Chapter "Connection Of Eyes"

With a swift and brutal strike, Hamlyn was sent reeling backward, blood streaming from his nose as he collapsed to the ground.

"Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Fredy's voice rose in fury as he rushed to Hamlyn's side, checking on his friend. The others quickly restrained the assailant, preventing him from inflicting further harm.

Amidst the chaos, restraining the aggressive assailant, one of the strangers, asserted, "Hey, calm down. One punch is more than enough."

"Yeah, we're still in our school uniforms," another added, emphasizing, "We can't afford to get into trouble.”

The aggressor who struck Hamlyn seethed with anger, his voice dripping with menace as he spat out his threat, "Hey, you little punk, make sure your brother knows we're far from finished with him. Consider this just a taste of what's coming his way in the future. Make sure that coward hears it loud and clear."

Hamlyn locked eyes with the assailant, their silent confrontation laden with tension, before the group of strangers departed, forcefully taking the aggressive individual with them.

Turning his attention back to Hamlyn, who remained on the ground nursing his injured nose.

"Who were those guys?" Fredy inquired, curiosity evident in his voice.

"I have no idea," Hamlyn admitted with a shake of his head.

"Can you stand?" Fredy asked, his gaze fixed on Hamlyn.

"Of course I can,” Hamlyn retorted, "I'm not dead"

"Oh, I thought you were out for the day," Fredy teased playfully, lightening the mood.

"Shut up," Hamlyn shot back in an annoyed tone. Fredy extended his hand to help Hamlyn up, and together they resumed their journey home, walking side by side…

Upon arriving home, Hamlyn stepped inside to find his mother in the kitchen.

"Welcome home,” She greeted him warmly, “Don't forget, you have extra classes at cram school today"

"Where's Ullmar?" Hamlyn inquired in an urgent tone.

"He's in his room. What's going on?" his mother responded, Sensing Hamlyn's urgency, "Is everything alright?" she asked again.

"Yeah," Hamlyn reassured her before quickly rushing towards Ullmar's room.

He firmly opened the door, and there was Ullmar, in the midst of packing his bag for cram school. Upon seeing Hamlyn, he paused, and they shared a moment of eye contact before Ullmar refocused on his task.

"Be quick and get ready. I don't want to get late," Ullmar remarked in a casual tone.

"Today I had a run-in with some guys on my way back from school.” Hamlyn said in a serious tone.

Upon hearing this, Ullmar paused In the midst of packing his bag.

There was a brief silence in the room before he resumed his packing.

"Who were they? Do you know them?" Ullmar inquired, curiosity evident in his voice.

"I have no idea," Hamlyn responded. "They approached me, asked if I was Hamlyn, and then without a second word, they punched me.”

Ullmar chuckled lightly, "Did you punch them back?" playful edge on his tone.

Hamlyn shook his head, "No, I didn't" his response was straightforward.

Ullmar's smile widened as he jestingly remarked, "Why? Because your hands are tied? Or are you expecting me to fight your battles?”

"One of them mentioned they're not finished with you," Hamlyn explained. "They wanted me to pass you the message. Do you recognize them now?”

Ullmar's expression shifted, his face growing serious. "If they see you again, it's better for you to run," he advised.

"That's not the answer to my question," Hamlyn insisted, seeking clarity amidst the tension.

Suddenly, Ullmar's phone started ringing, interrupting the conversation. He picked up his phone and glanced at Hamlyn, instructing, "You can go now."

Feeling dismissed, Hamlyn stormed out of the room in frustration and headed straight to his own room…

The next day, Ullmar entered Hamlyn's room and saw Hamlyn silently preparing for school.

“From now on, you are sticking with me," Ullmar declared firmly. "Starting from today you will go to school with me, and wait for me after classes, and then we'll come home together."

"No! There's no need for that," Hamlyn responded firmly, exclaiming. "I can handle it on my own.”

"You can't!" Ullmar's voice rose in defiance.

"I can!" Hamlyn shouted back, before swinging his bag over his shoulder, he dashed out of his room in anger, leaving behind a frustrated Ullmar…

Upon reaching his classroom, Hamlyn sank into his seat, slamming his forehead against the desk, frustration clear in his action.

"Hey, are you okay?" Hamond inquired softly.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Hamlyn assured him, lifting his head up and starting to take out his books from his bag when Suddenly, Sasha appeared, positioning herself directly in front of him.

Slowly looking up to Sasha, Hamlyn asked nonchantly, “What?”

"This is a complaint letter from our class,” Sasha extended a folded paper towards Hamlyn, “Can you deliver it to the headmaster?" her tone was serious.

"Why can't you go yourself?" Hamond interjected, teasingly questioning. "Are you afraid of the headmaster?”

"Mind your own business! I didn't ask for your input," Sasha snapped back, clearly annoyed.

"But he has a point," Hamlyn inquired in a serious tone. "I just got here. Couldn't you go instead?”

"The headmaster can be quite unpleasant," Sasha responded "And presenting him with this complaint letter might worsen his mood. I'd rather not start my day that way.”

"Ah, so you're admitting it. You're scared of him," Hamond playfully teased.

"Hamlyn, tell him to shut or I'll shut it for him," Sasha retorted sharply, her annoyance clear.

Standing up decisively, Hamlyn took the letter, "Where is he?" he asked.

Sasha nodded appreciatively, pointing upwards indicating the headmaster's current location on the upper floor. Hamlyn then exited the class…

Upon his return to class, Hamlyn sat back at his seat.

"So, was the headmaster too harsh with his insults?" Hamond inquired.

“No, absolutely nothing happened” Hamlyn responded “She was just overthinking,"

Hamond chuckled, observing, "Looks like you're embracing your role as class representative." However, Hamlyn remained silent, his focus on his book.

As the lesson carried on, Hamlyn found himself diving deeper into his studies. However, amid his concentration, a strange sensation crept over him, prompting him to lift his gaze and glance ahead.

His gaze drifted forward, and he found himself locking eyes with a girl positioned at the front of the class, just a few distance ahead.

She had a captivating charm in her, black hair neatly in a ponytail. Her brown eyes, sparkling with a special glint, looking straight at him.

Hamlyn's eyes widened in surprise at this unexpected interaction. Without exchanging a single word, the girl gestured towards his fallen pen, gently indicating for him to retrieve it from the floor.

For a fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still for Hamlyn. His heart skipped a beat at this unforeseen encounter, momentarily leaving him dazed and struggling to gather his thoughts. However, with a concerted effort, he regained his composure and swiftly retrieved his fallen pen.

Returning his gaze to the girl, Hamlyn noticed her brown eyes still fixed on his, creating a silent connection between them. Eventually, she looked away, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink as her friends teasingly nudged her.

Her blush added to her already captivating charm, leaving Hamlyn momentarily lost in bewilderment. The bustling school environment seemed to fade away, leaving only him and the girl caught in a private moment, their own world briefly secluded from the rest.

The whirlwind of events left Hamlyn momentarily stunned, unsure of how to react. After gathering his thoughts, he became aware of his classmates' amusement at the scene. They teased him with laughter, commenting, "Hey, Hamlyn, she's quite cute, isn't she?"

Hamond, noticing Hamlyn's flustered state, jokingly chimed in, "Well, well, Mr. Mentor, looks like you're sweating bullets and your heart's beating like a drum. Are you okay?"

Hamlyn snapped his eyes at Hamond, locking eyes with him.

Hamlyn’s brow damp with sweat, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. He was in complete silence, seemingly struck by a sudden jolt that left him unable to voice his emotions, caught in a moment of speechless surprise.