device. He picked it up and pressed it to his ear.
"Hello?"
A familiar voice crackled through. "So? You insisted on personally delivering the punishment. How'd it go?"
Ellias exhaled through his nose. "Hmm… This IAM kid. He's… surrounded by interesting people."
"And what about IAM himself?"
He leaned back in his chair, eyes unfocused. "I didn't really get the chance to pick his brain."
"You still don't think he belongs here, do you?"
"No, of course not, Penny. I still don't believe he has what it takes."
A pause. Then, softly: "Is that really what you believe? Or are you just projecting—?"
"Fuck off."
He cut the line and let the device drop from his hand.
It hit the desk with a dull clatter.
For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, in a voice low enough it might've been mistaken for a thought:
"Someone like him… They all end up the same. Just like me. Suffering. Regretting. In this world… there's no such thing as—"
His words trailed off, swallowed by the silence.