At that moment, loud laughter broke out from the students of the other school. Their voices echoed down the corridor, drawing attention from bystanders nearby. It wasn’t just a giggle or a chuckle. They were laughing so hard it looked like they had just watched a comedy show. Some clutched their sides, while others slapped the backs of their teammates, unable to contain their amusement.One of the boys, the one who had spoken earlier, stepped forward again, shaking his head with a mocking grin stretched across his face. He pointed at Summer like she was some street performer entertaining a crowd.“Wow,” he said between laughs. “I can see now… you’re really, really funny.”His voice was dripping with sarcasm, and the others behind him nodded, smirking.“You’re pretending to be all bold and brave,” he added, his eyes squinting slightly as if scrutinizing her. “But we both know — you and I — you’re not going to do anything.”Summer just stared at him silently. She didn’t move, didn’t fli

So at that moment, the boy took a calculated step forward, his shoes making a quiet yet sharp sound on the tiled floor. His lips curved into a smug smirk as his voice came out low and calm—but every word carried a weight that silenced even the smallest whispers in the hallway.“Hope you now understand who I am,” he said, not yelling, not rushing—just letting the confidence in his tone do the damage. His eyes stayed fixed on Summer, but everyone around knew he was speaking to the entire crowd.Summer didn’t flinch. Not yet.“I’m not just anybody,” he continued. “So from now on, you’ll keep your mouth shut when it comes to me… and especially my family. I’m not in your league. I’m way, way, way above your league.”That repeated line made someone in the back scoff quietly, but they immediately shut up when the boy’s gaze darted that way.Summer could feel her heart thudding, not out of fear—but anger. She was trying hard not to react emotionally. But the arrogance in his tone, the way he

At that moment, after hearing what Jason just said, the other students—especially the ones from the powerful family—couldn’t hold it in anymore. They burst into laughter, loud and mocking, as if Jason had just told the biggest joke of the year.One of them clapped his hands slowly, sarcastically. “Wow… Did you all hear that? This boy really thinks he’s in a superhero movie.”Another one whistled and shook his head. “So he believes he can just say anything and get away with it. Does he think the world works like that?”The main guy, the one whose family Jason had called out, took a step forward with a dangerous smile on his face. The arrogance was no longer hidden—it was in full display now.He pointed straight at Jason and spoke, his voice low but sharp like a blade. “Let me tell you something, you loud-mouthed nobody. If you think you can walk around flapping your lips like this and nothing will happen to you… then you better wake up from that little fantasy of yours.”Then he turned

At that moment, hearing what Jason just said, Summer stood quietly, her heart pounding harder with every passing second. The noise around her—the students preparing, the announcements echoing, the subtle murmurs from the crowd—suddenly felt distant. Her mind was spinning, trapped in a whirlwind of thoughts she couldn’t push away.A sharp wave of worry washed over her. Not the kind that made her panic—but the heavy kind. The kind that made her feel like the ground beneath her feet was slowly giving way.She was beginning to realize something now—something she had tried to ignore all this while.She was in this alone.Truly alone.Jason was beside her, yes. He was defending her, shielding her, even taking the heat for her. But this—this mess, this storm—was hers. And if she didn’t face it, no one else could. Not even Jason.Her eyes dropped slightly as she exhaled. A quiet sigh. One full of thoughts she couldn’t put into words.She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know how to clean up

At that moment, Soma would then look at Jason with hesitation written all over her face. The metal tool in her hand trembled slightly as she glanced at the cat again, still sedated but visibly uncomfortable. The tension in the room was thick.Then she asked softly, “Jason… what exactly are you suggesting?”Jason didn’t speak right away. He looked at the monitor again, then at Soma, and then at the small, soft animal on the table. He wanted to be careful with his words. He knew how much this meant to her—not just the competition, but the cat’s safety, the ethics of her profession, and her own confidence as a vet.“What I’m saying is…” Jason began carefully, “maybe you shouldn’t do the surgery—not yet.”Soma raised her eyes sharply, confused and anxious. “What?”“I mean…” he stepped closer, lowering his voice to keep her focused. “What if… what if you just try to pull it out gradually, just like you said earlier. You already said it’s risky, I know that. But it’s also risky to operate w