Chapter 32

~ The Day that Ends Everything ~

SW/SW/SW

Kail wolfed his breakfast down, leaving nothing on this plate. He ate with surprising speed that shocked even his family. The bruises he received from Wawan hadn’t healed yet, but they weren’t hurt. It was because of GeaOnline.

Yeah, it was because of the famous online game.

He just couldn’t wait to go home from school and play it. Would the Scylla Queen be waiting for him inside that burned tree? Would she feel alone without him? Was she thinking about him right now?

Dang, he just couldn’t wait to find out.

“Thanks for the food! I’m going ahead, Nia! Bye, Mom, Dad!” Kail took his bag and dashed outside, leaving his family member agape.

Mom locked eyes with Nia. “What’s he up to? Getting so overly energetic in the morning…”

Nia laughed nervously and continued eating. As if she would know!

0000

“Good morning, Kail!” Alisa waved besides the school’s main building. From the way she dressed and the broom she was holding, she must be in the middle of cleaning the track and field club.

Kail approached her, smiling, “What’s up? You’re early today.”

She nodded, “I feel like cleaning the club building, so I got up early than usual.”

Kail put a hand on his middle and frowned, “Whoa, whoa, whoa? By yourself? Where’re the others?”

“Ha ha, they usually come late. No, you got it wrong, Kail. It’s not like I’m bullied or something. They will help me once they arrive. It’s just that… I’m getting an itch to clean something.”

“Where’s Hilda, by the way?”

“Hm? She isn’t a track and field member, Kail. Do you have something to tell her? I can relay the message if you want.”

“Nah, it’s not that,” Kail shook his head. His lying skill activated itself without him controlling it, “It’s rare to see you alone without her. You’re her best friend, right?”

At this, Alisa smiled serenely, “Yes, we are.”

“Ah, sorry. Gotta take a leak,” Kail made a nervous gesture, “see ya in class.”

Kail saw Alisa waved before he went to his class. Pee? Nah, it was just an excuse. He didn’t want Alisa to interrogate him. He didn’t want her to know what he was feeling towards Hilda.

It was… a love at first sight. At that time, Hilda was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen, as if she was an angel who descended from the sky. Purging a sinner was her intention. The sinner was none other than him.

He wanted to confess his love, but he was afraid. If this was a game, he’d just reset and load the game. It was as simple as that. However, this was the real world. Such rule didn’t apply. Once rejected, it would take some time for his heart to heal and accept the truth. Of course, there’d be a chance for Hilda to dislike him after the failed confession.

He just… couldn’t.

Not now.

Not now…

Kail sat down on his desk and took his cell phone out. There was no text since yesterday. A sad smile graced his lips as he murmured, “…pathetic.”

He put the cell phone down. His hand unintentionally went inside the space under the desk. His fingertips touched a piece of paper.

Curious, Kail took it out and read it. He grimaced in anger.

We’ll be waiting for ya behind the school building. Come alone after the school’s out.

There was no sender’s name, but Kail knew instantly who wrote this.

Wawan.

Right, so he wanted revenge, huh? Bring it on. He wasn’t afraid at all, even if Wawan brought his two friends with him. If the odds were against him, he’d push the record button on his cell phone and pretended to be innocent (well, he was innocent to begin with).

Yeah, he was ready.

He wasn’t the same Kail, who’d chicken out with a mere threat. The wimpy, weak Kail was dead. He was burned into ash and was blown by the cold wind.

If someone tried to mess with him, he’d pay back twice as painful.

0000

“I have to say, this omelet roll is super duper awesome!” Kail gobbled the food. It was an ordinary omelet, without milk. Just egg battered, seasoned, and fried. Then it was rolled and wrapped with a long piece of nori. “Look at this! The color, the taste, the size! All perfect! And this rice, too! So tasty!”

“Kail, eat slowly,” Alisa scolded. To be honest, she was happy that Kail enjoyed it, but if he was exaggerating like that, she’d afraid that Hilda would know what was going on between them. Actually, they were friends, but if Hilda knew her real feeling, she’d be teased to death! Alisa didn’t want that!

But it was awful if she and Kail secretly going steady. If would feel as if she didn’t trust Hilda. Friends were supposed to trust and support each other, right?

She took a bite of her croquette and smiled inwardly. She wasn’t that bad at cooking! In fact, this was delicious.

When she was going to take another bite, Alisa’s eyes went to her best friend.

Hilda was glaring daggers at Kail, who obliviously was enjoying his lunch box a little bit too much. Alisa wondered what about Kail that she didn’t like. Hilda looked like she wanted to kill him.

Was it about Kail’s purple cheek and the bruises on his arms?

Come to think about it, Kail had been involved in a lot of fight these days. What seemed to be the problem? He hadn’t told her anything at all and Alisa felt kind of… alone. It was like she was the one out, with no one telling her the truth.

“Hey, Kail,” Hilda opened her mouth.

Kail stopped eating. He looked at her with mouth still full of food.

The black-haired girl looked at him right in the eye, “I want to confirm something. Can you wait at the school’s roof?”

“Ue? Swure,” Kail glanced at Alisa, asking for guidance. She shook her head in confusion. They both didn’t understand what exactly Hilda was trying to say. Thinking that it was a trivial matter, Kail brushed it off and continued eating merrily.

Somehow, Alisa felt like it would end badly… She had to stop them from fighting.

