A week passed by, and the day of the much-anticipated school trip finally arrived.
At The K.D. International School of Education, Mumbai, the school grounds were alive with activity. Students from all sections of the 2nd grade, along with their teachers and family members, filled the space, their voices echoing across the large expanse. The air was thick with excitement as seven transport buses lined up, each ready to take the eager students on a journey they would not soon forget.
The scheduled departure time was 12 p.m., but Leo arrived early, at around 10:30 a.m. He stood alone in front of the main gate, his eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of his brother or Uncle Lee.
As he waited, his phone suddenly rang. Leo quickly answered.
"Hello, Uncle Lee."
"Son, we're stuck in heavy traffic. Can you wait a bit longer?"
Leo's expression softened. "Yes, Uncle Lee. Don't worry about it. The departure time has been delayed by an hour, so you should have plenty of time."
Lee Hyun-jin's sigh of relief was almost audible over the phone. "That's a relief. We'll make it in time. Thank you, Leo."
"Drive safe, Uncle," Leo said, his voice filled with sincerity, before ending the call.
Leo let out a long sigh as he slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Haaa... Let's go inside then," he muttered, his footsteps echoing as he approached the gate.
Just as he was about to step onto the school grounds, a large hand shot out and grabbed him by the neck. Before Leo could react, he was yanked backward, pulled out of the campus and into the open space outside the gate.
"Cough... Cough!" Leo choked as he struggled to break free. The grip was strong, cutting off his airflow.
A voice that sent chills down his spine followed.
"Yo, how are you doing, you Silver Shit? Looks like the gift I gave you on your face healed already."
Leo's heart skipped a beat as he realized who it was. The voice belonged to none other than Kenny Matthews, a notorious bully from Section (B) of 2nd grade. He was the one responsible for the bruises Leo had received earlier.
Kenny grinned maliciously as he shoved Leo into the wall, then grabbed him by the chin, forcing Leo to look up into his eyes.
"I asked you a question. Didn't I? Hmmm?" Kenny sneered, tightening his grip, his fingers digging into Leo's skin.
Leo's breath became shallow, his body trembling under the pressure. He tried to break free, but Kenny's hold was ironclad.
"Pl...please...me..." Leo managed to whisper, his voice barely audible.
"What was that? I don't understand. What are you trying to say?" Kenny taunted, laughing cruelly.
Leo's vision began to blur, his eyes rolling up as he struggled to stay conscious. The world around him began to spin, and for a brief moment, he felt like he was slipping away.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing to him?"
The voice of Leo's class teacher, Ms. Bianca, rang out, cutting through the air like a whip.
Kenny froze. His eyes widened as Ms. Bianca approached them, her face a mask of fury.
"Tch... You're lucky, Silver. But you don't know what's coming for you," Kenny hissed, releasing Leo with a final shove.
Leo's legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground, coughing desperately for air.
"Leo! Are you alright?" Ms. Bianca rushed over to him, her voice filled with concern. She helped him to his feet, her hands gentle but firm.
"We need to report this to the principal immediately. Come on, let's go..." she urged, her tone serious.
But Leo, still struggling to breathe, shook his head. "No," he said weakly, his voice a mere whisper.
"I'm fine, Ms. Bianca. We were just... playing. Haha," Leo added, his eyes avoiding hers, the lie tasting bitter in his mouth.
Ms. Bianca hesitated, her expression softening as she read the pain in Leo's eyes. "Okay... If you say so," she said reluctantly, knowing full well what had happened, but feeling powerless to intervene in a way that would truly help.
"Were you waiting for someone?" she asked gently, changing the subject.
"Yes... my bro—"
Before Leo could finish his sentence, a familiar voice cut through the air, full of energy and excitement.
"HYUNGGGGGG.... I'M HERE!"
Leo's heart skipped a beat as he turned toward the sound. There, in the distance, Uncle Lee's car was slowly approaching. Surya, his younger brother, stuck his head out of the window and waved enthusiastically.
The car came to a stop near Leo, and before anyone could react, Surya leaped out of the window and ran straight toward his brother, enveloping him in a tight hug. Leo couldn't help but smile, a brief respite from the dark cloud hanging over him.
Uncle Lee stepped out of the car as well, smiling warmly at Ms. Bianca.
"Please take care of both of my sons," Mr. Lee said, his voice sincere and filled with gratitude.
"Of course, Mr. Lee," Ms. Bianca replied, giving a small bow.
After dropping Surya off, Uncle Lee waved goodbye and headed back toward his car. The students, parents, and teachers began to gather near the buses, and the principal started calling out names to assign each group to their designated buses.
"Alright, everyone," the principal's voice boomed over the loudspeaker. "Let's get you all settled into your buses. Section (B) and Section (D), you're on the second and third buses. Section (A) and Section (C), you're on the fourth and fifth buses. Family members, you'll be boarding the sixth and seventh buses."
Surya, however, was not pleased with this arrangement. "But I wanted to enjoy the ride with you! Why do I have to be stuck with these little kids?" he complained, throwing a tantrum.
Leo chuckled softly, but he quickly reassured Surya, "There's nothing we can do about it. The principal divided us by our sections, so just enjoy the ride. I'll come find you as soon as we reach the destination, okay?"
"Ha, fineeee..." Surya sighed dramatically, but Leo could tell that his younger brother was secretly excited about the trip.
