School isn't just a place for learning. It's a miniature jungle. I realized this a long time ago, and I've always tried to be the "tree" that goes unnoticed.
But today... was different. I walked through the crowded hallway during lunch, my mind still hazy from last night's dreams. A strange sense of power coursed through my veins, like latent energy waiting for a signal to unleash. "Maybe I'm not ordinary..." I whispered to myself, staring at my hand.
In the far corner, I witnessed the usual scene. Three third-year students—hulking seniors—were cornering a skinny first-year. "Did you forget your wallet again?" one asked, shoving the student against the wall. The others laughed as one of them cocked his fist, preparing to deliver a "disciplinary" punch to the kid's gut.
I froze. Suddenly, that strange "confidence" ignited within my chest. An inner voice whispered: You are stronger than them. You can stop them. I moved without thinking, rushing toward them like a hero straight out of a comic book.
"Let him go!" I shouted, planting myself between the student and the bullies. Everyone turned toward me. A brief silence fell. The largest bully, "Kang," looked at me in surprise before a mocking grin spread across his face. "Oh? Quiet Ray decided to play the hero today?"
I stood my ground, raising my fists. I expected them to be scared. I expected to block their attacks with the skill I possessed in my dreams. "I said... let him go."
Kang stepped closer. "And if we don't?"
I threw a punch. I expected it to be fast, powerful. But it was... slow. Weak. Just a pathetic, desperate attempt. Kang caught my fist with ease, crushing it in his grip before laughing in my face. "You call that a punch? My grandmother hits harder than you."
Then... the confidence vanished. That illusory power evaporated in an instant, replaced by cold, hard reality. I am not a hero. I'm just a weak student who meddled in business that wasn't his.
"WHAM!" Kang's heavy fist connected with my cheek. I felt the world spin as I crashed hard onto the ground. Students gathered around us. They didn't clap. They didn't help. They erupted in laughter. "Look at him! He actually thought he was tough!" "What an idiot!"
I tried to get up, but another kick to my ribs knocked me back down, gasping for air. The bullies ignored the small student and focused entirely on me. "Lesson for today, Ray..." Kang sneered, spitting on the ground next to me. "Know your place."
They walked away laughing. I lay there on the ground, my face burning with both pain and shame. The student I had tried to protect... looked at me with pity, then fled in fear without even saying thank you.
"What happened?" I asked myself, wiping the blood from my lip. "Why did I feel like I could beat them?" It felt like a deception. As if my own body had lied to me.
[The Backyard – After School]
I sat under the cherry tree, pressing an ice pack against my swollen cheek. "You're late, hero." A soft, familiar voice. I turned, trying to hide my face quickly, but it was too late. It was Lina.
She sat down beside me, examining the bruise with concern. "Ray... what happened? Did you get into a fight?" "I tried..." I said bitterly. "I tried to help a student... but I ended up taking the beating instead."
I expected her to mock me, or scold me. Instead, she smiled gently, taking the ice pack and placing it softly against my cheek. "That was brave of you, Ray. Sometimes stupidity and courage are two sides of the same coin." I laughed through the pain. "Thanks... I think I'll stick to studying from now on."
"Don't say that." She looked at me seriously. "You have a kind heart... and that's more important than muscles."
[The Walk Home – With Jin]
"I heard you became a punching bag today?" Jin said as he walked beside me. His tone wasn't sarcastic like usual; it held a suppressed anger. "Why didn't you call me? We could have taken them on together."
"It happened so fast," I said quietly. "I thought I could handle them."
Jin stopped and looked at me. "Ray... you aren't weak. You're just... hesitant." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Next time, don't fight alone. We're a team, remember?"
I smiled at him. "Team forever."
I continued the walk home alone. The sun was setting. The shadows were lengthening. Fear and humiliation still burned in my chest. "I am weak..." I whispered.
Suddenly... in the reflection of a parked car window, I didn't see my own bruised face. I saw another face... a face with burning red eyes, staring back at me with anger and contempt. As if it were saying: "Because you didn't use me."
I blinked... and my normal reflection returned. I shivered—whether from the cold or from fear, I didn't know. I ran home, fleeing from the shadow that had begun to awaken inside me.