I Didn't

Kiyo's breath caught in his throat as his gaze caught sight of Goro, his chest tightening with anxiety. "What do you want?" he managed to ask, his voice strained.

Goro's gaze bore into Kiyo as he asked, "Wasn't Shiori at your place last night?"

Kiyo's eyes widened in alarm, he took a few steps back, "Goro, it was purely coincidental," he stammered, his steps mirroring his growing unease.

With his face etched with fury, Goro began walking towards him.

Towering Kiyo, Goro's hand clenched around Kiyo's collar,

“It wasn't a coincidence! I warned you, but you've crossed the line." his voice, low and menacing.

With a swift movement Goro landed a brutal punch right at Kiyo's face, sending him stumbling backwards to the ground, blood streaming from his nose.

"I will kill you!" Goro bellowed, moving menacingly towards Kiyo, but out of the blue Ayame swiftly intervened, positioning herself protectively in front of Kiyo, halting Goro in his tracks.

“Hey, what’s the deal here? Why are you going after him?” Ayame asked, her voice steady and commanding.

Goro’s eyes narrowed in irritation.

“Who are you to interfere? This is our business. Just stay out of it.”

"I don't care what your issue is, but I won't stand by and watch you harm him," Ayame said firmly.

“And what if I hit him?" Goro's tone grew more low yet aggressive.

Without hesitation, Ayame raised her voice, calling out, "Security!”

Responding promptly, the shop's security guards came out, inquiring, "What's going on, Ayame?”

"This big boy is bullying this kid." Ayame spoke firmly to the security guard.

The security guard turned to Goro. "Listen, big boy, you need to leave. If you don't, I'll have to call the cops. Please, just go.”

Appearing frustrated, Goro spat out, "Fine, I'm leaving. But mark my words Kiyo, this isn't over!" With that he stormed off.

Turning her attention back to Kiyo, Ayame asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm okay," Kiyo reassured her.

Ayame's concern deepened as she noticed Kiyo's bleeding nose. "Oh no, you're bleeding," she exclaimed.

"It's okay, really. This isn't anything new for me," Kiyo reassured her, trying to downplay the situation.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Ayame insisted, gently taking his hand and helping him to his feet.

Leading him to the nearest bench, she sat him down and began examining his nose.

Curious, Kiyo questioned, "What are you doing?"

With a reassuring smile, Ayame replied, "Don't worry, I used to be a nurse."

"Wow, that's impressive," Kiyo remarked, appearing impressed.

"Thank you, and your nose is also fine," Ayame said with relief as she finished examining Kiyo's nose.

Kiyo nodded in acknowledgment. "Oh, Okay. Thanks," he replied quietly.

Ceasing her examination, Ayame shifted her focus to Kiyo's injuries and the altercation.

"What was his problem? Why did he want to hurt you? And I noticed you're already injured. What happened to your hand?" She asked.

Kiyo brushed off her concerns, offering a faint smile. "Ah, it's nothing serious. Just some scratches. My hand's fine, really. Don't worry about it."

With a determined expression, Ayame rummages through her bag, takes out a pen and paper.

Swiftly wrote down her number and moved it before Kiyo.

"Here," she said, extending the paper towards him. "Take this. If you ever need help, just give me a call.”

As Kiyo accepted the paper with Ayame's number, a genuine smile lit up his face.

Ayame couldn't help but notice. "Why are you smiling like that?" she inquired.

Kiyo's smile widened as he responded, "Oh, it's nothing really. You're just the first person who's ever given me their number. I don't have any contacts besides my family."

"Don't you have any friends?" Ayame pressed further, her curiosity evident.

"I'll save your number," Kiyo said gratefully, before standing up with a smile. "Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. I really appreciate it. I should get going now, or I'll be late. Bye, take care.”

With that, Kiyo waved goodbye and headed off, leaving Ayame confused…

Upon reaching class Kiyo sat and noticed the whispers and laughter circulating around him. Confused, he furrowed his brow.

A classmate chimed in, "Hey Kiyo, are you trying to get yourself killed or something?"

Kiyo's confusion deepened "What do you mean?" He questioned.

"Oh, come on, cut the act. You know exactly what we're talking about." the boy scoffed.

Kiyo shook his head, bewildered. "Honestly, I have no idea what you're talking about." he insisted.

Just then Goro entered the classroom, a sinister grin spread across his face, he slammed his hand down on Kiyo's desk with a thud.

Kiyo's heart raced with fear as he shrunk in his seat, his eyes wide with apprehension.

"Prepare to meet your end, Kiyo Jeong!" Goro's menacing words sent a chill down Kiyo's spine, leaving him utterly bewildered.

Just then, Shiori entered the classroom, her demeanour somber and troubled.

Taking her seat, she cast a worried glance back at Kiyo, her expression filled with concern.

Kiyo's mind raced with confusion and anxiety.

"What's happening? Why is everyone staring at me like this? What have I done now?" he pondered silently to himself, feeling the weight of uncertainty pressing down upon him.

"Settle down, everyone," the teacher instructed as she entered the room, bringing an air of calm.

Turning her attention to Kiyo, she remarked, "Kiyo, you certainly have courage. What were you thinking when you made that decision?”

Confusion etched across Kiyo's face, standing from his seat, he began, "Teacher, I honestly have no clue what everyone is talking about. I didn't do anything."

"Have you completely lost your mind?" the teacher's expression hardened, confusion evident in their tone. "You challenged Goro to a boxing match next week.”

Kiyo's heart skipped a beat, his palms clammy with sweat as disbelief washed over him.

"No, that's impossible. I didn't do it. I didn't challenge anyone." Kiyo protested loud, his voice quivering with uncertainty.

The teacher's tone remained firm as she retrieved a letter from her bag and held it up for the entire class to see.

"Don't deny it Kiyo," she asserted, presenting the evidence before them.

"Here's the letter where you're requesting to challenge Goro next week," the teacher pointed out. "You've clearly stated, ‘I, Kiyo Jeong, challenge Goro Tokito to a boxing match next week. However, I'm eager to face him right now but I need a week to recover from my injuries. Once fully recovered, I'll confront him confidently. If I don't emerge victorious, I'm committed to showing up at school with my face painted in black ink for a week.'”

Laughter filled the classroom, a chorus of mocking voices echoing off the walls. Amidst the ridicule, Shiori's worried expression remained fixed on Kiyo, her eyes betraying her concern for him.

"I didn't write anything like that," Kiyo said, his voice strained with disbelief. His words were drowned out by the laughter around him.

Holding up the incriminating letter. the teacher demanded, "Can anyone here confirm whose handwriting this is?"

In unison, the students responded with certainty, "It's Kiyo's.”

"And whose signature is this?" the teacher inquired, her gaze unwavering.

"Kiyo's," their answer resounded.

"It's settled. You'll face Goro in a boxing match next week during sports day," the teacher announced with finality. Her words were met with a round of laughter from the class.

Kiyo's heart began racing in his chest, his mind spinning as he struggled to process the reality of the situation. The laughter of his classmates seemed to echo in his ears, drowning out all other sounds. Unable to focus.