Good Teacher

Reon slipped through the classroom window with ease, landing lightly on the floor.

Then—Whoosh.

A knife came flying at his face.

He snatched it out of the air without thinking, fingers closing around the cold steel handle. His body was already halfway into a throwing stance, ready to send it right back where it came from.

But something stopped him.

Blood.

There was blood on the blade. Fresh. Warm.

A thin red line traced down the edge and dripped onto his hand. Another drop hit the floor with a soft splatter.

His eyes narrowed. This isn't just a warning. Something happened. Something bad.

Then another thought hit him like a hammer to the gut.

Did they... hurt her?

A storm surged in his chest—hot, wild rage that made his vision blur for a second.

If they laid a hand on her... I swear, I'll kill every last one of them.

He stared at the blade for a few more seconds, blood still dripping from the tip. Then slowly, he raised his head—and froze.

The classroom was wrecked.

Desks were flipped and shattered, chairs broken into pieces, books and papers shredded like confetti. Blood stained the floor in streaks and splashes, as if someone had been dragged.

And there, lying in the middle of it all, was their math teacher.

Face pale. Eyes closed.

A deep stab wound in his abdomen had turned his once-white shirt into a crimson mess. Blood kept seeping from it, pooling around his body.

Reon didn't move. Didn't speak. Just stood there, staring.

He couldn't even tell if the teacher was alive or dead.

Reon slowly walked toward the body lying motionless on the blood-soaked floor.

His eyes didn't blink. His hands tightened around the bloodied knife he had caught earlier. Each step echoed faintly in the ruined silence of the classroom.

When he reached the teacher, he knelt down. Quietly.

He reached out and placed two fingers against the man's wrist, checking for a pulse, hoping to feel even a faint flicker of life.

Nothing.

No movement. No warmth.

The man was gone.

Reon let out a slow breath, trying to steady himself. He looked at the face of the teacher. Pale. Lifeless.

Wang Kai.

That was his name. A young math teacher from China. He had come to their country just a year ago, full of energy and passion for numbers.

He wasn't just a teacher to Reon. He had been a friend. Someone who saw through Reon's sleepy attitude and sharp tongue.

And he always had a nickname for him—"Pythagoras."

A bitter smile tugged at Reon's lips as a memory surfaced.

Flashback – "Pythagoras"

It was a slow afternoon. Sunlight filtered lazily through the classroom windows, warming the chalk-dusted air.

At the front of the room, Mr. Wang stood by the blackboard, chalk in hand. His sleeves were rolled up, eyes focused as he worked through a complex problem. Numbers and symbols filled the board.

He wrote:

(x² + 5x + 6) / (x + 2) = ?

With quick, practised movements, he broke it down:

"Factor the numerator: (x + 2)(x + 3),"

"Cancel out the common factor: (x + 2),"

"Final answer: x + 3."

He turned around with a bright smile and asked, "Everyone got it?"

The class responded with a chorus of "Yes, sir!"

Satisfied, he nodded. But then he noticed something.

Reon.

Fast asleep at his desk, arms folded, cheek pressed into his notebook like it was a pillow. Completely unaware of the world.

Mr. Wang sighed deeply and called out, "Reon!"

No response.

Louder this time—"REON!!"

Still nothing.

Gun, Reon's deskmate, poked him in the side. "Dude, wake up! The teacher's calling you."

Still nothing.

Annoyed, Gun gave him a sharp kick under the table.

Reon jerked upright. "What? Who's attacking?! Just tell me—I'll protect you all!"

The entire class burst into laughter.

Gun shook his head, whispering, "You idiot."

Mr. Wang pinched the bridge of his nose. "Since you're awake now, Reon, can you explain how I solved the equation?"

Reon yawned and stretched. "Not only did I understand it, sir... I've mastered it."

The class oooh'd, laughing and clapping.

Mr. Wang narrowed his eyes and turned to the board again. He erased the previous equation and began writing something far more difficult:

∫(2x² + 3x – 5) dx

He turned around, smiling darkly. "Come here, Pythagoras. Solve this."

Reon's confidence evaporated. He stared at the integral as if it were written in an alien language.

He gulped.

"What's wrong?" Mr. Wang asked, mocking. "Didn't you say you mastered it?"

The class roared with laughter again.

Reon hung his head, defeated.

Then the teacher asked, "By the way... did you do your homework?"

A pause.

"No, sir. I forgot."

Mr. Wang sighed, his voice firm. "Then your punishment is cleaning the swimming pool after school."

Reon immediately pointed to his seatmate. "But Gun didn't do it either!"

Gun turned toward him sharply. Reon was already smirking.

They locked eyes.

How the hell did you know I didn't do it?! Gun mentally screamed.

I know everything about you, Reon replied silently, grinning. Even your underwear colour. Want me to announce it?

Gun's fists clenched. You mother— I'm gonna kill you someday.

Mr. Wang frowned. "Is that true, Gun?"

Gun looked down and mumbled, "...Yes, sir."

"Good. Then both of you will clean the pool together."

Just then, the bell rang.

Class dismissed.

Gun and Reon both exhaled in relief—until Mr. Wang turned and added,

"Don't even think about escaping. I'll check on you after school."

And with that, he walked out, leaving the whole class laughing behind him.

