Chapter 9 - Paramount choices and decisions

"Hanzaki!" Kenneth strongly called me out, bringing my senses back this time around.

I then looked back at them.

"I'll be helping them, you two can just go."

"B—Bu-."

Their own startling made their lips tremble, preventing themselves to continue on what they were trying to say.

Because of my shocking and unexpected statement, it caused them to be in silence and indecisive, most likely. I know they are worried for me, but things can't be left like this.

"Don't worry, this is my choice." From glancing, I tried comforting them with words, yet their down faces still remained.

Lately, my actions seemed to have been seriously pressuring their conscience of leaving me in the middle of this dangerous situation.

"Hey, haha. Don't think of it as being cowards to go away. It just takes guts to do this kind of thing, and besides, I can't let anything bad happen right now."

Their silence continued as they were still frozen at their spot.

It wasn't enough persuading them, but I have started moving towards the scene to try fix things up before it is too late.

Meanwhile, Steve and Tommy were still arguing to each other with Tommy's loud voice that has probably reached a far distance already.

"So you really got no money to pay us huh!?"

"Steve! Forget about our bet-game, just give those to them." I called out to Steve while nearing them, and finally have inserted in between.

"But---"

"OH! So you do have money here eh. Give me that!"

"Here yo--"

The money was violently snatched away from Steve's hand as soon as Steve took it out from his pocket, and while Tommy has gotten unsettled after he got the cash, making him more frustrated.

"The hell is this! This doesn't even cover half of it!"

"Wait, calm down!" I raised my arm in front to ease him down from his little tantrum.

'But seriously Steve, just how much did you guys have bet on?' I silently complained.

"That is all we had for now."

"YOOOU---"

I wish Steve hasn't said that yet, but obviously there's no hiding it in the end. Let's just find some ways to end this quarrel.

"Hey Tommy, they can pay you the other parts on other days."

Indeed that's it, a fine solution for this problematic issue.

"Huh!? I want the money right now! And who're you? Why are you even here punk!"

Oops… was it a wrong move? But that was a reasonable suggestion.

Yet after I told it to Tommy, he swiftly whacked my arm away for being pissed, and which has forced me to make a step backwards from the motion.

This is getting edgy, but as much as possible, I don't want things to get complicated, and so I continued to play calm despite Tommy's recent, violent action.

"I'm their acquaintance. I'm just helping them here."

"Oh, are you so? You sure got guts to help your friends out eh! Okay boys, my patience has ended. These guys did not fulfil their promise. KICK THEIR BUTTS!"

Before I could even try harder to convince him, the situation has escalated by just that.

Talking this person out won't be the wise thing to do with his kind of thinking.

The tension now rises when these Sacred Gem students have completely surrounded and outnumbered us, and at the same time it had me rattled as I looked around trying to find help, but there were no other people in the area except us.

Crap. It seems that we are indeed in a bad position.

"You guys better check each other's backs or else you're dead." I shouted to my companions.

I then have turned around countless times to get a glimpse of the people surrounding us, and my warning has reached the students of section four which has made them to be ready for the fight.

Meanwhile, the SGA students were starting to move closer as they bring out a wood with them and while Romeo and Kenneth were still standing like a tree at the side, still sceptical from fleeing.

"DIE MOTHERF*CKER!"

As soon as Tommy roared out signalling the fight, my heart has skipped a beat for a moment.

The fight begins, and the delinquents have started charging for the attack.

"HANZAKI!"

Romeo and Kenneth cried out, rushing into the scene when the fighting has started, but three guys came blocking their way as they were about to gone over to my side.

On the other hand, I was also surrounded by three guys at the same time, and Section four students have already started exchanging fists with three of their opponents, and Tommy has knocked down Steve with a solid punch, resulting for Steve to get shaken down but is persistently trying to get up.

Despite of being rattled not a while ago, I have managed to calm myself down of the situation and was focused on the upcoming attacks.

I held my ground due to the fact that we are outnumbered just to play safe.

Without ado, two people are charging in, and I have swung my body side to side, avoiding hits when they threw punches both left and right, and then it was followed by another guy who has thrown the same punches.

I have blocked some of it, but unfortunately, he has landed hits on my face and chest, shaking me up from the impact.

It got me a bit hazy, but still I have quickly returned my focus back as another guy is charging forward while carrying a wood, and so I have waited for him to get closer.

Before the guy could even swing his weapon, I have stepped back away, avoiding a strike once more, but in the process, I get caught behind by two people who are holding and locking both of my arms by only using one of theirs, and they took their chances as I receive multiple punches and blows all over my upper body by using their other hand.

Blood came out from my mouth and nose from the hits, and at the same time small cuts and scratches have appeared on my face. I was feeling the painful injuries all over.

On the other hand, the guy with a wood who recently missed his strike made himself back on track and has gone again for another charge while I was being held down.

Because of this critical and tight situation, it had my adrenaline come rushing within throughout my body.

With arms and legs ready, I hurriedly ducked using all of my strength, avoiding the critical strike twice and at the same time have carried down both of the guys that were holding my arms.

With just a second of the move, I have quickly kicked away the unfortunate charging attacker upfront, and followed by my 'head butt attack' to the guys holding me, making them fall on the ground as a result.

