The morning sun was creeping shyly through the gray clouds, drawing broken golden threads on the damp cobblestones of the road.
A cool breeze carried with it the smell of wet grass, and the rustling of leaves on either side of the road seemed as if nature herself was whispering her secrets to them.
King and Ariana were walking in quiet steps, talking as they approached the bridge to the school.
Ariana said, pulling her bag over her shoulder:
"Today we have a sports class... I hope the teacher is not in a bad mood as usual."
King smiled sideways and replied:
"And if he's in a bad mood, it's probably because he sees you every morning."
She raised an eyebrow and struck him lightly:
"Be careful, or I'll throw you in the river before we get to school, you arrogant one."
From afar, Mike appeared, his innocent smile preceding his steps.
"Good morning, latecomers, are we late as usual?"
King smiled.
"As long as you're with us, delays are certain."
Ino caught up with them in quick strides, her black hair glistening with the morning light, her brown eyes sparkling with vitality.
Ino: "Ariana, did you finish your math homework?"
Ariana replied: with artificial coldness:
"Of course, but don't think I'll give it to you this time."
Ino laughed lightly:
"Who said I would ask for it?"
Jack and Hedan arrived exchanging jokes, and they were caught up by Leo, bright orange hair and sharp blue eyes, his features a combination of confidence and defiance.
"Welcome to the Delay Squad... or as I like to call it the Turtle Squad."
King responded with a smile:
"And welcome to the biggest latecomer in the history of the school."
Their laughter quickly faded when they reached the bridge.
Down the bridge, on the riverbank, a small red ball rolled over the water.
There was a five-year-old girl, with short black hair and brown eyes, trying to catch the ball.
But her foot suddenly slipped, and her little body fell into the cold water.
She cried out in a sharp voice that tore through the stillness of the morning:
"Mama, please help me!"
The current was strong, the water hitting her slender body, her small arms beating desperately against the surface of the water.
Inu gasped and put a hand to her mouth, her face pale:
"Oh my God, she's going to drown!"
Mike cried out in confusion:
-What do we do?!
Jack froze in place, and Hedan took a step back, like fear paralyzed them.
King didn't wait any longer. He threw his bag on the ground and jumped into the river without hesitation. The impact of his body on the water caused a loud sound, followed by a cold machine gun that penetrated his body to the bone.
His breath was heavy, but his eyes were fixed on the child.
Ariana cried, her features a mixture of anger and horror:
-"King! No, stop!"
The child clung to him tightly, which made it difficult for him to move, and the current pushed them away.
On the bridge, Liu gripped the metal barrier so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and a voice inside him shouted:
"Shit, I can't let him drown."
Suddenly, a man appeared on the other side of the river.
He was tall, wearing a long black coat and hat that almost concealed his features, save for eyes adept at steadiness and coldness.
His steps on the wood were slow, confident, as if it didn't surprise him.
Leo shouted at the top of his voice:
-"Man! There's a child drowning! Help us!"
The man raised his head slightly, exchanged glances with Leo for seconds that seemed too long, and then jumped into the water with suspicious lightness, as if he had practiced this hundreds of times.
His movements in the water were strong and organized, he reached them quickly, grabbing the child first, then pulling King safely to shore.
King sat on the floor panting, water dripping from his hair and clothes, while the child was in her mother's arms, crying bitterly and the mother hugged her as if she feared losing her again.
King suddenly raised his head and said:
"Where is the man who saved us?"
Mike replied, looking around:
"He left a little while ago and didn't say a word."
The sound of the river kept whispering in the background, as if the man's disappearance was no accident.
Ariana came closer, her eyes carrying anger and fear that she didn't try to hide:
"Are you crazy? You were going to die!"
King answered her with quiet seriousness:
"She would have drowned … I would not have stood idly by."
Her voice rose as she said:
"What if you die?"
He smiled in spite of the cold:
"You would be sad for me, wouldn't you?"
She shook her face:
"In your dreams, who do you think you are to make me sad for you?"
As for Ino, she stared silently at the place where the man had disappeared, her eyes narrowed as if she was trying to remember something:
"That guy … I've seen him before."
But there was no time to search for the answer, the school was waiting, and the river kept its secrets.