The mocking laughter swirled around Jay, an unrelenting tide that threatened to pull him under.
He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, desperate to find some way out of this moment without breaking entirely.
But before he could even muster the courage to say anything, Lia's voice cut through the noise like a knife.
"Wow, are you guys really that bored?"
The bullies turned toward her, their sneers faltering as they took in the sight of Lia. Her confident stance, the slight smirk on her lips—it was clear she wasn't intimidated by them in the slightest.
"What's it to you?" one of them asked, his bravado shaky now that the popular Lia was addressing him.
"Well," she said, crossing her arms casually, "you're standing here wasting your time trying to tear someone down. It's kind of pathetic, don't you think?"
The group exchanged uneasy glances. Lia didn't wait for them to respond before continuing, her tone sharper now. "If you're so good at Valorant, why don't you show us in-game instead of running your mouths?"
Jay's heart skipped a beat. "What is she doing?" He couldn't breathe.
The last thing he wanted was for her to escalate this into something connected to his in-game life.
The leader of the group scoffed. "Pfft, like I need to prove anything to you."
"Oh, I get it," Lia said, her smirk growing. "You're scared you'll lose."
The other boys snickered nervously, unsure if they should back their friend or just walk away.
Jay's mind raced. Lia wasn't just defending him—she was twisting the situation, redirecting the attention away from him entirely.
"I'm not scared of anything," the boy retorted, puffing out his chest. "I could wipe the floor with anyone in that game."
"Sure you could," Lia said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I guess we'll never know, right? Because talking big is easier than actually doing something."
The tension in the air shifted, and Jay could see the bullies starting to falter. Lia's calm, cutting confidence had them second-guessing themselves.
"You know what? Forget this," the leader muttered, turning away. "Not worth our time."
The mocking laughter faded into a charged silence, the bullies visibly caught off-guard by Lia's sharp words. Jay could feel his pulse in his ears, loud and unrelenting.
He wasn't sure what was worse—the ridicule he'd just endured or the sudden spotlight Lia had put on him.
One of the boys in the group, a member of the school's gaming club, stepped forward with a smug look. "If he's really Shuujin, then why doesn't he prove it? I mean, anyone can throw a username around."
Jay froze. His blood ran cold. This was spiraling out of control.
Lia didn't miss a beat, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What, you need him to prove it to believe it? Sounds like you're doubting yourself more than him."
The boy bristled at her jab, his confidence wavering but not crumbling entirely.
"I'm just saying, there's no way this guy is the same Shuujin I've seen in highlight reels. Shuujin doesn't miss, and this guy…" He gestured to Jay dismissively. "...he doesn't even look like he knows which end of the mouse to use."
Lia tilted her head, her smile growing sharper. "You sound awfully confident for someone who's never played against him."
That hit its mark. The boy's smugness cracked, replaced by something closer to irritation. "Alright, fine. Let's settle it. One-on-one. Valorant. Right here, right now. Just so you know, I am a Diamond ranked player."
"pfft" Lia let out a smile.
The hallway erupted in murmurs. Students began to crowd closer, sensing drama in the making. Jay's stomach churned. He wanted to sink into the floor, disappear entirely.
"Wait, no," Jay stammered, finally finding his voice. "I'm not—"
"He'll do it," Lia interrupted, her voice loud and firm.
Jay whipped around to face her, panic flashing across his face. "Lia—"
She leaned in, her voice dropping low so only he could hear. "Trust me. You don't have to win. Just play."
Jay's heart pounded.
"This girl is insane!!"
Did she have any idea what she was asking of him? His reputation—both in the game and in real life—was on the line. And yet, there was something in her gaze that stopped him from outright refusing.
Something steady. Something certain.
"Fine," the boy said, crossing his arms. "After school. Gaming club room. Let's see what our wannabe 'Shuujin' is really made of. ahaha"
The crowd buzzed with excitement as the bell rang, dispersing them back to their classes. Jay remained rooted in place, his head spinning.
...
After School, at the gaming club.
Jay felt his stomach twist into knots as he followed Lia into the gaming club room.
The space was alive with energy, the glow of monitors casting an eerie light across the walls. Conversations buzzed around him, punctuated by bursts of laughter and the click-clack of mechanical keyboards.
For Jay, every sound was amplified, each step an effort not to bolt out the door.
Lia, however, was completely at ease. She moved with purpose, her confidence unshaken as she casually leaned against one of the desks in the center of the room.
Her presence immediately drew attention, whispers rippling through the crowd.
Kyle, the self-proclaimed leader of the club, swiveled in his chair to face them. His smirk widened as he took in Jay's slouched posture and nervous glance. "Well, well. shuujin, eh?" he said, his tone dripping with mockery. "Doesn't look like much."
Lia shrugged, unfazed. "Looks can be deceiving." She shot Jay a sidelong glance, her expression a mixture of amusement and encouragement.
"Alright, let's settle this," Kyle continued, leaning forward with a predatory grin. "If you're claiming he's Shuujin, he'll have no problem proving it, right? One match, one-on-one. Unless you're scared?"
Jay's heart pounded in his chest. The world seemed to blur as panic clawed at his mind. He didn't want this—didn't want to expose himself, to let these strangers see a side of him he had worked so hard to keep hidden.
"Come on, Shuujin," Lia teased lightly, her voice soft but firm. "Show them what you've got."
Jay's throat felt dry as sandpaper. He hesitated, but Lia's steady gaze anchored him.
He didn't want to disappoint her, and he didn't want to give Kyle the satisfaction of seeing him back down.
With trembling hands, he sat at one of the empty setups and logged in.As soon as the familiar interface loaded, his username appeared: [Shuujin#097].
The room went silent.