This time, I have gotten completely free from the binds, and so I stepped backwards again to make some space.

I let out a sigh from the close call of receiving a critical hit but have also paid the price of the move that has been made.

That head-butt caused my surroundings to gradually spin around and at the same time was making my head hurt, and also blood was slowly sliding down from a cut on my forehead.

Moreover, I was bearing the pain while kneeling down, trying to catch my breath and recover my state of mind.

But more importantly, how about the others? I wonder what the situation on their side is, and so I take this chance to check them up.

Are they just fine? Did they keep up with the bad guys? Did they kick their butts off?

I was filled with worries but at the same time with good expectations also, yet the result has gone to worst.

Terribly shocking, the horrible scene displayed in the other side has made me gone mad as the section four dudes were completely being beaten up, lying on the ground covered with their own blood.

Meanwhile Romeo and Kenneth were standing exhausted, struggling in defeating the guys in front of them.

I tried getting up, but my injuries were preventing me to do so, yet on a second try, it hasn't completely stopped me as I forcedly stand up with my legs shaking a bit while struggling in gasping for air.

"This is bad!"

I noticed that the guys whom I knocked down were also starting to get up, trying to move closer to me for a payback.

"Yow you guys! Hehehe… Back at your feet already and finish these a*sholes!" Tommy loudly declared while laughing as if everything was already over, yet the scene was indeed clearly and obviously coming to an end as we were drawing our last breaths.

"No, this is truly my entire fault--- If only I had persuaded them first to go away--- Or maybe I had just run away with them."

'And now… it's hard to imagine ourselves having a chance to get away… Damn it hurts… My head, my chests, my face, the injuries… all of it hurts.' I complained in my mind while showing the pain in the outside.

"Guys-- Guys-- I'm sorry-- I'm really so---"

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"

As the scene's climax was just supposed to reach its end, our teachers from school together with some guards showed up and were fast approaching, causing the delinquents students of SGA to have started running away.

My mind has then gone blank as I looked at them fleeing from the area, and at the same time was glad of the unanticipated rescue operation, causing me to sigh out of relief.

After a few seconds, the teachers have successfully got a hold of us, trying to bring us back inside the school to get treated.

Meanwhile, the beaten students of section 4 were being helped and carried by many.

As for me and my two buddies, we have walked ourselves back inside the campus without even saying a single word.

Inside the school clinic, we were still speechless while sitting down and being treated. Steve and the others were put to rest on their beds with their serious injuries, and it's a good thing that they can somehow barely open their eyes despite their condition.

After half an hour of resting, our teachers have gone inside to question us of what happened. Since Romeo, Kenneth and I were indirectly involved of the main reason of the incident, we still got scolded for being included in the fight.

But in the end, we were allowed to go home first, and we had shaken out all of our worries as we quietly went outside of the school campus.

"Ken, Rom. My bad for getting you involved." After stepping out, I immediately turned to them and gave my apology.

"Cuz, we can't just leave you behind over there, and besides, we get to beat them also, hahaha!"

"Kenneth is right. At least everything is fine afterwards."

I then let out a deep sigh.

"Let's just go home for now shall we?" From seeing my down, pressured face, Romeo suggested, probably knowing of the responsibility of my actions that got them involved.

"Right… see you then."

I start walking back with a tired face to my route alone, but after reaching a far distance, I noticed that the two haven't still moved from their spots, and it seems that they were talking to each other, likely were secretly staring at me as I was walking away.

Maybe they're gossiping about how foolish I was, and they do have the right to do that since it is a fact.

What was I thinking back then? More or less, it's fine if it were just me.

If it may happen again next time, I should not be involving them with my selfish decisions anymore.

Further way, my body has gone trembling and hands were shaking from trying in moving forward steadily.

Despite being brave and strong back then, I have realized myself being scared during the fight; emotions that were hidden amidst the brawl, wondering of what have caused my decisions and actions, and in the end, I have almost embarrassed myself in front of everyone when my regrets got the best of me.

Was I really scared because of the fight? Have I really become a scaredy-cat when we were nearly beaten up alive?

No-- it wasn't like that. The fight wasn't the main reason, yet it was a part of it. It is something else, but of course it is normal to be scared when one has gotten into that kind of trouble.

At that time when I was in pinch, with no strength left yet still standing despite having no chance, I noticed that I was forgetting the most crucial thing that might happen afterwards.

At that time, I was blaming and have started to have a doubt of myself. I doubted of the kind of thinking and beliefs that I have, whether those were the right things to do or not.

"But wait--- No! I need to have more confidence of myself. This is the path that I decided!" I slapped my face from realizing while walking.

"Forget about self-blaming! This is what I wanted in the first place. I wanted to become stronger. I'm a free man!" I added.

But still, it was a close call at the end.

Thankfully we only got a scolding from our teachers, and if it were not just that, my secret would be exposed and I'll be going back to zero before this new leaf of mine could even start.

I'm glad that our parents weren't contacted by them, but if that had happen, everything would be over.

Good grief, what have I just gone into?

Meanwhile on my way, the area was getting cold, making my mind to go numb as I breathe together with a little sweat around that has made my body shivering cold.

Up above, the sky is starting to get dark, and still I haven't gone halfway of my trip back to the farm.