The basketball court was filled with tension, scattered balls bouncing in all directions. Wesley, usually calm and focused, stood furious beneath the hoop, his clothes and face marked with dirt. "Ryan!" he shouted, "Just because you're from a powerful family doesn't mean you can bully others! You think I'm scared? Well, I'm not!"
Ryan stood off to the side, his cold eyes fixed on Wesley. A mocking smile curled his lips as he spun a basketball on his finger, building up speed. "So, you've got guts," he muttered, before launching the ball toward Wesley with frightening force.
Wesley, driven by his stubborn pride, refused to flinch, but his friends pulled him out of harm's way just in time. The ball slammed into the metal frame of the hoop, echoing across the court. The girls watching gasped, realizing that Ryan had been the one hurling those dangerous balls earlier.
Ryan was notorious at Elm Academy. Since his arrival, he'd been in countless fights, but despite breaking the rules time and again, he'd never faced any real consequences. His family's wealth and influence shielded him. Rumor had it that even top officials wouldn't dare challenge his powerful mother, whose connections made her untouchable.
Wesley, held back by his friends, shouted in frustration. "What else can you do besides fight, Ryan? You're nothing! A failure in class, on the court, and at everything you try! No matter how hard you hit, you'll still be a loser!"
Ryan stood alone, fists clenched at his sides, his shadow falling long on the court. The sun shone brightly, but around him, there was an undeniable chill in the air. Not a single person stood by his side.
Yuki, the model of integrity at Elm, pushed through the crowd, her gaze locked on Ryan. "Apologize to Wesley!" she demanded, her voice steady. Her own head throbbed from an earlier injury, but her resolve was unwavering. She despised Ryan's arrogance and his constant use of violence.
Ryan turned slowly, his eyes narrowing as they met hers. "None of your business," he spat, stunning the girls around him with his crudeness.
Emily, standing quietly among the crowd, felt her heart tighten. She could sense Daisy's disdain for Ryan and noticed the collective disapproval radiating from the other students. Her chest ached with a strange sadness as she watched the scene unfold.
"Young, is this guy really the angel?"
He's more like a devil, a short-tempered one at that. You know how bad his temper is, right? He throws basketballs at people—Wesley was a mess, and Yuki even got hurt, her forehead bleeding.
And he didn't apologize. He didn't even explain why he was so angry.
Yet, despite all this… he looks so lonely.
It reminds me of that time we fought. I stormed off, ignoring you even when you called my name. But secretly, I didn't leave. I hid around the corner, watching to see if you'd be upset...
And you were. You just stood there, waiting for me, as the sunset stretched your shadow long across the ground. You didn't move for a long time, as if you'd wait for me forever.
"Wesley's right," Yuki said, her gaze piercing into Ryan. "You're just a failure!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd. No one had ever heard Yuki speak so harshly before.
Ryan's face twisted in rage. "What did you say?!"
"You heard me! You're useless. You can't do anything on your own. You can't even run 400 meters without collapsing! All you can do is throw basketballs at people. But can you even make a shot? Bet you couldn't sink one if you tried ten times."
Ryan's hand snapped out.
Smack!
The slap echoed through the court. Yuki's face turned sharply to the side, her hair falling messily over her cheek. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
The students froze, stunned.
Emily couldn't take it anymore. She rushed to Yuki's side, her hands trembling as she wiped the blood from Yuki's lip. Then, turning to Ryan, she shouted, "You've gone too far! First, you hit her with the basketball, and now this? Don't you know how wrong this is?"
Ryan just sneered, spinning a basketball on his fingertip. "Oh? Another wannabe hero? Have you been watching too many kung fu movies?"
"Apologize to Yuki and Wesley," Emily said softly, biting her lip. Maybe, just maybe, an apology could fix this.
"Apologize?" Ryan laughed bitterly, his voice dripping with pride and bitterness. "Apologize? To anyone? Only when I'm dead."
The words hung in the air like a blade. Apology wasn't in Ryan's vocabulary. It never had been.
Emily's heart sank as she looked between Yuki and Ryan. She clenched her fists tightly, nails digging into her palms. There seemed to be no way out.
Then, she whispered, "I'm sorry…"