As the meeting finally drew to a close, the assistant principal delivered her final speech.
"Your suspension will start from tomorrow, Thursday, so you can return to school on Tuesday."
Then she went on with how he should work on his assignments at home and not neglect his studies and other responsibilities. She even emphasized that the decision was final. Finally, she said:
"Thank you for your understanding and cooperation."
After standing up with his sister without even responding to the assistant principal.
Seeing her dark expression now, filled with resignation rather than the earlier anger, Christian, who had intended to just go home with his sister, changed his mind. He said the first thing that came to his mind.
"When an adult commits a crime and a minor does the same, the law punishes the adult more severely. But it seems that here, in this so-called fucking sacred school ground, it's the opposite."
"The teacher who caused the problem is expected to devise a plan to bully the outstanding student, going as far as extinguishing and killing his passion for studying. While a student who hasn't done anything wrong gets suspended."
As he spoke, Christian remembered that people often reflect on their schooldays as they grow up. So he pressed on.
"So, while my remaining days at this school are few, which is fortunate, it was still a dishonor to attend such a low-level school, and I will make sure to remember this in the future."
"I just hope you don't come to regret the decision you made today."
With a stern and somewhat louder tone, the assistant principal with a selective mind reprimanded him, choosing to ignore his earlier comments and focus only on the final sentence.
"Are you threatening the school staff now, even after I tried to lessen your punishment and make it lighter?"
"Instead of being thankful?!"
'Fuck, she's even more obstinate and rotten than that math teacher.' She really expected him to be grateful for receiving punishment for nothing particularly impressive.
"Take it however you want, if it will be written in my file anyway."
"One punishment or another, even if I were expelled from the school, it would all be the same—just a black stain."
Perhaps seeing that he really didn't care, the assistant principal yielded this time and said:
"I will be the bigger person and try to be more understanding."
Christian just snorted and started walking with his sister. Even then, he couldn't help but start laughing, while also adding:
"Hahahaha. Understanding, she says. Do we really speak the same language?"
"She really has a talent—for joking, I mean, of course."
With the assistant principal not responding to his taunts, he opened the door and stepped out. Christian was about to slam the door shut again, just like before.
But his sister caught his hand and shook her head slightly, which made him finally stop. He then just walked out.
The atmosphere as they walked back home was silent, and Annabelle feeling guilty, was unable to hold it in any longer, said:
"I'm sorry. It's because of me and how I couldn't speak more effectively, which prevented me from convincing her."
"The punishment could have been lighter."
Hearing his sister apologize, Christian felt even more anguish about the situation. The desire to get back at them burned even deeper inside him. Yet, in a natural tone, he said:
"No, you were brilliant."
"It's just that they were probably at it together, and we had no chance."
Seeing her nod but remain silent, Christian felt troubled about how to comfort her.
With each of them lost in their own thoughts, they finally arrived at their house.
Once inside and no longer in public, Christian decided to be a bit bold.
'She loves hugs and always gives them. So if I were to give her one this time, she should feel better, right?'
With this thought in mind, he approached his sister and hugged her. Since they were nearly the same height, he rested one hand on her head and offered her his shoulder instead of his chest. He wrapped his other arm tightly around her back and whispered to her.
"It's okay. I might not have said this before, but I go to school to make you happy in the first place."
"If it would make you sad, someone who is far more important than my school, what would be the point of my attending then?"
"Should I just drop out?"
While the surprise of him initiating the hug came a little late, Annabelle was still filled with sweetness, nearly forgetting what had just happened.
In her brother's arms, for the first time, she felt his shoulders were broad and she felt safe, as if no storm in the world could affect her.
Then hearing him say how much more important she was to him than the school, all her grievances disappeared, and Annabelle felt like her life lately had been growing more and more joyful.
However, upon registering his last sentence about dropping out of school, she panicked. She raised her head slightly, coming inches away from her brother, and hurriedly replied.
"Of course you shouldn't."
Although Christian felt like teasing her, but seeing her green eyes up close and the small black mole under her left eye, with their noses nearly touching and their faces so close that they were breathing the same air, made him want to evade her gaze, as if he had done something wrong.
So he decided to show her mercy and said, hoping to be released from the situation quickly.
"I was joking. But do you feel better now?"
After staring into his green eyes which were very close, and so similar to hers, Annabelle chose to believe him for now. She decided not to dwell on it too much, then nodded and replied.
"Yes."
As she dove back into his arms and hugged him again, Christian, with a slightly red face now, tried to think of something other than the current situation to distract his himself and calm his agitation.