CHAPTER 5: That One Kid.

After spending a while outside, I decide to finally head home. Picking up my books, I head back the way I came.

It was nice coming out today. I learnt a lot of things.

"Hmm?"

On my way back, I came across a brawl between two kids. Though I used the word brawl, it was more of a one sided smack down, really.

…

Hey, hold on! I recognize one of the kids. He was one of the kids I came across earlier today. He had a light brownish hair and big green eyes.

He was getting his face pummeled up by the other kid and was in tatters. The other kid had ash colored hair and a scar which ran under his left eye.

He's bigger than me and doesn't seem my age. 7-8, maybe. He had a delighted face as he dug his fist into the face of the other kid.

By the side, were three other kids who were all chuckling and grinning to the sight unraveling before them?

The fact they're not doing anything and are just standing there enjoying the spectacle, must mean they're with the big kid over there.

The big kid as well had a delightful grin as he balled his fist and slugged the green eyes kid in his gut.

A *Guacckk* sound escaped from the kid's mouth as he fell to the ground in pain. But the kid didn't just let it end there, though.

He struggled his way up ignoring the pain, made a fist and charged at the big kid letting out a little growl, but ended up receiving a straight blow to his face by the big kid.

He fell to the ground once again as his face caved in. The other three kids all burst into laughter seeing this.

But still, the battered kid refused to stay down. He got up again, charged at the big kid with a loud cry, but was slugged to the ground again.

The laughter of the other kids increased as they watched the beat up kid get sent to the ground.

The kid still didn't let up. He got back to his feet, his face pummeled. Seeing this, the big kid's grin flinched at this and his brows furrowed.

He was beginning to get annoyed by how the beat up kid refused to stay down.

This scene happened over and over again, a repeated cycle of the kid getting slugged to the ground, over and over again. Getting up and once again, getting slugged to the ground.

It was a gruesome scene. Someone should really stop them.

At some point, the grin which had been worn by the big kid was nowhere to be found, leaving only an exasperated look as his punches became heavier.

Hah~, sucks to be that kid. If only he'd just stay down, he'd probably have gone off with only a few bruise, but now, you can add broken bones to the list.

I do feel a lot of pity for the kid, but this isn't my business in any way. I'm just going to pretend like I didn't see this and follow a different route home.

I'm not so curious to know how the big kid's fist would feel against my face.

I'm sure they'll be some other kid, that one kid with a strong sense of justice, unlike me, that one kid who can't bear to watch such an unsightly scene go on.

You know the protagonist like kid, which definitely isn't me, so…

I was about heading a different route, when suddenly, I heard a loud thud. I turn back towards the direction of the noise, only to find out that the big kid had been tackled by the battered one, who was on top of him.

He received a kick to his stomach and was sent flying off the big kid.

The big kid, with an expression like that of a hungry ferocious lion, got up and made his way to the battered kid, where he had fallen.

Getting there, he pinned the battered kid down and began raining punches on him.

"H-hey! Don't you think that's enough…"

"Th-that's a bit too much"

The three other kids who had been enjoying the one sided brawl till now, now had troubled expressions as they tried to persuade the big kid to stop his rampaging, but were too scared to approach him.

Oi! Oi! Oi! This is bad. If this drags on any longer than this, things are going to turn ugly! The kid won't just get off with broken bones at this rate.

Anybody, is there anybody around here? An adult, is there any around? Tsk, there's none.

Uggh!! Fine! I'll do something. I guess I'll be that one kid just for today. It has gone way past me pretending I didn't see this fight. If I do, my conscience wouldn't let me be.

I'll ne that one kid.

I quickly head to separate those two as quick as possible. Grabbing the arm of the big kid, I stopped him from landing another punch.

"Haw!?"

An exasperated voice leaked out of the big kid as he turned to look at me. His glare was like that of a starved beast. I could feel blood lust coming from him just from looking at me.

Ah, scary.

Yeah, this was a mistake from me. Yup, I don't want to do this anymore. Uh-uh! It's not my business what happens to any of them. It's not like the outcome is going to affect concern me.

Yeah, whatever the outcome is, I have no business with it. This was a mistake, a stupid idea! I want to go home. Maybe I should turn back?

