Chapter 8 - The gang

Oops. While my attention was diverted towards my friends, I had completely forgotten and ignored the teacher who's in front of me.

As I noticed his presence back, I became ready to answer the question.

"Uhm, you see---"

"Come with me at the faculty!" He ordered as he stepped out of the room.

Good grief. I expected only a scolding but I'm seriously getting drag into the teachers' lounge, and this kind of thing is so troublesome.

Moreover, he didn't let me finished what I was trying to say. Misfortunes are piling up.

We started heading towards the place as soon as Sir Roxas has led the way and while leaving my classmates behind who were probably still wondering about the cause of my disappearance.

"Uh-Oh."

When I got inside the lounge, my subject teachers have swiftly surrounded me around as they quietly positioned in waiting to hear my side and, while also giving me their immense stares, giving me a creepy vibe.

This couldn't be helped, but I would be glad if they could just normally look at me. I'm getting tense up here in my spot.

'Pretty please?' I secretly begged them with a wink in mind.

After successfully presenting a fake excuse, 'worried' was the commonly said word that came out from everyone's mouth.

Yet afterwards, I wasn't free to go and was just standing still in front of Sir Roxas' desk while he was sitting down and more concerns are about to be address from him, but I wish this would end quickly. This question and answer is making me restless.

"Well Hanuzuki, you have got to take care of yourself. It is easy to catch a cold and fever these days. Don't tell me you're not eating well, are you?"

"No no not really. I just happened to not feel well lately."

A cold sweat behind my back has dropped from lying and my heart was secretly racing fast in going through this kind of a situation.

"That is why you have got to be careful, okay?"

"Yes sir."

"Well then, you seem too lax for someone who just returned eh?"

"Wh—What the…" I whispered.

No, this can't be.

His words were disturbing, unable for me to comprehend of what he said. It got me curious yet scared of the possibility.

"What is the matter sir?" I asked with a low tone out of nervousness.

Sir Roxas then lifted up his eyebrows indicating of my ignorance and while the moment of silence has made my heart to beat even faster.

"REQUIREMENTS, you airhead."

'Shining shimmering splendid! Don't do that to me again sir'. I reacted in mind.

"Crap! I guess its catching up time ahehe."

After he revealed the concern, I quickly acted surprised of it.

I was expecting for the worst to come yet fortunately it was a relief in the end, and I have secretly taken a deep breath for being anxious.

"Well good luck with that, there is really a lot to catch up."

"Don't have a choice huh. Guess I can't complain. This is what I wanted, haven't I?" I mumbled to myself as I was heading outside of the lounge to return to my classroom.

While taking my time, the noises inside our crowded room have reached me even though from this far distance of mine, but it is the usual thing for students.

As I eventually have returned back, the door is now in front ready to be open wide yet the embarrassment is still kicking in on the other hand.

But without further ado, I mustered up my courage and have gone inside with no care about the world.

While heading to my seat, some of my classmates just ignored my presence while the others were secretly taking glances, but there was no stopping me.

"Hey cuz! What happened to you?" A slightly thin guy with a baby moustache called me.

Kenneth, still 16 years old but we already share the same height. The reason why he's calling me cousin, "cuz" to be short, is because we have found out that we are indeed cousins, though the connection was already that far complicated when we tried tracing the family tree in my mother's side, and including his.

Despite not having to fully confirm it, he's still calling me 'cuz' anyhow.

Furthermost, he's a nice guy and is one of the two of my gaming buddies.

We approached each other and did our group's signature hand greetings, and this isn't my every day routine back in the years.

High five from above and down below, closed fist to the chest and made a peace sign high up in the air.

"Oi Kenny, just got a fever and a cold."

"Are you all better now?"

"Yeah I am."

"It's glad to have you back bro!" Another one with a curly hair and having a bit more of meat in him has popped out of nowhere.

Francis, same age as I am and his very energetic personality has its own advantages and disadvantages.

He is a little irritating when he's goofy around and especially whenever I'm trying to make space for myself to clear my mind.

But even so, he is also a nice guy and we did the same signature greetings.

"Bro France, Thanks. Uh-- where are Kevin and Romeo?"

"Oi Zaki! Did ya miss us?" A familiar voice was coming from behind.