A minute later, Alisa’s smartphone rang. She took it out and ran her finger on it, reading the message. Unconsciously, she bit her spoon hard as she read the message.

0000

“I wonder what is it that Hilda wanted to say…” Kail murmured out loud as he put his Chemistry book inside his bag. She looked serious… had he insulted her without knowing? In that case, he’d better straighten this out quickly and apologize.

Looking to his right, Alisa wasn’t there amongst the crowds of students. She said her niece who had been living in her house collapsed from overwork and was hospitalized. She'd got a complicated family tree and it was better not to ask why she had a niece who was working. Aside of that, said she’d be back for their ritual after school: walking home together.

Slowly the number of students decreased. They waved good bye and gone, each had different goal to do after school. Kail just took it easy and waited until no one was present. Gathering up his courage, he went to deal with Wawan.

As expected of that rotten boy, he was there waiting for him with his friends. They appeared to have nothing equipped.

Wait, no! This was the real world, not a game! Stop applying game terms in the real world!

Wawan sneered as he stepped closer. His right eye was blackened and Kail was proud at his doing.

“Ya know why you’re here, right?” he asked.

“Yeah, but what’s with the crowds? Afraid of getting beaten up?” Kail taunted.

Wawan stood slowly, cracking his knuckles, “Nah, I’m just making sure to beat you up till you can’t get up.”

Kail returned the hostile glare with the same animosity.

That was right. He wasn’t the same Kail. The wimp Kail was dead.

Dead.

Thanks to DPS, he felt alive. His advice about getting stronger was right. In this world, the strong won everything. Politics, war, education… they didn’t need the weak. This world was a gargantuan jungle, built by God to select the most outstanding individuals. Those who emerged victorious from the survival-of-the-fittest world gained everything—position, money, strength, and women.

…that was DPS wanted to convey to him!! The strongest won!

Kail vowed to survive inside this jungle and stood above all!!!

With a violent cry, Kail ran towards Wawan.

Unbeknownst to Kail, there was a figure hiding behind the main building, observing their fight with a black look.

0000

Kail was lost, but not completely. He had injured Wawan enough to force him to run away. Even though he threatened to gang up on him, Kail wasn’t afraid. Let them come, his fists were ready to taste blood.

He groaned in pain. They had him pinned on the ground and took turn kicking his stomach. He managed to free himself, though, by grabbing one of their legs and turned around, making whoever it was fall. Then the rest was history.

His face was sore and his arms hurt like hell. He’d wanted to use his Chemistry book as a shield, but somehow his arms reacted first. Well, there was no use crying over pained arms.

Kail took his discarded bag, dusted it off, and then wore it. Now it was the time to look for Hil—oh, damn… he’d gotten himself bruises and cuts… How on earth should he face Hilda now? He should’ve met Hilda first before fighting Wawan…

“You clearly enjoyed yourself during that fight,” a familiar voice caught his attention. It was Hilda.

She came from the other side of the building and slowly neared him, but maintained a distance. For what? Kail didn’t understand.

“Ah? I-I wasn’t!” in front of the girl he liked, Kail didn’t dare to show her the real him. “I was just defending myself! They were the one who started first…!”

“Defending yourself?” Hilda snapped. “Do you think I’m stupid? I saw it. I saw you smiling when you punched him! Is that what you call ‘defending yourself’? You looked like an animal that fights for territory rather than human!”

In that instant, Kail’s eyes lose focus.

…the fuck…?

She put a strand of hair behind her hear and sneered, “What else will you do next? Smoking? Taking drugs?”

…the fuck is this girl talking about?

“I thought you were a normal student. I was attracted to your kindness, so I asked Alisa for help. But who could guess that you’re not what you seem to be? You’re just a good-for-nothing delinquent who uses his punches to settle everything down.”

You, teenagers, are useless ruffians. All you do is use your faces as punching bags.

…are useless ruffians.

…You’re just a good-for-nothing delinquent…

What was wrong with people around him?! They were all judging him because of what he looked like, not because of who he was! They were all loved jumping to conclusion before asking him what actually was going on!

First his father, next his mother…

…and finally Hilda, the girl he loved…

“What the hell are you talking about?” Kail felt anger rushing through his veins. “You called me here just to listen to this nonsense? You talk as if you know me. Who the fuck do you think you are? God?”

“No, but I know the likes of you,” Hilda spat, “you’ll definitely smoke in a few days, then take drugs several months later. Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.”

I want to punch this girl… Kail gritted his teeth.

Hilda turned around, no longer interested in seeing his face, “You remind me of my damned father, who abandoned my mom when she was carrying me. Yeah, he was just like you—getting into fights, smoking, and then taking drugs. Oh, and indulging in sex, too. I’m the product of that forceful union. You really disappoint me, so this is a good bye. Don’t talk to me when we see each other again.”

Kail didn’t care about her. She called him here… just to listen to that bullshit?

“Come back here, you shitty bitch!” Kail roared, but Hilda had already run away.

He chased her with an inextinguishable anger. She’d pay for that…

She’d pay for that!!

Kail panted, sounded more like an animal than a man, eyes glaring daggers at everything he had his eyes on. He’d definitely found that bitch, beat her up till she was all black and blue. He wouldn’t forgive her.

He would never, ever forgive her!!

Lost was his innocent love for Hilda and was quickly replaced by untold fury.

I hate her…

…hate everything…

…this world…

….

…I want it gone.