After School – The Pool Incident

The final bell rang, echoing through the emptying halls.

Students poured out of classrooms, chatting, laughing, and hurrying toward the gates. Bags slung over shoulders, shoes clacking on the tiled floor—it was the usual end-of-day chaos.

Except for two boys.

Reon and Gun remained behind, standing silently in their classroom.

Gun shot, Reon a deadly glare, his lips pressed in a thin line.

Reon raised an eyebrow. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Gun scoffed. "Why do you think? We're stuck cleaning the pool—because of you."

Reon grinned. "Come on, don't be salty. Let's get it over with."

Without another word, they walked toward the pool building.

Scene Shift – The Pool

The indoor swimming pool reeked of chlorine. The water was drained, revealing the dirty tiles below, stained with leaves, wrappers, and god-knows-what.

Gun held a mop in one hand and a scrubber in the other. Reon leaned lazily against a pole, clearly avoiding effort.

Gun threw a bucket of water across the floor with a loud splash.

"Hey, Reon," he muttered while scrubbing. "You know what my biggest regret is?"

Reon tilted his head. "No. What?"

Gun didn't look at him. His voice dropped. "Becoming friends with you."

Reon chuckled. "Ouch. That hurts, bro. Really."

Gun didn't answer.

They bickered back and forth for a while, voices rising until—

"Enough!"

Mr. Wang's voice rang through the pool area.

Both boys froze and turned. The teacher stood by the doorway, arms crossed, watching them with a tired expression.

"What are you two doing?" he asked, walking closer. "You've been here for over half an hour and only cleaned half the pool?"

Gun immediately pointed a wet finger at Reon. "It's his fault! I did everything—he just stood around making jokes."

Reon blinked in mock innocence. "That's not true! I did most of it. Gun just kept complaining."

"Enough," Mr. Wang cut them off, rubbing his temples.

He sighed. "Gun, finish the pool. I need to talk to Reon alone."

Gun hesitated, glaring at Reon, but then turned away with a grumble and got back to scrubbing.

Flashback Scene Continued – The Teacher's Gift

Mr. Wang led Reon away from the poolside, stopping near the storage shed. His tone was calm, but his eyes held something serious.

"Reon," he said, "do you know why I scold you so much in class?"

Reon frowned. "Because you don't like me?"

The teacher chuckled softly and shook his head. "No. I like all my students. I want every one of you to succeed. Everyone else is moving forward… except you."

There was a long pause.

Mr. Wang's voice dropped. "Have you ever thought about what I gain from your success?"

Reon stayed silent, eyes down.

The teacher smiled gently. "Nothing. I don't gain anything. I just want to see you do well."

Then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded envelope.

Inside it—$500 in cash.

He held it out to Reon.

Reon stared, stunned. "W-What is this?"

"I heard about your family," Mr. Wang said softly. "You're juggling multiple part-time jobs just to survive. No time to study, barely any time to sleep."

Reon's throat tightened.

"Take this," Mr. Wang continued. "Start an online business or something useful. I heard that's trending now. You're smart—you'll figure it out."

Reon began to shake his head. "I-I can't take this—"

"I'm not donating it," the teacher interrupted. "I'm lending it to you. When you succeed, pay me back. That's all."

For a moment, Reon didn't know what to say. His lips trembled, and a faint smile touched his face, though he turned away to hide the emotion swelling in his eyes.

Mr. Wang clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Now enough of that. Poor Gun's still scrubbing the pool alone."

Reon chuckled, finally relaxing.

Mr. Wang grinned. "What are you smiling at? Grab a mop—we've got work to do."

Reon blinked. "Wait… we? You're helping too?"

"Of course," the teacher replied. "What, do I look too old to clean a pool?"

"No, no," Reon said quickly, holding up his hands. "I didn't mean that!"

"Then stop talking and start working."

They walked back toward the pool.

Back at the Pool

Gun looked up, confused. "Teacher? What are you doing here?"

Mr. Wang raised an eyebrow. "What, I'm not welcome?"

"N-No, I just meant—"

"Save it. Looks like I have to teach you a lesson in scrubbing tiles," he said, grabbing a brush.

Gun froze. "W-Wait—teacher's actually helping?"

Reon burst out laughing, and soon Mr. Wang joined in.

Gun looked between the two of them, bewildered.

And just like that, the three of them cleaned the pool together, laughter echoing through the empty hall.

Back to the Present

Reon knelt beside his teacher's lifeless body, his fingers still wrapped around the man's cold hand.

His voice trembled.

"I... I didn't even return that money to him…"

Tears welled up and fell, one after another, dripping onto the bloodstained floor. His shoulders shook, but he didn't wipe his face. He just stared at the still face of Mr. Wang, the man who believed in him when no one else did.

A storm was rising inside him.

Suddenly, He felt something.

A presence.

A shadow loomed behind him. Someone was standing there—close, too close. And in their hand, something glinted under the flickering lights.

A weapon.

They were going to strike.

In that instant, something inside Reon snapped.

His eyes, still filled with tears, darkened with rage. His breathing slowed—deeper, sharper, colder.

"You bastards…" he whispered.

"You forced me to go back to my old self…"

"Don't blame me if anyone dies here today."

Saying this, he turned around and punched the shadow man.