When I turned around, an irritating little guy and a pretty boy has come inside the class.

The one who called was Romeo, 16 years old, has a curlier hair than Francis, and the second of my two gaming buddies.

He's quite active in the class and sometimes he gets to full of himself, but I know he's only acting that way since he's glad to have friends like us.

We then approached each other for the greeting and together with the other guy.

"Huh? I should be the one asking you that Rom. Don't tell me you missed me, are you?" I shot back.

"What? Me? Come on, stop dreaming bro." Romeo gave one as well.

"You got a cold and fever eh. Are you doing well now Zaki-chan?"

Kevin, a low-key handsome guy asked, and is always being caring of our brotherhood. His age is also the same as mine. He's a bit shorter than me yet taller than Francis.

"Yup, I am. And what's with the 'chan'?"

"Hey guys! Back to your chairs, the next subject teacher is here."

Oh well, I think Kevin was just trying to cheer me up.

With just having a short conversation, we had quickly gone back to our seats when our female class president ordered us.

The teacher then walked in and has started discussing the lesson for today.

Along the hours, and despite being under such a situation, I managed in forgetting all about the things that happened temporarily, and I was undisturbed and focused with my studies.

During the last subject, I stared at the sky from the inside and have been wondering of the reason why.

'It is not just because school is a place where I can stay and feel distant about my problems, but it is also the rendezvous point for the people whom I am with for the fun things, and whatever the day has to offer for us, right?' I thought.

The clock strikes at three, and the bell has started to ring loudly for the day once again, and I stare at my buddies whom I also have not seen for quite some time.

Judging from the look on their faces, they probably want to hangout like the usual.

Romeo has quite the busy mood on him while typing on his phone. It seems his texting someone.

"Ah, finally it's over!"

"Oh yeah! So, we're we headed now?"

Kenneth and Francis respectively stated.

"Oi Zaki, Ken!" Romeo called the both of us in a hurried way.

"Hmm?" I wondered.

I knew that something was up with this guy.

"Section 4 said that it is a 'go'." Romeo showed a thumb up to us.

"Hey, what is that boss?"

"Another bet game? Well Kevin, I guess it's only you and me for today."

A sad thing for Kevin and Francis, they would be left out for today. Their faces were looking a bit disappointed, but this isn't the first time it happened, and usually it just turns out fine for them in the end.

Moreover, there is no stopping us gamers when it comes to competitions.

"Oh, so they accepted the challenge. Hanzaki! Come on let's give them a beating."

Kenneth's strong willed declaration got me confused yet excited.

Going home early would be nice, but it seems it's hard to say no to these friends of mine who wanted to have a good time.

But is it really just fine? I mean-- from what all that just happened recently-- I sigh. I think I'm getting a little too lax about this.

"Come on Zaki! They're already waiting. They could just leave anytime if we don't hurry."

"Fine! Let's go."

In the end, the game caught my interest, and because of course there is cash involved and it would help me raise my funds to myself for future use.

"Another money in the bag boy hehe." Kenneth grinned with an evil-looking face, confidently believing that we would completely outplay the opponents.

Together with Romeo and Kenneth, we start to leave inside the classroom to meet our opponents at the meeting place and while also leaving the other two behind.

As usual, we took the long stairs starting from the 4th floor and we hurried with our feet until we have exited the campus.

From a distance of walking, we were closing in at an Internet cafe. Looking closely as expected, the people that were standing beside it are the students of Section 4 ABM, who were already waiting for us.

When we got closer enough to them, Romeo approaches a close friend of his of the said section, and on the other note, I'm already familiar with these guys since I had played against them before, and it wasn't surprising anymore.

Currently, Romeo is talking to Steve, our opponent's ace.

"You're finally here Romeo!"

"Let's not waste time now, let's get this started."

While we were busy finding vacant seats and units for ourselves, there were a lot of people already playing inside the net cafe.

As we luckily found a spot, our opponents were seated at the ground floor while we took the 2nd floor of the building.

Furthermore, the air conditioner got us chilled out because of the low temperature that it was blowing inside the room, and our hands were beginning to shake and bodies were shivering, then a sneeze came out of me from the frosting cold.

