Chapter "Connection Of Eyes"
With a swift and brutal strike, Hamlyn was sent reeling backward, blood streaming from his nose as he collapsed to the ground.
"Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Fredy's voice rose in fury as he rushed to Hamlyn's side, checking on his friend's condition. The others quickly restrained the assailant, preventing him from inflicting further harm.
Amidst the chaos, one of the strangers intervened, calmly asserting, "Hey, calm down. One punch is more than enough."
"Yeah, we're still in our school uniforms," another added, emphasizing, "We can't afford to get into trouble.”
The aggressor who struck Hamlyn seethed with anger, his voice dripping with menace as he spat out his threat, "Hey, you little punk, make sure your brother knows we're far from finished with him. Consider this just a taste of what's coming his way in the future. Make sure that coward hears it loud and clear."
Hamlyn locked eyes with the assailant, their silent confrontation laden with tension, before the group of strangers departed, forcefully taking the aggressive individual with them.
Turning his attention back to Hamlyn, who remained on the ground nursing his injured nose,
"Who were those guys?" Fredy inquired, curiosity evident in his voice.
"I have no clue," Hamlyn admitted with a shake of his head.
"Can you stand?" Fredy asked, his gaze fixed on Hamlyn.
"Of course I can,” Hamlyn retorted, "I'm not dead"
"Oh, I thought you were out for the day," Fredy teased playfully, lightening the mood.
"Shut up," Hamlyn shot back, his annoyance palpable. Fredy extended his hand to help Hamlyn up, and together they resumed their journey home, walking side by side…….
Upon arriving home, Hamlyn stepped inside to find his mother in the kitchen.
"Welcome home,” She greeted him warmly, “Don't forget, you have extra classes at cram school today"
"Where's Ullmar?" Hamlyn inquired, curiosity tingeing his voice.
"He's in his room. What's going on?" his mother responded, Sensing Hamlyn's urgency, "Is everything alright?" she asked again
"Yeah," Hamlyn reassured her quickly, rushing towards his room.
He firmly opened the door, and there was Ullmar, in the midst of packing his bag for cram school. Upon seeing Hamlyn, he paused, and they shared a moment of eye contact before Ullmar refocused on his task.
"Be quick and get ready. I don't want to get late," Ullmar remarked in a casual tone.
"Today," Hamlyn shared, "I had a run-in with some guys on my way back from school.”
In the midst of packing his bag, Ullmar paused upon hearing this. There was a brief lull in the room before he resumed his task. "Who were they? Are they familiar to you?" Ullmar inquired, curiosity evident in his voice.
"I have no idea," Hamlyn responded. "They approached me, asked if I was Hamlyn, and then without warning, they hit me.”
Ullmar chuckled lightly, "Did you retaliate?" curiosity evident in his voice.
"No, I didn't" Hamlyn shook his head, his response straightforward.
"Why? Because your hands are tied?" Ullmar's smile widened as he jestingly remarked. "Are you expecting me to fight your battles?”
"One of them mentioned they're not finished with you," Hamlyn explained. "They wanted me to pass along the message. Do you recognize them now?”
Ullmar's expression shifted, his face growing serious. "If they see you again, it's better for you to run," he advised.
"That's not the answer to my question," Hamlyn insisted, seeking clarity amidst the tension.
Suddenly, Ullmar's phone started ringing, interrupting the conversation. He picked up his phone and glanced at Hamlyn, instructing, "You can go now."
Feeling dismissed, Hamlyn stormed out of the room in frustration and headed straight to his own room……
The next day, Ullmar entered Hamlyn's room as he prepared for school.
"Let's stick together from now on," Ullmar declared with determination. "I'll walk you to school, wait for you after classes, and we'll also head home together."
"No! There's no need for that," Hamlyn protested vehemently, exclaiming. "I can handle it on my own.”
"You can't!" Ullmar's voice rose in defiance.
"I can!" Hamlyn retorted firmly, With his bag slung over his shoulder, Hamlyn dashed out of his room in anger, leaving behind a frustrated Ullmar whose anger simmered…..
Upon reaching his classroom, Hamlyn sank into his seat, frustration evident as he rested his forehead against the desk.
"Hey, are you okay?" Concerned, Hamond approached him and inquired.
"Yeah, I'm okay," Hamlyn assured him as he retrieved his books. Suddenly, Sasha appeared, positioning herself directly in front of him.
As Hamlyn looked up at Sasha and asked, “What?”
"This is a complaint letter from our class,” Sasha extended a folded paper towards Hamlyn, “Can you deliver it to the headmaster?" her tone was serious as she explained the task.
"Why can't you go yourself?" Hamond interjected, teasingly questioning. "Are you afraid of the headmaster?”
"Mind your own business! I didn't ask for your input," Sasha snapped back, clearly annoyed.
"But he has a point," Hamlyn inquired curiously. "I just got here. Couldn't you go instead?”
"The headmaster can be quite unpleasant," Sasha justified her reluctance. "And presenting him with this complaint letter might worsen his mood. I'd rather not start my day that way.”
"Ah, so you're admitting it. You're scared of him," Hamond playfully teased.
"Hamlyn, tell him to stop talking, or I'll make him regret it," Sasha retorted sharply, her annoyance palpable.
Standing up decisively, Hamlyn asked, "Where is he?" as he accepted the letter.
Sasha nodded appreciatively, indicating the headmaster's current location on the fourth floor. Hamlyn then exited the class…..
Upon his return to class, Hamlyn resumed his seat.
"So, did the headmaster give you a hard time?" Hamond inquired.
“No, absolutely nothing happened” Hamlyn responded “She was just overthinking,"
Hamond chuckled, observing, "Looks like you're embracing your role as class representative." However, Hamlyn remained silent, his focus on his book.
As the lesson carried on, Hamlyn found himself diving deeper into his studies. However, amid his concentration, a strange sensation crept over him, prompting him to lift his gaze and glance ahead.
His gaze drifted forward, and he found himself locking eyes with a girl positioned at the front of the class, just a few seats ahead. Her captivating brown eyes met his.
Hamlyn's eyes widened in surprise at this unexpected interaction. Without exchanging a single word, the girl gestured towards his fallen pen, gently indicating for him to retrieve it from the floor.
For a fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still for Hamlyn. His heart skipped a beat at this unforeseen encounter, momentarily leaving him dazed and struggling to gather his thoughts. However, with a concerted effort, he regained his composure and swiftly retrieved his fallen pen.
Returning his gaze to the girl, Hamlyn noticed her brown eyes still fixed on his, creating a silent connection between them. Eventually, she looked away, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink as her friends teasingly nudged her.
Her blush added to her already captivating charm, leaving Hamlyn momentarily lost in bewilderment. The bustling school environment seemed to fade away, leaving only him and the girl caught in a private moment, their own world briefly secluded from the rest.
The whirlwind of events left Hamlyn momentarily stunned, unsure of how to react. After gathering his thoughts, he became aware of his classmates' amusement at the scene. They teased him with laughter, commenting, "Hey, Hamlyn, she's quite cute, isn't she?"
Hamond, noticing Hamlyn's flustered state, jokingly chimed in, "Well, well, Mr. Mentor, looks like you're sweating bullets and your heart's beating like a drum. Are you okay?"
Hamlyn locked eyes with Hamond, his brow damp with sweat, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. He was in complete silence, seemingly struck by a sudden jolt that left him unable to voice his emotions, caught in a moment of speechless surprise.