A step ahead

Cassie looked up to Ken with pitiful eyes. If there's one thing she's certain of is Ken's quest of keeping a low profile but right now, she wasn't sure whether it will be possible.

Camera lights kept flickering all over them as more students kept trouping to the scene to catch a glimpse of the battered men. They were taking pictures of the men on the floor.

"Did Ken beat them?"

"Damn, they are in a mess."

"Are you sure he beat them? There's three of them."

More comments kept erupting from the crowd. Cassie held onto Ken's hand and together, they forced their way through the crowd.

Ken led Cassie down the street. "I'm sorry, it's all my fault," she mumbled.

Ken forced a grin and hailed a cab. "It's not your fault Cassie. I have no regrets," he replied and motioned to her with his head to get into the back seat of the cab.

Cassie stepped into the cab and waved at him, her eyes speaking gratitude. 

"Call me when you get to your hotel room."

"Sure," she replied.

The cab sped away.

Ken turned around with a deep sigh and clenched his fist. He stared at his fist, pondering when he last used them. The last time he engaged in proper combat was three years ago before he relocated to Boston and got enrolled in high school. He had vowed to stay low and keep his martial art skills hidden until those men forced him to react tonight.

He sighed and tucked his hands inside his pants pockets. He began walking toward the campus.

Ken was glad that none of the students caught the fight live on camera. The first guy he beat ran to get help and the crowd started trouping in after he was done dealing with the other perverts.

If they had made fun of him, he would have shrugged and walked away but they tried to take advantage of Cassie, someone he reveres and considers his sister. Cassie forms an integral part of his life and he wouldn't let anyone hurt her even if it means blowing up his cover.

Ken traced his way to his room. He opened the door and was shocked at the spectacle before him. Dozens of male students were in his room passing phones around and mumbling his name. Some were on the bed, others sat on the floor while a few others stood.

As if guided by a magical wand, they all darted their gazes toward Ken who was standing beside the door. There were not less than twenty boys in the room.

Mark squeezed himself through the crowd and made it closer to Ken. He flashed his phone screen at him. "What's this news that is flying around?"

Ken snatched the phone from Mark and looked at it. It was a picture of the two men he had beaten to a pulp. The picture captured Ken's foot on one of the guy's chests while the other guy lay beside him like a corpse.

Ken sighed and gave the phone back to Mark. He looked up at the boys who seemed to have taken over the room. Their eyes were hovering around him and their ears were itching to be fed. Soon, questions began flying from different corners of the room.

"Did you beat them?"

"Are you Chinese?"

"Who thought you how to fight?"

"Did you beat those guys or it's just a rumor."

Ken folded his arms across his chest and cleared his throat loudly. All eyes were fixed on them.

"I didn't do it alone." he began hoping they buy the lie he was about to sell to them.

"I was walking my girlfriend down the dark valley and they just popped out of nowhere and tried to harass her then I tried to intervene but they all ganged up on me then this other guy who was walking by decided to give me a hand," Ken told them.

"So you are saying you didn't beat them alone?" 

"Yea. Someone helped me."

"The guy that helped you. Where is he? There's no picture of him and he is not in the videos that were just uploaded on the student's blog." a second voice hinted.

Ken's eyes widened in horror. Videos and pictures are already circulating in the school blog. "Damn!" he muttered under his breath."

"So Ken. Who is that other guy that helped you beat up the bad guys?" Mark asked.

Ken gave his forehead a delicate scrape. "Well, he left before the other bad guy went to get help."

"We were walking toward the canteen and we saw this huge guy with blood gushing from the corners of his mouth staggering toward us. He told us to help save his friends that someone was going to kill them. When we got to the dark valley with the rest of the students, we saw you stepping on one of them with a clenched fist." An eyewitness explained.

"Well, the other guy that helped me out left before you guys got there." Ken lied hoping they don't ask more questions.

"Those guys got what they deserved. I wish I can stand up for my girlfriend like that." someone said.

"Yeah!" the boys chorussed.

"I have a 7 am class tomorrow. I'll appreciate it if you all leave." Ken demanded.

The boys began leaving the room. They couldn't stop talking about the incident.

Ken sunk onto his bed with a sigh. 

"I never knew you could fight," Mark commented and shut the door. 

The intruders were gone.

Berry, Ken's other roommate jumped down from his bed. "Maybe you can start training us so we can get to defend ourselves.

Ken sighed and rested his back against the wall. " Those pictures made it seem as if it was a tough fight but trust me it wasn't. We just exchanged a few blows and as I said, I got help." he maintained.

Mark climbed the ladder that led to his bed space on top. "Whether it was a few blows or not Ken. Whatever you guys did was great. Those men were huge thugs and you beat them to a pulp. Damn Ken, you guys beat three thugs to a pulp? I'm impressed.

Ken turned away with a smile. If only they know that he was the only one who beat the three thugs to a pulp.

******

Immediately Ken walked into the science lab, and murmurs erupted. He lowered his head and moved to the last row.

After hearing that pictures and videos had been uploaded to the student's blog last night, Ken knew that the students are going to be talking about him for a long while.

Two corps standing on Charlie's left and right accompanied him into the science hall. Charlie cleared his throat loudly so the students can see that he was accompanied but they barely noticed him. They were all turning back, staring at Ken. They were talking about the fight.

The police officers stood by the door while Charlie walked into the lab.

"Did you come with police those officers?" A girl commented and tried to peep out.

Charlie sighed in relief. Finally, someone saw him. 

The students turned their attention to him.

"Well, my dad is a politician. As his only son, I'm bound to attract a lot of negative energy so he gave me ten corps to walk around with but I guess two will be enough." Charlie boasted.

"Who needs police officers? You can just ask Ken to teach you how to fight. He's our hero." the girl replied.

"Yea." the students agreed with a loud cheer.

Charlie clenched his fist and glared at Ken. "I'll never let you steal my glory," he muttered under his breath.