In the middle of the competition, our game became more fun and intense together with our serious faces that were showing what was happening in our side, and short screams and yells have been let out due to the excitement and from the nervousness of every clash, and in the end…

"Ez 3-0 man!"

The game was just finished; Romeo has let out a relieving statement.

"*Sighs*. The 'EZness' makes me want to puke." Kenneth has his own too.

"Let's meet them already and take the prize."

"Wait, what? Hey, don't be in a rush Zaki. We just finished the game, so let's try stretching ourselves first to let out the tension."

"Fine then. Hmm? Whoa, seriously?"

I was in a hurry to go back, but the time (4:49 pm) was still early when I looked at it displayed in the computer.

Surprisingly it ended so quickly that there's extra time to spend around, and it took an hour and nearly a half 'till it was over.

As we get ourselves ready and have stood up, there was something that had caught my mind in the process.

'I wonder how the people that rely mostly on bet games had lived their lives. Gaming sounds good and really fun but I don't want to go further for it, such a risk.'

And come to think of it, Steve and the others were already waiting outside for the second time, so we then have made our movements quick when we started going down.

After a minute, the warm sunlight has quickly shined and lifted out the coldness inside me, and Steve together with his classmates had noticed us as we opened the door from the inside.

"Good game bros! So, let's get to the deal shall we?"

Romeo went over towards Steve and the others to settle the prize of the competition, but there was something wrong with them.

When one would lose, of course they would look sad, yet they were oddly nervous for some reason.

Their anxious faces were showing that something was seriously bothering in their minds as I studied them.

I wonder what could it be, but I just stayed at the side while waiting for Romeo to finish the business.

Meanwhile, it hasn't been a minute since we got out yet sudden heavy footsteps have reached through my hearing.

It sounds like a number of people are moving together from a near distance.

As I looked around, there were people from afar.

A group of students who were wearing white polo and blue pants uniform was suspiciously heading towards our direction.

I have no idea what's going on, but Steve has gone frightened with his gaze directed at the incoming crowd when I looked back at him.

And just by looking at their faces, the people nearing us were very angry and pissed.

Their looks were intimidating, and without another minute gone by, the group is now in front and there are about ten of them. Then one of them has moved forward and was likely closing to Steve.

"There you are, Steve! We're here for that unsettled deal of ours. Now, give us the money we won!

"To--- Tommy. Well, uhm---"

Now this surely has to be trouble, and it looks like it is about a bet-game also, what a coincidence.

Steve was nervous, scared, and is unable to speak properly because of what kind of a person he is facing now. Lowering his head, he was bombarded by the continuous complaints of this guy called 'Tommy' who was letting his anger out on him.

On the other side, Romeo backed away from the scene and has started heading back over to us when the confrontation had started.

"Hey, Who are those guys?" I asked while looking at Romeo as he scurried to me.

"Yikes! They are from Sacred Gem Academy. It looks like Steve has gotten himself in serious trouble." Romeo replied.

Sacred Gem? It looks like a bunch of delinquent students have invaded.

"Hey cuz, Romeo, let's get out of this mess, and forget about the bet game." Kenneth worriedly suggested, and the rest of us two nodded.

Without wasting time, we had taken our chance to move away from the scene, yet in the process, my head has been hit by a sudden confusion, disturbing me and slowing my pace while I was following them from behind.

I was bothered from running away.

It is the safest thing to do yet, I stopped in the middle of our escape.

"Oi Zaki! Let's go, that's none of our business." Romeo has noticed and called yet it wasn't able to reach me out while I was disturbingly contemplating about the situation that is going on.

Is it really alright to leave Steve and the others just by themselves?

There are quite a number of those scary guys around them. If a fight starts right here, I could be in trouble.

Moreover, my reputation in school might turn out bad because of me being involved in fights, and not to mention also that punishments would be given.

This is their problem and it is best not to be involved but--- is this really what I wanted?

Those guys from section 4 seem to be powerless.

"What the f*ck do you mean by it? It's already been days you as*hole!"

As I looked back, those helpless schoolmates of ours are continuing to be bullied by the recently arrived strangers.

"Hey, what do you really feel at the moment, Hanuzuki Hanzaki?" Feeling perplexed, I questioned myself.