After making sure Surya was settled into the bus, Leo made his way to the buses designated for Section (C). He headed toward the fourth bus first, but when he got there, he found that all the seats were already taken. So, he moved on to the fifth bus.
Just as Leo was about to board, however, the familiar, grating voice sent a chill down his spine once more.
"Going somewhere, little silver?"
Kenny Matthews stood there, his arms crossed, flanked by two of his goons. The same cruel smirk spread across his face.
Leo froze. He knew what was coming.
Before Leo could even react, Kenny grabbed him from behind, holding him in place.
"I told you before. You don't know what's in your future," Kenny taunted, his voice dripping with malice.
Leo struggled against Kenny's grip, but the bully's hold was unyielding. Just as Leo braced himself for another beating, a voice rang out from behind them, strong and commanding.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"
Kenny and his goons turned in surprise. To Leo's amazement, standing before them was a tall, striking figure—a black-haired, fair-skinned boy, around six feet tall, radiating confidence.
Arthur Maze. From Section (A).
Kenny's eyes widened in fear as he recognized Arthur, and for a moment, it seemed like the entire world had come to a standstill. Arthur reached forward with ease, gripping Kenny's hand and twisting it away from Leo's neck. The force was so strong that Kenny winced in pain.
Arthur's voice was steady and unwavering as he spoke. "You're in my way. Get lost."
The words were like a command, and without another word, Kenny and his goons bolted away, leaving Leo standing there in stunned silence.
Leo could hardly believe what he had just witnessed. Arthur, someone he had never spoken to before, had intervened without hesitation, stopping the bullies in their tracks with nothing but his presence.
For a long moment, Leo stood there, lost in thought, until the sound of the bus engine starting snapped him out of his reverie.
As the bus began its journey, Leo turned to Arthur, who was sitting alone next to him, seemingly lost in his own world.
"Ah... Excuse me? Thanks for earlier. If you hadn't stopped him, I would have ended up with more bruises. Oh, by the way, my name's Leo. Leo Parth. And what's yours?" Leo asked, his voice sincere, his eyes bright with gratitude.
Arthur remained silent for a few moments, seemingly uninterested, before finally glancing sideways at Leo.
"What do you want?" Arthur asked curtly, his voice low and guarded.
Leo blinked in surprise. "Ah... Was I staring too much? Sorry, I don't really know how to behave around... friends. Haha. Actually, I've never had a friend before..."
Arthur's lips twisted into a scornful smile. "Friends? Who is your friend?"
Leo's face fell at the harshness in Arthur's words, but he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "Listen, dude, I've never been friends with people like you in my life, and I never will. People like you always rely on others to solve your problems. You hide behind others when trouble comes, and I can't stand people like that. People who don't have the courage to face their own problems head-on... You know what? I really despise people like you."
Arthur's words were like a slap to Leo's face, each one sharper than the last. Leo felt his heart drop as his sense of self-worth crumbled beneath the weight of Arthur's words.
He couldn't respond. The humiliation was too much. Arthur's harsh words shattered whatever little confidence Leo had left.
For the rest of the journey, Leo kept his gaze fixed downward, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. He didn't dare look up again, afraid that anyone who saw his face would know just how deeply Arthur's words had cut him.
The journey continued on, but Leo felt like he was no longer part of it. His mind was a haze of confusion, and his heart felt heavy in his chest. The bullying he had faced earlier, the harsh words from Arthur, the humiliation—it all seemed to weigh him down like an anchor.
Every time he closed his eyes, the images of Kenny's cruel smile and the way Arthur had dismissed him haunted him. He couldn't shake the feeling of inadequacy, like he didn't belong—like he wasn't worthy of kindness or friendship.
The bus ride felt endless. The sound of the engine, the murmur of voices, and the occasional laughter of other students created a cacophony in his ears, but none of it reached him. He was trapped inside his own head, unable to escape the cycle of negativity that was spiraling within him.
And then, it happened again.
The voice. It came out of nowhere, a muffled whisper that seemed to come from somewhere deep inside him.
"H-Hyu… Hyu… p... m... e..."
Leo's body tensed, and his eyes snapped open. His heart pounded as he looked around, trying to make sense of what he had just heard. But there was nothing—just the regular hum of the bus and the chatter of students around him.
It was as if the world had stopped, but Leo's mind raced with confusion. He closed his eyes again, hoping to shake off the strange sensation. But that voice—it was there again.
"Whe... re... u..."
The words were so distant, like an echo, yet so clear, as if they were coming from a place deep within him. Leo's heart skipped a beat. It felt personal, almost like someone was calling to him, someone he couldn't quite reach.
His breath hitched in his throat. This was no ordinary sound. It was a cry for help—an urgent plea, and it pierced the very core of him. Leo squeezed his eyes shut tightly, trying to block out the sensation.
But it didn't stop.
The voice burst forth, louder and more desperate this time.
"HYUUUUNNNNGGGGGGG!"
Leo jolted, his eyes flying open as his entire body reacted to the intensity of the cry. The shock was like a punch to his gut, and his breath came out in short, shallow gasps. He could feel his pulse in his ears, the world spinning around him. It was as if the voice had reached out from the depths of his mind, and now it was shaking him to his core.
"Wh... What was that?"
Leo closed his eyes calmly this time. And then he did not hear but saw something unforgettable.