'Drip, drip, drip'

  Sound of water drops continue. It's a unused bathroom behind the school. There is a skinny boy id in front of it, completely disheveled. Three boy with much sturdier build standing around him ughs off with beastly joy. It was clear they were bullying the skinnier boy. Their leader pces his feet over the bullyied boy and presses down. The tormented boy grunts in pain. Bully leader looks satisfied.

  "Oi, shrimp! Where did you get the audacity to reveal our cigarette to teacher?"

  "Due to this disgusting twerp, I were scolded by my parents. I even lost my star token, Brian, beat him up!" one of the other two tuned with him.

  Apparently, Brian and his friends had put their cigarette in his bag to avoid any suspicious check from teachers. But apparently, their homeroom teacher Yamina checked every single bag of the css 1/A. Knowing the skinny boy wouldn't do such a thing, she asked who forced him to keep the cigarette. The school authority called the convicts' guardian and made some other punishing steps. They were furious for this reason.

  They were going to do something else to torment the skinny boy more, but a angry voice from behind sent shivers through their spine. Ms. Yamina has appeared!

  ?May I ask what you're doing, Brian??

  Each of her words exude killing intent. Those vicious bullies started twitching like insects in front of her oppressing aura. Unable to say anything, they suddenly started running.

  Ms. Yamina didn't stop them. She prioritised the lying boy who was almost at his consciousness` end. she quickly ran over to him, gently pulling him over and trying to make him stand while carrying most of his body weight by herself.

  "Ryan, are you okay? Can you stand?"

  The skinny boy, apparently named Ryan couldn't stand. He was hit in his sorplexus, back and thighs. Ms. Yamina quickly took him piggyback and carried to the empty infirmary. After letting him y down at a bed, she went to find the school nurse who is also a substitute teacher.

  Ms. Yamina is the youngest teacher in the history of Ghisine Central High, one of the most prestigious school in Southbee nation. (You can think of this world as a parallel world of ours with some geographical difference. Otherwise w, culture, customs and other social ingredients has no difference than ours. I will call this pnet Arnithin.)

  Not only that, she holds the youngest to graduate and minimum required time for completing doctorate record within Southbee. She joined Ghisine high at the age of 20, directly as a proffessor at that. She is also the only reason Ryan was able to continue this far in this school. She was the only one who tried to protected Ryan from getting bullied as much as she could. She was different than other teachers who turned blind eyes towards bullying. With excellent academic genius, she is also a stunning beauty. She is admired as "Moon Goddess" among the student. Her cold demeanor to everyone took a big part in her nickname.

  Even though Ghisine Central High is a government managed public school, most students here are heir of wealthy family or offspring of government officials. Ryan belongs to the very few students without high-profile background and connections. His parents managed a small business untill they passed away from a road accident. Ryan only have the apartment they left and a meagre amount of money at bank for emergency situation.

  He was a sharp kid from the childhood. He needed to work diligently to enter this school. But he couldn't follow the complex curriculum of Ghisine Central High. He needed to earn his livelihood by working on various part-times too. A weak body, timid personality, humble background -Ryan was the ideal victim for bullying.

  After getting treated, he didn't have the strength to go for work, so he returned home straight. He thought taking a day off won't make much problem. After taking a bath and resting for two hours, he was getting prepared for his night shift work at a five star restaurant.

  ~ring…ring…ring~

  It was a phonecall from the workpce he skipped his afternoon shift. The owner outright fired him.

  It was a great shock for Ryan, who is dependent on the part time job for his food. But he still got ready and set off for next workpce. The five star restaurant paid well. He was able to live off doing part-time because of this job, so it was his lifeline. He also had a secret crush on a waitress Trina in this restaurant.

  Here his main work was assisting the chef. His knowledge on the fundamental of every cuisine was the reason he got this job. Generally, graduates from culinary schools are taken for this job. But Ryan had simir skills without any culinary training. So they took him at a lower pay than trained but a much higher pay for an average part-timer.

  After continuous work for three hours, Ryan came out from the kitchen and entered the spacious air-conditioned lounge of the restaurant. It was the VIP Lounge, so there wasn't much guests. He sat on a comfortable leather chair, enjoying the cool breeze from air-cooler. The lounge had many semi-private tables surrounding walls. They didn't have any door so it wasn't completely separable.

  Suddenly he noticed some abnormal movement from a nearby private table. He peeked, and with utter shock he saw his secret crush Trina sitting at the p of someone and kissing!

  Ryan wanted to jump quickly and stop them. But a hand on his shoulder stopped him. It was another waitress. She whispered, ordered him not to disturb them. This little farce was seen by the man who was kissing Trina. Instead of stopping, he proudly started undressing Trina. Their lips parted ways, and the man's face was finally visible. It was Brian!

  The waitress who stopped Ryan quickly pulled him from there and took him to a desote corner. She informed Ryan that Trina is serving him with her own volition. Brian came here several times before. He always presents Trina many valuable gifts and luxury items which were untouchable to lower income people like them. Brian using his father's membership card, so he can do anything here.

  Ryan then went back to kitchen, continued working and eventually his shift came to an end. He changed appron and put on usual outfit, then started walking. He wasn't into himself, his mind was completely torn. His body was working on instinct and muscle memory. He boarded the usual train, and got off at a wrong stoppage. He went marching on and on, not knowing the way or the destination. Suddenly, he noticed he is on the bank to the River Kawaii.

  It was a big river with significant stream. He didn't came here before, but he could somehow felt he knew this pce. It was a desote pce without a soul in sight. Many trees on the both side of river provided the location with horror atmosphere.

  Ryan slowly walked toward the water. There was heightened embankment on both sides of the river. He felt like the water inviting him, to join it's embrace. To escape from the cruelty and the hell of real life. He decided to end his life and got into a jumping posture. The momment he'd jump, he heard a sweet tone.