STRANGERS

Part 22 (Not Alone)

Mr. Lee cleared his throat, the sound crackling through the old microphone with a sharp feedback whine that made several students flinch. His gravelly voice echoed off the walls.

"This is for your well being, toppers. You all need to focus properly on college preparation without any distractions."

His gaze then swept slowly toward the average students' side, eyes cold and judgmental, lips curled in clear disappointment.

"As for the average student..." He let the pause linger, the silence heavy and humiliating.

"You still have six more months to improve if you truly want a better future."

Some parents nodded quietly, murmuring approval.

But many average sections students shifted uncomfortably in their seats, faces burning with shame or simmering anger.

A few looked down at their desks, ears red, shoulders hunched as if trying to disappear.

Others stared back at Mr. Lee with clenched jaws and glassy eyes, the familiar sting of being labeled "not enough" after years of 2 a.m. study sessions, skipped meals, and constant rank anxiety hitting them hard.

Jungkook's fists clenched so tightly under the desk that his knuckles turned white and his nails bit into his palms, sharp pain shooting up his wrists. His breathing grew shallow and fast, chest tight.

Taehyung turned his head slightly, sharp eyes locking onto Jungkook for a brief second. He saw the storm brewing the flushed cheeks, the trembling shoulders, the way Jungkook's leg bounced rapidly under the desk.

"Bomb will blast now" Taehyung thought, stomach twisting with worry.

And it did.

Jungkook shot up from his chair so violently that the legs scraped loudly against the tiled floor with a piercing screeeeech, the sound cutting through the room like a knife. Jimin and J-Hope, sitting beside him, looked startled but stood up with him anyway, confused and tense.

Jungkook glared straight at Mr. Lee, voice loud and cracking with raw emotion.

"So even school starts to show discrimination now?!"

The entire auditorium went dead silent for a split second before every head turned toward him. Whispers erupted like static. Mr. Lee blinked, caught off guard.

"What are you trying to say, brat?"

Jungkook huffed, chest heaving, the collar of his shirt suddenly feeling too tight around his sweating neck.

"Isn't it kinda unfair for us average students? Just because we're lagging behind the toppers, does it mean we're worthless and have no future? Not to forget you teachers won't guard us or help us like you will guard them!"

Murmurs of agreement spread quickly through the left side.

Mr. Lee snapped, voice rising sharply.

"Did I say we won't take care of you? We will but by keeping the serious students away so those who actually have potential can become something!"

That sentence broke something.Half the average section students exploded at once. Chairs scraped and banged as they stood up in a wave.

A girl near the front shouted, voice shaking with years of pent up pain, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Excuse me, Mr. Lee! You have no right to decide who will be successful and who won't! I cry every night because no matter how hard I study, my scores don't move! My parents compare me to my cousin every single day!"