Unbreakable Bonds

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The day started like any other. Gempa was on his way to his next class, walking alone through the halls as he gathered his thoughts. He was the caring, level-headed one in his group of brothers—the one who held them together whenever things got tough. But today, it seemed like the universe had other plans.

Gempa turned a corner when a group of older students blocked his path, their faces twisted in sneers and cold stares. He tried to sidestep them, hoping to avoid any confrontation, but one of them stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

"Where you goin', softie?" one of the bullies jeered, nudging Gempa's shoulder roughly.

Gempa took a deep breath, keeping calm. "Just heading to class. Could you please let me through?"

"Oh, look, he's polite too!" another mocked, imitating Gempa's calm voice in an exaggerated, mocking tone. "Bet you think you're better than us, huh?"

Gempa shook his head, trying to stay unfazed. "I don't think that at all. I just...really need to get going."

But the bullies were relentless, shoving him back and forth between them, laughing as he stumbled. Each time Gempa tried to steady himself, another push would come out of nowhere. His bag fell to the floor, his notebooks scattering across the hall. He looked down at them, heart sinking. He'd always been the one to brush things off, but this was starting to get to him.

A few moments later, he heard a voice call out from behind him.

"Gempa!"

It was Duri. He came running over, immediately taking in the scene. Without a second thought, he rushed to Gempa's side, kneeling down to help him gather his things.

One of the bullies sneered, "Oh, great, another little flower come to help."

But Duri didn't care. He shot the bully a glare, his quiet anger more intimidating than words. "Leave him alone," he said firmly, helping Gempa stand up.

Just as he was steadying Gempa, the rest of their brothers arrived. Hali, Taufan, Blaze, Ice, and Solar all stormed down the hall, their expressions a mix of anger and protectiveness. The bullies turned around, suddenly realizing they were outnumbered and, worse, that the newcomers looked ready to throw down.

"What do you think you're doing?"

It was Hali, striding up with a look that could freeze anyone in place. Taufan, Solar, Ice, and Blaze weren't far behind. The bullies turned, but their smugness melted as soon as they saw the fierce expressions on the brothers' faces.

One bully, clearly still trying to keep his bravado, scoffed, "Oh look, the little plant boy called for backup."

But Hali's glare was ice-cold, a faint, dangerous smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You think you're tough, don't you? Messing with my brother?"

Taufan stepped up, crossing his arms with a stern look that felt entirely out of place on his normally cheerful face. "We're giving you one chance to walk away," he warned, his voice lower than usual.

Solar, standing beside him, gave a mocking laugh. "That is, if you're smart enough to take it."

One of the bullies stepped forward, trying to act tough, but he faltered under Ice's cold, piercing glare. Ice, usually the quietest, had a look that could freeze water. His eyes didn't move from the bully for even a second, and the bully actually stepped back, swallowing hard.

"Last chance," Hali said, his voice dropping even lower as he took a step forward. "Leave now, or we'll make you regret it."

The bullies exchanged uneasy glances, but one tried to hold his ground. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, really?" Blaze said, grabbing the collar of the closest bully and lifting him slightly. "Try me." His eyes glinted with a mixture of fury and mischief, and his grip tightened as he pulled the bully closer.

"Blaze," Ice warned, resting a calm hand on Blaze's shoulder. Blaze gave him a frustrated look but dropped the bully, who stumbled back, fear starting to show in his eyes.

The others were shifting nervously, not missing the way Hali and Taufan were both glaring with unrestrained anger. Solar let out a small laugh, shaking his head with a mocking smirk. "They don't know who they're dealing with, huh?"

The biggest bully tried to put on a brave face, scoffing, "What, you guys think you're so special just because you're a big family?"

Taufan's fists clenched, and his normally friendly voice dropped to a threatening growl. "No, we're special because we know how to deal with people like you."

With that, he took a step forward, and the bullies finally cracked, backing up as their confidence disappeared.

"Alright, fine! We're leaving," one of them muttered, glancing nervously between the brothers.

Hali's sharp gaze didn't let up, his eyes narrowed. "And don't even think about coming near Gempa again," he warned. "If we hear about you messing with him—or anyone else—you'll have to answer to us."

The bullies nodded quickly, each of them looking away to avoid the glares they were getting from every direction. Within seconds, they turned and hurried down the hall, their footsteps echoing as they practically sprinted away.

When they were out of sight, Blaze scoffed, "Cowards."

Gempa took a shaky breath, looking at his brothers in awe and relief. But before he could say a word, Blaze shot him a serious look. "Why didn't you tell us about this?"

Gempa looked down, his voice quiet. "I... I didn't want you guys to worry."

Taufan stepped forward, placing a hand on Gempa's shoulder. "Gempa, we'd rather worry a thousand times over than let you go through something like this alone."

Hali nodded, a rare, gentle expression softening his usually intense gaze. "Next time, tell us. Got it?"

Gempa managed a small smile, nodding. "Got it. Thanks... all of you."

Just then, they heard footsteps coming down the hall. A teacher had seen the commotion and wasn't happy. "What's going on here?" he demanded, eyeing the scattered papers and bruises forming on a few of the boys' faces.

The brothers exchanged guilty glances, but Taufan, quick to think on his feet, spoke up. "We, uh... had a little 'disagreement' with some kids who were picking on our brother," he said, keeping it vague.

The teacher frowned. "This isn't the way to handle things, you know."

Hali crossed his arms, defensive. "Maybe not, but we weren't about to let anyone treat Gempa like that."

With a sigh, the teacher waved them off, muttering something about "kids these days" as he walked away. As soon as he was out of sight, the brothers turned back to Gempa, each of them giving him a reassuring smile.

Solar smirked, nudging Gempa lightly. "Next time anyone messes with you, we'll handle it—again."

Gempa chuckled, though his voice was thick with gratitude. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

Duri, ever gentle, reached out and gave Gempa a small hug. "That's what brothers are for," he whispered. "We're here whenever you need us."

One by one, the rest of his brothers joined in, forming a group hug around Gempa. They were a bit rough around the edges, but they all knew, deep down, that no matter what happened, they would always have each other's backs.

After a few moments, Blaze grinned, breaking the tension. "Alright, enough of this sappy stuff. Let's go get some food."

Ice rolled his eyes, but his slight smile showed he didn't mind. "Typical Blaze."

Laughing, the group headed down the hall together, leaving the tense moment behind. Gempa walked with a little more confidence, knowing that his brothers were always there to protect him, no matter what.

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