WHY AM I CRYING ?

My body felt like it was on fire—burning, restless, anxious. My legs felt like they had weights tied to them, each step making me break out in a cold sweat. But time waits for no one. It only moves forward.

I walked down the familiar road, my heart filled with uncertainty. Was I doing the right thing? But one thing was certain: justice always wins! The closer I got to the school gate, the faster my heart pounded, as if it were about to explode. This feeling was even worse than death—because at least in death, I could close my eyes in peace. But if I lost today, my life would be no better than that of a stray dog, waiting to be trampled.

I clenched my fists, forcing a smile. "A smile will help ease the tension." In the distance, the school gate came into view.

Maybe… I could still turn back. "Yeah, I could fake an illness and skip school today." With that thought, I stopped in my tracks. My mind was stretched like a tightrope. "What should I do?"

I closed my eyes and let my body decide. If I tilted in one direction, I would follow that path. Everything went dark. I relaxed my body… and then, my left foot stepped forward, my right foot followed to keep balance. I opened my eyes. My body had unconsciously chosen to walk toward school, as if fate had already been decided.

I smiled confidently and continued forward.

As I stepped into the classroom, the air felt suffocating. I could feel the stares drilling into me. The thugs in class were glaring at me, ready to tear me apart. I ignored them and quietly took my seat. Whispers filled the room, and I could clearly hear what they were gossiping about—me and Owl.

The bell rang, and I sighed in relief. "Maybe I had escaped… Wait!" Owl was in the same class as Duyen! That meant… the one in the most danger right now was Owl!

Panic surged through me as I shot up from my seat and bolted toward Owl's classroom. My feet moved so fast that I crashed into several people along the way. I was so focused on my destination that I didn't notice the tall figure blocking my path.

Thud!

I slammed into him and stumbled back, looking up…

It was Kien!

His face darkened. His usually pale skin turned red with rage. Around us, students swarmed in like ants drawn to sugar, leaving a circle in the center—where Kien and I faced off.

From the crowd, Owl struggled to push through. Eventually, he squeezed his way to my side.

I smirked. "You managed to get in, huh? These guys are swarming like ants."

Owl trembled, his voice shaky. "Kien looks like he's about to punch us, Chairman…"

I looked straight into Kien's eyes and grinned provocatively. "You planning to get revenge? Or are you so scared you pissed your pants and can only stand there like an idiot?"

Kien gritted his teeth, his voice dripping with fury. "You're dead! You two mutts—I'll take care of you both today. Saves me the trouble of burying you one by one!"

I raised my middle finger at him, taunting: "If you've got the guts, meet us at the back of the school. Just the three of us—we'll take real good care of you."

Kien's eyes burned with fury as he roared, "You two fucking mutts! Even if you bring four or five more, you still won't last a second against me!"

I smirked and slowly backed toward the empty lot behind the school. Brimming with confidence, Kien followed. The crowd, eager for a showdown, rushed after us like spectators at a major fight.

Owl tugged at my sleeve, worried. "Chairman… why did you pick an open area? Wouldn't it be better to fight in the hallway?"

I explained, "Fighting there would be a disadvantage. You wouldn't have space to move, and I'd have trouble landing hits. Besides, here's more spacious—if things go south, we can still run."

Owl's face paled even more, sweat pouring down like rain.

Kien stepped forward, cracking his knuckles loudly. He seemed to have learned from last time—this time, he warmed up properly before fighting. I swallowed hard, feeling the tension rise. My whole body burned, my shirt soaked in sweat.

From the crowd, a loud sneeze suddenly echoed.

For a moment, the entire lot fell silent.

I clenched my fists and roared:

"MOTHERFUCKER!!! LET'S GO!!!"