(FAILURE)

"Sorry, you are disqualified."

The moment Fei pushed through the rotating glass door of the café, the manager shook his head apologizingly. Disappointment was written right on his face. "I, I am, truly- sorry." Fei panted, out of breath from all those running. "C-Can you just give me another chance?" "Your dressing is disqualified at first." He pointed the ball pen at Fei. His shirt was damped by sweat from all those excessive exercise, his hair was a total mess, his trouser was smeared in mud, so do his shoes. Leaving a trail of muddy tracks down the café's red carpet, he could feel the janitor shooting him dirty looks from afar. "And most importantly, you are late. Time management is what workers needed to prioritize at its finest. Imagine if one of them are late due to "special causes", and I let him be. The rest will follow, tell me then. How chaotic will my café be?" Fei stayed silent, he bit his lip, keeping his head low. This is all indeed his fault.

"Sorry…" "No, don't apologize to me." The manager waved his hand, shaking his head once again, letting out another deeper, longer sigh. "Keep it up next time, there are always chances." He patted his shoulder before turning back and entered his office. The others gave him sympathise looks upon seeing this tragic scene, even the customers felt bad for him, poor guy. Fei remained quite as he exited the café. After all those commotion, he didn't wanted to board the bus anymore. He walked down the passage, alone, aimlessly. His eyes blank, and so do his mind. He took his earphones out and put it on again, trying to soothe his bleeding heart. He put his hands into his coat pocket and walked after pressing the play button without choosing. Somehow maybe out of pure coincidence, Gary Jule's "Mad world" plays in his ears:

"And I find it kind of funny

I find it kind of sad

The dreams in which I'm dying

Are the best I've ever had

I find it hard to tell you

I find it hard to take

When people run in circles it's a very, very

Mad world, mad world…"

Fei let out a bitter smile, even the songs wanted to hurt him that much. Rain started to pour down once more; it was a total downpour again. With no umbrella with him, he is forced to walk in the midst of the pelting rain. The raindrops were like needles, piercing his body and shattering his soul. His smile turns into a chuckle, and a chuckle into a laughter. He took off his hoodie, opening his arms and spun. Letting the wind and rain impact his face hard. Enjoying the moment as raindrops slide down his cheek, mixed with his tears. He ignored the eyes and thoughts of the other passers-by; he laughed his pain out and yet crying at the same time. Waving his hands, spinning around, embracing the rain.

"Enlarging your world…

Mad world…"

"Honey, I am home~"

He laughed out loud by his disgusting words upon reaching his dorm. With one hand he hold a can of half-finished beer and in another is a plastic bag filled with more great liquor. He stumbled through the living room and into the kitchen. He stuffed the rest of the cancer-bringer into the fridge before finishing the one in his hand and toss it aside. Spicy, sweet and bitter filled his gum, he closed his eyes into a slit as he let out a hiss, feeling floaty and high. He felt warm, very warm, this fuzzy feeling a causes him to feel very drowsy. He barely make it to his bedroom before collapsing to the ground. He always expected his first experience with liquor is when he succeeded, but now, he lost it to failure.

And when he woke up, there he is, on his bed, unable to move, chained up by those invisible ropes.

"Gah!" Fei jolted up from his bed, recalling the event that happened last night. The first thing he did is take a look around his room, luckily there is no one, no ghost head dangling down from the ceiling, no spirits, phasing through the wall and scare the crap out of him. The sunlight shone through the window, revealing the dust particles floating in the air. "Must've drink too much…" Fei rubbed his head, it still felt like a block of brick. He took a look at the electronic clock, seven thirty, he still had half an hour of preparation.

His throat felt sore, so he decided to head to the kitchen for a cup of water first. But the moment he walk pass the dining room to the kitchen, he stop right in his track and raise an eyebrow, utterly confused. On top of the dining table were at least six plate, each filled with different kind of dish. A plate of steam rice, a slice of tofu topped with fermented soy bean, miso soup, a slice of grilled salmon, one soft boiled egg and a plate of pickled vegetables.

"Wha-who?" Fei approached the table and touched the ceramic bowl and plates, it is still hot, and so do the food. The one who cooked it must've just finish it moments ago. Just then he heard a distant sound of dishes and plates clashing together at the kitchen. Fei immediately rushed into it, trying to find who is the one that did all of this, but just to found the dishwater operating by itself. "Maybe it was Mey." Fei mumbled beneath his breath, trying to calm himself down while taking a seat at the table. "Itadakimasu~" He raised up his chopstick and exclaimed before digging in. "Should've thanked her." He thought in his mind while stuffing a chopstick full of fragrant rice into his mouth. Gotta say, her cooking skills were superb.

"That will be it." Fei loaded the last dish into the dishwasher before returning to his bedroom. He take another quick glimpse at the clock again, fifteen minutes to go. Fei opened the closet to find his uniform folded in neat squares, awaiting for him. "She really is nice." Fei took it out and began dressing. The washing machine had washed away the stain, it felt great as new. But recalling the events yesterday, he still felt traumatized. Will they still bully him? Will his high school life still remain miserable just like before? Will he remain as the lowest being in the food chain here? Well, there is only one way to find out.