Yeah, I'd better do that. I can't see me getting out of this safely with all my limbs intact.

It's not too late, right? To go home, that is.

In the face of the starved beast—I mean big kid before me, my face could do nothing but curl up into a wry smile as my eyes instinctively shot close.

"D-don't you think that's a bit too much?" I said, my voice visibly trembling. Ah, this isn't good. I can feel cold sweat flowing down my back. I let go of the beast—I mean, boy's hand as I could feel something towering up against me

Ah, I think he stood up.

"Hm? And, who the hell are you?" the big kid asked. His voice sending shivers down my spine.

Ah, this is the end, for me, that is.

What was I thinking, inserting myself into this fight?

"A-h, yes! Excuse me, my name is-"my eyes open up as I began my introduction, but was cut midsentence by the image of the big kid who was before me. "Who- do you- think you are- interfering in- what's not- you're concern!?!" the big kid growled, his anger visibly showing.

"O-oh! Uh…well you see, I-I um…was just p-passing bye, wh-when I uh…" I tried making a follow up, but nothing occurs to me. Guuughh!! Calm down! Calm down! I need to calm down! Deep breathes. Deep breathes.

"Fuh…" taking deep breathes to calm myself and recollect my thoughts. I finish and said, "Excuse me--!" before receiving a punch to the face. Yeah, I got punched in the face by the kid. I just received a punch to the face, but yet, I felt nothing. As always, the pain was there for just less than a second.

Taking the punch head on, I barely moved from where I stood. But still, what's up with this brat? Punching someone out of nowhere, is just plain rude. Something began welling up inside me, and I could feel my mood sour. I felt exasperation at the brat before me.

This brat! I was just going to separate a little fight, but in place of his guardians or parents, I'm going to have to teach him to not go punching at people out of nowhere, if he's not trying to pick a fight.

The way I feel right now, I don't think a few bruises would be enough. Maybe I'll throw in a few broken bones as well. Yeah, he did throw the first blow, so I'll be justified if I think of it as self-defense or something like that. That's right. And even if he gets a few broken bones, wouldn't it be fair. I mean, here he was trying to deal serious damage to some other kid.

The brat before me begins trembling, for some reason. He retracts his arm and takes a few steps back. I could see sweat forming along his forehead. Seeing this, I could feel the edges of my lips curl up into a smile, but not the nervous one from before.

For some reason, I feel incredibly good right now. I'm not exactly sure why though. The brat's got a terrified look, like he's seen some ghost or something. Well, it's not like that matters. I drop down the books in my arm and make my way towards the trembling brat, while popping my knuckles.

"D-don't come near me! S-stay away!!" saying this, the brat backed up more, the closer I got. "I said stay away!!" with this, he threw another punch at me, but unlike the first one, I noticed it and effortlessly parried it with my left arm, while delivering a punch of my own to his face. My fist dug into his face until a snapping noise was heard.

Ah, I think I broke his nose. After receiving my punch, the brat falls to the ground, groaning in pain as he cradled his newly broken nose. Watching this, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Ho! Are you finally showing your true nature? Where's all that bravado you had earlier, huh?" while looking down at the pitiful sight of the brat squirming in the dirt like the worm he is, I couldn't help but mock the brat.

"O-oi! What do you think you're doing!?" one of the three other kids who had been silent all this while, finally said. "Haw!? Can't you tell? I'm teaching this here brat not to go picking fights with people out of the blue." Directing these words at him, my tone was filled with exasperation.

"Damn you!!" saying this, the other brat charged at me as the rest followed. Humph. How pathetic.

After receiving a punch or two each, the four brats all turned tails and ran saying cliché bad guys line like, " we'll get you for this!" with snot running down their nose. C'mon, at least say that with a dry nose, that way, it'll be less lame that way.

Watching the brats all run was a really fulfilling sight. So, why did I do this again? No, why did I even do this again!? This is bad, this is really bad!! I hope I didn't do serious damage. The hell I'm I saying!?! I broke one of their noses! Isn't that damage serious enough!?! After regaining back my sense, I immediately began regretting my actions.