DOWNFALL -HIERARCHY

Chapter 31: The Downfall

TW!: Mentioned of Bl00d, Dr#gs, and V!0lence.
Narrator's POV:

As Nabi, Woojin, and Jae-i moved through the hallway, an eeriness fell upon the once-noisy corridor. The whispering and murmuring of the students quieted to a hush, and all eyes turned to them, especially to Woojin.

The students' gazes followed them as they passed, their expressions filled with a mix of curiosity and intrigue. The silence was thick, and the weight of everyone's attention felt almost suffocating.

Nabi could feel the heaviness of the atmosphere as they walked. Everyone's stares felt like a thousand needles pricking her skin, and her heart thumped loudly in her chest. The whispers surrounding them were hushed, yet they still carried a hint of judgment and gossip. She glanced at Woojin and Jae-i, both of them silently walking with tense shoulders. Even Jae-i, though maintaining her composure, looked uneasy under the intense gazes of their schoolmates.

The three of them tried to ignore the palpable tension and continued their way down the hallway, but they could sense the eyes of the students still fixated on them. The whispers continued, but the words were inaudible. Nabi couldn't help but wonder what people were thinking as they stared at them.

As they continued navigating down the hallway, the trio came across a group of students gathered in a corner. The loud slap that sounded echoed throughout the corridor froze Nabi, Woojin, and Jae-i in their tracks. They exchanged surprised glances, trying to figure out what was happening.

The silence that followed the slap was deafening. The trio cautiously approached the group of students, their footsteps almost inaudible on the linoleum floor. The students in the group were all staring at something with wide eyes and gaping mouths.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Hera's voice suddenly rang out, filled with anger. The students in the group parted when the trio approached, revealing the source of the commotion. Standing in front of Hera was a random student, looking composed yet stern. It was clear that something had triggered Hera's anger.

The random student faced Hera defiantly, licking his lips and meeting her glare with a scoff. "Am I wrong though?" he retorted. "After all, it was because of your father's gambling addiction that he got scammed and his business went bankrupt. Now you're left with nothing but poverty."

"I mean, it's not our fault your family business went downhill, is it?" Hera's anger flared, and she raised her hand to strike the guy again. But before she could, Jae-i quickly intervened, stepping between them and stopping Hera.

"That's enough, Hera." Jaei said firmly, placing a restraining hand on Hera's arm. "Why are you defending him?" Hera's eyes flashed with anger as she turned her glare towards Jaei. "He's wrong, and he deserves it," she snapped, still clenching her fist as if ready to strike again.

Jae-i met Hera's glare with a calm but firm expression. "I'm not defending what he said," she replied evenly. "But resorting to violence won't solve anything. We need to handle this situation calmly and rationally."

"Calm and rational, seriously?" Hera retorted, her voice filled with disbelief. "This is exactly what's wrong with you Jae-i. You're too uptight and always play by the rules. Sometimes, people need a wake-up slap to realize they're being idiots."

Hera's anger was palpable as she tried to break free of Jaei's grip, pushing against her restraining hand. The force behind her struggle sent tremors through her body, her emotions threatening to take over completely. Jae-i tried to calm her down, understanding the depth of Hera's fury, but struggling to hold her back.