The silence in the room was broken by another parent, a man sitting beside the woman who had just spoken. He leaned forward, his arms crossed, his face twisted into a look of annoyance. "This is outrageous," he said, his voice sharp. "You can't just accuse our children without proof. This isn't the way to handle things."
Tan, who had been quietly observing the exchange up until now, felt the frustration boil inside him. He had been silent for too long. He glanced at Fang, who remained calm, but Tan could see the growing tension in his eyes. This wasn’t just about Jelly anymore—it was about standing up for what was right.
Tan stood up, his voice cutting through the air as he turned to face the man. "Excuse me," he said, his tone firm but controlled. "But what you’re saying is completely wrong."
The room grew even quieter, the parents now turning their attention to Tan, surprised by the sudden shift. Fang, though still calm, shot him a look that encouraged him to speak his mind.
Tan continued, his voice growing more resolute. "We’re not here to play games. Jelly isn’t the only one who’s been hurt. The way you all are handling this shows just how little you care about the consequences your children face. It’s not about proof. It’s about accountability. And frankly, it’s about time you all realized that your kids’ behavior has been damaging."
The parents were stunned by Tan’s outburst. The woman who had spoken first was now visibly flustered, her mouth opening and closing as if she wanted to respond but couldn’t find the words. The man beside her shifted uncomfortably in his chair, unsure of how to counter Tan’s unexpected outburst.
Fang, though, didn’t look surprised. He merely watched Tan with quiet admiration, impressed by his partner’s courage to speak up when it mattered most.
Tan turned back to Fang, who gave him a small, approving nod, before returning his focus to the parents. "What Tan is saying is true. We’re not here to argue. We want to make sure this stops, and we won’t leave until we do. So, if you really care about your kids, I suggest you take responsibility and act accordingly."
The tension in the room was palpable, with the parents now realizing they couldn’t simply brush this off. They had underestimated who they were dealing with.
The woman who had been silent for a while finally spoke up again, her voice dripping with condescension. “This is getting out of hand. You can’t just accuse my child of bullying without proper investigation,” she argued, her arms crossed tightly. “There’s no way my daughter would ever do something like that.”
Fang’s eyes narrowed as he turned to face her, his patience wearing thin. “You clearly haven’t been paying attention,” he said, his voice icy. “This isn’t about accusations. It’s about the fact that your child, along with others, has made my daughter’s life a living hell. And you’re still sitting here defending them.”
The room fell silent for a moment as the weight of Fang’s words hung in the air. Just as the tension was about to escalate further, the door to the office swung open, and Phum and Peem walked in.
Tan turned quickly, surprised but relieved to see them. “What are you two doing here?” he asked, his voice carrying a mix of confusion and curiosity.
Peem gave a quick glance around the room, then looked at Tan with a slight grin. “Nara saw you while we were walking her to her room. She told us something was wrong, so we thought we’d come check. And it looks like there really is a problem.”
Phum, ever calm but with an air of authority, stepped forward. “What’s going on, Fang?”
Fang took a deep breath, glancing at Tan before turning back to Phum and Peem. He quickly explained the situation: the bullying, the confrontation with the parents, and his desire to make sure it ended once and for all. “I’m not letting this slide, Phum,” Fang said, his voice firm. “My daughter is suffering, and I won’t stand by and do nothing.”
