My Little Star

Chaos in the garden: Who is the one?

Author's POV:

Blaze rushed out of the student council room, his heart pounding as he called for Taufan in the garden area. The vibrant flowers and green trees felt distant compared to the urgency in his voice. “Taufan! Where are you?” he shouted, his words echoing against the stone walls.

As he moved deeper into the garden, he suddenly heard a loud thud from behind a large tree in the corner, an area rarely visited and shrouded in shadows. Curiosity mixed with dread as he tiptoed toward the sound, each step careful and silent.

Peeking around the tree, Blaze's breath caught in his throat. The scene before him was surreal. Taufan lay on the ground, vulnerable and still, while three figures towered over him, their faces obscured but their intentions unmistakable.

Blaze felt a rush of adrenaline. He couldn’t just stand there. With his heart racing, he knew he had to act fast. Gathering all his courage, he prepared to confront the situation, ready to protect his friend no matter the cost.

“What's going on here?!” Blaze shouted, stepping in front of the trio, blocking their view of Taufan.

“What do you think you’re doing to him?!” His eyes burned with anger, struggling to keep his powers in check.

The three figures snickered, amusement lighting their faces. The middle one, their apparent leader, stepped closer, eyes sharp. “Look, boy, I suggest you don’t interfere! This cheeky fella has to pay for what he did…”

He glared at Taufan, but Blaze quickly stepped in again. “I don’t know what happened, but hitting him isn’t the answer! You can settle this with words or talk to a teacher!”

Suddenly, the big guy with brown hair beside the leader lunged forward, grabbing Blaze by the collar. The sudden move caught Blaze off guard. Taufan struggled to rise, clutching his stomach, clearly hurt from the confrontation.

“Leave my friend…” Taufan managed to utter weakly, but his words fell on deaf ears.

“How dare a middle schooler talk back to the boss?! You deserve to be punched!” Peter growled, raising his hand to strike. But before he could, the leader held him back.

“Peter, you know I don’t like to hit people for no reason. This guy is right! We better talk this out... Right, boy?” The leader’s smile was wide, but his grey eyes glinted ominously.

Peter released Blaze with a grunt, muttering, “You’re lucky.”

Blaze quickly helped Taufan to his feet, concern etched on his face. “Are you okay?” he asked, feeling a mix of anger and helplessness.

“Yeah…” Taufan nodded, guilt flooding his expression for dragging Blaze into this mess.

The leader brushed the wrinkles from Blaze's uniform, then turned his gaze back to Taufan, who was still trembling. “Poor boy, I warned you not to get in our way. You broke my phone, you know! Do you think a simple sorry is enough? It’ll cost you five thousand dollars or you can become my slave until you graduate... I prefer the latter,” he smirked, flicking Taufan's forehead.

Taufan flinched, tears pooling in his eyes as he glared up at the bully. Blaze lowered his head, his bangs shadowing his eyes, feeling the weight of the situation.

“I’ll pay you the money instead. Just let us off the hook this time, senior,” Blaze said, his voice flat, devoid of emotion.

The leader studied him for a moment, suspicion flickering in his gaze, but then shrugged. “Fine. But you better have the cash by the end of the month. No delays, okay?” He patted Blaze on the shoulder, a mock-friendly gesture.

With that, Blaze guided Taufan away, a swirl of confusion and anger inside him.

What happened next was unbelievable.

That evening, the broadcasting department had breaking news.

“Greetings, everyone! This is your reporter, Ying, back with yet another hot story! An unexpected fire broke out in the backyard of our esteemed academy! Three high school seniors are gravely injured! Who is behind this? The details are still unfolding,” a female student with round glasses reported through the microphone.

The cameraman zoomed in on the charred grassfield, capturing footprints in the mud.

“As you can see, these prints are suspected to belong to the culprit. What are your thoughts, Detective Gopal?” she asked the food-loving boy, now dressed in a detective suit and meticulously collecting clues.

Gopal dusted off his clothes and cleared his throat dramatically. “Ahem! This culprit is quite clever! He managed to escape but unfortunately left behind his footprints!” He shook his head in disappointment, causing Ying to sweat-drop.

“For now, this case is in my capable hands, Gopal the Great, and my assistant, Fang!” He puffed out his chest proudly, while Fang yelled from behind, “When did I become your assistant?!”

Ying chuckled awkwardly before the camera shifted back to her. “Well, that’s it for now! This incident shall remain under wraps, as per the director’s orders. Not a single word shall leave the academy’s gates! Signing off, your reporter Ying with Mr. Cameraman!”

The live telecast ended, leaving an air of tension hanging over the academy.

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Short chapter! But, still, who could the culprit be?

Who thinks that it is Blaze?