Chapter 3 - The Beginning of Tragedy

Life is about how we learn to accept; it is a simple thing but cannot be understood by most people; they always want to live with expectations that only have two ending paths, namely success or failure.

'... That's why I never have expectations of anything and more often accept everything that I can't reject or change... After all, if I fail, no one will scold me, the same thing also applies if I achieve success, no one will celebrate it with me... Little sad, but it's fine for me'

Said the young man in his heart while looking out the window amidst the noise of the classroom.

'... *Sigh* What should I eat before going to my part-time job today?'

Said the student once again. He was a student who was in the second year of high school; the appearance of the student looked unkempt; wrinkles could be seen on his uniform, and his ash grey hair was long enough to almost cover his eyes as if he had not cut it for several months.

However, the student could be said to be quite tall, and his body could be said to be quite muscular for a kid at his age.

*Noisy!* *Noisy!* *Noisy!*

Hearing the commotion that was happening, the student then turned his gaze from outside the window to the classroom.

Seeing that it was Cheng who was acting up again, the student immediately lost interest, as if he had become accustomed to all of this, so he chose to ignore all of this, closing his ears and then looking out of the window again, watching the clouds that were constantly changing shape and slowly disappearing.

'... Must be nice to be a cloud, Changing shape over time and eventually disappearing, what a dream life'

"... Hmm?"

As if feeling his instincts telling him something was wrong, the student turned his gaze back toward the classroom, where he found his teacher and classmates looking at him.

'... Oh, shi-'

Said the student, seeing the stick flying towards him, he tried to avoid it but his instincts told him that if he avoided it, he would get into more trouble, and his instincts were always right, so with a feeling of resignation, the student let the stick hit his face.

*plak*

The stick hit his face and left a mark before finally falling to the floor, which was then accompanied by laughter from his classmates. Even Cheng, who should have been sleeping, woke up and joined in laughing; in fact, his laughter was the loudest.

"Rama! What do you think you doing in the middle of the lesson!!"

The teacher shouted at the student named Rama.

"... I'm sorry, Sir"

"*Sigh* Pick that stick and bring it here!"

"Yes, Sir"

Said Rama who then took the stick on the floor and then walked towards the teacher.

As he walked, Rama saw Cheng's feet sticking out, it was obvious that Cheng wanted to trip Rama.

'... *Sigh* If you want to do it then do it secretly, you idiot!'

Rama said, but even so, he continued to walk as if he was not aware of it, Rama could avoid it, but if he avoided it, more problems would only befall him, then with the god-level acting that he had, Rama pretended to be tripped by Cheng and then fell, this again invited laughter throughout the class.

"Aiss! Why are you so weak? Have you not eaten yet?"

The teacher asked Rama who fell on the floor even though he knew that Rama fell because of Cheng.

"I'm sorry, Sir, I indeed don't eat anything yet"

"So why? Are you asking me to give me some food?"

"N-"

"*Sigh* this is why I don't like Orphans like you... Always asking for something, you're lucky you can enter this school just because you're a Singularis, it's a blessing for you"

Said the teacher, venting all his anger on Rama, who could only listen silently while tightly gripping the stick in his hand with his head lowered.

Singularis are those who receive special powers since they were born, and Rama is one of them, and the special power he has is his strong and accurate instinct, but strong instincts do not mean he will be a winner in life.

The proof is, he is an orphan, who does not know what his parents look like, but he is lucky because as a Singularis he can receive free education, but that's all, to eat he has to work hard with his young body, from what he knows, Singularis are usually highly valued and can receive a comfortable life without having to work, but after knowing what power Rama has as a Singularis, all the privileges he should have received were stopped except for free school. Since then, all he has encountered is hardship in life.

--------

Rama slowly stood up while muttering something.

"... I never asked for all of this"

Rama said in a voice that seemed to whisper, seems did not accept what his teacher said.

However, the teacher seemed to hear Rama's muttering and then immediately raised the textbook in his hand, and immediately hit Rama's head with it.

*Plak!*

"Ugh!"

Rama groaned in pain, but he could not fight back even if his body was bigger than his teacher's.

"What did you say, you Orphan?"

"No... Nothing, Sir"

"Give me that stick!"

Said the teacher, extending his hand to ask for the stick in Rama's hand.

Knowing what would happen next, Rama still handed the stick to the teacher.

With the stick already in his hand. With an angry expression, the teacher shouted.

"HAND!"

Hearing this, Rama, with some hesitation, stretched out both his hands with his palms facing up.

"SINCE THERE ARE NO PARENTS TO EDUCATE YOU, I WILL DO IT!!"

*Smack!*

"WHEN OLDER PEOPLE TALK TO YOU, YOU SHOULD JUST BE QUIET! DON'T REPLY!!"

*Smack!*

"YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL FOR THE LIFE YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF AN ADULT LIKE ME!"

*Smack!*

"YOU'RE AN ORPHAN! SO ACT LIKE IT!!"

*Smack!*

Said the teacher, throwing insults at Rama and then hitting his palm hard with the stick in his hand while Rama, who was gritting his teeth because of the pain he felt, closed his ears to the insults thrown at him by his teacher and just accepted his fate. But fortunately, because of the calluses on his hands due to Rama's hard work, the pain he felt wasn't too bad.

*Smack!*

With the last hit with the stick, the Teacher was out of breath, but Rama hid the pain he felt to appear fine.

"*Hufft!* You can go back to your seat, and remember to pay attention to the lesson!"

"Yes, Sir"

Said Rama who then returned to his seat with his fists clenched, ignoring the giggles he heard from his classmates.

--------

The class continued, and without realizing it, the bell rang, marking break time. Reaching into his shirt pocket, Rama found enough money to buy just one bread.

But with that alone, Rama was satisfied, thinking about what flavor of bread he would eat for lunch, Rama walked out of the classroom and headed to the canteen.

After buying Roti Rama, he then went behind the school, where he usually enjoyed his break time.

Unaware that that day would be the last day he would do that.

....

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